Strengthening Your School’s Governance Game

The governance of independent schools present varied, complex, and ever-changing challenges. In order to rise to the occasion you need a board that is agile, dedicated, informed and prepared.  

Join us for this workshop, aimed at helping you level up your governance skills. Facilitator Martha Haakmat will take school leaders and trustees through a variety of governing roles, and home in on the distinction between strategic and tactical responsibilities. You will review relevant case studies from other schools in small groups, discuss the key takeaways from a variety of work efforts within those schools, and share out with the larger group. 

Following the case studies, you will work on developing action plans that you can implement at your own school. We’ll discuss in the group how your school can enact effective role divisions within your board and leadership. There will be time for peer conversations over lunch, allowing you and fellow school leaders and trustees to network and share information and resources.  

This experience is designed for Heads, Assistant Heads, and Board Chairs and Trustees of all experience levels. We highly recommend that this be an activity that Heads experience alongside members of their board.

Register

Wednesday, May 7, 2025 | 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Dana Hall School
45 Dana Rd
Wellesley, MA 02482

REGISTER HERE

Note: Sales for this event end on Monday, May 5 at 5:00 PM Eastern.

AISNE seeks to create an inclusive learning environment for all. If you have accessibility questions or needs, please contact us at info@aisne.org. 

Agenda at a Glance

• 8:30 – 9:30 AM | Arrivals & Networking
• 9:30 – 10:15 AM | Welcome & Understanding Governance Roles
• 10:15 – 11:00 AM | Case Study Discussion: Strategic vs. Tactical Roles
• 11:00 – 11:30 AM | Group Discussion & Sharing
• 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM | Interactive Workshop: Developing Action Plans
• 12:15 – 12:30 PM | Q&A
• 12:30 – 1:30 PM | Lunch

About the Presenter

Martha Haakmat is an experienced educator who has spent her 36-year career teaching and leading in New York City independent schools. She brings a depth of understanding and perspective to her work, having held various faculty and leadership positions in a wide variety of school communities. Coming from her most recent service as a head of school, Martha worked specifically on enrollment, marketing and finance in a changing admissions landscape, and she developed strategic planning expertise, which included diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goal setting and ongoing systemic work. She is now the Executive Director of Haakmat Consulting LLC, providing leadership coaching and support for DEI strategic planning for schools and other organizations.

Martha is a former lower, middle and upper school educator, Diversity Director and Middle School Head. She was a faculty member for the NAIS Institute for New Heads, has served as an independent school trustee, and has been a member of various committees for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), the Independent School Admission Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY) and New York City Guild of Independent School Heads. She was also the founder and director of Educators for Growth and Empowerment (EDGE), a diversity consulting team with regional and national recognition.

Martha currently serves on the Board of Trustees for NYSAIS, the Brearley School and Early Steps. She is also a lead presenter for the NAIS Institute for New Heads and is a credentialed Montessori administrator. Martha has led various programs for AISNE, including its Heads of Color leadership development cohort and workshops at AISNE’s annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference and Heads of School Retreat.

Sponsor

Thank you to DovetailED and FLIK Independent School Dining for their generous sponsorship of this workshop.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations and transfer requests must be sent via email to info@aisne.org. Cancellations received up to 10 days before the start of the event will receive a 100% refund, less a $100 administrative fee. Transfers of registrations from one person to another are permitted up to 3 business days before the start of the event, or the first event of a series of events.

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