Reimagining Parent Engagement: Aligning Mission, Culture, and Parent Aspirations

A family’s level of engagement with their child’s school is a critical piece of the independent school student recruitment and retention puzzle. To better understand your parent community, Davidson Day School attests to the importance of surveying, listening, and responding to the needs of your families. Megan Gray, director of marketing & communications, shares that as the school approached its 25-year milestone, it intentionally turned its attention toward understanding what motivates the families who choose Davidson Day, how those motivations evolve over time, and what that means for aligning mission, culture, and parent partnership.

Mission-Based Fiscal & Campus Planning

In October 2025, SAIS pulse surveyed member school business officers, with 69% reporting that the financial health of their school is strong or very strong. Despite a healthy financial position, deferred maintenance projects are considered a top risk by 39% of SAIS business officers. Further, 58% of schools planned significant capital projects beginning in 2025, and 21% of business officers report investing in capital improvements was a primary financial goal. Whitefield Academy shares how schools can remain laser-focused on mission while campus planning and sustaining sound finances.

Navigating an Evolving Risk Landscape

Independent schools today operate in an increasingly complex environment where financial pressures, operational challenges, and emerging threats converge to create unprecedented risks that demand careful attention and proactive planning. Effectively identifying and managing these risks is essential for ensuring institutional sustainability, maintaining educational excellence, and honoring our commitment to the students and communities we serve. 

Understanding and Implementing Effective Compensation Models

Understanding compensation philosophy and structure is essential for attracting and retaining talented educators while maintaining financial sustainability. Whether you're evaluating your current compensation structure or building a new model from the ground up, these resources will assist schools in developing a fair, competitive, and mission-aligned approach to teacher compensation.

SAIS Meridian, Benchmarking for Orientation & Direction

SAIS is excited to unveil Meridian, a new benchmarking tool designed to help school leaders make data-informed decisions that strengthen mission-driven plans. For nearly half of our schools, access to comparable data at a national level has been challenging. Meridian now fills that gap, offering a shared point of orientation and direction for every member school across the SAIS network.

The first phase of Meridian focuses on teacher compensation, with future iterations expanding into broader areas of school operations and organizational health. We are grateful to the nearly 400 SAIS member schools that contributed data during the annual membership renewal process. This collective effort reflects the full diversity of our association—across geographic settings, operating budgets, enrollment sizes, religious affiliations, and grade levels.

Timely Challenge Conference

Attracting and retaining top faculty and staff is one of the most pressing challenges facing independent schools today. The Timely Challenge Conference brings together school leaders to explore innovative strategies for recruitment, retention, and workplace culture.

Join us to engage in expert-led sessions, peer discussions, and case studies that address topics including building a compelling employee value proposition, navigating generational shifts in the workforce, and creative pipelines for hiring and talent development.

With keynotes from Dr. Carrie Grimes, Vanderbilt University, and Andy Walker, Willis Towers Watson, this conference is designed to provide actionable insights to ensure your school remains a destination for top-tier educators and staff.

Upcoming Events

Blueprint Sprint, November 17-18, Atlanta, GA, and January 26-27, Nashville TN

Walking the Talk: Instructional Rounds and Learning Walks, December 4, 12:00 PM EST

High Potential: Developing High-Performing Leadership Teams, December 11, 4:15 PM EST

AI & Assistive Technology in the Classroom, January 8, 12:00 PM EST

Beyond Burnout: Creating Cultures of Connection & Care, January 15, 12:00 PM EST

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