ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM
Running and leading a classical Christian school can be a challenge. Healthy leadership is more important than ever. The Winter Symposium focuses on two critical areas of leadership for every classical school – Heads and Boards.
So Board members and Heads of School, escape the winter blues and join us this winter in Atlanta. Come away equipped and encouraged to tackle challenges back home.
GROWTH
The classical Christian school movement has experienced explosive growth over the last few years, especially since Covid. As a result, many schools are expanding not only their enrollment, but also their facilities, programming, and infrastructure. This time in the life of a school is both pivotal and complicated.
QUESTIONS
Parents and long-standing teachers will begin to wonder what will happen to the school, its culture, and its identity. They will start asking questions. Will growth diminish the quality of our academic program? Will we lose our close, family-like community? Will programs inordinately shape the culture in a negative way? What will happen to our traditions? Will tuition increase? How will we ever raise enough money to sustain the school for the long-term? Will we end up like the secular private school down the road?
THRIVING
For Boards and Heads, navigating the institutional and relational dynamics during seasons of growth requires keen self-awareness, vision, business savvy, as well as patience and wisdom. At this year’s Symposium, we will explore ways to shepherd the growth of your school so you retain the integrity of your mission and ensure your school thrives.
WORKGROUP SESSIONS
We will talk in groups about where you are in your stage of development and how you can shepherd change. This is a vital time to actually think and work through your school’s current state of affairs. When available, representatives from the same school will stay together to work through questions, prompts, and problems posed by the facilitator. This is a pivotal time rarely available in the busy life of school leaders to focus and think through key questions and strategies.
SPEAKERS
Eric Cook
President
Society for Classical Learning
Peter Hansen
Head of School
Trinity Christian Academy Lexington
Christopher Miller
Urban Architect
Glavé and Holmes
& Gordon College
John Niehls
Head of School
Coventry Christian Schools
Robert Littlejohn
Head of School
The Covenant School of Dallas
Leslie Moeller
Board Chair
Society for Classical Learning
Keith Nix
Head of School
Veritas School
SCHEDULE
8:30 – 9:00 – Coffee, Worship, Welcome
9:00 – 9:45 – Shepherding Institutional Growth and Change – Eric Cook
Every growing school progresses through stages of organizational development. It is critical to know what the stages are, how they impact the life of the school, the distinctives of each one, and how to shepherd growth accordingly. In this session, Eric will outline the seven stages of institutional development and five laws of organizational change. He will then recommend some tools and strategies for how to shepherd your school through the cycles of growth.
Key texts: Managing Transitions, William Bridges; Leadership and Church Size Dynamics, Tim Keller
9:50 – 10:30 – Working Group Discussion: Session I
Talk about where you are in your stage of development and how you can shepherd change. For each workgroup session, attendees will be divided into groups to apply what they have learned in the previous session. Representatives from the same school will stay together to work through questions, prompts, and problems posed by the facilitator.
10:45 – 11:30 – Optimizing the Size of your School – Peter Hansen
Tim Keller argues that church size has a more profound impact on the culture of a church than denominational affiliation. If this is true in churches, it is true in Christian schools as well. How do we decide what size of school we should become? What are the benefits and drawbacks of various school sizes? What about class size and the arrangement of facilities? Peter Hansen, Head of School, at Trinity Christian Academy in Lexington, Kentucky, will address these questions and help each school think through the implications of their own situation.
11:30 – 12:10 – Working Group Discussion: Session II
12:10 – 1:10 – Lunch
1:10 – 1:55 – The Science and Art of Master Planning – Christopher Miller
When a school grows they must begin with the end in mind by envisioning and planning for the final buildout and layout of the entire campus. This can be complicated and overwhelming. The board and Head must work seamlessly together to consider. In this session, Chris, Associate at Glave and Holmes Architecture, will discuss the classical principles of design and master planning. He will help each school align their buildout with the mission and vision of classical Christian education. He will also show samples to inspire and encourage your school, regardless of the physical and financial constraints you may be encountering.
2:05 –2:45 – Working Group Discussion – Session III
2:45 – 3:30 – Case Study – John Niehls
In this session, John Niehls, Head of School at Coventry Christian, will present each group with a scenario to work through and discuss. Then he’ll share how he has shepherded the exponential growth of his school.
3:30 – Dismissal
FRIDAY EVENING RECEPTION – Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Dinner & charter bus provided by our sponsor, Joshua Expeditions.
- Pick Up 1 – 5:45 PM from Canopy Hotel
- Pick Up 2 – 6:15 PM from Canopy Hotel
(Buses will return for pick-up from Mary Mac’s at 8:15 & 8:45 PM)
8:30 – 9:00 – Coffee, Worship, Welcome
9:00 – 9:45 – Building Your Team – Robert Littlejohn
Growing schools are complex institutions that require strong leadership in order to thrive. This session will explore how the Head of School can develop a leadership team that is able to communicate effectively, adapt to their circumstances, provide adequate support to teachers, and articulate an inspiring vision for the future.
9:50 –10:30 – Working Group Discussion – Session V
10:45 – 11:45 – Growing a Mature Governance Model – Leslie Moeller
Not only do schools have to build out the facilities and people, they also have to ensure the right structures are in place to ensure the long-term sustainability of their school. That means getting out of founder and startup mode and developing best practices for governance; it means becoming less operational and more generative. In this session, Leslie Moeller, SCL Board Chair and board consultant, will show what a mature governance model looks like and how to grow your board with the school.
11:45 – 12:45 – Lunch
12:45 – 1:25 – Working Group Discussion – Session VI
1:35 – 2:20 – Growing Your Financial Model – Keith Nix
As schools mature, maintaining sound financial stewardship is necessary to navigate a host of changing variables: enrollment growth, tuition setting, fundraising, teacher salaries, facility buildout, and many more. In this session, Keith Nix, longstanding Head of School at Veritas in Richmond, Virginia, and former SCL board Chair, will show how schools can manage their resources in a way that fulfills the mission and allocates resources wisely.
2:20 – 3:00 – Working Group Discussion: Session VII
In this final workgroup session, we will spend time in groups discussing key takeaways from the Symposium, present any specific challenges you want feedback on, and create a plan of action for your school.
3:00 – 3:15 – Wrap Up
REGISTRATION
WHERE TO STAY
Find us at the heart of Atlanta’s Arts District, within two miles of Piedmont Park and midtown attractions. Enjoy free Canopy Bikes to discover the neighborhood, including the High Museum of Art, Alliance Theatre, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, all within a half-mile. We’re dog-friendly and offer a 24-hour fitness center and all-day restaurant.
Hotel Phone: (800) 445-8667
Phone Bookings: Rooms can also be booked via phone by mentioning Society for Classical Learning and providing the Group Code (SOCIET).
THE DEADLINE FOR GROUP RATE IS JANUARY 8!
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This year our sessions will explore the complexities that surround school growth and what it takes to lead these schools with topics including:
- Institutional Growth and Change
- Growing Head Leadership with Your School
- Building Your Team
- Case Study
- The Science and Art of Master Planning
- Making School Beautiful: Campus Design and Aesthetics
- Growing a Mature Governance Model
- Growing Your Financial Model
- Workgroup Session
All Symposium sessions will be held on the beautiful campus of Heritage Preparatory School at 1824 Piedmont Avenue in the Buckhead commercial and residential district of Atlanta.
Full Address
1824 Piedmont Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30324
The hotel options are 3-4 miles from the event venue at Heritage Preparatory School. The drive during light traffic is 8-10 minutes. A Lyft or Uber is approximately $12-14.
This is ultimately up to you. Sharing Uber rides and rides with those who are driving to the event can often work well. Of course, renting your own vehicle will offer you more freedom in choosing when you come and go. If you are interested in sharing a ride, let us know.
The dress code is business or smart casual. Most attendees are a bit more casual on Saturday as they check out and prepare for flights home.
Friday evening we will offer a reception with drinks and hors d’oeurves at the hotel or the event venue. Dinner is on your own, but attendees generally dine together, and we would like to coordinate this effort so everyone can be together. We are finalizing options here.