Member Voices audio podcast by NAIS

Ariane Baer-Harper, head of school at Austin International School (TX) speaks with Jacques Weber, head of the Dallas International School (TX) who was the outgoing head at Austin International when she started. The two were able to work together for the last three months of the 2022–2023 school year, and their collaboration has continued to this day. Here, Baer-Harper and Weber discuss their successful head transition, the keys to its success, and a roadmap for other heads to consider. This conversation was published in the Winter 2024 issue of Independent School magazine.

You can find some related NAIS resources from this episode by visiting nais.org/membervoices.

Two colleagues at St. Mary’s Episcopal School (TN) - Head of School Albert Throckmorton and Director of Communications Jennifer Parris – talk about what they’ve learned about community and a school’s purpose following a tragedy. This conversation was published in the Fall 2023 issue of Independent School magazine.

You can find some related NAIS resources from this episode by visiting nais.org/membervoices.

Jennifer Dirga, School Counselor at The Chestnut Hill School (MA) speaks to the importance of fostering connections inside and outside the classroom to decrease stress and anxiety in students. In this conversation with Jackie Wolking, she shares examples for how to build community and how to create safe and affirming spaces. Jennifer takes an active role in the classroom and advocates for mental health supports for staff. She’s a proponent of going slow, pausing, and reflecting more throughout life.

You can find some related NAIS resources from this episode by visiting nais.org/membervoices.

Fran Bisselle, head of school at Hathway Brown School (OH) discusses trends in teacher attrition, and how independent schools can bolster teacher retention by understanding the current workforce landscape and leveraging teacher-focused policies in their schools. Fran unpacks the effect of the pandemic on teacher burn-out and how Hathway Brown had to adapt to ensure teacher retention. She also describes how the hiring and on-boarding process in her school had to become more teacher-focused.

You can find some related NAIS resources from this episode by visiting nais.org/membervoices.

Denise Spirou, head of school at The Greene School (FL) describes how she looks for teachers that are joyful, and that are problem solvers – not problem starters. She shares how she helps her school stand out to potential job candidates, and how she prioritizes the mental health of her team by encouraging them to take days off and participate in walking meetings. Finally, Denise discusses the importance of servant leadership, not taking things personally, and being able to “fess up when you mess up”.

You can find some related NAIS resources from this episode by visiting nais.org/membervoices.

Aliya Pitts, Chief Advancement Officer at The Prarie School (WI) talks about the importance of group innovation, careful communication, and making data driven decisions when undertaking a tuition redesign.

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