NAIS 2013 Annual Conference presentation proposal

Today I submitted the following proposal to present at the NAIS 2013 Annual Conference (which will be in Philadelphia). Writing this was an interesting process, as my first draft - which flowed from ideas to writing quite quickly - was about twice as long as the maximum character limit allowed, so I wound up having to edit it down to the essential ideas (a good pre-lesson for what I'll need to do if/when I actually prepare this presentation). I'm hopeful that my proposal is selected, as sharing this work and engaging in conversation with the field of professionals will be an exciting opportunity!

1. Title: Changing School Culture At the Division Level

2.  Description of Presentation (1000 character maximum including spaces).

This presentation arises from the project I undertook for the 2011-12 NAIS Fellowship for Aspiring Heads. The first third will be an investigation and review of the concept of culture, including definitions of terms such as culture (values and beliefs that drive action) and climate (the feeling or tenor of a group), and identifying the levers that administrators can pull when trying to shift cultures. The middle third will be a case study of my work with the Elementary Division at The Berkeley School, including the action plan I created to manage this project, and the successes and failures I experienced. The final third will be an opportunity for participants to begin applying the concepts within a pragmatic framework for work at their school sites. The learning outcomes for participants include a theoretical basis for thinking about the concept of school culture, detailed understanding of a particular case, and tools and methods for initiating culture change at their sites.

3.  Conference Program Abstract (375 character maximum including spaces).

School culture needs to be cultivated and developed through intention and effort to support and align with a school’s mission. Learn about the theories behind how cultures form and mature, delve into a case study of one school’s work in this area, and leave with pragmatic tools and ideas for nurturing the culture of your school at a division-wide level.

Aug.22 Update: My proposal was accepted! Huzzah! I hope to see you at this workshop in February, and I'd love to begin a dialogue about it in advance, so be in touch if you have questions or ideas.