Annual Conference on Business & Operations

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Description

October 21, 22, 23 • 12 pm – 4:00 pm

Wednesday, October 21st

12:00 – 12:50 General Session: Leading Into the Next Normal for Independent Schools
Jeff Shields, President and CEO, National Business Officers Association
The role of the independent school business officer has evolved significantly over the last 10+ years as a result of the great recession and is likely to evolve further over the next decade as we grapple with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business of our school communities. The bottom line is that your schools need you to be resilient leaders and innovators while still managing a broad portfolio of key functions. This session will focus on essentials for leading your school into the future, the resources and tools that will help you manage today’s crisis and an unpredictable future, as well as the key relationships that will be imperative to your continued success.

1:00 – 2:55 CAIS Expert Marketplace

3:00 – 4:00 Concurrent Sessions 1
A.1 The View from the Nutmeg State
A.2 Philanthropy in Uncertain Times
A.3 Reconsidering School Facilities in a Pandemic World
A.4 Creating a Diversity Staff
A.5 Budgeting Through Uncertain Times

Thursday, October 22nd

12:00 – 1:20 General Session: Between the Rock and the Hard Place: Managing The Human Side of the Business Office
Michael Thompson, Ph.D. & Rob Evans, Ed.D.
Business Officers have always worn many hats, but never like this. The list now includes overseeing the transformation of facilities, rewriting policies and handbooks, managing health and safety protocols, even becoming the COVID-19 coordinator. All this plus having to handle tough personnel issues with anxious faculty and tough financial issues with anxious parents. Michael Thompson and Rob Evans will focus on the human dimensions of all this—both how to cope with others and how to take care of oneself.Rob and Michael are both psychologists and school consultants, both former teachers and former child and family therapists. Between them, they have consulted to hundreds of independent schools (including a majority of CAIS schools), and have provided crisis intervention to many.

1:30 – 2:55 CAIS Expert Marketplace

3:00 – 4:00 General Session: Reshaping the Enrollment Plan in the Age of COVID
Heather Hoerle, Executive Director and CEO, The Enrollment Management Association
Hear from Heather Hoerle of The Enrollment Management Association on new trends and new practices to use in building your school’s enrollment success. Included in her presentation will be findings from EMA’s research with 2900 parents during summer 2020 on what drives their interest and support of independent schools.

Friday, October 23rd

12:00 – 12:50  Concurrent Sessions II
B.1 Upcoming Legal Issues for Employers, Employees and Their Contracts
B.2 Strategies for Campus Facilities During COVID and Beyond
B.3 Crisis Communication
B.4 Five Key Questions: The Partnership Between the Business Officer and Enrollment Leader

1:00 – 2:55 CAIS Expert Marketplace

3:00 – 4:00 General Session: Creating a Culture that Supports Diversity
Priscilla Morales, Assistant Head of School, The Park School of Baltimore
Often, the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools is seen as being solely central to the lived experiences of students and faculty and rarely involving the work of the business office. But, is this actually true? Can the two offices exist without the partnership of the other?
This conversation will look at the integral role of the business office in DEI work and vice versa. How does the business office uphold the vision and work of the office of DEI? How does the office of DEI support the responsibilities of the business office? How can the two offices proactively align to better serve the school’s mission?
As business offices look to protect the school’s financial bottom line and offices of DEI look to promote the school’s impact as a bottom line, what is your commitment to creating and ensuring your school’s double bottom line?