Independent and faith-based schools continue to face many challenges even as schools successfully navigate issues caused by the pandemic, economy, demographics, competition, and much more. Schools continue to demonstrate their flexibility and ability to adapt to unprecedented change. With change comes the need for a reminder of fundamental best practices - what works and why. Schools must reflect and act on the essential – those best practices that define a highly functioning, healthy board as opposed to those that struggle, that follow a path to existing, but not thriving. Many schools struggle with how the board of trustees and the head of school work together or perhaps don’t partner at all with the difficult decisions that must be made. This session reveals the value of best practices as they connect back to the relationship between the head, board chair, and trustees. You will be energized by the significance of getting it right! We will include a discussion of case studies taken from my book, Healthy Boards – Successful Schools that demonstrate real-world, practical situations faced by school leaders. 

Breakout Sessions | Choose One

Silos Are for Grain, Not Teams | Dave Michelman | Cardinal Ballroom
Are your regular board and leadership team meetings engaging and productive or a necessary evil? These meetings can become great when your team members share a common goal and depend on each other’s strengths. In this session, you will learn how to transform your school’s teams from quality individuals working in their areas to interdependent teams with shared motivation and common goals. You will learn how to create a true team mindset and the kind of team that will move your school forward. The session will start with the philosophy of great teamwork and then provide you with concrete approaches to metamorphose your teams and practical tips to keep your teams on track.

The Wave of Parental School Choice: What It Means For Your School | Allison Guenther, FEFNC | North Room
The past few years have shaken the delivery of education to its core. Paradigms about education are shifting and creating tidal waves across the country. North Carolina has recently been put in the spotlight as one of the next states to take historic steps to expand parental school choice. What might that look like for your students, your parents, and your school? Are you prepared to ride that wave? We will provide you with the school choice landscape in North Carolina, the direction our state has looked toward in expanding school choice, and how your families can access the financial resources to pay for tuition and fees at your school.

Using Your Financial Statements to Better Understand Your School's Story | Jim Fries, Brown Edwards | South Room
Do you find financial statement reviews to be boring and unhelpful? Join Brown Edwards, where they will walk you through a complete financial analysis using your school’s own numbers.  All attendees should bring either their own financial statements or form 990.  We will work through a collection of not-for-profit-specific accounting ratios designed to give you a full picture of the financial stability, risk profile, and effectiveness of your institution.

Dinner | Grand Ballroom | Sponsored by Marsh McLennan Agency, UNUM & Selective Insurance
Inaugural NCAIS Leadership Award 
NCAIS Legislative Updates with Dave Horne and Josh Grant, Smith Anderson
Q&A with Senator Michael Lee
Dinner Speaker: Steve Scott, ESPN Golf Broadcaster, Author and PGA Professional

Next Level Listening: How to Be the Best Listener in the Room, Be That the Boardroom, Classroom, or Family Room | Bradley James Davies, ICF Certified and Georgetown University Trained Executive Leadership Coach | Grand Ballroom
Within a complex context where school communities are comprised of constituents from across all spectrums of thought, belief, and background, to be successful, leaders need to be the best listeners in the room. Moreover, leaders need to be tremendous listeners when navigating the current, nuanced political environment, engaging with upset parents, and seeking to model civil discourse across the campus. Next-level listeners.

In this hands-on deep dive and workshop, participants will learn and practice listening strategies and approaches normally reserved only for certified leadership coaches. As a result, participants will emerge equipped with an understanding of a skill set strong enough to transform any school, organization, home, or relationship and prepared to honor better challenging conversations, model civil discourse for children and adults alike, and navigate the multitude of competing priorities presented each day.

Alignment between your finance and advancement team is essential to fulfilling your school’s vision.

Join Phil Higginson and Penny Abrahams for this afternoon session that will provide attendees with a 30,000-foot overview of strategic planning. During the session, attendees will break into groups and work together to develop strategic plan financial solutions.

This session will include exercises on:

• identifying of strategic priorities;
• developing a Case statement;
• and communication tools for strategic conversations.