Travel & Events

When I reflect on best practices for a school’s governing board, my thoughts turn to board education, particularly the board retreat. A well-designed retreat provides a valuable opportunity to address issues and challenges in a setting that fosters unity, collaboration, and trust among board members.

The expression “You don’t know what you don’t know” seems particularly fitting for boards that fail to recognize the value of investing in retreats. These gatherings provide opportunities to explore important issues, reinforce best practices, and better understand how effective, strategic governance contributes to a successful school.

Here is what Board Chair Brian Brown shared following our time together at the CAK board retreat.

“The Board of Trustees of Christian Academy of Knoxville had an outstanding experience working with Dr. Bill Mott. His sessions were engaging, insightful, and incredibly valuable, providing both practical guidance and a fresh perspective on what effective Christian school governance should look like.

Dr. Mott has a unique ability to combine deep experience in Christian education with a genuine understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing today’s independent Christian schools. He challenged us to think beyond the day-to-day issues and focus on the bigger picture—our mission, strategic direction, financial sustainability, board leadership, and support for the Head of School.

What impressed me most was his ability to make the material relevant, encourage meaningful discussion, and challenge our board in a way that was both constructive and inspiring. He did not simply teach us what a board should do; he helped us better understand what an effective, unified, mission-driven board can accomplish.

Our time with Dr. Mott was an investment in the future of Christian Academy of Knoxville, and I believe our board is better equipped to lead as a result. I would highly recommend him to any school board looking to strengthen its governance, sharpen its strategic focus, and become a more effective steward of the school’s mission.”

Brian Brown
President, Christian Academy of Knoxville Board of Trustees

Having had the privilege of serving as Head of School at two classical schools during my career, it was a special pleasure to spend time with the leadership of Franklin Classical School (FCS), a classical Christian school with a rich history spanning more than three decades.

The story of FCS is one of perseverance, faithfulness, and a steadfast commitment to its mission. Despite operating from several temporary campus locations over the years, the school has continued to flourish. More recently, the blessing of a permanent campus has opened the door to significant growth and exciting opportunities for the future.

I was delighted to be invited by the Headmaster and Board to conduct a board training retreat that brought together both new and returning trustees. Our time together included engaging discussions and thoughtful questions on a range of governance and leadership topics. We explored fundamental board roles and responsibilities, the important distinction between governance and school leadership, and the schools bylaws as a foundation for effective governance.

One of the most rewarding aspects of conducting board retreats is witnessing trustees who are genuinely committed to learning, growing, and strengthening their effectiveness as a governing body. That commitment was certainly evident at FCS.

My sincere thanks to the entire Board for its enthusiastic participation, thoughtful engagement, and optimism about the schools future. A very special thank you to Headmaster Tom Carson and Board Chair Nick Jones for their leadership and commitment to the schools mission.

Following the retreat, Tom had this to say about the experience: “What a fantastic session! We are so grateful for the books and the wisdom you provided. Lots of takeaways and things for us to process.”

With a permanent home, growing enrollment, and dedicated leadership, Franklin Classical School has much to celebrate—and even more to look forward to!

Healthy Boards. Successful Schools. Enduring Success.

Coming out of a significant crisis is one of the greatest challenges a school community can face. Every aspect of the school can be affected, and the road to recovery requires courage, patience, intentional leadership, and a shared commitment from both the Board and school leadership. The challenge is substantial—but so is the opportunity to emerge stronger.

Recently, I had the privilege of working with Hamilton Christian Academy, a school moving forward after an extraordinarily difficult season and now putting plans in place to build a stronger future.

What impressed me most was the resolve of the Board. They understand that recovery does not happen simply because a crisis has passed. It requires thoughtful leadership, healthy governance, clear priorities, and a willingness to do the hard work necessary to rebuild trust and strengthen the school.

Our board retreat was an important step in that journey, beginning with one of the fundamentals of healthy governance: board education and a clear understanding of the Board’s role and responsibilities.

It was especially rewarding to work with Board Chair Judge Sharon Wilson, Head of School Dr. Mark Steward, and a Board steadfast in its commitment to Hamilton Christian Academy and its future.

There is still important work ahead. But this is a Board and leadership team moving forward with purpose and resolve—confident that the days ahead can be better than the days behind.

One of the many blessings of conducting board retreats for schools is the opportunity to return for a second, and sometimes even a third, retreat. There is something especially rewarding about working with a board that recognizes that healthy governance is not a destination, but an ongoing commitment to learn, grow, and embrace best practices.

That is the real value of a board retreat. It creates intentional time away from the routine business of the board to strengthen relationships, clarify roles, address important issues, and focus together on the governance practices that will best serve the school and its mission.

Returning to Caldwell Academy for my second retreat was especially meaningful. I believe strongly in the value of continuity in leadership, and after five years, Caldwell continues to benefit from the leadership of the same Board Chair and Head of School. That kind of continuity, combined with a shared commitment to strong governance, provides an important foundation for institutional health and long-term success.

My sincere thanks to Board Chair Mike Lapierre and Head of School Dr. Tim Holland for their leadership and commitment to continually becoming a stronger board and school.

Healthy boards. Successful schools. Enduring success.

Perhaps it is an overstatement, but listening seems to have become something of a lost art in our culture.

I recently finished reading Theo of Golden by Allen Levi—a wonderful story about an individual with many admirable qualities, one of the most compelling being his ability to truly listen. I found myself thinking, I wish I were more like Theo.

Over the course of my career, with varying degrees of success, I have tried to listen, learn, and grow from every experience. That has become especially important in my work with heads of school and trustees. No two schools are exactly alike, and no two boards face exactly the same opportunities or challenges. Before I can help, I need to listen.

That philosophy shaped my recent board retreat with Columbia Academy. By listening first and seeking to understand the school’s particular circumstances, we were able to develop an agenda tailored specifically to where Columbia Academy is today—and where its leaders hope to go.

Our time together moved beyond routine board business to focus on what matters most: best-practice governance, clarity of roles, healthy board culture, strategic priorities, and a strong partnership among the president, board chair, and trustees.

It was a special pleasure to reconnect with my friend Dr. James Thomas, President of Columbia Academy, and Board Chair Mack Garvin, along with the entire board. I left encouraged by their commitment to becoming the very best board they can be in service to the school.

Listen first. Understand the circumstances. Then build the retreat around what the school truly needs.

That is time well spent—and an important step toward a healthy board and a thriving school.

Some schools are blessed with a gifted Head of School and a board committed to becoming a best-practices board. That combination matters.

There is a strong and compelling connection between healthy governance, effective leadership, and thriving schools, and Trinity Christian Academy is a wonderful example.

I recently had the privilege of facilitating a two-day board retreat for TCA, with thoughtful and engaging conversations around governance, leadership, board effectiveness, and the vital partnership between the board and Head of School. The goal was simple but important: to continue building the healthiest and most effective board possible in service to the school’s mission.

My sincere thanks to Head of School Dr. Jeff Williams, Board Chair Wendy Hermes, and the entire board for their commitment to TCA’s mission, to best-practice governance, and to supporting their Head of School. Following the retreat, Dr. Williams shared his thoughts about the experience:

TCA is most grateful to Dr. Bill Mott for his outstanding guidance/counsel with the Board of Trustees recent retreat. Dr. Mott helped us with best practices from his most recent book Healthy Boards Successful Schools. If you are looking for some great guidance for you and your Board look no further. Dr. Bill Mott is an excellent resource.

Healthy boards strengthen leadership. Strong leadership strengthens schools. And thriving schools create extraordinary opportunities for students.

The future is bright for TCA.

Conferences like FACTS Elevate remind me just how valuable it is to connect with colleagues who are passionate about strengthening independent and faith-based schools.

I was grateful for the opportunity to present three sessions at this year’s conference in Orlando and to spend time with outstanding friends and partners, including Dr. Rick Newberry (Enrollment Catalyst), Andy Lynch and the team at Tassel Marketing, and the amazing Courtney Haindel at FACTS, whose energy and leadership help make this event exceptional.

A special thank you to The Budd Group for providing every attendee with a copy of my updated book, Healthy Boards, Successful Schools. Their ongoing support of school leaders is greatly appreciated. Learn more at buddgroup.com.

Looking forward to continuing these conversations throughout the year.

Classical Christian school leaders from across the country gathered in Atlanta for their Repairing the Ruins conference. It was an honor to present on Leadership Day. A special thank you to David Goodwin, Association of Classical Christian Schools President and Tom Spencer, Director of Accreditation for the invitation to discuss best practices in governance and leadership.

In addition to the presentations, I participated in a panel discussion with colleagues Dr. Timothy Dernlan, Ryan Evans, and Matt McIntosh, PhD – exceptional school leaders. Also present was Jamie Rowe, representing The Budd Group who faithfully supports my work by providing my new book to every attendee.

As always, one of the greatest joys of gatherings like this is the opportunity to meet new faces and connect with former colleagues. The relationships built in these moments are at the heart of what makes this work so meaningful.

It was a privilege to spend time with Dr. Chadwick and the Calvary board, facilitating a retreat focused on unity, shared vision, and mission-driven governance.

In my experience, boards that invest in this kind of intentional alignment are best positioned to lead with clarity and purpose, thus impacting every aspect of the school, especially the student experience.

Thank you to Dr. Chadwick and the Calvary board for having me. It was a great day and a testament to your leadership and the strong relationship you have with the board. Exciting Days ahead for Calvary Day School!

One of the best practices I recommend to schools transitioning to a new head of school is a retreat with the board and the new head. It was an excellent opportunity to engage with the head, giving him an opportunity to get to know the board, and the board to get to know him. Such was the case with New Hope Academy Franklin, TN. They have brought in an exciting new leader and recently held a retreat. It was a fun and meaningful day that included a presentation on Unity and The First 100 Days.

This is what the board chair shared regarding the purpose and outcome of our time spent together.

“Thank you again for leading our board retreat this weekend. Your insight, clarity, and experience brought real value to our conversation, particularly as we think about governance and how to navigate this important leadership transition well. The discussion around the first 100 days was especially helpful and gave us a strong framework moving forward. We are grateful for the time and thought you invested in preparing for and facilitating our session.”

A very special thank you to Chiquita Young, board chair, Paige Pitts, Founder and Interim Head of School, Stephen Steiner, incoming Head, and Rebekah Freundt, incoming Chair.