Thursday,    9/11                          

Introduction to Cohort; Resources & Collaboration
The CAIS team will lead an introduction and orientation to the program and built rapport and a network within the LFW cohort. Learn who and how to access the resources provided by CAIS and fellow leaders within and outside the cohort. 

 In-Person,
Location TBD

Chris Brigham, Updike, Kelly & Spellacy

All independent schools believe that a constructive and positive relationship between the School, its students, and their parents is essential to the education of all students and to furthering the school’s mission. The vast majority of parents are positive and constructive partners in their child’s education. This session will discuss strategies for and approaches to engaging with the small minority of parents who consume the majority of the school’s time and energy in less constructive and more destructive ways.

Zaira Santiago, Beaver Country Day

Zaira Santiago, Associate Head for Special Projects, will lead a session on what school leaders need to know and understand about independent school finance, and the implications for your work.

The SCARF Framework: Understanding What Motivates People*
Gwyneth Connell, Director of the Grauer Institute, Pomfret School

Cohort members will get to know David Rock’s SCARF framework: a powerful tool for understanding what motivates people and how to lead with emotional intelligence. We’ll break down the five core drivers (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness) and explore how they show up in school culture and team dynamics. Through breakout conversations and engaging activities, you'll come away understanding yourself and your colleagues a little bit better.

*This session will be a joint program with the Leadership Cohort for Educators of Color

Join heads of schools and fellow school leaders at the CAIS Annual Conference. This is a three-day program at Water's Edge Resort & Spa in Westbrook, CT, and features opportunities to learn from industry experts about the trends impacting independent schools; network and connect; and participate in roundtable conversations with fellow school leaders. LFW participants are especially invited to join Monday, January 25 - Tuesday, January 26 for special opportunities limited to the LFW cohort. LFW participants will receive a discounted registration rate for the Annual Conference.

Behind the Scenes of the Board of Trustees
Rick Branson, CAIS Executive Director & Nancy Dickson, CAIS Director of Professional Learning

Pull back the curtain and better understand the role & responsibilities of an independent school board to better understand how the Board's work shapes yours. Questions covered include:

• What does board service look like?
• The role of the Head in leading the Board.
• The role of the Board in leading the Head.
• The work of the Board and the work that is not for the Board.

The Anatomy and Choreography of Breakthrough Conversations
Abigail Wiebenson, Leadership Coach

Conversations are the lifeblood of schools. For leaders, they provide an intentional opportunity to learn, grow and plan. In this session, we’ll first review some elements that underpin productive conversations including  what constitutes an open mindset, listening to learn, and the playing field of curiosity. We’ll then explore a 7-step protocol for navigating breakthrough conversations with grace and purpose. Finally, we’ll debrief what we’ve discovered.

Session topic TBD
This session will be a topic determined by the cohort itself and in response to an area of growth they collectively identify as a need. CAIS will seek and provide programming and expertise in support of the group's interests.

As you grow your own leadership work, you'll have opportunities to uplift others in their own leadership journey. This session will include interactive opportunities to connect with each other about lessons learned and insights about your own leadership practice you want to share, as well as some practical tips for thinking about how you --- as a leader -- can pay it forward.