NCSS Annual ConferenceJune 25 – 26, 2009

Agenda:Pre-Conference Workshop Thursday, June 25$100 *Lunch will be provided 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Advancement Essentials for Small Schools and Small ShopsStarr W. Snead, Advancement ConnectionsShelley Reese Cornish, The Sage School

Conference Schedule Thursday, June 25

Conference Check-in 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm

Welcome & Introductions 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm

Keynote Presentation 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm

Quality Governance in the Small Independent School Tom Redmon, Ed.D., CAE

Concurrent Sessions – I 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

A. Integrated Marketing Communications Fred McGaughan

B. Using Action Research for Teaching Improvement John Paull

C. The Board & Head: Marriage is Preferable to Divorce John Suitor

D. Can We Talk Money? Aaron Wachholz

Dinner at the Boulder Cork 6:00 pmCash Bar

Conference Schedule Friday, June 26

Continental Breakfast 8:00 am

Concurrent Sessions – II 8:30 am – 10:00 am

A. Problems & Solutions for Small School Admission Offices – Fred McGaughan

B. Move Over Medication, Meditation Works Nancy Spillane

C. Here a Spreadsheet, There a Spreadsheet, Everywhere a Spreadsheet: Creating Efficient Small School Offices – Leslie Johnson

D. When Nobody Wants to Ask (for Money) Starr W. Snead and Shelly Reese Cornish

Concurrent Sessions – III 10:30 am – 12:00 pm

A. So, How Do Teachers Do it? John Paull

B. The Rest of the Story: A Facilitated Roundtable Rhoney DuQuesne

C. Move Over Medication, Meditation Works Nancy Spillane

D. The Board & Head: Marriage is Preferable to Divorce John Suitor

Catered Lunch on site 12:00 pm – 1:00pm

Plenary Session and Closing 1:00 pm – 2:45 pm

A. Financial Issues for Small Schools Sarah Daignault

B. Conference Closing and CelebrationCome join us in Boulder, Colorado

NCSS714 Sugar Mill Avenue Longmont, CO 80501

303-678-5452

Rhoney DuQuesnerhoney@coalitionofsmallschools.org

www.coalitionofsmallschools.org

Session Descriptions & Presenter Bios:

Pre-Conference Workshop

Advancement Essentials for Small Schools and Small Shops

In today’s independent schools, the demands and pressures on small development programs seem to grow exponentially. Getting a productive and sustainable philanthropy program up and running can be a tall order, especially these days! This morning’s session, for schools with fewer than 300 students or staffs of three or less, is designed to raise consciousness about realistic fundraising expectations and ways to develop top-notch development programs. Staff members, administrators, trustees, and key parent and alumni/ volunteers are invited to attend. Participants will come away with vital statistics and information, less guilt and more confidence, and an outline of activities and processes that are sure yield solid results in 2009-2010, and beyond!

Topics we’ll explore:• Getting started: elements of a successful philanthropy program• Understanding your school’s real development responsibilities• Essential documents for small advancement offices• Small shop pitfalls (to avoid!)• Staffing-up with key volunteers• Time management: precious commodity, big resource

Starr Snead is the founder and principal of Advancement Connections, a firm dedicated to serving development professionals and volunteers in schools throughout the United States and internationally. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Advancement Connections provides fundraising, constituency relations, marketing, and communications services exclusively to PS-12 schools, with a focus on small and emerging schools or established schools with small development shops. Prior to Advancement Connections, Starr was the executive director of the Advancement Program Council (APC), a national non-profit member association in Washington, DC. She has served as the chief development officer at independent schools in Texas, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.

Shelley Reese Cornish is currently the Director of Development and Alumni Relations at The Sage School in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Prior to her work at Sage, Shelley was the Assistant Director of Gift and Estate Planning at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She began her career at Eastern Nazarene College as an Enrollment Counselor and after moving into their Advancement Department where she served as Managing Editor of their alumni magazine she became the Director of Alumni Services and Annual Giving.

Shelley earned a B.A. in Communication Arts from Eastern Nazarene College and a M.A. in Business Communication and Public Relations from Emerson College.

Keynote Speaker

Quality Governance in the Small Independent School:  Best Practices and Hidden Dangers

All independent schools need the advantage of well designed governance structures.  Many smaller schools, however, begin life under the wings of a founder or small founding group who has the best of intentions but less practical experience in the business of governance.  What are the signs of health in small school governing boards today?  To what key indicators of school health must good boards pay attention?  How can heads of small schools help their boards to stay in the lane of powerful governance and out of the dangers of administrative decisions? 

Thomas Redmon, Ed.D., CAE – Senior Search Consultant, Carney Sandoe and Associates, Boston, MA

Dr. Redmon holds degrees from Duke University, Boston University, and the University of Georgia, with post doctoral certification in Adult Education from the Harvard University School of Education. His professional work experience includes officer level service at The College Entrance Examination Board in Atlanta and New York, the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta, and the Southern Association of Independent Schools in Atlanta. Currently he serves as a Senior Search Consultant with Carney Sandoe and Associates and as a Partner in the business consulting firm of E. Powers and Associates. Dr. Redmon serves or has served on several regional and national association boards and is a current trustee of The Galloway School in Atlanta. His writing has focused on the use of objective assessments in board and CEO evaluation, and on the ethical issues facing non-profit governing boards.

Closing Plenary Session

Financial Issues for Small Schools: How to be a successful one-armed paper hanger.

Just because the school is small does not reduce the amount of financial work and regulatory compliance. This session will focus on the important financial and operational tasks for a small school and how best to accomplish that work. In this session we will review the major tasks and help determine how to prioritize the work.

Sarah Daignault is the Executive Director of the National Business Officers Association. NBOA is an association dedicated to serving independent school business officers by providing professional development and information on independent schools’ finance and operations. There are now over 650 NBOA member schools. Prior to founding NBOA, Sarah spent five years as the Business Officer at Friends School of Baltimore and four years as the Business Manager at Bryn Mawr School for Girls.

For eight years Sarah was the President of the Board of Trustees of Madeira School in Virginia. She also chaired their Capital Campaign for five years. She still serves on that board as well as the Board of the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. She has also served on the Board of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

Concurrent Sessions

Integrated Marketing Communications

What “small shops” at independent secondary schools need to know about:

• Universal principles of buyer behavior and human communication• The most effective marketing/communications tools & tactics• Creative ways to combine and apply that knowledge to appeal to “buyers”

Problems and Solutions for Small School Admissions Offices

• Survey results of “Problems and Practical Solutions” as reported by NAIS small boarding and day schools. (Survey conducted by Fred McGaughan Consulting)• Small group brainstorming and reports on our toughest challenges and our practical and creative solutions in driving up inquiries, applications, yield, and retention

Fred McGaughan, principal at Fred McGaughan Consulting, has worked in independent schools for 28 years as a teacher, Director of Admission, Director of Development, and Marketing Consultant. Fred co-founded the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools Admissions Steering Committee, and he has run workshops and/or consulted on Admissions and Marketing for NAIS, SSATB, ISEE, ISACS, NJAIS, New Jersey SEEDS, The Elisabeth Morrow School, Far Brook School, Far Hills Country Day School, The Knox School, Peck School and The Red Oaks School.

When Nobody Wants to Ask (for Money)

Fundraising is a core responsibility of the entire board. Trustees may be enthusiastic about the idea, but as often as not have no clue where to begin. In this session we'll review the basics of school philanthropy and share tips and techniques to effectively involve all board members in the fundraising process. We'll identify strategies to help even the most reluctant volunteers overcome "solicitation paralysis." Board members and volunteers can become terrific fundraisers, even if they never actually ask for money.

Starr W. Snead and Shelley Reese Cornish – Please see information under Pre-Conference Description

Move Over Medication, Meditation Works!

The alarming rise of classroom stress fuels widespread problems in education, including poor academic achievement, anxiety, depression, school violence, and teacher burnout. To help neutralize this stress, many schools are re-establishing a Quiet Time period at the start and end of each school day – two 10- to 15-minute sessions when students sit quietly to rest and/or read silently. To maximize the effect of Quiet Time, more and more schools are now offering their students and teachers the opportunity to learn and practice the Transcendental Meditation technique during these periods. Extensive research has found that this simple, scientifically validated, nonreligious program reduces stress and stress-related disorders, improves health, optimizes brain functioning, and develops the student’s creative potential. This session will explore how one small school in Northwest Colorado has implemented such a program.

Nancy Spillane is the founder and head of the Lowell Whiteman Primary School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The school was founded in 1993 and features unique small school programs such as the transcendental meditation/quiet time program, Music Through Strings, winter skills/survival camping trips, extensive outdoor education, and multi-age learning. Nancy currently serves on the NAIS Commission on Accreditation as well as a board member on the Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS).

Board and Head: Marriage Is Preferable To Divorce

This session will consider on how the Head of School may initiate and nurture a board relationship that will be mutually productive and profitable for both parties and the school. It will concentrate on the angst and the glory of this critical relationship, what to avoid, and what to emphasize. The workshop presenter is a 35-year veteran of independent education and a 22-year head of school who has served

on seven boards. His latest article on school leadership is a letter to his son in the Spring 2009 issue of Independent School magazine.

John Suitor – John graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Vermont and received his master's degree at Vermont three years later. He served as Assistant Head at Hebron for ten years, and as Headmaster of the Storm King School in New York for ten years. He also served as Assistant to the Governor of Vermont for three years after graduate school. On April 1, 2009 he begins his eleventh year as head of Aspen Country Day School. John chairs the governance committee of the Board of Directors of the Association of Colorado Independent Schools and is president of the board of LIFTUP, a non-profit dedicated to outreach to needy residents of the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys.

Build an Effective Community of Learners within the Classroom: How do Teachers do It?

This session focuses on a range of 'authentic learning' strategies that teachers use to motivate and engage all types of learners. Professional development activities, however well intentioned, don't always focus on helping teachers resolve their personal teaching challenges. This session explores how teachers can help each other and themselves through a basic action research process.

John Paull is a former teacher, principal and curriculum consultant and since 1996, Denver University lecturer and director of a teacher preparation program.

Here a Spreadsheet, There a Spreadsheet, Everywhere a Spreadsheet: Creating Efficient Small School Offices

The proper tools and training are key to an efficient administrative office in a small school. Separate data sources in admissions, development and the front office can lead to data errors, wasted time on repetitious tasks, and a lack of uniformity in output from the school. Join us for insight into what features and functions you should be looking for in software for your administrative office.

Leslie Johnson– Leslie Johnson was the inaugural admissions director at Burlington Day School, a 200 student elementary school in Burlington, North Carolina. As with most small school administrators, she also played active roles in development and front office functions. Leslie has over 10 years experience in independent schools and has completed multiple Independent School Management Workshops in admissions, marketing, and record keeping. Leslie is currently the product manager for Snowman Software which specializes in the administrative software needs of smaller private schools.

Can We Talk Money?

The presentation will focus not only on NAIS’s research and data, but also on practical application to the small school administrative team. We will discuss Principles of Good Practice, trends and data around financial sustainability, and dive deeper into the areas of admissions and financial aid in particular. The focus of the session will not only be on NAIS research and data, but also practical application to the small school administrative team.

Aaron Wachholz – Aaron is the new NAIS Regional Director for the Midwest and Southwest. Aaron worked as a teacher and administrator in a number of Lutheran schools as well as a financial planner with a specialty in college planning. He began his time with NAIS in the fall of 2008 when the Member Outreach Division was formed and the team of five Regional Directors was put in place around the country.

June 25 – 26, 2009

NCSS Annual Conference

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Menu Preference:Standard Vegetarian Kosher

Pre-Conference: Advancement Essentials for Small Schools $100

Registration before April 25th:*NCSS Member – Early Registration $300

Non-Member – Early Registration $350

Registration after April 25th:NCSS Member – Registration $375

Non-Member – Registration $425

Total

Please make checks payable to: NCSS714 Sugar Mill Avenue Longmont, CO 80501

*Registration will be processed when checks are received. Early registration materials must be postmarked by April 25.

Questions? Rhoney DuQuesne 303-678-5452rhoney@coalitionofsmallschools.org

Please do not call Shining Waldorf School – they do not have conference information.

Location:Shining Mountain Waldorf School999 Violet Avenue • Boulder, CO 80304

Cost: Before April 25th After April 25thNCSS Members $300 $375Non – members $350 $425Thursday dinner, Friday continental breakfast and lunch are included.

Accomodations:Holiday Inn Express • 303-442-66004777 Broadway Street • Boulder, CO 80304

Holiday Inn Express is holding 50 rooms for NCSS until May 23, 2009. The room rate is $110 per night. The Hotel is a half mile walk (15 minutes) from the school. Please contact Hotel to make reservations. If space is available you may come early or extend your stay. Other accommodations – Boulder has a wide variety of hotels and guest houses if you choose to stay elsewhere.

Come join us in Boulder, Colorado