Effective governance in independent schools requires a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities at every level. This workshop will provide school leaders and board members with the tools to ensure strong governance structures that support a thriving, inclusive school community.

You will explore the distinct responsibilities of the board chair, the trustees of the board, and the head of school. Martha Haakmat will guide the group in examining how the board sets the strategic vision and accompanying goals, ensuring mission alignment and accountability, while the Head of School leads the operational execution in partnership with faculty and staff.

You and your board members will engage in discussions about common challenges and best practices at the board level that are essential for fostering an inclusive school culture through effective leadership and governance. The workshop will provide actionable takeaways for strengthening role clarity, preventing governance pitfalls, and embedding best practices into governance frameworks.

Join us for a day of learning, networking, and practical insights to enhance your school’s governance effectiveness and commitment to equity and inclusion.

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

Attendees Member Pricing Non-Member Pricing
1 – 3 $295/pp $395/pp
4 – 7 (Save 10%) $265/pp $365/pp
8 – 19 (Save 20%) $235/pp $335/pp

 

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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