SAES NOTES - JANUARY 2024

The Biggest Reveal

My wife enjoys HGTV, and occasionally I will catch the ending of a home makeover episode and marvel with her at the amazing transformation. There is something very compelling and exciting about the big reveal!

January 6th, the feast day of the Epiphany, marks the end of the Christmas season in the church and the beginning of the Epiphany season, which will run up to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. If we think in terms of a cycle that begins with anticipation (Advent) that leads to incarnation (Christmas), then the Epiphany season can be understood in terms of revelation. The word “epiphany” comes from a Greek word that was used to describe “the manifestation” or “the appearing” of a deity (Christ) to seekers and worshipers (the Magi), and so it makes sense that on the Feast Day of the Epiphany we commemorate and celebrate the big reveal - “God made flesh” has been revealed to the wise seekers who have journeyed from far away places to worship the incarnation of the anticipated Savior.

Just as this feast day focuses on the original appearance of Christ to these wise seekers, the apostle Paul likewise describes an epiphany experience available to each of us today:

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of

anything we have done but because of his own purpose and

grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the

beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the

appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death

and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

2 Timothy 1:9-10

And so, as we begin a new year, fueled by wisdom and courage and faith, bearing gifts to honor a King, and in a posture of grateful worship and wonder, may we all follow the example of those original wise seekers as we embark on journeys of our own to encounter and share the “grace given us.”

May the love and peace of Christ be revealed to us, in us, and through us in 2024!

LGLO,

Rob

Selected Resources for Reflection, Learning, and Growth

Leaders Must React : A Framework For Responding to Unforeseen Events

“To be successful, CEOs must articulate a compelling vision, align people around it, and motivate them to execute it. But there’s one thing that can make or break them: how they respond in real time to unforeseen events…”

Should Your School Ban Cell Phones?

“Just as more kids began spending more time with their phones, we saw a massive spike in depression and mental illness.”

Tapping Basketball Skills for Leadership: Head as Point Guard

“Like a point guard in basketball, a good leader knows everyone's strengths and sets the direction for the team.”

Lower School Math Programs - Research and Analysis

“This study explores how three widely used US kindergarten mathematics textbooks, … vary in terms of content coverage, instructional grouping, and use of representational strategies.

Rise of the Chatbots

“Research shows that real learning requires things to be a little bit hard.”

LISTEN: Re-Thinking Education

“To be effective in this rapidly changing environment requires that we be willing to rethink how we treat each other, how schools function and pursue the mission, and we measure success.”

Amazing Opportunity for High School Seniors

Named after Jeanne Baret, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, Baret Scholars is a global gap year program that brings together a cohort of 180 outstanding high school students from around the world to live a month each in 7 regions, across 5 continents, over the course of 200 days. These scholars will explore their personal interests in different regions via prominent local speakers, curated traveling Fellowships, and optional volunteer opportunities.

Baret Scholars’ mission is to provide students with a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the world, paving the way for years of fulfillment and achievement. The program serves as a foundation for the scholars’ future, fostering cultural literacy, a global perspective, and a desire to create a better world.

Register to attend an info session to learn more about Baret Scholars and the scholarship opportunities. Click on the link below to register. Those who are registered will receive access to the info session recording.

Baret Scholars / SAES Info Session: 10 a.m. CST | January 23, 2024

In Memoriam

SAES remembers and celebrates the life and legacy of Leo Dressel. Leo served several SAES schools, including as the Head of School of St. Martin's Episcopal School in Metairie, La., and of All Saints Episcopal Day School in Phoenix, AZ. As a member of the SAES Board for many years, Leo served as President of the Board and led the association with a gentle wisdom and a deep faith and authentic spirituality.

ACCREDITATION NOTES

Happy New Year! The second quarter of the school year is always exceedingly busy and can keep heads of school running from one special event to another while also managing the demanding and time sensitive details of budget planning, tuition setting, and insurance renewals. The return to school in January is a great time to check in on some areas of accreditation accountability. In particular, I encourage all schools to check on the following important items:

Safety logs–Make sure you have kept a record of all safety drills (fire, tornado, active intruder, etc) and that you have had the drills required by your state. SAES covers six states, each with its own requirements, so we do not mandate numbers/types of drills, but your state probably does. Now is a great time to make sure you have documented the full first semester. Retain your Safety Drill logs for two years or in accordance with your Records Retention Policy. Note that On-Site Visits and Five-Year Interim reports require submission of safety drill logs.
Audit–SAES accreditation requires that all schools have an annual audit. (Schools with budgets of under one million dollars may alternate an audit with a review.) Most schools try to schedule the auditor to do the work in the summer and fall. If your school has not begun the process, now is the time to begin. If the audit has been completed, remember that your Board of Trustees minutes should reflect that the audit and any accompanying management and/or governance letter have been presented to and accepted by the Board. The Board does not “approve” the audit, since it is generated by an independent party. Note that On-Site Visits and Five-Year Interim reports require submission of the most recent audit or review.
Compliance with IRS Code 4958–The minutes of your Board of Trustees should reflect that the school complies with this code, which relates to compensation of the Head of School. In general, the school should be able to demonstrate that the Head’s pay is not excessive, relative to the general market. Best practice is for Boards (or the appropriate board committee) to engage in benchmarking salaries periodically so that there is appropriate support for the statement of intended compliance with 4958. Note that On-Site visits include demonstration of compliance as part of the DAS.

I am always happy to answer any questions you may have regarding accreditation and documentation of compliance with SAES Standards. Call or email anytime!

Chris Carter

SAES SOLUTION PARTNER HIGHLIGHT

Contact: Tim Viands

Tailor Made Consulting and Executive Search Services

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