Small School Solutions Schedule

Conflict Resolution Policy Part 2: A Deeper Dive with Bridget Johnson

You’ve laid the groundwork for conflict resolution—now it’s time to go deeper. This session builds on foundational strategies by exploring advanced techniques for managing complex conflicts, addressing resistance, and refining your school’s approach to resolution. We’ll discuss real-world scenarios, practical tools for difficult conversations, and ways to align conflict resolution with your school’s values and culture. Whether you're developing a formal policy or strengthening an existing one, you’ll leave with deeper insights and actionable strategies to foster lasting change.

Bridget is the Founder of The Deans' Roundtable & Bridget Johnson Coaching and Consulting where she provides coaching and consulting on conflict resolution, difficult conversations, and strategic change.

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Independent School Business Model with Peter Baron

Join us for an informal chat with Peter Baron, where he'll answer your questions and share insights on the independent school business model and trends in the industry. This is a great opportunity to pick his brain on topics like tuition strategies, revenue streams, financial sustainability, and how schools can effectively communicate their value. Peter will start with a brief overview of what he's seeing in the independent school space, but the focus will be on open conversation—so come ready with your questions.

Peter Baron is a dedicated and seasoned advocate for independent schools. His journey began with a personal transformational experience as a boarding student, which profoundly shaped his future and set him on a path of over twenty years of service to schools.

Peter is the founder of MoonshotOS, a professional learning community empowering leaders to reimagine the independent school business model.

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"I feel guilty. Who else will do it? I want to be a team player.” 

It isn’t easy to say NO to opportunities or projects, especially if you’ve created habits of YES or if you believe saying YES has gotten you where you are today.  In this session, we’ll discuss setting boundaries in the workplace and how you can do it in a way that feels authentic to your leadership style.

Rebecca Malotke-Meslin is the founder of Pleasantly Aggressive Coaching & Consulting. Through one-on-one coaching, leadership cohorts, and speaking engagements, she helps early and mid-career women leaders working in schools and non-profits gain valuable leadership skills, rediscover their authentic voice, and build the confidence they need to achieve their goals. In her role as a consultant, she works with organizations to provide inclusive leadership training to reduce biases and eliminate barriers for all employees. Rebecca combines her background in social research with 20 years of sales, marketing, communications, and school leadership to create an in-depth and engaging experience for her clients. Rebecca also co-hosts the Confidently You: Women in Leadership Podcast.

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How to get the most out of your hardest-working employee…your website. Content strategy, analytics, team engagement, and redesign planning—learn from my mistakes and best intentions! This session will provide resources and strategies to help small school leaders effectively manage their websites without feeling overwhelmed.

Samantha Pleasant Fleming is the Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives at Oakwood School, a 1st-8th coed school in the DC Metro area for students with learning differences. Samantha has almost 20 years of experience working in independent schools in Admissions, Auxiliary Programs, Development, and Marketing/Communications. Before joining Oakwood in 2020, she developed and established sustainable revenue generating programs for Chatham Hall.

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SEO and digital ads were hot topics in our Small School Solutions membership, and we’re diving in with an informal discussion led by Angie Ward.

We’ll cover key questions like:

• Which digital ad platforms are worth your time (and budget)?
• When should you invest in ads—and when should you hold off?
• What’s a reasonable budget for in-house vs. outsourced marketing?
• How do you know when to DIY or bring in outside help?

Whether you’re already running ads or just starting to explore SEO, this is a great chance to get expert insights without the heavy lift. Join us for a casual and valuable conversation. Bring your questions!

With a knack for marketing strategy and analytics, Angie has helped over 300 colleges, universities, K-12 schools, and camps with result-driven marketing solutions. She Co-Founded Enroll Media in 2018 with the goal of creating an agency dedicated to the unique challenges of digital marketing for enrollment.

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Change is inevitable, but how we navigate it can make all the difference. Whether it's a new leadership role, a shifting school culture, or guiding your team through unexpected challenges, leading through transitions requires a thoughtful approach and a resilient mindset. Join us for an informal discussion on how to foster leadership team development during times of change. We’ll share practical strategies, swap stories of what worked (and what didn’t), and explore how to build strong, adaptable teams that thrive through transitions. Bring your own experiences and insights to the table—let’s learn from each other and leave with new ideas to support our leadership journeys!

Edward Hollinger, founder of Hollinger Group Consulting, is an educational leader and consultant specializing in transitional leadership, team development and professional coaching. Ed holds a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Temple University and is certified in Organizational Change and Leadership Coaching from Northwestern University.  His work guides individuals and organizations to discover and develop their best professional selves.

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Empower your Board with the skills and insights needed to lead effective advancement efforts. From capacity building and best practices to conducting feasibility studies to preparing for capital campaigns, this training will help Board members participate meaningfully in every stage of the advancement process with confidence. Hear how schools can gain valuable strategies through advancement appraisals and learn how to drive lasting impact for their organization.

Specific descriptions of projects she’s managed, positions she’s held, and endorsements from former colleagues, supervisors, current and former clients, and Board members can be found at her website: http://barbarabarron.com.

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Want to attract more families and build stronger connections online? Join us for an informal and interactive session where we’ll dive into simple, effective digital marketing strategies tailored for schools. From creating scroll-stopping social media content to optimizing your Google presence and crafting newsletters that get read, you’ll walk away with practical tips you can put into action right away. Bring your questions, share your experiences, and leave feeling inspired to take your school’s digital presence to the next level!

Trevor Waddington is the Principal and Founder of Truth Tree, a leading digital marketing agency that specializes in providing tailored marketing solutions for private, independent, and charter schools. His career began as a social studies teacher before transitioning into school administration, where he held key roles in admissions, marketing, communications, enrollment management, and financial aid.

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Discover key strategies for growingJoin us for an informal discussion as we dive into the world of school branding and marketing strategies. We'll explore the key question every school leader faces: Should you focus your efforts and dollars on digital marketing or print materials? We’ll weigh the pros and cons of each, helping you make informed decisions about where to invest for maximum impact. Whether you're a small school or a large institution, this conversation will provide valuable insights into where your branding budget can work hardest for you.

Lisa Leidy is an agency principal at Square Spot Design—a creative agency focused on working solely with clients in the non-profit sector—where she has been developing creative strategies for non-profits since 2003. Her expertise is in helping mission-driven organizations find their authentic voice as a foundation for impactful communications.  Lisa’s open and informative nature provides clients with the guidance they need to make informed decisions regarding brand strategy and design.

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Discover key strategies for growing and improving your school's auxiliary programs in this dynamic discussion with Nat Saltonstall, Executive Director and Founder of SPARC. We’ll explore critical areas such as expanding revenue streams, enhancing program quality, increasing enrollment, and strengthening operational efficiency. Whether you’re looking to refine existing programs or launch new initiatives, this discussion will provide valuable insights to help your programs thrive.

Nat Saltonstall is a leading expert in independent school summer and auxiliary programming, with over 30 years of experience developing and directing high-performing programs. Currently, he serves as the Executive Director of SPARC (Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative), the premier national organization supporting independent school auxiliary leaders. Since founding SPARC in 2016 as a national conference, Nat has expanded it into a year-round membership collaborative offering professional development, benchmarking data, best practices, and a supportive peer community.

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Discover how AI, inbound marketing, and automation are transforming school marketing. In this informal session, we'll explore practical ways to integrate these powerful tools into your strategy to attract prospective families, streamline communications, and enhance engagement. Whether you're just starting out or looking to optimize your efforts, you'll leave with actionable insights to elevate your school's marketing game.

Brendan Schneider is the founder and CEO of SchneiderB Media, a digital marketing agency for schools that focuses on increasing inquiries through his Fractional Digital Marketing program and his marketing automation software designed for schools called SchoolMarketingCRM. He is one of the leaders in the field of teaching and knowledge about inbound marketing for schools and the use of AI in school marketing. Brendan is also the founder of The MarCom Society, a community created exclusively for Marketing and Communication (MarCom) Professionals at schools.

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As a Head, you know that enrollment is important, but it's also entirely possible that you've never had training in how to approach working with your admission team. Join Miriam Stein of Saddlerock Strategies to explore how Heads can approach enrollment feeling prepared, thoughtful, data-informed partners. We will look at why strong communication with admission professionals, investment in training and developing a clear enrollment strategy are essential to a school's mission and financial health. When admissions is aligned with leadership, values, and honest storytelling, it becomes not just a pathway to filling seats, but a powerful level for building the school community we are trying to create. 

Miriam Stein is a graduate of independent day school, and believes in the importance of day school education to our future. After working in education and in strategic enrollment for more than 20 years, she co-founded Thrive Hive​ with Laurie, a boutique consulting service that offers marketing and enrollment strategy to schools and camps. She has lectured nationally on enrollment strategy, systems, and workplace dynamics, and works with each client to create a tailored and personalized program to meet their needs.

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