Thank you to our Principal Conference Partners
CLA
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP) exists to create opportunities for our clients, our people, and our communities through industry-focused wealth advisory, digital, audit, tax, consulting, and outsourcing services. With more than 8,500 people, nearly 130 U.S. locations, and a global vision, we promise to know you and help you. For more information, visit CLAconnect.com. CLA is an independent network member of CLA Global. See CLAglobal.com/disclaimer. Investment advisory services are offered through CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor.
Finalsite
Finalsite is the premier provider of website, marketing, enrollment and communications software for nearly 3,000 independent schools in 119 countries. With a 96% retention rate and 98% client satisfaction score, we make it easier to market your school, manage enrollment and communications, and strengthen your online presence—helping your school community to connect, engage, and thrive.Finalsite products and services include award-winning website designs, a robust content management system, a dynamic mass notifications system, enrollment management software, integrated mobile app, innovative inbound marketing tools, data integration, training, support and marketing consulting.
Flagship Networks
Flagship Networks is a proven, trusted Managed and Professional IT Services organization that operates as an integrated arm of your businesses—understanding, predicting, and solving your business IT challenges. Flagship has over two decades of experience working with customers across all industries, from independent schools to healthcare, municipalities, and professional practices. Our comprehensive consulting, design, implementation, monitoring and support capabilities, combined with profound industry knowledge and IT expertise, help our clients achieve their technology goals and run their business more productively.
And our Key Conference Partners
CCI Voice
CCiVoice is a full service local telecommunications company with a history of 42 years in the phone business! We are a soup to nuts telecom provider, offering our own hosted phone service (we are your phone carrier, your phone system and your support), premise phone systems, networking, cameras, access control and cabling. Over the years we have become especially attuned to the unique needs of independent schools and we’re grateful to count 9 (and growing) ConnecticutIndependent schools among our hosted phone service clients, as well as schools in Massachusetts and New York. We know schools often have to stay up to date with technology while also grappling with older infrastructure and we love that challenge! We also know many schools have top notch IT people but other, smaller schools, may not have a dedicated IT resource, so our technicians and engineers can either collaborate with your IT staff on project planning and implementation or we can assume the role of your IT staff ourselves. Give us a call or shoot us an email because we’d love to hear from you.
CCS Fundraising
Since 1947, CCS Fundraising has empowered many of the world’s greatest organizations to advance some of the most important causes in history. As leading consulting experts in campaign and development strategy, we plan and implement fundraising initiatives to help nonprofit organizations make a bigger impact—locally, nationally, and globally. At CCS, we understand the unique value proposition of an independent school education and the vital role that philanthropy plays in helping schools achieve their mission. In the past year alone, CCS Fundraising experts partnered with over 130 schools, many of them in Connecticut, as trusted advisors and thought partners, working shoulder-to-shoulder with them to design and to implement successfully the endowment, capital, and annual fundraising initiatives that help schools change lives.
Cross Insurance
Cross Insurance is one of the largest family held insurance brokerages in the country, supporting businesses of all sizes with property & casualty insurance, risk management programs, as well as employee benefit plans. Cross is headquartered in Bangor Maine and has over 50 offices across the East Coast, including 10 in Connecticut. Our education practice is focused on helping independent schools with the design, implementation, as well as administration of individualized property & casualty programs. We strive to act as an extension of the business office and serve as the outsourced risk advisor to trustees and school leadership teams.
FACTS Management
FACTS Management partners with K-12 schools across the country to help manage their end-to-end needs for everything academic and financial related. In CT, FACTS is partnered with over 100 schools to help with their tuition and fee receivables through flexible payment plan and student billing options.
FLIK Independent School Dining
FLIK Independent School Dining is a family-style company that strives to provide healthy, nutritious menus to school children and their communities. We are here to fuel students’ minds; both in and out of the dining hall. We treat every meal as a moment to eat, share, and connect. It is our mission to empower a community of kindness through great food, with respect for each other and our amazing planet.
Fred C. Church
Fred C. Church Insurance, a member of AssuredPartners, is a nationally recognized provider of innovative risk management and insurance solutions for K–12 independent day and boarding schools. Since forming our education practice in 1994, we have become the broker for more than 350 educational institutions, including colleges, universities, charter schools, over 240 independent schools, and 45 prominent outdoor and adventure organizations. Here in Connecticut, we have been the sole broker and risk management adviser since 2006 for the Nutmeg Group. This highly successful risk management consortium currently serves 58 independent schools. Led by Julie Price, Amy Daley, Bobby Riley, Mike Lucas, and Chris Duble, the members of the Fred C. Church education team are long-time, loyal supporters of CAIS.
ISM, Inc.
ISM is dedicated to advancing school leadership to enrich the student experience. Rely on over 46 years of research, knowledge, and experience to move your school forward. Offering consultations, surveys, learning events, insurance coverage, and industry-leading tech tools, we build and deliver creative strategies for schools using extensive research, proven management techniques, and personalized service.
SAGE Dining Services
For over 30 years, SAGE Dining Services® has partnered with independent schools and small colleges throughout North America that share a passion for great food, nutrition, and sustainability. SAGE prides itself on financial transparency and invests in technology, talent, and training to provide unmatched customer satisfaction.SAGE’s unparalleled expertise in nutrition, sustainability, and culinary trends produces exceptional dining experiences that delight the senses, inspire minds, and foster community. Learn more at SAGEdining.com.
Shipman & Goodwin LLP
Shipman’s Independent School lawyers understand firsthand the complex issues and distinctive nature of the independent school environment. As experienced advisors in the education and school law field, we are counsel to over 150 educational institutions, including a diverse group of independent day and boarding schools, including Montessori, K-12, junior boarding, and religiously affiliated schools. Working across internal school departments, from the head of school to human resources, we provide integrated counsel tailored to meet the needs of the school community. We understand the complexity of the school environment and our clients’ need to have practical, real-time solutions to even the most complicated legal issues in a timely and cost-effective manner. Whether our clients are navigating a student discipline matter or employment claim, engaging in new campus construction, or responding to regional, national or global disruptions, we have them covered.
S/L/A/M Collaborative
The S/L/A/M Collaborative is distinguished by design excellence and integrated services. A national leader in planning and design for independent schools, SLAM brings a high level of expertise as a multi-discipline design firm with project experience at over 70 independent school campuses. SLAM’s integrated project management approach ensures seamless and experienced oversight to improve cost efficiencies, maximize team effectiveness and ensure successful outcomes. With a depth of experience and in-house resources, SLAM has the ability to exceed your project expectations. Our extensive industry knowledge as planners, designers and builders, bolsters our reputation as trusted leaders and advisors and adds value at a level that is unique among architectural and construction management firms.
TIAA
TIAA was founded in 1918 to help teachers retire with confidence. That mission grew to include those in healthcare and more, creating reliable income for their futures while they work to make a difference today. Our commitment to be the change—for our clients, associates and communities—has never wavered and it’s what motivates us to deliver lifetime income for all with investments that build a better world.
Updike, Kelly & Spellacy. P.C.
Updike, Kelly & Spellacy P.C., with three offices throughout the state of Connecticut, represents a wide range of education law clients in a variety of practice areas including Commercial Lending and Banking, Employment, Healthcare, Real Estate, Governance, Taxation, Environmental, and Trust & Estates. We believe in a common sense approach to legal issues and challenges facing our education and business clients. Our firm provides legal and counseling services to independent schools on a variety of matters. Our attorneys have the expertise to help schools navigate internal and external investigations, student discipline issues, employment issues, municipal tax exemption matters, school/parent relationships, board relationships and governance issues, by-law reviews, student, parent and faculty handbook reviews, and vendor, staff and faculty contract preparation and review.
And our Select Conference Partners
Centerbrook Architects and Planners
Centerbrook designs diverse and sustainable buildings for independent schools, research institutes, civic and cultural organizations, colleges and universities, businesses, and religious congregations. Since its founding in 1975, Centerbrook has grown into a practice of 61 from seven countries focusing on design innovation and environmental responsibility. Centerbrook’s work has been recognized more than 400 awards for design excellence, including the National AIA Firm Award, the highest honor the American Institute of Architects confers.Centerbrook has been commissioned by 55 private independent schools to design master plans, athletics facilities, classroom buildings, residence halls, power plants, student centers, science buildings, music and studio arts centers, dining halls, and headmaster’s houses.
Marsh
Marsh is the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor founded in 1871. We serve commercial and individual clients with data driven risk solutions and advisory services. We are a business of Marsh McLennan (publicly traded on the NYSE: MMC), the leading global professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people. With annual revenue approaching $21 billion and 85,000 colleagues worldwide, Marsh McLennan helps clients navigate an increasingly dynamic and complex environment through four market-leading businesses: Marsh, Guy Carpenter, Oliver Wyman, and Mercer.
PC University
Founded in 1996, PC University is a full-service technology solutions provider. We deliver todays best technology solutions and educational programs, as well as competitive pricing from more than 500 leading manufacturers giving you or your school / company the technology tools you need to succeed. We can help you access the right technology for your needs – quickly, easily and affordably! Our wide-ranging product line includes computer hardware, software, interactive display panels, printers, 3D printer solutions, projectors, document cameras, video, sound, software licensing, A/V equipment, scanners, supplies, laptops, workstations and servers. With a combined 60+ years of experience selling to the educational and government markets, at PC University we are confident that we can be of assistance in finding solutions to fit your needs and your budget.
Peter Gisolfi Associates
Peter Gisolfi Associates, founded in 1976, is an award-winning firm of architects, landscape architects, and interior designers, with a different point of view. Our mission is to design “places” — buildings or groups of buildings which connect emphatically to outdoor spaces. These places relate strongly to their setting, and respect local and regional history, context, and traditions.The firm, modeled after design studios in schools of architecture, is a place of learning. We think beyond the boundaries of conventional solutions to be effective stewards of the environment. We listen and learn from each other, from the world at large, and from our clients.Our projects include academic buildings, campus master plans, academic and public libraries, municipal buildings, hotels and restaurants, commercial and corporate spaces, housing, private residences and gardens, urban space plans, parks, athletic fields, and recreation facilities.
Pullman & Comley LLC
For more than 100 years, Pullman & Comley has earned a reputation as a leading provider of legal services, serving clients throughout Connecticut, the Northeast, and internationally. We are close and trusted partners to our clients, committed to providing the highest levels of service and value through hard work, innovative thinking and delivering real results. We believe that when our clients are successful, we are successful. Since 1919, our firm has continued to grow and adapt to meet our clients’ changing needs, helping them to address the challenges and opportunities of every economy. We serve major financial institutions, public and private companies of all sizes, health care providers, service businesses, trade associations, manufacturers and emerging growth businesses in the alternative energy and information technology industries, as well as government entities, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and individuals.
Stifel
Stifel is a broker/dealer investment bank with the capacity to serve independent schools as an independent financial advisor and/or underwriter. As a broker/dealer, Stifel has the ability to assist independent schools directly, without reliance on any third-parties, in executing both bank-based financing and the issuance of bonds in the public market. Our services include providing financial modeling, debt capacity analysis, capital funding plan development, market insight, RFP services to commercial banks, Moody’s or S&P rating services, swap advisory services and serving as a school’s partner through a successful closing in either the bank or public market. We pride ourselves on being a resource to our independent school clients leading up to, during and after a financing.
Toddle
Toddle is an end to end teaching and learning platform for progressive schools. It integrates curriculum planning and mapping, standards-based and traditional assessments, progress reports, family engagement, and integrates with your SIS — all through a user-friendly interface. This saves teachers valuable time and allows them to focus on what they do best: teach.
TSKP STUDIO
TSKP STUDIO is a diverse architectural practice that continues the legacy of our founder, Tai Soo Kim, who grew the firm to international recognition through a dedication to hard-work, exploration and commitment to logical and elegant design. Our work follows no set style but rather it responds to the unique context of each site and client to arrive at a design solution so simple and elegant as to seem obvious. By embracing the diversity and talents of our staff we leverage a broad range of skills and experiences to provide fresh solutions to complex challenges. Regardless of project scope, size or budget, our definition of success is creating spaces that positively impact the life, productivity and wellbeing of our clients and end-users.
