Executive Roundtable for Heads of Independent Schools

Independent schools are charged with preparing today’s students to live and lead in the world they walk into beyond graduation. It is now clear that generative A.I. will play a pivotal role in that world.

The pace of A.I. adoption has been faster than anticipated. Companies are training all employees on how to use A.I. tools in their current roles; new, six-figure career paths for “prompt engineers” are expanding rapidly; and hundreds of colleges and universities are seeking ways to integrate AI into their coursework, services, and operations. Like it or not, schools must now adapt to an AI-powered ecosystem. Most experts agree that schools establishing a leadership position in smart A.I. integration will gain a substantial advantage as parents wrestle with the implications for their children.

Despite the opportunity, we see more anxiety than excitement around the arrival of generative A.I. in schools. How will tools like ChatGPT affect academic rigor and integrity? Will A.I. threaten jobs in school communities that are built on human connection? Will the advantage of small class sizes and the “personal touch” be eroded by chatbots that can personalize education for any child? These are big questions in communities with high expectations. The cost of getting A.I. “wrong” could cause havoc among parents and staff that no Head wants to face in today’s tinderbox of tensions.

Therefore, Heads of Schools must find a way to move beyond current anxieties to an outlook of opportunity on AI, while creating smart policies and protocols that sustain calm and confidence among parents, students, and staff.

Many school leaders are still exhausted by the aftermath of the pandemic, deepening societal divisions, and talent turnover, but many Heads of School have cited an urgent need to reinvigorate their leadership teams so that they can address the growing list of questions about how schools must evolve to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. So, how can Heads energize people to move forward when so many still want to hit “pause.” The answer is more practical than many might assume. In this session, Heads of Schools will explore the concrete skills, behaviors, and actions that define Compassionate Leadership, and discuss the implications for their own work over the coming year and beyond.

This session builds on the Faculty Morale research debuted at the 2022 Executive Roundtable for Heads of School and subsequent findings from the Nationwide Collaborative to Raise Faculty Morale.

As the number of complex issues independent school leaders must address continues to rise, nearly every team we talk with feels as though there is simply “too much to get done.” Therefore, efficient use of time and resources has become essential for sustaining sanity and delivering results.

Root Cause Analysis enables leaders to pinpoint the underlying issues driving problems in their schools and ensure that their time is spent solving issues that will have a direct impact on desired outcomes. This session will teach Heads of School a simple, systematic approach to Root Cause Analysis, then ask participants to apply this technique to a problem present in their schools today.

We will deliver this session in a workshop format that an EAB expert can facilitate for your leadership team at any time throughout the year.

This session will define the five attributes of Generation Z, discuss the events that have shaped the generation’s worldview, and dive into the impact these forces will have on their relationship with advancement as alumni, donors, volunteers, and staff. Heads of School will be able to hear from their peers and advancement experts as they begin to navigate this generation as part of their constituency. EAB will provide a library of resources throughout the session that can assess advancement leaders as they navigate the generation.