Pre-Election Civil Conversations

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4 pm – 6 pm EDT

No matter what one’s views, political conversations of late have often devolved from a “teaching moment” to a “dreadful moment.” How do you handle conversations in your classroom and school in general? What structures and rules are in place to ensure that they are constructive and civil, yet promote real learning and growth? How do you invite all voices? What happens when someone states an unpopular opinion? This seminar will provide a variety of tools and resources to prepare school communities for conversations around the upcoming election.

Kristen Farrington will share tools for civil dialogue in the independent school community, Caroline Blackwell will discuss ways we can make space for divergent perspectives, and Jack Creeden will offer tips on managing school parents and boards in these polarizing times.

Caroline Blackwell is vice president for equity and justice at NAIS. She leads the creation and implementation of products and services that support NAIS’s commitment to develop and sustain inclusive independent school communities. Prior to joining NAIS, Caroline served as the executive director of the Nashville Metro Human Relations Commission and director of multicultural affairs for the University School of Nashville. Caroline is the lead facilitator for the Diversity Leadership Institute and chairs NAIS’s People of Color Conference.

Jack Creeden has spent his entire professional career in education, first at the university level and for the last 25 years in independent schools. His experience includes head of school positions at a boarding/day school, two large coeducational K-12 day schools, and as president of an organization that has schools in France, Spain, Italy and China. His fundraising experience includes successfully completing a $24 million capital campaign. At the university level, he had campus-wide responsibility for student academic affairs, planning and faculty personnel. For three years Creeden chaired the board of trustees of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and has recently authored a Handbook for Board Chairs (2019). Jack’s experience has given him insights into the skills required to effectively lead schools. He has directed workshops and conducted board retreats on trustee governance, developed research studies on cross cultural competencies, and assisted schools with their strategic planning processes. His leadership of accreditation teams has brought him into contact with schools with diverse mission statements in different parts of the country.

Kristen Farrington is a civil dialogue specialist and the assistant chaplain at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School. She was previously the executive director of the Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum Institute. From 2012 to 2016, Kristen was the head of programs and partnerships for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation in the United States. Previously, she served as chaplain and department chair of religious studies at St. Paul’s School for Girls and St. Timothy’s School, both in Maryland, and as clergy at parishes in Florida, California, and New York. She is an awarded graduate of Yale Divinity School (M.Div.).