FA faculty present on the national stage

Four Friends Academy colleagues presented on the national stage recently at both annual conferences for NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) and NBOA (National Business Officers Association).

In St. Louis at the NAIS National Conference, Assistant Head of School Jen Halliday and Science Department Head/Upper School Assistant Principal Jen Newitt teamed up with Dr. Neil Smith and Janet Graff from the Cleveland Clinic to share insights with their presentation, “A Real-World Teaching and Learning Model” into the FA Upper School course, “Solutions in Medicine” – one of several classes that comprise the innovative curriculum of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and medicine at Friends Academy.

The course, which is offered to Upper School students, provides students with the opportunity to collaborate in real-time with physicians on live patient cases as students use a combination of independent research, laboratory tests, and patient intakes to first eliminate potential causes to arrive at a diagnosis.

“What was so rewarding about presenting the Solutions in Medicine course at NAIS as an example of real-world teaching and learning, was that we could go beyond, ‘Here's a cool course we offer’ to ‘Here's a cool course we offer that YOU can offer in your school too, with Friends Academy's support and with doctor partners ready to collaborate!’” said Mrs. Newitt.

With support from Friends Academy and physician partner Dr. Smith, the FA pilot will now be offered at other schools nationwide and will serve as a model of Friends’ unique pedagogy. “As the world changes, it is no longer about what you know but how you can tackle complex problems with others and create sustainable, creative solutions,” emphasized Mrs. Halliday. “These courses empower our students, beginning in 3rd grade, to see themselves as agents of change, helping others to make our world a better place.  This type of learning is not only incredibly meaningful but it is powerful, relevant, and necessary to build skills and capacities needed for the future.”

Also, at the NAIS National Conference, Director of Athletics and Physical Education Dr. Diana Parente showcased her culmination project, “Fellowship Workshop: Boosting Your Bottom Line: Alternative Revenue Streams” with five cohort members from the NAIS Aspiring Head of School Program, a selective mentorship initiative that identifies promising leaders within independent schools for future headship roles. Dr. Parente’s presentation focused on school finance, emphasizing innovative strategies to diversify revenue streams and reduce reliance on tuition alone. “My research underscored the absence of a one-size-fits-all solution,” she reported, adding that it highlighted the importance of imaginative leadership in exploring alternative income avenues for schools.

At the NBOA Business Leadership for Independent Schools Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Director of Finance, Operations, and Strategic Projects Ann Marie Tidona presented alongside the Assistant Head of School for Enrollment at the Viewpoint School in California, “Strategic School Leadership – Uniting Enrollment & Finance Leaders.” In their presentation, Ms. Tidona and Ms. Baker Tew discussed the strategic value and institutional importance of uniting a school’s Chief Revenue Officer with the Chief Financial Officer.  "The presentation provided a backdrop for schools to understand the overlapping roles and responsibilities and advancing skill sets necessary to ensure that schools recruit and retain mission-appropriate students," said Mrs. Tidona. Participants discussed the common ground and shared goals that provide the foundation for a strong relationship between these two key areas of school operations as viewed through the analogy of two sides of the same coin.

"Underscored was the need for collaboration around predictive modeling, trend forecasting, data analytics, as well as pricing and financial aid policies and practices," Mrs. Tidona shared, adding that the presentation transparently identified key needs of the enrollment manager and finance officer that once understood can create and deepen understanding and collaboration, uniting these leaders in greater service to their institutions.