SAES NOTES - APRIL 2020
Hi Friends:

To say that this Lent has been an unusual one is a monumental understatement. Yet, we find ourselves preparing for Palm Sunday in an unprecedented time. Many churches are scrambling to figure out the best way to have the "Procession of the Palms" either virtually or possibly as a parade of cars in the neighborhood. The honking of horns might be the 2020 version of shouting "Hosanna in the highest!"

While this is all a challenge, I am impressed by the creativity of our communities as they wrestle with maintaining the things we all hold dear.

For example, I am seeing wonderful chapel services taking place by using technology to connect the community. While it might not be the same thing as being physically together in one space, I am reminded that in Christ there is no "east nor west" and maybe physical proximity isn't the most important part of our worship together.

As we prepare for Holy Week and Easter, please know of my prayers for you and your community. Together, we commemorate the last days of our Lord and Savior on Earth and anticipate the Paschal Feast. In so doing, we can anticipate the time when we will all be together again--and that goes beyond just our school communities. We can anticipate the glorious resurrection of all the saints as promised to us by our Lord.

Have a blessed Holy Week and stay safe!


With blessings,
David+

Photo credit: St. George Episcopal School (San Antonio) and the Segura family
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE PAGE

The Coronavirus Resource Page contains a curated library of articles, advisories, and webinars to help you and your school navigate the many issues that the pandemic has presented. Recently added items include:

  • Information relating to the CARES Act and the Payroll Protection Program
  • Resources from the SBA on applying for the Payroll Protection Program
  • Resources from the Enrollment Management Association
  • Distance Learning resources from the Global Online Academy

Also, Heads of School can access the password-protected Heads Discussion Board for additional support and discussion. Please contact the SAES office if you need assistance.
SAES EVENTS
Leading in a Time of Crisis
With Rob Evans & Michael Thompson
April 3, 2020
12:00 Noon (CST)
Rob and Michael are both psychologists and school consultants and have each worked in hundreds of independent schools, including a number of SAES schools, and including many schools that have faced serious crises. They will outline essentials for leading faculty and staff and a school community in these unprecedented times, and also for coping with the stress of managing it all.

Marketing & Re-enrollment in
Light of COVID-19
April 7, 2020
12:00 Noon (CST)
As our schools consider the idea of online instruction during this tumultuous time, they must not forget that right now is also the high season for marketing and re-enrollment. This webinar will discuss the ramifications of the Coronavirus pandemic on re-enrollment as well as how a school can market itself while access to campus is limited. Join Mary Katherine Duffy and David Madison as they offer thoughts and ideas on this important topic.


Reflections of the Year: Capturing
the Lessons
April 23, 2020
10:00 AM (CST)
We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience - John Dewey
Reflection is a critical component of personal growth and effective school leaders understand the need to regularly stop and reflect. This webinar will review the year with the intention of taking the lessons we have learned and using them to set goals for the future.

New Heads Transitions: Part II
Checking In
April 24, 2020
3:00 pm (CST)
In January 2020, the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools and The Education Group teamed up to offer to heads newly appointed for July 2020 a Webinar that addressed the challenges faced by them in the months following their appointments and as they prepare to launch their headships at their new schools. Consultants from TEG's Executive Coaching Program anticipated and answered questions posed by participants in this hour-long exchange of ideas and advice. This same group of new heads is invited to rejoin TEG's team in an open question and answer session that focuses on progress made and challenges remaining in their transitions to leadership. It is our hope that this sharing of insights and experiences will be an asset to new heads as they get closer and closer to joining their new schools.

Dr. Lisa Pena
Keynote Speaker
EARLY LEARNING CONFERENCE
IS GOING VIRTUAL!!!

DATE: TBA

WATCH EMAIL AND WEBSITE FOR DETAILS!
Dr. Lisa Peña is a Today Show Parenting Team contributor and the founder of The M.o.C.h.A.(TM) Tribe which stands for (M)oms (o)f (C)hildren that (h)ave (A)utism. She is the author behind The M.o.C.h.A. Tribe Diaries which is a website/blog devoted to squashing the idea that autism has a single story. She is passionate about working with educators on the front lines of serving students and is looking forward to sharing her research and strategies. She is a mother of a child with an incredibly unique subset of autism called pathological demand avoidance (PDA). Dr. Peña is a proud coach's wife, a clinical pharmacist, a passionate public speaker, and a busy mom of three who happily resides in South Padre Island, TX.
SAVE THE DATE!
David Epstein
Keynote Speaker
2021 BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 21-22, 2021
THE WESTIN GALLERIA
HOUSTON, TX
"Range is an urgent and important book, an essential read for bosses, parents, coaches, and anyone who cares about improving performance."--Daniel Pink

"I want to give Range to any kid who is being forced to take violin lessons--but really wants to learn the drums."
--Amanda Ripley, author of The Smartest Kids in the World

David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World , and of the bestseller The Sports Gene . He has master's degrees in environmental science and journalism and has worked as an investigative reporter for ProPublica and a senior writer for Sports Illustrated . His thesis explores how students prepared to be generalists as opposed to specialists are primed to excel.

SAES PODCAST
SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE iTUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY

FROM FR. DAVID ~ JUST FOR FUN!
Suitable for all levels of cooking ability

Just like all of you, the SAES team has been enjoying most meals at home. The Four Levels Show on YouTube features people making the same dish at the amateur, home cook, and expert level, followed by an analysis of their techniques by a food scientist. If you’re hoping to up your game, or just need some inspiration, these foodies have you covered.

ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Children, Parents, and Teachers Get Creative in Time of Coronavirus
An eighth-grader does a video about quarantine; ‘people were saying it cheered them up.

Learning Curve: How Schools Worldwide are Tackling Coronavirus Challenge
We’re seeing that we have opportunities to share knowledge across countries and get kids online that we didn’t have just five years ago .

Tips for Managing the Stress of Social Distancing as a Family
Any parent balancing work, homeschool and the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic is bound to have their limits tested by sheltering in place with kids who haven't seen their friends or participated in sports.

How to Teach Social-Emotional Learning When Students Aren't in School
If our brain is in flight or fight mode, then it's not in learning mode.

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ACCREDITATION

Dear Friends,

The SAES accreditation process can be a very busy time as schools work to complete a Self-Study, compile the numerous documents, and prepare to host an On-Site Visit. This is true at any time, but now in our collective lives, surrounded by so much uncertainty, the task can seem overwhelming. We have 41 schools who either now or will next year be working to re-accredit, write an interim report, or seek to accredit for the first time. I want to assure you that as you comply with the requirements of the process, the look and feel of your schools may have changed but the support and care for you during this time has not!  

I stand ready to support you at each step of your process with materials, resources, training and counsel. Know that your needs and your thoughts have a place in every discussion and I look forward to having a conversation with you in the coming weeks about your particular place in the process and how I might assist you.

The prayers of all of us at SAES are constant for you, your schools, your communities and your families!

Blessings to you all,
Jeanie Stark
FEATURED CORPORATE SPONSOR
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