Sometimes the most valuable lessons come from seeing what not to do. A strong evaluation process is essential for a successful headship and a healthy governance culture, yet many boards unintentionally fall into patterns that undermine trust, clarity, and performance. In this interactive webinar, participants will examine common pitfalls that derail effective head of school evaluations, including misaligned expectations, unclear criteria, poor communication, and board–chair missteps. Join us to explore what can go wrong in the evaluation process and how to avoid these mistakes to ensure a more constructive, growth-focused partnership.
Sometimes, important lessons can be learned in what not to do! The partnership between head of school 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.
As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes how students learn and live, school leaders face both opportunity and urgency. This session will share the latest research on how middle and high school students use AI, outline key principles for ethical and responsible use, and highlight best practices for AI policy-making in independent schools. We’ll also explore what’s next, including emerging tools such as agentic AI and their implications for teaching, learning, and school planning. Participants will leave with strategies, frameworks, and forward-looking insights to guide their school’s summer planning and beyond.
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.
Spring in schools often carries a particular kind of tension. Contracts are issued. Conversations begin. Quiet discernment happens in hallways and at kitchen tables. Leaders wonder who will stay. Teachers wonder whether they can. In Episcopal schools, where the mission calls us to honor the dignity of every human being, burnout is not simply an HR problem; it is a community concern. If we believe in the inherent worth of each person, then we must ask: Are we structuring our schools in ways that truly respect the human?
Board governance is a powerful opportunity to align institutional leadership with the Gospel’s call to equity and justice. Yet for many trustees of color, board service can feel like tokenism or come with a silent burden. This webinar introduces Culturally Affirming Independent School Board Governance (CAISBG), a framework developed through a national study of trustees of color. Participants will explore insights from trustees, reflect on the theological dimensions of leadership, and apply the CAISBG framework to board recruitment and culture. This webinar is for school leaders who want their boards to reflect Episcopal values of inclusion, justice, and belonging.
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.
Teachers often teach how they were taught, yet the past three decades of research on how people learn requires rethinking our pedagogical foundations. At Breck, we had the question, “How should teachers teach?” and that seemingly simple question resulted in the design of our Instructional Framework, an artifact that is now intended to guide schoolwide instruction, professional learning, and teacher evaluation.
As Episcopal schools, we are committed to creating communities that welcome, affirm, and sustain students and families from diverse backgrounds. As schools discern their paths forward, this resource offers guidance to heads of school, trustees, and other leaders in making thoughtful, mission-driven decisions. The article also includes a sample board agenda and a simple breakdown of key opportunities and challenges.
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.
