Member Registration Exhibitor Information/Registration

Thank you to our sponsors:
October 25, 2019
9 am - 3:15 pm
New Haven Lawn Club
NEW HAVEN, CT

Annual Conference on Business, Legal and Facilities Affairs

A conference for Business Managers, Trustees, Heads, Risk Management Professionals, Facilities Directors and Senior-Level School Administrators

 

Schedule
8:30 - 9:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00

Welcome

9:15 - 10:00

Morning Keynote: Educational Institution Risks – What Happens in Higher Education Will Sooner or Later Come to Independent Schools
Marje Lemmon, Risk Manager, Enterprise Risk Management, Division of the Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Yale University
In the world of risk and risk management for independent schools, we can learn important lessons from our friends in higher education. Risks which start out as the sole responsibility of colleges and universities, almost always become similar concerns for K-12 schools. Marje Lemmon, long-time Risk Manager for Yale University, will share her experience with several of those risks, and the risk management solutions implemented by colleges and universities.
10:15 - 11:15 Concurrent Sessions (Choose One)
 

A.1 Tips and Traps for Admitting and Enrolling Students
Brian B. Garrett and Sarah H. Fay, Schwartz Hannum PC
In a lively and interactive format, experienced school counsel will explore best practices and practical guidance in enrolling and welcoming students to independent school campuses.  Through real-world scenarios, attendees will discuss and learn about the implications of Operation Varsity Blues on independent schools’ admissions process, considerations when hosting admitted applicants on campus, the fundamental elements of creating a legally enforceable enrollment agreement (and the common traps to avoid), and developing internal policies for enforcement of enrollment agreements.

 

A.2 How Stewardship will Impact the Quality of Your Leadership and Governance
Don Trone, CEO and Co-founder 3ethos

Stewardship is the passion and discipline you demonstrate when protecting the long-term interests of others. It’s the glue that binds authentic leadership with effective decision-making. The quality of your stewardship and leadership is going to determine your level of success as a Business Manager; whether others are going to trust your decision-making process; and, the level of risk associated with your governance.

Behavioral Governance is a new body of research that examines the interrelationships between leadership, stewardship, and governance. It’s based on the groundbreaking academic and scientific research that has identified the specific neurological factors that distinguish exemplary leaders and stewards.

Learning objectives:

  • Identify the key neurological and psychological factors that impact the quality of an effective decision-making process.
  • Identify the specific leadership and stewardship behaviors that are known to build trust, and amplify and infuse the quality of decision-making outcomes.
  • How to employ a universal decision-making framework that can be used by any key decision-maker serving in a critical leadership or stewardship role.
 

A.3 Conducting Workplace Investigations
Christopher L. Brigham, Shareholder, Updike, Kelly and Spellacy, PC
With the #MeToo movement sweeping the nation and inciting legislative change at the state level, it has become increasingly important for schools to review their sexual harassment and sexual misconduct policies and procedures to ensure that they comply with the evolving laws.  Whether it’s a sexual harassment complaint, a discrimination complaint or a student complaint of bullying, it is vitally important for schools to be prepared to properly address these complaints.   A prompt and thorough internal investigation is a critical first step in preventing misconduct and potential liability.
This seminar, conducted by Christopher L. Brigham, Chair of the Employment Practice Group at Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C., will review the legal requirements for workplace and school investigations.  Attorney Brigham will discuss how to develop effective procedures for an investigation, covering the preparation, interviewing, and documentation stages, and the methods for determining appropriate corrective action, if necessary,  at the conclusion of the investigation.  This seminar will offer practical advice that is applicable to any size school and/or workplace.
Attorney Brigham is a frequent speaker at CAIS, TABS and NAIS conferences.  He has conducted many workplace investigations as well as investigations at the secondary school and college and university level.  He regularly conducts training seminars on a variety of school law and employment issues.  Before attending law school, Attorney Brigham taught and coached at Greenwich Country Day School.  He is a product of independent schooling and the parent of three independent school graduates.

 

A.4 Student Mental Health – An Emerging Independent School Crisis
Julie Price, Vice President and Education Team Leader, Fred C. Church Insurance
A mental health crisis is on the rise at our independent schools. From reports of dramatically more cases of student depression, to increased prescription drug use, to  the unthinkable of student suicide, schools are on the front line to support children that require specialized assistance for a variety of mental health issues.  For many CFO’s and other school leaders, the need to strengthen mental health services at their institutions has emerged as a major priority. This session will be presented by Julie Price - Vice President and Education Team Leader at Fred C. Church Insurance, and our Fred C. Church relationship manager for the Nutmeg Group. Julie will examine the evolving crisis with real life situations,  and provide best practices from a risk management perspective.

11:15 - 12:15 Reception and Visits with Corporate Guests
Enjoy a snack and beverage and take a moment to support CAIS by visiting with the companies and people that help to make this event and other CAIS programs and services possible.
12:15 - 1:15

Lunch

1:15 - 2:15

Lunch Keynote: Cybersecurity Threats and Protecting Institutional and Individual Data and Technology
Jason Pufahl, Vice President of Information Security Services, Vancord / former CISO, UCONN

With new cyberthreats emerging almost daily, we need to be more vigilant than ever in taking steps to protect our data. What security approaches surrounding information sharing should you implement that make the most sense for you and your institution?

This presentation will provide conference attendees information regarding current cyber security threats and outline effective approaches for protecting both institutional and individual data and technology.

2:15 - 3:15

Concurrent Sessions (Choose One)

 

B.1 Employee Hiring and Onboarding:  Best Practices for Building Your School’s Workforce
Brian B. Garrett and Sarah H. Fay, Schwartz Hannum PC
This lively and interactive session will provide an overview of the legal issues independent schools face during employee hiring and onboarding.  Facilitated by experienced education and employment attorneys, this session will explore the legal framework and best practices for vetting applicants, conducting background and reference checks, and documenting the employment relationships with the school – is it a contract; is it an offer letter; or is it a hybrid?

 

B.2 How Stewardship will Impact the Quality of Your Leadership and Governance
Don Trone, CEO and Co-founder 3ethos
Repeat of Session A.2

 

B.3 Conducting Workplace Investigations
Christopher L. Brigham, Shareholder, Updike, Kelly and Spellacy, PC
Repeat of Session A.3

 

B.4 Empowering Your Community to Prepare for Crisis - Whether Big or Small
Chris Joffe, Joffe Emergency Services
The best resource at any school? The community. No one knows the ins and outs of campus, the trouble spots, and people’s tendencies better than those who make up your school’s family.
Through the lens of a real scenario, participants will utilize a tabletop exercise and find ways to increase the effectiveness of their crisis management. Whether it’s communication strategies in times of crisis, learning to establish clear roles and responsibilities in an emergency, or techniques for access control (to provide just a few examples), preemptively instituting the best safety practices will have a serious and immediate impact on school safety. Expect to depart with a to-do list in mind.

Registration fees:

Full Day: $95
1/2 Day Morning: $75 (includes breakfast, morning keynote & breakout session)
1/2 Day Afternoon: $75 (includes reception, lunch, lunch keynote & breakout session)