Member Voices

Gary Krahn, head of school at La Jolla Country Day School (CA), joins us to discuss how to develop developing student media literacy, the importance of treating everyone with dignity, and how educators can encourage students’ ways of thinking.

Joe Powers, head of school at The Woods Academy (MD), discusses how elementary school leaders can innovate, the future of elementary school leadership, and how he stays in the moment.

In this episode of Member Voices: The Conversation, we are featuring a dialogue between colleagues at NAIS member schools, published in the Summer issue of Independent School magazine. Casey Hitchcock and Johnathan Harris, co-heads of school at Lynnhaven School (VA), discuss how they landed on this leadership model, the benefits of two heads, and what makes it work for them.

Innovation is vital to school transformation. Member Voices is taking a closer look at innovation in a three-part miniseries. In the final episode of “Fostering Innovation,” NAIS Director of Innovation Programs Jackie Wolking speaks with Kevin Costa, director of innovation and learning at McDonogh School (MD). Kevin describes his school's innovation rubric, the importance of calling out what's alr...

Innovation is vital to school transformation. Member Voices is taking a closer look at innovation in a three-part miniseries. In the second episode of “Fostering Innovation,” NAIS Director of Innovation Programs Jackie Wolking speaks with Liz Walgamuth, head of school at Grace School (TX). Liz shares how she redesigns space within the confines of an older school building, how “mistakes lead us to...

Innovation is vital to school transformation. Member Voices is taking a closer look at the work of fostering innovation in a three-part miniseries. In the first episode of “Fostering Innovation,” NAIS Director of Innovation Programs Jackie Wolking speaks with Greg Chalfin, head of middle school at Stanley British Primary School (CO). Greg describes the school’s new block model approach, the import...

Listen to an episode from our sister NAIS podcast, featuring bestselling author, speaker, and former Dean at Stanford, Julie Lythcott-Haims. Julie joins NAIS Chief Innovation Officer Tim Fish and author and futurist Lisa Kay Solomon to share her insights on the role of schools in creating capable, responsible adults -- not just high-stat students who achieve academically but struggle to "adult" be...

Diverse and inclusive communities benefit everyone. In the third and final episode of the Member Voices miniseries “Cultivating Diverse and Inclusive Communities,” we talk with Luthern Williams, head of New Roads School (CA). Luthern shares how he strives to be a servant leader, his vision for well-being as the foundation of education, and how we all should promote the linkages and honor the diffe...

Diverse and inclusive communities benefit everyone. Member Voices is taking a closer look at the work of cultivating diverse and inclusive communities in a three-part miniseries. In the second episode of “Cultivating Diverse and Inclusive Communities,” we talk with Noni Thomas Lopez, head of the Gordon School (RI). She talks with us about how becoming a more diverse and inclusive school is like pe...

Diverse and inclusive communities benefit everyone. Member Voices is taking a closer look at the work of cultivating diverse and inclusive communities in a three-part miniseries. In the first episode of “Cultivating Diverse and Inclusive Communities,” we talk with Randall Dunn, head of Latin School of Chicago (IL). He describes the importance of building a strong team, the unpredictability of the...

In our second and final episode on the topic of enrollment, Joe Corbett, NAIS research analyst, speaks with Amada Torres, NAIS vice president of studies, insights, and research about national trends. These trends include enrollment changes due to the pandemic and those unique to lower schools, along with how these trends compare to previous years and recessions.

In the first of a two-part enrollment series, Joe Corbett, NAIS research analyst, speaks with Duane Emery, director of enrollment management at Sycamore School (IN). They discuss enrollment declines due to the pandemic, enrollment in lower grade levels, and how the school navigated these challenges.

As we welcome this year’s cohort of new heads of school, Member Voices is taking a closer look at the transition to headship in a three-part miniseries. In the third and final episode of Transitioning to Headship, we talk with Tucker Foehl, head of school at Sonoma Academy (CA). Tucker details how he worked to build up his skills prior to before his first year as head, the relationship-building th...

New View EDU episode one comes out on August 10.

As we welcome this year’s new heads of school, Member Voices is taking a closer look at the transition to headship in a three-part miniseries. In the second episode of Transitioning to Headship, we talk with Jennifer Landis, new head at Oak knoll School of the Holy Child (NJ). She shares how she finds joy and balance in her work, how being a division head prepared her for headship, and what she's...

New heads of school often begin their tenure in July, and as we welcome this year’s new heads, Member Voices is taking a closer look at the transition to headship in a three-part miniseries. In the first episode of Transitioning to Headship, we talk with Suzanne Walker Buck, head of Western Reserve Academy (OH). She describes how she approached the board-head relationship, balancing budgets, and q...

In this special crossover episode from our sister NAIS podcast, the Trustee Table, Dave Sternberg explains the biggest misconceptions trustees have about fundraising, how they can become more comfortable in their fundraising role, and presents ways to build and sustain donor relationships. Dave has been a fundraising professional since obtaining his BA Degree from The Ohio State University. He is...

In the second and final part of my conversation with Ray, recorded in February 2021, we revisit our pre-pandemic conversation to see how he and his school are doing and how the events of the past year have changed his approach.

In the first of two parts, recorded in March 2020, Ray discusses his semester school’s unique model that emphasizes time in the outdoors, how he approaches recruiting, and why he loves running without headphones.

Kim tells us about how her school approaches staff professional development, how she builds curriculum in such a turbulent time, and what she misses most about her role pre-pandemic.

In the second and final part of my conversation with Andre, Andre discusses his leadership of his school's COVID-19 task force, how schools can create a unique value proposition for families, and how critical issues for schools can be opportunities.

In the first of two parts, Andre discusses how he and his team are working to avoid burnout, his role as assistant head in transitioning a new head of school, and how he approaches implicit bias in hiring.

Jaimi shares her experience of navigating a new role and a pandemic at the same time. She also talks about how she and her colleagues led productive conversations during the presidential election and her podcast recommendations.

Anne talks with us about her journey from investment banking to headship, the unique value of girls-only education, and the importance of knowing who you are as a school.

Jamie joins us to discuss how being a school psychologist has informed his approach to headship, the work he has done for children with learning differences, and what it was like being new to his school community when the pandemic hit.