SUCCESSFUL PARENT ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP DURING A PANDEMIC ARE WE

Every school benefits from having a strong parent association that works in partnership with the school. Yet we know that effective leadership is hard to sustain in any volunteer-driven organization. Clarity of purpose and well-defined operational guidelines make all the difference. No need to re-invent the wheel or repeat past mistakes. This interactive workshop will introduce some principles of good practice that have successfully guided parent associations all over the country. We’ll use a case study approach to illuminate common challenges and identify practical solutions. Considerable time will also be spent discussing how parent associations can support school communities during this period of physical distancing. Small group discussions will allow participants to make connections with parent leaders in other schools and share ideas. Topics for discussion will include:

• Principles of good practice

• Partnership with the administration

• Leadership succession planning

• Mission clarification

• Effective meetings and decision making

• Opportunities for a PA during periods of physical distancing

About the Presenters

John Suitor III is starting his 8^th year as Head of School at Boulder Country Day School. BCD is John’s second headship, having spent five years as Head at Long Trail School in Dorset, Vermont. John began his independent school career at Foxcroft School, a boarding and day school for girls in Middleburg, Virginia, where he lived and worked for 16 years. He also served as Director of Communications at St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont. At each point in his career in education, John has been deeply committed to professional development. He chaired the Virginia Association of Independent School’s Professional Development Committee and serves as President of the ACIS Board of Directors. He believes parents play an integral role in healthy school cultures and that parent organizations thrive when following best practice, when expectations and responsibilities are clear, and when there is a two-way line of communication with the organization and the Head of School.

Alan Smiley serves as the ACIS Executive Director, with primary responsibility for coordinating ACIS work on accreditations, professional development, and advocacy. Prior to his leadership of ACIS, he spent thirteen years as an independent school head and has over two decades’ experience in other capacities (division head, department chair, assistant division head, middle and high school English teacher, coach and advisor) at multiple independent schools in Colorado and around the country. Much of Alan’s work as a Head of School and Division Head involved working closely with parents associations on a variety of topics.

For more information, contact: Aubrey Shinofield, ACIS Director of Professional Development and Corporate Sponsorship: [email protected] or call ACIS at (303) 444-2201

Please register online at www.acischools.org

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