2020-2021 Professional Development

NJAIS offers many different Professional Development opportunities for faculty, administrators, and Trustees.  We aim to be relevant and responsive, and welcome your ideas and participation in these workshops and conferences.

 

NJAIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES

EVENT CALENDAR 2020 - 2021

 

We will be adding to and updating these offerings frequently.  Please check back for the latest professional growth offerings.

Contact Rachel Folan, rfolan@njais.org, with any questions, suggestions, or partnership ideas.

 

Tuesday, December 1, 2020:
DEBUNKING SOCIAL MEDIA MYTHS:
TELL YOUR STORY!

For: Admissions, MarCom, and Advancement Professionals

Now, more than ever, your school needs to know how to harness the power of social media and ‘content channels.’ Why? We humans thrive on happiness, community, and sharing good news. Social Media is the place to achieve this, so start telling your #SchoolStories. Then watch your community amplify your brand every time they share, like, and retweet. Learn about reach, social influence, and the importance of your digital brand.

Please register in advance for this session:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=450

 

Tuesday, December 8, 2020:
INSTITUTE FOR FEMALE LEADERS IN EDUCATION
BLOCK II: MOBILIZING, DELEGATING, AND DE-PERSONALIZING

For: 2020 - 2021 Female Leaders Cohort
 

As a leader, how do you mobilize, delegate, and empower your team?  Moreover, how do you de-personalize the criticism that will absolutely come with each decision you make as a leader?  This session will continue the reflection and connection activities in order for participants to engage with these challenges and opportunities that arise in leadership.
 

 

Wednesday, December 9, 2020:
WHOSE BUSINESS IS BELONGING?
DEI Workshop for Business Officers

For: Business and HR Professionals
 

This past spring, independent schools, like other sectors of the U.S., have faced a reckoning with experiences of Black Americans and other minority groups on campus, who have expressed pain, anger, disappointment, and frustration with racist behavior.  Consultant Jen Cort will share how Business Offices are a key part of school culture and the effort to address these circumstances at our schools is central to operations and caring about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Jen will expand on how we can listen and act using her model of 6 R’s:  Recognize; Receive; Reflect; Realize; Resist; Remember

Please register in advance for this conference:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=452

 

Saturday, January 23, 2021
TRUSTEE ENRICHMENT DAY 

For: Trustees, Heads of School, and Executive Administrators

NJAIS' annual Trustee Enrichment Day is a benchmark event for new and experienced Trustees. This is a valuable  opportunity for administrators and Trustees alike to experience a broad range of speakers and workshops to support strong governance for our schools. 
 

Please register in advance for this conference:
https://www.njais.org/cf_forms/view.cfm?formID=447

 

Tuesday, January 26, 2021
MIND BRAIN EDUCATION CONFERENCE 

For: All Educators
 

Good teaching is good teaching, and good teaching is backed by research.  This full-day experience will provide teachers with the research behind making learning meaningful and making it stick.  Using expert presentations along with practitioners sharing best practices, this conference supports using research and practice to ensure transformative teaching and learning. 

 

Wednesday, January 27, 2021:
INSTITUTE FOR FEMALE LEADERS IN EDUCATION
BLOCK III: FINANCE, FUNDRAISING, AND THE FIDUCIARIES

For: 2020 - 2021 Female Leaders Cohort
 

This session will provide an overview of school finance, key elements of fundraising, and also a discussion on working with Boards of Trustees, the fiduciaries.

 

Tuesday, March 2, 2021:
INSTITUTE FOR FEMALE LEADERS IN EDUCATION
BLOCK IV: MENTORS, SPONSORS, AND NAVIGATING YOUR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY

For: 2020 - 2021 Female Leaders Cohort
 

This session will explore the four patterns that influence career paths and how they  play out in your own professional journey. The experience will then lay the groundwork for your own development as a school leader by reflecting on the latest research on core strengths and weaknesses, purpose, networking, and mentorship versus sponsorship.  The afternoon also includes input on your resume and feedback on aligning your job aspirations with your leadership brand and personal obligations.

 

 

Tuesday - Wednesday, April 27 - 28, 2021:
HEAD OF SCHOOL CONFERENCE

For: Heads of School
 

This annual get-away for Heads of School serves to support professional learning and camaraderie for the leaders of our schools. 

Location: Nassau Inn

 

Friday, April 30, 2021:
INSTITUTE FOR FEMALE LEADERS IN EDUCATION
BLOCK V: CLOSING BRUNCH

For: 2020 - 2021 Female Leaders Cohort
 

This closing experience will finally bring us together in person (fingers crossed)!  As such, it will be a time to connect, reflect, and celebrate the leadership journey the cohort completed.

 

 

Completed or In-Progress Programs

Wednesday, November 18, 2020:
BUDGETING IN THE COVID ERA

For: Finance Committees, Finance Officers, Heads of School, and Other Board Members

The budget this past year could not anticipate the financial constraints, demands, and complete reconfiguration as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. As the 2021 - 2022 budgeting process begins, what considerations should guide leadership teams, Boards, and Finance Committees? This session, led by consultant Ari Betof and independent school Finance Officers Sam Goldfisher and Julia Malaga, will present various considerations and scenarios for finance officers, finance committee members, and Heads of School.

 

Tuesday, November 17, 2020:
TEACHING FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE
SESSION 3: FROM REFLECTION TO ACTION - CHOOSING TO PARTICIPATE

For: Classroom Teachers and Curriculum Leaders, 6 - 12
 

This session will include a flexible collection of activities, readings, lessons, and strategies that educators can use to develop a civic action experience that meets specific curriculum objectives, grade level, and available time.  The resources in the provided toolkit are infused with the understanding that effective “action civics” depend not only on providing civic education, grounded in the study of history and literature, but also on essential practices that civic education begins in learner-centered classrooms that value students’ identities; must confront bias and develop a sense of the common good; must engage with the complexities of history; must introduce current events and controversial issues.

 

Thursday, November 12, 2020:
INSTITUTE FOR FEMALE LEADERS IN EDUCATION;
BLOCK I: WHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP BRAND?

For: Current and Aspiring Female Leaders
 

This opening session of the 2020 - 2021 Institute for Female Leaders in Education will open the conversation about leadership, leadership brands, and leading with authenticity.  Through connecting activities and conversations, participants will begin the deep dive into reflecting upon leadership triumphs and tribulations in order to develop personal leadership brands. 

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2020:
HEAD OF SCHOOL SUPPORT:
AVOIDING BURNOUT

For: Board Members and Heads of School
 

It has been months since Heads of School have been able to pause, reflect, and care for themselves.  With urgent responses to the global pandemic, racial tensions running high, a divisive election season, and the continued stress of tending to the health and safety of students and staff, how are Heads of School tending to their own wellness and balance?  How long can they keep up this pace?  In this session, Drs. Michael Thompson and Rob Evans provide a framework both for self-care and also for Board members to support Heads of School as they navigate these unprecedented times without burnout in order to provide stability and security for the entire school community.

 

Friday, November 6 AND November 13, 2020:
In Partnership with ATLIS
CYBER SAFETY WORKSHOP

For: Independent School Leaders
 

Making our schools safe from cyber attacks and identity theft is a high priority for school leaders, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased cyber safety concerns. This 6-hour workshop over 2 consecutive Fridays provides a framework for building a cyber safety team and practical steps to build a culture of cyber awareness and safe practices for independent schools. The workshop draws on advice from technology professionals, includes hands-on activities to jumpstart cyber safety efforts, and offers a follow-up webinar with industry resources to answer your most critical questions. 

 

Thursday, November 5, 2020:
AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: DEBRIEF AND DISCUSS

For: All Educators
 

This presentation and discussion, facilitated by the Child Mind Institute, will support schools following the election results.  How do we move forward as unified, strong communities and cultures even with potential political polarization?

 

Thursday, October 29, 2020:
PREPARING FOR POST- ELECTION:
CONSIDERING HOW TO HANDLE THE OPENING MINUTES OF WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4

For: All Educators, PK - 12
 

Tuesday, November 3, 2020, Election Day, is a big day for our students, their families, our faculty and staff. No matter what the decision, there will continue to be hope, fear, division, and powerful emotions within  all of our school communities.  In preparation for the opening minutes of school (and all that follows), join Dr. Deborah Offner, who will offer a framework for analysis over advocacy and help us learn how we might infuse empathy, connection, tolerance -- even unity--  in the moments leading up to, during, and just after the Presidential election.  After a brief presentation, Dr. Offner will lead an interactive discussion for participants.

 

Wednesday, October 28, 2020:
ANTI-RACISM AND ADVANCEMENT

For: Advancement Teams including admissions officers, development officers, and MarCom professionals
 

Advancement practitioners play a crucial role in building, strengthening, and sustaining diverse, equitable, inclusive school communities. In this session, Advancement professionals will engage in activities and conversations for an investigation of their own practices. The goals of this session are to build awareness of the ways whiteness and white privilege culture in our schools work against school missions for equity, and to build anti-racist strategies and action steps into enrollment management, development, and communications practices. Whether you are new to thinking about your work with an equity lens or are a veteran of deep-dive learning and reflection, this session is an opportunity to consider in a personal, real-world context, how your daily work connects to and supports your school’s racial equity mission.

Monday, October 26, 2020:
CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE ANXIETY, AND A CALL FOR JUSTICE AND ACTION

**Fall Major Conference**

For: All Educators

Our current K - 12 students face a world of uncertainty and turmoil like no other student bodies have experienced.  Even before facing a global pandemic redefining what school looks like and current events of incredible weight, climate change has been a real and pressing issue that these students will need to address in their lifetime.  As they watched Australia burn in early 2020 and witness natural disasters abound, the realness has manifested in overwhelming anxiety of a future our current students are destined to inherit and a global wellness they must feel equipped to support.  During this day-long experience with some of the world’s most renown climate scientists, we will discuss the information needed to understand climate change, tools to navigate climate anxiety imbued in our students, and how we will command a call to action and on behalf of justice in our curricula, school cultures, and for our students’ wellbeing.

Wednesday, October 21 OR Sunday, October 25, 2020:
TRUSTEE 101

For:  Newly Appointed Board of Trustee Members of Independent Schools or those in their first or second year serving on the Board

 

This session is for Board of Trustee members in their first or second year of service on the Board, or for those who want a reminder of the principles of good governance.  You will be presented with an overview of the basic concepts and complexities of independent school governance.  The Board’s role during a pandemic will also be highlighted.  Case studies provide an interactive session.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020:
TEACHING FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE
SESSION 2: MY PART OF THE STORY - EXPLORING IDENTITY IN THE UNITED STATES

For: Classroom Teachers and Curriculum Leaders, 6 - 12
 

The session will include lessons and activities designed to  help students understand that the identity of the United States is dynamic, not static, and to see that their choices and their stories fuel this dynamism. It supports the construction of courses that are inclusive of the experiences and perspectives of the diversity of individuals and groups who have made crucial contributions to the history, literature, and culture of the United States.

 

Thursday, October 15, 2020:
UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT PHILANTHROPIC CLIMATE

For: Advancement Teams
 

Using research conducted over the past six months, this session will explain trends and predictions regarding fundraising in this COVID era.  

 

Wednesday, October 7, 2020:
INNOVATIVE ADMISSIONS APPROACHES INSPIRED BY THE COVID-19 CRISIS

For: Admissions Officers
 

During this session we will discuss the challenges this current crisis has presented to higher education and a few adaptations to help maintain equity in the process in what is sure to be an unusual admission season this coming year.  Please join Claudia Marroquin, Director of Admissions at Bowdoin College to learn how innovative practices at the higher ed level can inspire change in your admission process.

 

Wednesday, September 30, 2020:
SIMULTANEOUS IN-PERSON AND REMOTE LEARNERS: A PATHWAY TO INSTRUCTIONAL SUCCESS

For: Classroom Teachers and Academic Leaders
 

Many teachers are now challenged with teaching a room of students in masks and behind plexiglass while also delivering high-quality instruction simultaneously to students opting for remote learning.  How do you properly attend to and engage both groups?   Dana Kooistra of The Lawrenceville School will share the extensive template she created to support teachers in this necessary instructional situation.

 

Thursday, September 24, 2020:
TEACHING FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE
SESSION 1: INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS

For: Classroom Teachers and Curriculum Leaders, 6 - 12
 

This session is designed to support educators in framing their classroom cultures and expectations, especially during the early part of the school year.  A focus will be placed on an inclusive environment where students honor and value differing perspectives, question assumptions, and actively listen to others. 

 

Friday, September 18, 2020:
HOW TO TELL YOUR SCHOOL'S STORY IN THE COVID ERA

For: Admissions Officers and MarCom Professionals
 

When prospective families visit your campus, they feel the magic of the school community.  With closed campuses amid the COVID-19 crisis, how do you tell your school’s story and convey the value proposition to those who cannot experience it in person?  This presentation and discussion will provide a framework for virtual storytelling that exemplifies your school’s brand and illuminates what makes your community special.   Additionally, the presentation will highlight the importance of value-based institutions, delivering on their missions in a time that requires connection, civility, and inclusion.

 

Thursday, September 3, 2020:

I'M NOT RACIST... AM I?
FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION

For: All Educators, Especially School Leaders

Join André Robert Lee as he shares his expertise in race, racism, and guidance for strategic action plans for schools to move forward. This opportunity allows you to see the film, perhaps in a new light, while reflecting upon the culture and community in your own schools.  With conversations regarding how to navigate the @BlackAt movement, how to use the movement and the film to examine bias, and how to move forward with connection and action, this experience serves to strengthen the start of your school year and support inclusive school communities.

 

Tuesday, September 1, 2020:

PREPARING YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

For: All Educators, Especially School Leaders

Racial tensions, a global pandemic, economic crashes, and overwhelming uncertainty define our days.  And, the intensity of the election is just heating up.  As we face another potentially contentious presidential election and navigate these defining months, how can this be an experience of connection rather than division in our school communities?  Join Dr. Janine Domingues of The Child Mind Institute as she shares frameworks for addressing the election and the significant ongoings of our country with your students, faculty, and parents.

 

Wednesday, August 19, 2020:
TRAUMA-INFORMED SCHOOL RE-ENTRY: 
BEST PRACTICES AND ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

For: School Leaders, School Counselors, Deans of Students, Guidance Departments, and Advisors

During the COVID-19 pandemic and national racial justice crisis, we  -- educators, individuals, family members -- are experiencing collective trauma. Along with students,administrators,  faculty and staff continue to process the feelings of loss and uncertainty brought about by the closing of our schools in particular.  In the context of looming unknowns (e.g. rapidly changing virus transmission patterns, ever-evolving classroom and campus protocols and increasingly prominent social discord) this interactive Webinar will address how the school re-entry process can support the emotional wellbeing of not only students, but faculty and staff. Following a brief presentation, we will provide ample time for participants’ questions and discussion with clinical psychologist and student affairs consultant, Deborah Offner, and also time to break into professional affinity groups in order to discuss, process, and collaborate to strengthen all of our school communities.

 

Tuesday, August 18 - Thursday, August 20, 2020:
INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE WORKSHOP:
DESIGNING DIVERSE LEARNING EXPERIENCES WITH THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING IN MIND

For: All Teachers and Administrators
 

Decades of cognitive science research demonstrates that learners encode, store, and retrieve memories in similar ways as they critically think, make decisions, problem-solve, and develop their conceptual understandings and skill sets. To encourage and support all students’ cognitive, social, and emotional growth, the role of teachers is to design a diverse repertoire of learning experiences that require students to “think to learn” and respond to ongoing feedback that moves their learning forward. This workshop explores the many ways teachers can design learning in different contexts based on best-practice research about how children learn.
This 3-day workshop for K-12 teachers will explore the current understanding of how children learn and  investigate an array of teaching strategies and assessment techniques based on these learning principles. Participants will derive principles of effective learning, including the role of learner beliefs and mindsets in influencing that effectiveness. Using the lens of cognitive science, the workshop will examine how these understandings and strategies are applied in different contexts, both in the classroom and online.

 

Monday, August 17, 2020:
LOOKING BACK AND MOVING FORWARD: 
TEACHING WORLD LANGUAGE LEARNERS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

For: World Language Teachers
 

In this session, we’ll draw upon teacher experience to chart a course forward using the best of what we all have collectively learned. Whether your next school year is in person, remote, or a hybrid, we'll make sure you're equipped to handle it. Attendees will reflect on their past experiences and look at case scenarios of other educators. Presenters will lay out the process and tools to plan and organize, to teach synchronously and asynchronously, and to aim for proficiency growth in evaluation.

 

Wednesday, August 12, 2020:

WHY SCHOOLS NEED TO TALK ABOUT RACE AND RACISM, ESPECIALLY WHITE PEOPLE

For: All Educators

It is imperative that our schools engage purposefully in conversations of race and racism as we strive to be anti-racist institutions.  Join Dr. Ali Michael for a presentation and discussion about why schools must engage in these conversations and how white educators and students can, and must, be vital participants in this process.  As Dr. Michael states, “Race questions are not meant to lead us into a quagmire of guilt, discomfort, or isolation. Sustained race inquiry is meant to lead to anti-racist classrooms, positive racial identities, and a restoration of the wholeness of spirit and community that racism undermines.”  Ali is white and will share stories and examples from her own life.

 

Monday, August 10, 2020:

RACE AND RACISM IN 2020: 
UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMIC RACISM AND WAYS TO DEVELOP RACIALLY LITERATE SCHOOLS

For: Faculty and School Administrators

In order to foster an anti-racist growth mindset, it is vital that we better understand how systemic racism created segregated, unequal living standards and limited access to social, economic, legal, and residential opportunities for people along lines of race. And once we gain such knowledge, it is essential that we have guided conversations with our children and/or students about race and systemic racism.  this two-part workshop will First trace the emergence of race and systemic racism in the United States, such as the limits placed on personhood, citizenship, immigration, housing, and other civil rights.  Next,  we will review key racial literacy ideas and frameworks, highlighting resources and discussion topics that are incorporated in Pollyanna’s K-8 Racial Literacy Curriculum –– a free resource for educators.

 

Thursday, August 6, 2020:

UPDATED MEDICAL AND LEGAL GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL RE-ENTRY

For: Heads of School, Finance Officers, HR Managers, Health Professionals, and other Operations Personnel

 

This two-part webinar serves to guide school operations teams through necessary considerations regarding possible medical and legal issues in the school re-entry process.  Each session will include a 30-minute presentation to support the navigation of these situations, followed by a 30-minute open question and discussion time with the presenter(s).

 

Tuesday, August 4 - Wednesday, August 5, 2020:
INNOVATING INSTRUCTION CONFERENCE

For: All Teachers, Administrators, and Tech Directors
 

This two-day comprehensive experience featuring A.J. Juliani will provide reflection and action to take our best practices in pedagogy/instruction and turn them into today’s practices that promote authentic learning experiences for all students, whether in-person, or in blended or virtual learning environments.  From the top blended learning tools for all ages to assessment, curriculum development, and instructional methods, this conference serves to provide depth and breadth of content to prepare for any learning platform for the fall.

 

Tuesday, July 28 - Thursday, July 30, 2020:
MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION AS A PLATFORM FOR EXCELLENCE IN A BLENDED LEARNING CLASSROOM

For: K - 8 Teachers and School Leaders
 

Good teaching is good teaching, and good teaching is backed by research. This three-part workshop will provide teachers with the research behind making learning meaningful and making it stick. Each session will include an expert morning presentation, followed by an afternoon workshop session.  With the support of a cohort of teachers, translate the research into your classroom virtual or in person. Consider recommendations to increase engagement, assess understanding, and provide meaningful feedback in the context of your unique classroom. Make small adjustments to your current curriculum and have a big impact on your students’ learning.