SAES NOTES - FEBRUARY 2024

A Confluence of Chocolate and Ashes

Wednesday, February 14th, 2024 marks the uncommon convergence of two important events in the life of an Episcopal School - Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day. This year, a sober and reverent day associated with confession, repentance, and reflection about our mortality will coincide with a day typically characterized by expressions of love through the giving and receiving of roses, chocolates, and candy hearts.

Chocolate and ashes, dust and love. Although these notions may seem unrelated and perhaps incompatible, I wonder if there is an opportunity for us to consider how the confluence of these two events might lead us to a deeper understanding of our ultimate purpose and call in life. As we receive the ashes upon our foreheads, we reflect on our limited time on this earth and confess and repent our shortcomings. This practice of humble contrition and self-reflection that begins on Ash Wednesday and continues throughout the season of Lent has the power to strip away all the indulgences and distractions of this life and forces us to sharpen our focus on what matters in this life - loving God and loving others. By participating in this Lenten discipline, perhaps we may be prompted by the Holy Spirit to examine and discard the things that get in the way of God’s mandate to give and receive love, to seek justice and mercy and healing. Perhaps by sincerely performing daily acts of humble penitence as we wander through the wilderness of the season of Lent, we will be reminded of God’s gracious and all-sufficient gift of perfect love and redemption through Christ. By first confronting our mortality (“you are dust, and to dust you shall return”) and confessing our inadequacy (“We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgive”) we then can ask God to grant us mercy and to help us practice His way of love (“remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life.”) (Book of Common Prayer, Ash Wednesday)

Through our observance of Ash Wednesday and Lent, may we all become fully equipped and encouraged to leave a clear imprint of love in the dust of our lives.

LGLO,

Rob

Selected Resources for Reflection, Learning, and Growth

The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to mend our Broken Hearts and Worlds

Sharon Brous—a leading American rabbi—makes the case that the spiritual work of our time, as instinctual as it is counter-cultural, is to find our way to one other in celebration, in sorrow, and in solidarity. To show up for each other in moments of joy and pain, vulnerability and possibility, to invest in relationships of shared purpose and build communities of care. See also this NYT guest essay: Train Yourself to Always Show Up

Team Dynamics and Decision Making

Some teams advise. Other teams make decisions together. If you’re on a team that makes decisions together, this post is for you. See also 8 traits high-performing teams have in common for research based ways to develop and support high-performing teams.

Compassion Fatigue and Sustainable Empathy

A great resource for understanding how to sustain your empathy in difficult times - plus some wonderful dog pictures!

Distinctive Professional Courtesy

“Encountering extraordinary courtesy and kindness makes an indelible impression on families and visitors, providing an important advantage for enrollment, donor cultivation, and employee recruiting.”

LISTEN: Trust your Canary

A number of schools are experiencing a downturn in their culture. With so much stress and change, the norms of civility are being dropped. You need to nip that in the bud now — learn how.

It's a Different Digital World for our Kids

Do you know what a Zynbabwe is? Or an upper-decky lip pillow? OK, here’s an easier one — how about just Zyn?

The Race Card Project

Race. Your thoughts. 6 words. Please send.

Students Will Miss Deadlines. How Teachers Should Respond

“One thing that most of us did—at least once—when we were students was to turn in an assignment past the deadline.” How should we respond?

An Advisory Toolkit

“Developing an advisory program relies on engaged implementation, and The Advisory Toolkit gives you a place to begin the work. For every school inspired to enhance the experiences of students, The Advisory Toolkit can point the way forward.” Dig deeper Fostering Purpose Through Advisory (and AI)

Early Learning Mini Series

Four Pre-Recorded 1.5 Hour Sessions

Available for Viewing on March 5, 2024

Topics Include:

Powerful Learning Through Student-Centered Project Work
Working Science and Environmental Initiatives Into School Culture
Bridge to Kindergarten: Give the Gift of Possibilities
WonderLab

Upcoming Webinars

Continuing the DEI Conversation

February 13, 2024

10:00 am - 11:00 am CST

Diversity, equality, and inclusion are at the core of who we are as Episcopal schools. Join Mary Katherine Duffy and Rob Devlin as they continue the DEI Conversation with Dr. Kenyetta Wynn, Associate Head of School, and Keith White, Director of Multicultural Affairs at Holy Innocence Episcopal School in Atlanta. Come and participate in this important conversation about how we continue the work of DEI in schools of all shapes and sizes.

Business Managers Roundtable

February 14, 2024

11:00 am CST

Calling all Business Managers, CFOs, and other financial administrators! Join us for a roundtable conversation on all things financial in independent schools! This is a great opportunity for all finance administrators to get to meet each other and discuss a variety of financial topics. We will have two calls (February 14 and April 10) and both will be facilitated by Elizabeth Kiehne, CFO at St. George Episcopal, San Antonio, and Bryan Denney, CFO at Trinity Episcopal in Austin.

Governance 3.0: Disruptive Evolution & recalibration

Presented by: Tim Viands, President, IndySchool Consultation

March 5, 2024

10:00 am - 11:00 am CST

The role of independent school boards has evolved. Today, school governance is in a time of disruption and change, requiring new skills and talents from board members, as well as a recalibration back to the foundational roles and responsibilities we saw that were successful pre-2000. Participants will learn about governance from a historical perspective, which is essential to understanding why a recalibration is needed. Participants will bring back to their schools a renewed perspective on great governance in a time where boards and the head of school must partner together.

SAES/SAIS Strategic Pause: Why Schools in Leadership Transition Should Consider It

March 7, 2023

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm CST

Many schools these days are finding themselves amid leadership transition, and it is not uncommon for boards to rush into the search process right away. But is that the best approach? SAES is delighted to partner with SAIS in welcoming Michael Connor, President, Connor Associates, and Thom Greenlaw, Founder, Creative Independents, as they make the case for "The Strategic Pause." This webinar will be most suitable for board leadership and search committee chairs who are either thinking about transition or in the process of leadership transition in their schools.

ACCREDITATION NOTES

The second semester is often a time when Heads of School find themselves spending as much time planning for next year as doing the work of this year. Setting the calendar for the coming year and addressing staffing needs are very important considerations at this time of year, and both of those activities are addressed by SAES Standards.

With regard to setting the calendar, SAES often receives inquiries about the total number of school days that we require. Because we accredit schools in a six-state region, SAES itself does not have a set number of required days or minutes, but your state probably does. In some states, non-public schools have a different minimum number of days/minutes from public schools, while others require all schools to meet the same threshold. SAES does require that its schools’ operations and programs comply with state laws and regulations, so if you are not sure of your state’s requirements for school days, now is the time to find out what they are and create a calendar for next year that complies with that minimum.

Addressing personnel matters is another place where it’s important to know your state's laws and regulations. Some states require teachers to be certified, while others do not. Some states have a state-mandated and managed background check system, while others do not. It is important that SAES schools comply with their state laws in this regard. Regardless of state laws regarding certification, SAES does require that all teachers of children age 4 and older (identified as Pre K in most of our schools) hold a bachelor’s degree, and teachers of all children up to and including age 3 hold a Child Development Certificate (CDC or CDA) or an Associate’s degree.

Remember as well that SAES expects all its member schools to establish employment practices that “reflect the Episcopal tradition of respect for the dignity of every human being” and promote an “equitable, just, and inclusive community.” At a minimum, schools should adopt and publish non-discrimination policies consistent with IRS guidelines and ensure that school practices are consistent with those policies.

Chris Carter

SAES SOLUTION PARTNER HIGHLIGHT

Contact: Angel De Leon

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