The Power of Cohorts.

Transformative programs that take place over a school year.
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Cohort Programs

Date: July 2026 to March 2027

New Heads Institute

For Heads of School in your first year — or new to New Jersey. A cohort program designed to grow your network, connect you with go-to experts across every area of headship, and build community within NJAIS from day one. The opening legal session is in-person; the rest are virtual. We touch on facilities planning, the Head-Board Chair relationship, fundraising, enrollment management, community engagement, and much more. We ask new Heads to register by May 31.

Date: August 2026 to May 2027

Teacher Institute

For new teachers and those honing their craft. Built from the best of two NJAIS programs — Early Career Teachers and Instructional Strategies — the Teacher Institute is a 10-month cohort experience that meets you where you are. Across five sessions (two in-person, three virtual), you'll deepen student engagement, sharpen your use of assessment and feedback, and build a reflective practice with documented growth to show for it.


Date: September 2026 to April 2027

Advancing Women in Leadership

For women in established and senior leadership roles at NJAIS schools. A cohort program for division directors, assistant heads, and directors of admission, advancement, or curriculum. You'll build deep peer relationships, work with a year-long mentor (a head of school or experienced leadership coach), and engage a curriculum built for the realities of senior leadership — finance and governance, intersectionality, negotiation, and advancing into the most complex roles in school leadership.

Date: October 2026 to April 2027

Leading from the Middle

For the folks who make it all happen. The middle is where schools are actually run- and where leadership is hardest. A cohort program for department chairs, deans, program directors, and team leads, Leading from the Middle pairs you with a mentor leader at an NJAIS school for a structured Shadow Day and ongoing check-ins. You'll build practical skills--running meetings, giving feedback, navigating budgets, managing up--and anchor the year in an action research project tied to a real challenge at your own school.

Date: 2026-27 School Year (Subscription)

AI Studio Sessions

For educators and school leaders navigating a fast-moving landscape. AI is evolving faster than schools can comfortably absorb. AI Studio Sessions give you a quarterly, high-trust space to explore what matters most, experiment with practical applications, and recalibrate with purpose. Each 75-minute session blends strategic insight, hands-on learning, and thoughtful dialogue.



Date: October 2026 to April 2027

Emerging Leaders Institute

For educators who haven't yet stepped into a formal leadership role but feel the pull toward one. ELI is the starting point of NJAIS's leadership pathway — a year-long cohort grounded in the inner work of leadership: values, courage, trust, and resilience. Through in-person sessions at member schools, structured site visits with four faculty Heads, and a shared leadership assessment, you'll clarify who you are as a leader before you're asked to be one.

Date: September 2027 to April 2028

SchoolCraft Institute

SchoolCraft is a selective, high-impact ’consultative learning’ offering for school teams ready to examine and strengthen the structural drivers of institutional viability and performance: business model, financial model, academic return on investment, operations, and marketing in an AI era. This experience blends consultancy-level inquiry with applied professional learning.

Date: June 2027 to February 2028

Salmon River Program

In partnership with NJAIS, World Leadership School is proud to offer a unique  experience for school heads who are interested in unplugging from technology, connecting with other leaders, and renewing energy for the year ahead. This yearlong leadership development program begins with five days and five nights, as we float down the sparkling waters of Idaho's Salmon River.