2024 Governance Conference

 

Monday, September 30 & Tuesday, October 1 
Sessions presented virtually via Zoom.
Evening Networking Sessions held in-person. 

“When Board members take a moment to step away from their busy lives and reflect on the significance of their role, they strengthen the entire Board. The effectiveness of a Head and Board in navigating challenges depends on a deep understanding of the diverse dimensions and complexities schools face at any given time.”
—Judy Guild, Head of School, Brimmer and May School

 

 

Future-Focused Leadership for Independent Schools
Bring your Board Chair and Trustees to AISNE’s annual Governance Conference. Heads of School, Business Officers, and Board members can learn alongside one another and focus on leadership and operational topics—from risk management to strategic planning. Sessions are held virtually and recorded, giving your school more than 12 hours of Board development at a single, low price. 

We will cover the hot topics in education today, create a community of support, and make intentional time for balcony-level thinking. You will come away with a solid foundation to make progress on improving your school, no matter your goals.

Bring your full board, Head of School, and CFO/COO to maximize the impact of your learning. 

“The governance issues for private schools require delicate balancing on so many fronts: financial stability, transparency, and the impact of technology to name just a few. AISNE’s Governance Conference is a safe space to explore how best to adapt while preserving what makes each of our schools unique.”
—T. Elonide Caldwell-Semmes, Board Chair, Waynflete School

Pricing & Registration

AISNE Members save $100/person compared to non-members. Not a member? Join today.

Number of Attendees	AISNE Member Schools	Non-Member School
1 – 3	$269/person	$369/person
4 – 9	$239/person	$339/person
10 – 19	$219/person	$319/person
20+	$199/person	$299/person

 

Board Members Can’t Make It?
We understand scheduling your board can be difficult. Registrants who are not able to attend live sessions will have access to recordings of all topic sessions, the keynote, and the general session—more than 10 hours of learning content! Register each of your board members and unlock access to the recordings.

REGISTER HERE

Agenda at a Glance

Monday, September 30

• 9:30 – 10:45 AM | Opening Session
• 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM | Topic Sessions

Tuesday, October 1

• 9:30 – 10:45 AM | Topic Sessions
• 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM | Keynote & Group Learning Reflections

General Sessions

Monday, September 30 | 9:30 – 10:45 AM
Anne-Marie Balzano | What Excellence in Governance Looks Like
Over the past several years, Heads of Schools and their boards have navigated a series of polycrises: the pandemic, economic disruption, political polarization, and racial reckoning. As a result, the need for effective governance has never been more important for the stewardship of an independent school’s mission and long-term sustainability. Dr. Anne-Marie Balzano will explore what excellence in governance looks like, including how boards can engage in trendspotting to inform generative conversations, how Heads and boards can develop a proactive and productive partnership, and how to engage in shared decision-making that keeps boundaries and responsibilities clear.

Anne-Marie Balzano, EdD, is the Senior Governance Strategist for Mission & Data, a firm dedicated to the effectiveness, health, and vitality of educational institutions and other organizations that make the world a better place. A former head of school, associate professor, teacher, and most recently, Director of Leadership and Governance at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Anne-Marie possesses a unique and multi-leveled perspective of the educational landscape and the complex demands of leadership and governance development. As a current trustee at the Buckley School (CA), Anne-Marie is deeply committed to supporting independent school leaders and the children they serve.

Anne-Marie began her education career as a public middle school English and reading teacher. After earning a doctorate in education leadership from Mills College (CA), she moved into secondary administration; first as a middle school assistant principal and then a high school assistant principal and guidance director. She then served as the head of the Campus School at Carlow University (PA), as well as an assistant professor in Carlow’s School of Education. Anne-Marie continues to feed her passion for teaching as an adjunct professor in the Independent School Leadership program at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College.

Tuesday, October 1 | 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
John Austin & Lee Levison | Navigating Pluralistic Contention: Creating a Framework for Expressive Freedom and Intellectual Diversity
In this session we will discuss the creation and impact of A Framework for Schools, a comprehensive guide addressing the challenges of maintaining intellectual diversity, disciplined non-partisanship, and expressive freedom in independent schools. You will explore the collaborative process of developing the framework, its implementation at Deerfield Academy, and the broader implications for fostering a supportive and dynamic educational environment amid rising societal polarization. 

Dr. John P.N. Austin is the Head of School at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, where he has served since 2019. Prior to Deerfield, Dr. Austin served as Headmaster at King’s Academy in Madaba, Jordan, and before that as Academic Dean at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware, where he joined the faculty in 1987. John is a graduate of Williams College; he holds a Master of Arts, Master of Philosophy, and Doctoral degrees in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University, along with a Master’s degree from the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College. Dr. Austin is committed to creating and sustaining vibrant educational communities that honor student initiative, creativity, and wellness; and to school cultures that foster supportive, caring relationships between adults and young people within a culture of respect, clear values, diversity, inclusion, and educational opportunity.

Lee Levison, EdD, is a retired Head of School and most recently worked as the Program Director at Deerfield Academy for A Framework for Schools. He served as Headmaster of the Collegiate School of New York, an independent single-gender school for boys in Manhattan, for 14 years. Prior to that, Lee was Head of School at Kingswood Oxford School in Connecticut for 14 years. He holds his doctorate of education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. With an education career spanning more than 40 years, Lee is a recognized independent school thought leader across New England and the greater northeast.  

Topic Sessions

Monday, September 30 | 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Choose one topic session to participate in live. All sessions are recorded for your post-event viewing.

Risk Management in Governance: Strengthening Board Oversight with Comprehensive Documents
 
Presented by Susan Guerette, Partner, and Kristin L. Smith, Partner and Co-Chair of the Education Industry Practice at Fisher Phillips
Effective risk management in independent schools begins with robust governance practices. In this session you will hear from an expert in educational law and explore how comprehensive governance documents serve as the foundation for mitigating risks and ensuring legal compliance. You will receive insight into the creation and revision of critical documents such as Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and codes of conduct, with a focus on incorporating provisions that address modern challenges like whistleblower policies and conflict of interest protocols. This session offers you strategies to align governance documents with the school’s mission while safeguarding against potential risks. Leave with practical tools to enhance board oversight, reduce vulnerabilities, and ensure their governance framework supports a resilient and adaptable institution.

Leading Together: The Dynamic Partnership between Heads of School and DEI Practitioners for Lasting Impact

Led by Martha Haakmat, Executive Director at Haakmat Consulting
With Julian Braxton and Sarah Pelmas, Bezan Chair for Community and Inclusion and Head of School at Winsor School (Boston, MA)
Leila Bailey-Stewart and Jennifer Price, DEI & Global Education Officer and Head of School at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (Cambridge, MA)
Join us for an insightful and dynamic conversation moderated by Martha Haakmat, an esteemed former Head of School and DEI practitioner exploring the vital relationship between school leadership and DEI professionals. We will focus on the collaborative efforts necessary to foster an inclusive and equitable school environment. You will hear their testimonies to how school leaders can complement each other, find diverse leadership practices that work in harmony, and how they worked together to overcome challenges.

The First Five Years: The Board’s Role in Driving Head of School Success

Presented by Lucinda Lee Katz and Cathy Shelburne, Executive Coaches at Carney Sandoe & Associates
The appointment of a new Head of School is one of the most critical moments in the life of an independent school. Schools thrive under long-term, sustained, effective leadership. This session delves into the essential steps and strategies a board needs to take during the first five years of a Head of School’s tenure—from executing a successful search and providing robust onboarding to offering ongoing support and ensuring retention. This session will equip you with leading practices to foster a smooth leadership transition and establish a foundation for long-term success. You will gain actionable insights and strategies to effectively support and retain your Heads of School, thereby fostering leadership that strengthens the entire school community.

Strategic Planning: From Potent Mission to Winning Aspirations

Presented by Ross Peters and Moira Kelly, Managing Partner and President at EXPLO Elevate
Many schools struggle with weak mission statements—often too lengthy, hard to remember, or outdated. These statements, frequently crafted by committee, can fail to inspire or resonate within the school’s daily life. Can you recite your school’s mission from memory? Drawing on analysis of 500 National Association of Independent School (NAIS) members’ mission statements, we’ll share insights on the five critical roles a strong mission statement plays and encourage reflection on whether your mission fulfills these roles. Transitioning from a potent mission to setting winning aspirations is crucial. We’ll explore the difference between problem-solving strategic plans and those built on winning aspirations. You will engage in small group discussions, examining various strategic plans to identify characteristics of effective aspirations.

Making a Fundraising Ask… Inclusively!

Presented by Tesha McCord Poe, Author and Founder & CEO at Joy-Raising
What does it mean to lead a philanthropy program that aligns with your school’s values? Can philanthropy be inclusive and transformative at the same time? Philanthropy is a powerful display of community engagement. When fundraisers lead with the school’s values, the act of giving can foster a sense of joy and belonging for all members of the community. In this session, you will learn how to strategize through an inclusive lens before, during, and after a gift solicitation. You will come away with tools to share with your teams and ideas for increasing your success with a larger range of donor prospects.

Tuesday, October 1 | 9:30 – 10:45 AM
Choose one topic session to participate in live. All sessions are recorded for your post-event viewing.

Customer-Centric vs. School-Centric: Shifting Focus for Better Enrollment Outcomes

Presented by Claude Anderson, Executive Consultant at Enrollment Management for Schools
Explore the distinctions between customer-centric and school-centric approaches in enrollment management. As an educational institution operating in a competitive landscape, learn why you should follow a customer-centric approach and see how it offers a better chance of fulfilling your school’s mission over the years. Learn how to identify the specific problems and concerns that drive families to seek out your school. Together, we will consider how to align admission activities with these consumer problems to create a compelling narrative that resonates with prospective families. You will gain practical examples of how schools can design admission events that directly address the needs and concerns of your target audience. You’ll come away with strategies for engaging the entire school team in the enrollment management process to ensure a coherent and persuasive message.

Small Schools: Governance Opportunities and Challenges

Led by Brooke Carroll, Principal Consultant and Coach at Acies Strategies
With Katherine Bowen, Head of School at Quest Montessori School (Narragansett, RI) and
Marshall Carter, Head of School at Atrium School (Watertown, MA)
Small independent schools deal with issues that are complex, varied, and often quite distinct from those their larger counterparts face. In a time of staffing issues, social friction, and financial stress, effective small schools governance is a critical. The role of the Head has become increasingly more complicated, and we need our boards to step up and take on the work of effective governance. However, many board members who serve small schools have not had the training and experience needed to be effective governors. This is a session that grounds participants in the challenges and benefits of small schools and will help you gain insights into how to leverage them address the challenges. Focusing on governance best practices, using case studies, and providing an opportunity for you to share your own wisdom, we will learn together how to support small school leaders and boards.

Designing Effective Board Meetings: Systems, Structures, and Strategies for Generative Discussions

Presented by Wanda Holland Greene, Head of School at The Hamlin School (San Francisco, CA) and Facilitator of AISNE’s Heads of Color Leadership Cohort
Effective governance is not only about the decisions made but also about the process through which these decisions are reached. In this session, we will explore the systems and structures that can be implemented to design board meetings that foster generative discussions. You will gain practical strategies, specific examples, and actionable elements that a Board Chair and Head of School can use to create a meeting environment conducive to thoughtful dialogue and sound decision-making. By focusing on the key components of successful meeting design, you will leave equipped with the tools needed to set your boards up for effective governance and long-term success.

Balancing Power & Partnership: Negotiating the Head and Board Chair Relationship

Presented by Lucinda Lee Katz and Cathy Shelburne, Executive Coaches at Carney Sandoe & Associates
The relationship between the Head of School and the Board Chair is a cornerstone of effective school governance. However, navigating this partnership—especially in relation to faculty, students, and parents—can be complex. We will delve into the nuances of this critical relationship in this session. You will explore strategies for building trust, maintaining clear communication, and ensuring alignment on the school’s mission and goals. We will also address how to manage the intersecting relationships between the Head of School, faculty, students, and parents, creating a cohesive and supportive school environment. Designed for both Heads of School and Board Chairs, this session offers practical guidance for fostering a collaborative and productive leadership team.

Executive Committee: Purpose and Parameters for Board Effectiveness

Presented by Barb Rosston, Strategic Governance Consultant at Mission & Data
Many schools question the purpose and parameters the Executive Committee is meant to fill. On some boards, the Executive Committee acts as the decision-maker if the full board cannot meet on a certain issue or situation. On other boards, the Executive Committee simply generates the agenda for the board meetings and little else. Some Executive Committees are small, comprised of only the officers, while others are comprised of officers and committee chairs—often almost half the board. So, what IS the role of the Executive Committee? In this session we will explore how the ideal Executive Committee should function in support of board effectiveness. We will discuss the relationship the Head has with the committee and work through case studies and small group discussions. Come away with a clear picture of who should serve on your school’s Executive Committee, its major responsibilities, and how it can best to partner with the Head of School.

Succession Planning: A Critical Key to Your School’s Long-Term Stability

Presented by Carol Santos and André Withers, Partners at Educators Collaborative
Succession planning for your Head of School transition is a challenge that outweighs even the hiring process—and it’s more critical to get right! That succession plan is an essential element of good governance; when rooted in the realities and research about shorter head tenure, doing it well can help set schools up for long-term success. Come away from this session with a better understanding of why Heads of School are leaving the profession. You will learn how to organize Governance efforts to ensure longevity from your Head of School better, and/or how to mitigate the headwinds of transition.