Monday

All times listed are Eastern Time.
Goldmine learning sessions available on-demand throughout the program.

Keynote Session

Monday, Noon - 1:00 pm

  • Think Different

    Monday, Noon - 1:00 pm

    Duncan Wardle, Founder, iD8 & innov8; Head of Innovation, Disney

Deep Dive

Monday, 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm

  • Leading with Purpose through a Pandemic

    Executive Leadership
    Monday, 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm

    Hear from the head of school and CFOO of Western Reserve Academy, who both quickly realized that a pandemic posed challenges as well as opportunities. Learn about some of the many initiatives WRA put in place, including community outreach, purposeful positive messaging, strategic planning, scholarship creation, and advocating for legislation helpful to reopen school. Learn how this approach and style of thinking can become the model for other initiatives post pandemic.

    Thomas P. Arnold, MBA, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, Western Reserve Academy
    Suzanne Walker Buck, Head of School, Western Reserve Academy

Concurrent Sessions

Monday, 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

  • Beyond "Budget vs. Actual": Using Strategy To Guide Your School's Future

    Business Operations
    Monday, 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

    How do we assess or create future budgets when so much is unknown? Reviewing your budget against actual costs is standard practice, but in the wake of a crisis, most of us have wondered what other tools do we need? We will make the case for presenting forecasting, modeling and scenario planning that go beyond historical information.

    Curtis Klotz, CPA, Director of Nonprofit Innovation, CLA
    Sarah Reichling, CPA, Principal, CLA

  • Building a Remote, Fully Automated Business Office

    Information Technology
    Monday, 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

    Every business office should strive to streamline business processes, and in this environment, being able to continue all business activity remotely is even more important. Information systems that interface with each other, both inside and outside of the business office, are essential. Learn how a business office outsourced many of its core functions to a third party and automated all aspects of finance, HR, and operational functions.

    Eric M. Norman, MBA, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, Tower Hill School
    Lee Podolsky, President, Breakwater Accounting and Advisory Corp

  • Empowering Your Community To Bridge the Disparity Gap

    Executive Leadership
    Monday, 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

    Inclusive and diverse workplaces promote positive social behavior and ties and strengthen employee and organizational well-being. Other benefits: creativity in the workplace, greater trust and positive regard, and empathy. In this session, learn actionable strategies to address inequities and develop a roadmap to implement tactics or programs that address diversity gaps and foster an environment of inclusiveness, growth, and community empowerment.

    Nebeyou Abede, Global Vice President, Health & Wellbeing, Sodexo
    Selena Cuffe, MBA, President, SodexoMAGIC
    José M. De Jesús, Head of School, Lake Forest Academy

  • Innovate the Space: Strengthening School Community Through Capital Planning

    Facilities
    Monday, 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

    Learn how one independent school, Connelly School of the Holy Child, is modernizing its learning spaces and gathering areas while embarking on a long-range campus master plan. Partnering with independent school planning experts Hord Coplan Macht, Holy Child is transforming its facilities. This session explores the methods and outcomes of the planning process, strategies, and tactics to build upon past successes, and avenues to carry forward ambitious campus improvements.

    Shannon Gomez, Head of School, Connelly School of the Holy Child
    Neil Murrary, Architect, Hord Coplan Macht
    Peter Winebrenner, AIA, LEED AP, REFP, Principal, Hord Coplan Macht

  • Interrupting Implicit Bias in the Virtual Hiring Process

    Human Resources
    Monday, 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

    Virtual hiring creates additional challenges for schools seeking to diversify their faculty and staff. This session focuses on how to interrupt implicit bias in the virtual hiring environment by examining and redesigning the structural, cultural and historical processes schools typically use. Learn how implicit bias can unintentionally enter the virtual hiring process, how to support candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, and how to audit hiring processes for bias, as well as ways to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for new hires.

    Lawrence Alexander II, Director of Equity and Inclusion, Carney Sandoe
    Brandon Jacobs, Associate, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Practice, Carney Sandoe
    Sara S. Skinner, SPHR, SHRM, SCP, Director of Human Resources, Lakeside School

  • Mitigating the Risk of Abuse in Boarding, Camp and Auxiliary Programs

    Risk Management
    Monday, 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

    This session, led by national experts in managing the risk of child abuse in school and extracurricular settings, spotlights the challenges schools face with boarding, camp and other auxiliary programs. Learn about effective strategies to limit the risk of abuse in these areas.

    Ross Mitchell, Account Manager, Praesidium

Deep Dive

Monday, 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm

  • Association CEOs Futurecasting: Leading Independent School Innovation

    Executive Leadership
    Monday, 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm

    The CEOs of each of the five major national (international) associations serving independent schools will discuss how we can apply lessons learned from both the past year and the previous crisis of this century — the Great Recession. Facilitated by NBOA president and CEO, Jeff Shields, the conversation will focus on strategies to grow stronger and lay a more sustainable future for our school communities. With strong relationships, an open mind, an eye toward innovation and awareness of key financial issues, we can successfully prepare for both the knowns and the unknowns ahead.

    Sue Cunningham, President and CEO, Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
    Heather Hoerle, Executive Director and CEO, Enrollment Management Association (EMA)
    Donna Orem, President, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
    Jeffrey Shields, FASAE, CAE, President and CEO, National Business Officers Association (NBOA)
    Pete Upham, Executive Director, The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
    Moderator: Jennifer O. Hillen, CPA, CGMA, Chief Learning Officer, NBOA

Deep Dive

Monday, 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm

  • Judgment and Decision-Making via Scenario Forecasting: Action Planning for the Future in Uncertain Times

    Executive Leadership
    Monday, 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm

    Foresight is the practice of predicting and planning for the future. For it to have practical value in strategic planning, organizational leaders need a straightforward and structured process through which they can guide their team. This session will teach you how to develop scenario forecasts using a five-step process. It begins with an analysis of external forces that could affect your organization and ends with specific, actionable recommendations to minimize risk and maximize future opportunities.

    Patrick Schuermann, Ed.D., Faculty, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University
    Andy Van Schaack, Ph.D, Professor, Vanderbilt University

Concurrent Sessions

Monday, 3:10 pm - 4:00 pm

  • Financial Transparency for Faculty, Staff and Trustees

    Accounting, Finance and Tax
    Monday, 3:10 pm - 4:00 pm

    To help faculty, staff and trustees gain a better understanding of school operations and financial matters, Stevenson School developed a number of financial fact "updates" and distributes them on a semi-monthly basis. These communications promote financial transparency and help our faculty, staff and trustees improve their understanding of the school's operations and finances, one building block at a time. Developing an accounting "glossary of terms" for reference has also improved understanding.

    Edward F. DiYanni, Chief Financial Officer, Stevenson School
    Matthew Sclafani, Controller, Stevenson School

  • Into the Unknown: Crisis Communication Strategies for Uncertain Times

    Executive Leadership
    Monday, 3:10 pm - 4:00 pm

    While crisis communication is not new to schools, the need to consistently reassess effective crisis communication strategies has been paramount as the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded. Schools are continually reassessing the key question underlying every crisis communication: How does a school balance transparency against the need for privacy, while still protecting the institution from liability? This session will review the legal, practical and public relations considerations to develop a crisis communication plan that is prepared to respond in an evolving landscape.

    Emily Cooke, Director of Strategic Communications, Roland Park Country School
    Janice P. Gregerson, Esq, Attorney, Venable LLP
    Christopher J. Lukach, APR, President, AKCG - Public Relations Counselors

  • Shaping Campus Master Plans in a Post-Coronavirus World

    Facilities
    Monday, 3:10 pm - 4:00 pm

    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools will be forced to think even more creatively about investing in their physical plant and aligning their facilities with their mission. When preparing to reopen for in-person learning this fall, Ranney School began to address deferred maintenance needs while shifting programmatic goals and resources. This paved the way for a comprehensive master plan adapted for the evolving times. Learn how the school's planning process and outcomes changed to align with new goals and best practices.

    Larry Eighmy, Managing Principal, The Stone House Group
    Justin Hedde, AIA, Associate Principal, Centerbrook Architects and Planners
    Chris Landosky, Director of Operations, The Ranney School
    Mark Simon, M. Arch, FAIA, Principal, Centerbrook Architects and Planners

  • Reorganizing the Org Chart: Consolidating Leadership Roles While Preserving Culture

    Human Resources
    Monday, 3:10 pm - 4:00 pm

    The number of administrators and directors in schools has been increasing steadily, while many heads acknowledge the "director" title is used more often as a means to retain employees than to advance strategy. With budget reductions on the horizon, schools must finally reckon with ill-defined or out-of-control organizational charts. Learn how to restructure departments, reduce and consolidate leadership roles, and implement organizational clarity without destroying the strong culture essential to an independent school community.

    Gabriel Lucas, MIMS, Principal, 12M Recruiting & Ed Tech Recruiting

  • Risk Management Reviews: Much More than Policy Audits

    Risk Management
    Monday, 3:10 pm - 4:00 pm

    When schools evaluate risk, they should consider exposures that can impact both the reputation and assets of independent schools. This session will provide an overview of best practices for risk management and liability review to ensure schools are able to minimize time and expenses on risk mitigation efforts while protecting students, staff and communities. Learn about McDonogh School's multi-year process to develop its first-ever enterprise risk management (ERM) program.

    Jack Hardcastle, Chief Risk Officer/Chief Information Officer/Title IX Coordinator, McDonogh School
    Rusty Godfrey, CSRM, CIC, Regional Director, K-12 Independent Schools Practice, Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc.