Our Head of School, Elizabeth Hofreuter, and Director of Advancement, Luke Hladek, will represent Wheeling Country Day School and present at the NAIS conference on February 23, 2023.
“The Leading Edge where Mission Meets Market” is a one-hour workshop where Ian Symmonds, Ian Symmonds & Asssociates, highlights the sweet spot where market needs intersect with school mission.
What is NAIS?
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a nonprofit membership association that provides services to more than 2,000 schools and associations of schools in the United States and abroad, including more than 1,600 nonprofit, private K-12 schools in the U.S. that are self-determining in mission and program and are governed by independent boards. As the largest association of independent schools, NAIS co-creates the future of education by uniting and empowering our community.
Who is Ian Symmonds?
Ian is an author, speaker, ed-activist, and strategist. His global professional practice as a senior officer, executive director, and dean spanned Pacific University, Culver-Stockton College, Saint Mary’s Hall, and Trinity University. He is a global citizen and has traveled the world for boarding schools and colleges and engineered dramatic turnarounds for multiple private institutions during his career.
Ian has published in numerous professional journals and has presented at just about every national and regional educational conference. He is in high demand as a conference speaker at regional, national and global venues. Ian holds a BS and MS degree from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.
The Leading Edge Where Mission Meets Market – Presentation Overview
How do small schools thrive?
Reviewing trends impacting education and identifying differences between red ocean and blue ocean strategy, Ian will prompt participants to think beyond accepted boundaries that dictate the way we compete .
For example, Wheeling Country Day School used COVID 19 as an accelerant to develop a new revenue center to sustain the school and evolve student impact. As a small school in a declining market, WCDS has become an innovative disruptor by leveraging technology to deliver specialized tutoring services through the out-of-school network.