Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools - 2007 Conference

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Conference Brochure

Moving Beyond the Merely Good
Characteristics and Strategies of the Effective Private/Independent School Head
Dr. Walker Buckalew, Ph.D., Executive Consultant, ISM

More than any other individual in your school, the Head of School must be able to look beyond the barrage of “good priorities to those things that represent real “difference makers” in the mission and viability of your school. Today’s Heads are bombarded with messages from the corporate, public school, non-profit, and elite preparatory school world. But are all these “suggestions” applicable or even relevant to most private/independent schools? What are the attitudes, behaviors, and priorities of the effective Head of School? Join Dr. Walker Buckalew as he translates this myriad of possibilities into concrete characteristics and strategies that will strengthen your ability to keep your school viable and implement its mission with excellence into the future.

The Role of the Division Head in Private/Independent Schools
  Bill Simmer, ISM Director of Association Relations

Division Heads, like the Head of School, can find themselves thrust into a myriad of “good” activities. But are we using our time (and our life’s mission) to the greatest effect possible? Are we really engaged in those activities that are  ultimately “difference   makers” in the lives of faculty, students, and parents? Join ISM consultant Bill Simmer as we explore the “behaviors, attitudes, and priorities of an effective Division Head”. We will be focusing on six major functions:  Purpose & Outcomes Statements; Faculty   Hiring; Faculty Induction; Faculty Evaluation & Growth; Faculty Culture; and Internal Marketing & Parent Relations.

Maximize Your Annual Fund: It’s your platform for Major Gifts
Dr. Paula A. Schwartz, ISM Development Consultant

One of the foundational pillars of an effective Advancement Program is the establishment, maintenance, growth, and excellence of your Annual Fund. The impact of an effective annual fund goes far beyond the money raised. An effective Annul Fund generates a powerful reflective process, channels that energy into your school’s culture, and provides the launch point for a myriad of other advancement opportunities and programs. For ISM, an effective Annual Fund is at the very core of Advancement excellence. Join ISM Advancement Consultant Paula Schwartz as she shares both principles and practices of an effective Annual Fund program.

Strategic Performance Appraisal
Jonathan D. Schick, President of GOAL Project Consulting

Are you happy with your current method of Head of School evaluation? Do you find that performance expectations are unclear or undefined? When was the last time your board effectively evaluated itself? Are you looking for a better way? Join Jonathan Schick as he presents the revolutionary yet simple Strategic Performance Appraisal method, along with the formation of an Executive    Support and Appraisal Team, to create an effective and aligned evaluation system for both the Head of School and Board. In this seminar, you and your team will learn the vital importance of Evaluation; components of the Strategic Performance Assessment Tool; how to form an Executive Support and Appraisal Team; avoiding common mistakes and blind spots; and celebrating the Board/Head of School partnership.

Soul Searching: An Exploration of the Informed Use of Sacred Text in
Executive Decision-Making
Tad Bird, All Saints Episcopal School, Ft. Worth, TX

Peter Vaill describes the world in which we live in as one filled with white water. Heads of school definitely can relate. Name the topic, from finance to romance, the head of school is faced with a constant churning of inordinate pressures and demands expected to have been delivered yesterday! So, where does one turn? As the spiritual leader of his or her respective school community, the head of school would be well served to draw from the wisdom readily available in sacred texts as a basis for decision-making. This workshop will include a discussion of the sacred text concept in conflict resolution, as well as case studies in which school leaders have relied on specific scripture to provide guidance in resolving difficult issues and in meeting daunting challenges.