June 23-25, 2025 | Alderbrook Lodge

Registration Is Now Open 

Reserve Your Seat Today!

Conference Overview

This program is created by your peers in NWAIS leadership roles to support the work of experienced and aspiring leaders. The program includes time to reflect on the year's successes and challenges, build a new skill set and consider how it will be relevant in the coming year. Attendees have found it valuable to attend on their own or in cohorts from their school.

Who Should Attend?

Assistant Heads, Division Heads, Deans, and those in and aspiring to Educational and Administrative Leadership Roles. We are also thrilled to welcome participants from the current Emerging Leaders Institute Cohort.

Program

Session facilitators will guide attendees through extended workshops which give attendees time to dig into subjects with colleagues, practice skills at a pace that matches the end of the year. This program is designed to provide time to let go of and process the year that is closing, learn new skills and strategies for school leadership as well as providing time to think abut how they might apply to the year ahead.  

Announcing Workshop Facilitators

Brad Rathgeber,

President and CEO of One Schoolhouse

Presenting: 

Pre-Conference Session for Assistant and Division Heads: 

Hiring Trends in Independent Schools

and 

Conference Keynote Session: 

The New Realities for Academic Leaders: Navigating Change in Independent Schools

 and 

Susanne Carpenter,

Principal and Founder of Carpenter Leadership Consulting

Presenting: 

Cultivating Curiosity &

Purposeful Leadership: Understanding Your Why

Click Here To Learn More About Sessions and Speakers

"Thank you so much for such an inspiring three days! I am revved up for the new school year!"

“The networking opportunity can't be beat. It's a very different feel and pace than most other conferences.”

“Excellent accommodations, excellent food, thoroughly planned, overall outstanding”

“I think it is great to attend with a group from your school - very valuable on many levels and worth the investment.”

“You will gain so much & you will also have the chance to fully integrate it into what you do. This conference is informative but invested in personal reflection and application. It is an outstanding opportunity to interact with peers. It is a most spectacular location to retreat professionally and personally.”

“This is an amazing opportunity to connect with colleagues from your own school and people who are your peers at other neighboring schools. This is a chance to not only offer your own ideas but to walk away with a better sense of where independent schools are heading.”

 “It is an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues, refresh after the school year, and dream big about the future of your school. I came away with both practical ideas I can implement right away, and more ambitious ideas for the leadership team at my school. I highly recommend it and hope to be back next year!”

Conference Agenda

Monday, June 23, 2025

10:00-12:00    Add-on Session for Assistant or Division Heads (Includes lunch, $75)

Monday, June 23, 2025

1:00-1:30         Registration

1:30-2:30         Welcome and Community Building

2:30-5:00         Workshop: New Realities For Academic Leaders: Navigating Change in Independent Schools with Bred Rathgeber

5:00-7:00         Reception and Dinner

7:00-9:00         Optional Evening Activity

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

8:00-9:00          Breakfast

9:00-10:00          Panel

10:00-11:30      Breakout Discussions

11:30-2:00        Long Lunch to Enjoy Alderbrook

2:00-4:00          Workshop: Cultivating Curiosity with Susanne Carpenter

4:00-6:00          Free Time

6:00-7:30          Dinner

7:30-9:00          Social and Free Time - Waterfront Fire Pits 

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

8:00-9:00           Breakfast

9:00-11:30         Workshop: Purposeful Leadership: Understanding Your Why

11:30-12:00       Closing

Pricing and Registration

Conference Fees Will Include Programming as well as a Reception and Dinner on June 23, and Breakfast, Lunch and Reception and Dinner on June 24 and Breakfast on June 25, 2025.

* Pricing includes a full meal package for guests and children. If you would like to have guests join you and not join us for meals, there is no charge and no need to register those individuals. There are alternative meal options available on-site

To receive the early bird or regular discount, your registration must be complete and payment must be postmarked or received by the stated deadline.

• For registrations with payment by check, payment must be postmarked by the stated deadline

• Online registrations completed by credit card must be completed by 11:59pm on the stated deadline.

Registration is now OPEN—register today!

Accommodations

Accommodations can be made by contacting Alderbrook Lodge & Spa directly. NWAIS has contracted a special rate of $199 per night. Please make your reservation directly through Alderbrook by calling (360) 898-2145 and asking for the NWAIS Leadership Institute.

Book early - The room bock reached capacity last year and late registrants needed to reserve space off-site. 

Reservations must be made by May 23, 2025 to qualify for this rate. 

Thank you to our event sponsor!

Clipboard Education provides high-quality, on-demand substitute teachers with no upfront or recurring costs—just pay an hourly rate when you need coverage. Schools trust us as a reliable backup when their usual sub list falls short. Learn more here.

To Receive the Registration Discounts

Your registration must be complete by the appropriate deadline.Online registrations paid by credit card must be completed by 11:59pm on the deadline date.

Participant Cancellation Policy

Substitutions may be made any time prior to the conference. Written cancellations received by June 13, 2025 are eligible for a refund after a $75 cancellation fee. Cancellations received after June 13, 2025 are ineligible for any refund.

Program Cancellation

Typically, cancellations and postponements are very rare, however the pandemic has forced us to utilize these options more frequently. Registered attendees will be notified of any program cancellation directly via email as well as through listservs and NWAIS website. In the case that NWAIS needs to cancel, all registration fees will be refunded. NWAIS is however, unable to reimburse other expenses (such as travel) incurred by attendees prior to the event. NWAIS strongly recommends that attendees make travel arrangements that allow for some flexibility such as rescheduling, cancellation and/or future credit.