Travel & Events

ISAS (Independent Schools Association of the Southwest) recently held their Trifecta Conference (Heads, Board Chairs, and Business Officers) in Houston. I was honored to speak to a wonderful group of board chairs on the topic of Board Chairs Providing Leadership in Challenging Times. It was a lively session with great questions and comments. My thanks to Scott Griggs, ISAS Executive Director, and Heather Junker, Director of Professional Learning for their leadership and hospitality.

It was such a rewarding experience to lead Trinity Presbyterian School, under the guidance of Head of School Suzanne Satcher and Ben Wilson, through a board retreat. Trinity Presbyterian is another shining example of a school dedicated to excellence with a unique mission. The board at Trinity Presbyterian is striving to be a best practices board, serving with a positive outlook and a focus on a bright future. My heartfelt appreciation goes to Suzanne and Ben for their leadership and commitment to the continued success of Trinity Presbyterian.

Fayetteville Academy, led by the dedicated Head of School Blair Fisher and Board Chair Ed Petkovich, is a school with a commitment to excellence and a forward-thinking mission. The board at Fayetteville Academy is working diligently to adopt best practices, serving and leading with the belief that their best days are still ahead. My sincere thanks to Blair and Ed for their leadership and unwavering dedication to the school’s future. It was a special privilege to lead the board retreats for these your amazing school!

Boards that hold retreats do so for a variety of reasons but rising above everything is a desire to improve, engage in discussions of best practices, and grow in their understanding of fundamental roles and responsibilities. Such was my experience in working with Westminster Catawba Christian School in Rock Hill, SC. An exciting two-day retreat exploring the content of my book, Healthy Boards, Successful Schools, and some great conversations about the future of this excellent school. My thanks to board chair, Austin Livingston, head of school Scott Dillon, and all board members who were fully engaged our entire time together.

It’s always an honor to present at the Society for Classical Learning Annual Conference. Just a few weeks ago, I led a pre-conference workshop addressing the challenges of governance and leadership. We had a room full of heads and board leaders ready to dive into best practices regarding roles and responsibilities, board culture, and navigating the uncertainty in the days ahead. Great discussion from a group of dedicated classical school leaders. Many thanks to SCL president Eric Cooke and his wonderful team. And a special thanks to The Budd Group who provided a copy of my book to everyone who attended. A few stayed late for the photo.

St. Paul Christian Academy of Nashville, TN, a wonderful school I have had the privilege to work with on several occasions, held a board retreat recently. It was a special pleasure to come along side this school and conduct their retreat. Many thanks to Head of School, Will Norton, and all of the school’s Board of Trust members for a great day of discussion with a deep dive into what it means to be a best practices board. So much to be excited about for this school!

It was an honor to be a presenter at the recent NCAIS Heads, Trustees, CFOs, and CAOs Conference in Pinehurst, NC. There were over a hundred who attended this outstanding conference. A very big thanks to The Budd Group who provided copies of my book, Healthy Boards, Successful Schools to everyone. Special thanks as well for the great leadership at NCAIS, Stephanie Keaney, Executive Director and Meghan Hilleboe, Director of Programs. Congratulations on a successful conference.

This past December I traveled to St. Louis to conduct a workshop for ISSL (Independent Schools of St. Louis). An enthusiastic group of school heads and board members joined me for a great discussion of governance and leadership best practices. The program title was Ten Best Board Practices that Impact Your School. Many thanks to my friend and our host, David Colon, head of school at Visitation Academy, and ISSL executive director, Jamie Driver.

It’s always a privilege to work with independent and faith-based school heads and boards as they navigate what it means to be a best practices board, seeking to be the best version of themselves, ultimately for the benefit of their students. Conducting recent retreats for two such schools says so much about their leadership and what they hope to accomplish. The Webb School and Tipton-Rosemark Academy are two amazing schools doing great work. It was an honor to come alongside them to discuss governance and leadership in challenging times. Special thanks to head of school Ken Cheeseman at The Webb School, and Dr. Andy Graham, head at Tipton-Rosemark Academy. They are what great leadership is all about.

There is little more important to an independent school’s board of trustees than the education of new trustees. Shedding light on roles and responsibilities under the banner of best practices is a proven winner for these schools. This special opportunity was provided me in the form of facilitating a board retreat for Charlotte Preparatory School in Charlotte, NC. This exceptional Pre-K – 8 school is blessed with leadership dedicated to being the best by doing their best. Throughout the day it was clear the chair, the head of school, and everyone on the board acknowledged the importance of fostering a shared vision built on a foundation unity, trust, and support. My thanks for the warm hospitality from board chair, Dr. Robert Frost and Head of School Chris Marblo. The future is bright for this school! It was a privilege to have this opportunity.