Mission in Motion: Strategic Branding and Messaging That Spark Action

Schools talk about brand, but how does one differentiate in a crowded market? That’s the challenge top of mind for nearly 30% of SAIS MarCom professionals. Though nearly 20% feel their school has been successful with brand development this past year, more than one-third want to grow in their understanding of brand storytelling. The Heritage School and Sandhills School attest that, for schools looking to strengthen the connection between their brand, audience, and action, your brand messaging isn’t just about informing – it’s about inspiring.

Next-Level Leadership: Developing Strong, Cohesive Leadership Teams

Attracting and retaining qualified faculty and staff, as well as balancing daily demands with strategy, are among the issues keeping heads of school up at night. To be able to delegate and allow others to take on some of the daily demands means that heads need to put in place solid, experienced teams. The Howard School shares their perspective on developing high-performing teams built with key approaches in mind, such as open communication, collaborative decision-making, clear goals, and distributed leadership.

Five Indicators Every Independent School Should Track and Leverage

Independent school heads are increasingly expected to be both educational leaders and data-savvy CEOs. Yet, amidst the sea of reports, surveys, and dashboards, it is understandable that it is a struggle to identify which numbers matter most. Head of School Jeff Mitchell describes five financial and operational indicators of school health that serve as benchmarks to guide decisions, strengthen narratives, and help schools plan sustainably.

The First Years Matter: Research Insights on Early Career Educators

SAIS and its member schools are increasingly focused on identifying evidence-based strategies to support the recruitment, development, and retention of early-career independent school professionals (ECISP). In partnership with Vanderbilt University, SAIS conducted a study to investigate the experiences of ECISP to better understand the conditions that support their satisfaction, embeddedness, and long-term engagement. 

Consider Your School's Hiring Needs: The SAIS Career Center

Hiring season is quickly approaching. It's time to consider your school’s hiring process. Finding a match for your school’s mission and culture with the necessary skills and experience can be time consuming. We’ve collected several resources to assist schools in creating job posts, curating interview questions, and more.

When you're ready to reach a wide range of potential candidates, list your school's open opportunities with the SAIS Career Center. With hundreds of positions currently posted, those looking for new opportunities can search by role, school state, salary, or keyword.

TransformEd: Teaching & Learning Conference

February 10-11, 2026 | Chattanooga, TN

Explore cutting-edge pedagogical ideas, innovative instructional strategies, and game-changing educational tools designed to drive meaningful impact in the classroom. Through TransformEd, you’ll gain the tools and insights to create transformative learning experiences that inspire student success and a passion for lifelong learning. 

Choose from 24 breakout sessions from four distinct learning journeys:

• Agency & Engagement
• Assessment & Feedback
• Design & Mapping
• Instructional Strategies

Upcoming Events

Culture of Care: Fostering Inclusion & Connection Across Campus, January 22, 10:00 AM EST

Blueprint Sprint, January 26-27, Nashville, TN

Beyond Burnout: Creating Cultures of Connection & Care, January 29, 12:00 PM EST

AI Exchange: Exploring AI Together - Strategies, Solutions & Stories (Executive Leaders), January 29, 4:15 PM EST

Academic Support & Student Well-Being Conference, February 8-10, Chattanooga, TN

Designing Inclusion: A Mission-Centered Institute, February 11-12, Chattanooga, TN

Independent School Brand Summit, February 11-12, Chattanooga, TN