We have long known that effective instruction is not one-size-fits-all, however classrooms today include more diverse learners than ever. Join us as we examine approaches that school leaders can take to support staff and further the mission of inclusion, and learn ways to honor student voice, provide meaningful scaffolds, and support diverse learning profiles. Attendees will walk away with simple tools to differentiate instruction, promote independence, and create learning environments rooted in respect and belonging.
Spring is contract season, which makes burnout, intent to stay/leave, and faculty morale especially urgent. This session translates current work-psychology into practical strategies leaders can use immediately: spotting early warning signals of disengagement, introducing restoration practices, and modeling communication that honors dignity while holding boundaries. We’ll connect each practice to Episcopal identity—care of persons, community, and justice—so that retention efforts reinforce mission as well as organizational health.
Episcopal schools are navigating an increasingly complex legal landscape with rapidly evolving issues impacting admissions, employment, governance, and daily operations. Join independent school attorney Kristin Smith of Fisher Phillips for an essential update on current legal topics affecting Episcopal schools. This session will demystify key legal developments, provide practical guidance for compliance, and equip heads of school, CFOs, and other school leaders and trustees with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions and mitigate risk.
In Episcopal schools, we all share responsibility for the spiritual care and emotional well-being of our students. This workshop will equip school leaders, educators, and staff with practical tools to recognize signs of student distress, support resilience, and foster a culture of belonging. Together, we will explore how emotional, physical, academic, and social indicators can signal deeper challenges and how to respond with compassion and effectiveness.
This webinar shares the process of collaboratively creating a school framework to guide improvement in P–12 teaching at Breck School in Golden Valley, MN. The framework includes three domains—cultural awareness, inclusive learning environments, and deeper learning experiences—and each domain comprises five to seven indicators that describe observable phenomena teachers and students now use to guide documentation and reflection. Each domain and indicator is connected to research in the Learning Sciences, such as cultural relevance, motivation, cognitive load, and authentic tasks. The session presents the Framework, outlines its development, describes its integration into broader curricular review and improvement processes, and highlights how teachers and instructional leaders might adopt or adapt it to the needs of their own schools.
Episcopal churches and schools have a unique opportunity to strengthen one another through intentional partnership. This webinar explores how a strong, collaborative relationship between churches and schools can deepen Episcopal identity, enrich the formation of children and families, and align the school and church around a shared calling.
Leaders want their school to be rooted in mission-driven, data-informed decision making, yet many schools struggle to create strategic plans that are not only aspirational but actionable. Join Mission & Data’s Jason Kern and Mike Cobb along with NAES Heads of School as they walk through research-based processes to develop an actionable strategic plan and effective methods for communicating progress to your community. Participants will receive strategies on how to develop a strategic plan that incorporates feedback from multiple constituencies across the school community and builds buy-in for implementation by considering the school’s organizational, programmatic and adaptive capacities. Learn how to align success metrics to strategic goals and how to build dashboards to keep school leaders and the board apprised of progress toward success.
Being an independent school leader has never been easy, but things are moving particularly quickly right now. Watch this lively discussion about what is happening in Washington, how it might impact the independent school landscape, and how we might tackle the challenges and harness the opportunities ahead.
Sometimes, important lessons can be learned in what not to do! The partnership between head and board chair is critical for the success of the school. Effective partnerships depend on good communication, trust, and collaboration. In this interactive webinar, participants will explore common pitfalls that can prevent a thriving partnership between these two key school leaders.
Living into your school’s Episcopal identity is a critical strategic topic for heads of school. It’s hard work! Success in implementing the board’s vision for a school’s Episcopal identity depends on a highly effective partnership between the head of school and the chaplain. Join us to hear from three pairs of heads of school and chaplains about how they navigate tensions in the chaplaincy and cultivate collaboration in this important work.
