A310R: Independent Schools: Leadership, Opportunities, Challenges

*Lottery-Based Enrollment* Independent schools teach fewer than 10% of America’s children, yet their role can be significant, and opportunities for students, teachers and administrators who want to make an impact on the world can be profound. This module provides an introduction to different dimensions of working in and leading an independent school. The course will explore the importance of mission, vision, and the evolving ways in which independent schools are addressing issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. Using numerous case studies, discussions will focus on leadership challenges: from admissions and financial aid policies to hiring faculty, from building a budget to handling disciplinary cases -- and through all of this the ethical, legal and pastoral dimensions of headship. Recognizing that all schools today face profound questions of both what and how to teach, the course will also explore questions of curriculum and pedagogy. Between readings, cases, and spirited discussion, students will better understand the nature of independent schools, their evolving mission, the great opportunities they provide for both students and faculty, and the particular challenges of independent school leadership.