SAES NOTES - JANUARY 2025 | |
Bringing your Gifts and Going Home a Different Way
When the wise men saw the star, they were filled with joy. They went to the house where the child was and saw him with his mother, Mary. They bowed down and worshiped the child. They opened the gifts they brought for him. They gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home to their own country by a different way. Matthew 2:10-12 (ICB)
The pursuit of wisdom is central to an Episcopal education, and the celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany provides some powerful insights into this important aspect of our faith journey. From the Greek “magi,” the wise men that we meet in the book of Matthew remind us of the importance of being observant and remaining curious. This story further inspires us to travel great distances through harsh terrain in search of meaning, and to relentlessly seek and pursue the Divine without being distracted or led astray by the rulers of this world. And by faithfully following the light, then we, like the Magi, will be able to encounter love incarnate in unexpected places. And upon coming face to face with the Divine, we can expect to be overwhelmed with joy as we fall on our knees to worship with wonder and awe, joyfully offering our most valuable gifts to the King of Kings.
And after searching and seeking, after following the light and experiencing the Divine, after humbling themselves and worshipping and offering gifts, what did these wise seekers do? The Gospel of Matthew tells us that they were warned by God to not return the same way they had come, and so they “went back a different way.” Modeling yet another important aspect of wisdom, these seekers were changed by their encounter with the Divine - they listened to God and changed their ways, returning home in a different way.
In 2025, my prayer is that as Episcopal schools we will continue to pursue wisdom by observing, searching for truth, seeking the divine, following the light, humbly worshiping and offering our gifts, listening to the voice of God, and returning to our daily lives and routines in a different way because of our encounter with the Divine.
Question to ponder: After encountering the Divine, how is God calling you to
“Go home a different way?”
O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the Peoples
of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where
we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen. (Collect for the Epiphany, BCP)
LGLO
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Congratulations Dr. Wootton!
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In recognition of her many years of outstanding leadership and service, West Texas A&M University has awarded an honorary doctorate to Connie Wootton, the retired SAES Executive Director and namesake of the SAES Connie Wootton Award for Excellence in Teaching. Congratulations, Connie! Read more here. | |
SAES Sends Love and Prayers for the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge.
The horrific New Year’s attack in New Orleans has tragically impacted the school community of Episcopal Baton Rouge. Our prayers are for all affected by this horrific event, specifically for healing for EHS alumnus Parker Vidrine ’24 and peace in eternal rest for alumnus Kareem Badawi ’24.
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through
Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family;
take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break
down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work
through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on
earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you
in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (BCP)
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Bishop’s Ridge sits on over 200 acres, and is a favorite destination for retreats, conferences, camps, and ceremonies of all kinds. We would Love to host you! Bishop’s Ridge offers the serenity of rugged wilderness and modern city conveniences. Situated on the historic Old Santa Fe Trail, it’s 20 minutes from Santa Fe Plaza and 45 minutes from the Santa Fe Ski Basin. We have a variety of spaces to fit your needs such as A frame cabins, retreat houses, and a 3000 sq ft activities hall. Food service can also be included for an additional cost. Find more information on our website at this link, https://bishopsridge.us/ . Contact our director, Christopher Jewell, with any questions. Email: cjewell@dioceserg.org. Phone: 505-881-0636. We look forward to seeing you. | |
Selected Resources for Reflection, Learning, and Growth | |
LISTEN: Should Leaders be Feared or Loved? (on ReThinking with Adam Grant)
“My first reaction is to think of the great philosopher Michael Scott from the office who said that, “do I wanna be feared or loved? Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” That was actually, in some ways, a preface to my thinking on this, which is - I don't want people to be afraid of their leaders.” A great debate on leadership style between Adam Grant and historian Neil Ferguson from Stanford's Hoover Institution.
McKinsey Research on Optimizing Organizational Health
Driving higher organizational health and performance means focusing on new practices: empowering employees to make decisions, using technology to create value, and updating leadership styles.
5-year Study Highlights Impactful School Innovation Practices
“The shortcomings of conventional school designs have only become more clear as achievement lags, adolescent mental health suffers, chronic absenteeism remains stubbornly high, and longstanding inequities widen,”
What to do with Complainers?
Do you have a chronic complainer on your team? Most of us have worked with someone who can find something negative in every situation and loves to discover others who will commiserate with them. (As the saying goes, misery loves company.) If you’re on the receiving end of ongoing workplace complaints, you might be wondering how you should handle them. Do you ignore them? Express sympathy? Tell them to just “toughen up”?
Also: see also Responding to Complaints
Teamwork at the Top (HBR)
“It’s not just who’s in the room—it’s how they behave together… Teamwork is difficult at any level, but for top teams, the challenges expand exponentially. They are responsible for addressing their organization’s weightiest and most complex problems, so their struggles are almost existential. Highly effective top teams share key five behaviors: direction, discipline, drive, dynamism, and collaboration. These traits are collective: They characterize the behaviors of the team as a whole, not those of its individual members.”
There is a Place for Everyone
“Someone once asked me, “What’s something you believe in, despite not having any evidence for it?” Without thinking, I said “There’s a place for everyone.” As in: every person has a purpose, nobody is superfluous or redundant.”
Planning for the 2025-2026 Enrollment Season: Key Updates to Independent Schools' Enrollment Contracts (From Venable Law Firm)
Before issuing enrollment contracts, independent schools would be wise to review and fine-tune their enrollment contracts with an eye to issues that arose in years past to ensure that those most pressing issues impacting the relationship between the school and its enrolled families are contemplated.
Maybe you enjoy a good “Best of” List? If so, then perhaps you might enjoy this Best List of Lists for 2024
Spotlight on Safety
School Safety Resources
Learn more about school safety topics and access the latest news and resources for the K-12 community using the SchoolSafety.gov Communications Center. Explore the center to download and share a variety of materials to help support your school’s or district’s safety efforts.
In The Future of Campus Safety , explore the evolving landscape of campus safety and examine the challenges most on the minds of campus leaders today. This report includes case studies that will empower you to reduce risk and create a safer campus
Enhancing School Safety Using Behavioral Threat Assessment Webinar
Description: Learn from National Threat Assessment Center researchers who highlight the key findings and implications from their research on school violence prevention. This training covers the background, thinking, and behavior of school attackers and how some schools discovered and stopped plots before violence occurred, and will provide guidance on how schools may develop or improve existing violence prevention programs utilizing a behavioral threat assessment model.
Host: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service
Date: January 15, 2025
Navigating the Ethical Maze of School Safety: A TV Case Study
Joffe Safety Consultant Olivia reflects on the critical role of behavioral threat assessments in preventing school violence, inspired by a recent Law & Order episode. Discover actionable takeaways for building safer schools through clear processes, collaboration, and proactive planning.
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Virtual Learning Opportunities
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Mental Health in Students: A Conversation With The Podcast Team From Parenting for the Present
January 22, 2025
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CST
Parenting for the Present is a nonprofit organization that aims to help families raise thriving children in a complex and ever-changing world. Through a podcast, Drs. Early Denison, Matthew Housson, and Rev. Andy Stoker connect with other experts in their fields to provide strategies to better support young people. Join us for this important conversation with three experts in the field of mental health in students.
REGISTER NOW
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Managing Tears and Tempers in Middle School Using Calm Corners
January 23, 2024
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm CST
A Calm Corner can be a useful strategy for Tier 1 interventions at every level, K-12th. Come discover how to create, cultivate, and promote a space for students to self-soothe, learn to regulate big emotions, and realize that it truly is okay not to be okay. For students who are initially afraid to engage with school counselors, these spaces meet them on their terms and help them find their voice to build trust at school.
REGISTER NOW
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Navigating Workplace Conflict: How to Have More Influence, Less Drama, and Better Collaboration
January 29, 2025
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm CST
Master any workplace conflict with confidence and ease, have less drama, better results, and thrive at work. When there are problems to solve, and people who care (and there are so many things to care about), you’ll face conflict. And if you want to have more success, influence, and joy in your work, you’ve got to navigate it well. But conflict is hard. You weren’t born knowing the perfect words to say when you’re angry, dealing with a jerk, or when someone calls your game-changing idea “stupid.” You’ll leave with the courage, confidence, and competence to navigate even the trickiest conflict scenarios and build better, lasting collaboration. You will learn 1) Research-based reasons why conflict is so hard now-- and inspiration to have the conversation you would rather avoid. 2) The 4 Cs of more productive conflict and how to apply them to even the most challenging scenarios. 3) 12 Powerful Phrases for navigating any workplace conflict. 4) Practical techniques and tools to foster deeper trust and collaboration.
REGISTER NOW
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I hope all our school leaders had a wonderful Christmas holiday and return in this New Year feeling refreshed and renewed. The first two months of the new year mark a good time for schools to review a variety of compliance issues that can easily get lost in the busyness of the second quarter of the year. I encourage all heads to take an hour at some point in the next month or so and review the SAES Standards as well as the Documents in Adherence to Standards (DAS). Can you mentally affirm compliance with the Standards? Could you lay hands on the documents listed in the DAS if necessary? Are there any Standards you don’t fully understand? Documents you aren’t sure you have? (Or which may not have been updated in the last decade?) With a fresh semester and new year before you, now is a great time to address those questions. Please feel free to call or email me anytime with such questions, but I want to mention two items in particular that you should check on, both of which involve IRS compliance.
First, IRS Revenue Procedure 75-50 requires non-public schools to demonstrate that they are not racially discriminatory and indicates language that should be included. The original rule required annual newspaper publication of a non-discrimination statement or including the non-discrimination statement in all promotional materials. This procedure was modified in 2019 and now considers the demonstration of non-discrimination to be fulfilled if the non-discrimination statement is published on the school’s website. It is important, however, that the statement be readily accessible, not buried several clicks into the site. Many schools place the non-discrimination statement at the foot of the landing page and/or on the first click of admissions and employment pages. If you can’t find your school’s non-discrimination statement on your website right away, you should probably consider placing it in a more prominent location.
Second, SAES schools must also demonstrate compliance with IRS Code 4958, which effectively requires that schools demonstrate that the CEO (Head of School) does not receive excessive payment which would limit the funds of the non-profit organization (the school). In this instance, the Board of Trustees needs to 1) clearly demonstrate that it establishes the compensation for the Head of School (i.e. the Head does not establish his or her own pay) and 2) the Head’s total compensation is reasonable (within market norms). This means the Board has conducted some sort of research or benchmarking (which could be provided to the IRS if necessary) as a part of the process of establishing the Head’s compensation. Accredited schools should have an annual statement in the Board minutes which indicates the Board’s intent to comply with IRS 4958 (DAS C.9). I suggest that schools establish a habit of reaffirming this statement at the first meeting of the new year.
I realize that no one ever became a Head of School out of a desire to comply with IRS regulations, but no school wants to fall afoul of the IRS either, so it’s worth your time now to make sure all is in order. Of course, I am happy to answer any questions you may have, but you should also consult legal counsel if you have any concerns about your school’s practices or compliance.
Chris Carter
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SAES SOLUTION PARTNER HIGHLIGHT | |
Community | Faith | Integrity | Leadership | Support
The mission of the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools is to lead, nurture, and unify Episcopal schools in order to advance academic excellence within the faith community of the Episcopal Church.
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