Session III

Locations listed by Building, Room

Screen-Free Living Leads to Stress-Free Learning
Building C, Room 11
Kathleen Nicholson, Head of School; Wolfeboro Camp School
Bob Hyjek, Associate Head of School; Wolfeboro Camp School
Teenagers are deeply entrenched in a world influenced by social media metrics such as likes, favorites, views, and followers. Yet, what happens when they step away from these digital measures for a period of time? This session will delve into the transformative effects of a screen-free environment on the adolescent mind. Unplugging from screens allows young minds to explore their surroundings with a heightened sense of creativity, uninterrupted by distractions. Students can navigate their day in a wholesome manner, fostering enhanced social engagement focused on genuine interaction and meaningful conversation. We will thoroughly explore the impact of technology and social media on teenage education and behavior. Leveraging proven best practices, we will examine strategies that empower students to embrace their sense of belonging within the classroom and cultivate stronger connections with their peers.    

Resilience is the Future for Boarding Schools  
Building A, Room 1 
Dr. Jennifer Scully, Head of School; Maplebrook School
Since the pandemic, there has been an increase in mental health awareness in our school communities. It takes specific training and strong leadership to help others understand and embrace the rewards of working in boarding schools. When those in charge of students’ educational experience are resilient, they can help the students stay positive and motivated while managing their own mental health. Using research-based professional development tools, participants will learn the critical areas necessary to train their teams in resilience skills. This is an interactive workshop where participants will learn the tenets of coaching and begin to set up a coaching program for the rest of their school communities or organizations. Participants will take away resources and begin to develop a framework of resilience they can implement right away.    

From Setback to Success: The Power of Summer School in Rebuilding Lost Learning    
Town Hall, Blue Lounge (Room 14)
Helen H. Waldron, Director of Admissions; Oxford Academy
Jen Kolpak, Director of Enrollment Management; Rumsey Hall School
Aline Rossiter, Associate Director of Enrollment Management; Rumsey Hall School
Maureen Smith, Director of Admissions & Financial Aid; Marvelwood School
Sue Cranford, Director of Enrollment; Eagle Hill School
Students experienced a considerable setback in their education as a result of the pandemic. This is especially significant for student populations that previously encountered challenges in their educational journey. The cumulative effect on academic performance and social and emotional growth requires our attention and action. Summer boarding programs provide a holistic opportunity for students. With academic work, individualized attention, and collaborative learning projects, students can fill gaps in their learning and expand on areas of high interest. Boarding helps students gain independence, self-reliance, and personal growth through character development offerings and supervised dorm living. Students forge new friendships and develop emotional intelligence. The immersive experience offered by summer boarding programs exposes students to a challenging and supportive environment, enabling them to refine academic, social, and personal growth during their formative years.  
  

5 Questions You Should Ask Your Data  
Kayser/Samford Community Commons, Private Dining Room 
John Barrengos, Director of Admission & Financial Aid; Putney School 
Kate Auger-Campbell, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing; ISM
It feels like your school is doing everything “right” when it comes to making data-informed decisions around enrollment. However, the amount of data that is increasingly available, particularly for Admission and Marketing/Communications Directors, makes it challenging to know where to begin. To help focus your efforts and ease the overwhelming aspects that often accompany data collection and analysis, we will focus on five questions you should ask about your school’s data to unlock valuable insights that can positively affect your enrollment and marketing communications strategies. Whether your school is looking to find and enroll more students, source more full/high-pay families, or meet other strategic enrollment plans, this session will identify some of the most common metrics to watch, where you might be missing out, and how to get the most out of the data you have.