IBSC Behind the Curtain: Rewards and Challenges of Headship

An IBSC Online Program for School Leaders and Aspiring Heads

Co-hosted by The Boys’ Latin School of Maryland (United States)

Tuesday, February 16, 2021, 4:00 – 6:00 PM EST

Tuesday, February 23, 2021, 4:00 – 6:00 PM EST

Tuesday, March 2, 2021, 4:00 – 6:00 PM EST

Explore the nature of the work of the head of school as you connect and collaborate with senior leaders and aspiring heads of school on Zoom. Vance Wilson, past head, St. Albans School (United States); Rick Melvoin, past head, Belmont Hill School (United States); and Chris Post, head of school, The Boys’ Latin School of Maryland (United States), use their vast experience to facilitate the online program using extensive real-life case studies. Wilson and Melvoin currently work with school heads, governing boards, and administrators through their firm, Strategic School Leadership.

IBSC Behind the Curtain covers:

Insights into running a school, focusing on the path to headship, the head and the board, and budgeting.
The head’s role in school operations, focusing on admissions and financial aid; development; facilities; diversity, equity, and inclusion; student discipline; and curriculum and program.
The head as the leader of the faculty, focusing on hiring, firing, and supporting faculty.
The nature of leadership, focusing on the pastoral dimensions of headship; leading in a time of crisis; building, shaping, protecting, and changing culture; and saving your soul as head of school.

Who Should Attend?

Senior leaders from North American member schools, including deputy heads, directors, division heads, executive committee members, and other administrators who aspire to headship of a boys’ school

Attendees must commit to all three sessions.

Format

Participate in three scheduled two-hour interactive sessions using Zoom. Wilson and Melvoin facilitate each session with thought-provoking input, real-life case studies, and breakout conversations, assisted by Post.

Registration

IBSC member rate: $350
Limited to the first 30 members who register.

Facilitators

Rick Melvoin

Rick Melvoin spent his entire career in the world of education. A graduate of Harvard College, with an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of Michigan, he served as a teacher, coach, theater director, dormitory resident and, in time, history department chair and dean of studies at Deerfield Academy.

After five years as assistant dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard, he became head of school at Belmont Hill School (United States) and served there for 25 years. His experience in working with schools and boards runs deep. He was elected to the Board of Overseers at Harvard; he also served on the boards of The Winsor School, The Haverford School (United States), and The Epiphany School. He also has served as president of the boards of IBSC and The Headmasters Association.

Currently he chairs the Governance Committee as a member of the board of Facing History and Ourselves and chairs the Program Committee for The Steppingstone Foundation.

Vance Wilson

Vance Wilson has been a teacher, coach, dorm supervisor, department chair, dean of faculty, division head, associate head, and head of school. He worked at four independent schools before becoming the head of St. Albans School (United States), where he served for 19 years. He received his B.A. from Yale College, a Diploma from Trinity College, University of Dublin, and his M.A. from the University of Virginia.

He has served on several boards and associations, most notably as the chair of the Academic Services committee of the National Association of Independent Schools and Independent School’s editorial board, and as the president of IBSC. He was the co-investigator of the Klingenstein Programs at Teachers College, Columbia University, a professor at Madison Area Technical College, and an adjunct at the University of Delaware. Service on school boards include The Asheville School, Roxbury Latin School (United States), and Tower Hill School, and associations include the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools, the Association of Independent Schools in Greater Washington, and the Association of Independent Schools in Maryland.

Wilson has also authored of a number of articles and short stories, three books on education, a collection of essays and homilies, and a novel.

Christopher J. Post

Chris Post is in his 13th year as headmaster of The Boys' Latin School of Maryland (United States). A career educator, he began his professional journey at Boys' Latin, where he served as an intern during his final year of undergraduate studies. Post earned his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and his master's degree from Boston University, both in history. In addition to working in education advocacy in Washington, DC, Post has served as an admissions officer, department chair, dean of students, assistant headmaster, and high school principal. He’s taught history and English, coached baseball, football, and wrestling, and run a boys’ dormitory. Having worked in boys' schools for more than 25 years, he believes that “the education of boys—and the formation of young men—has never been more important than it is today."

Post serves as the secretary of the board of trustees of IBSC. He chaired the 2020 IBSC Strategic Plan and co-hosted the 2017 IBSC Annual Conference. He has also served on the board of trustees for both the Association of Independent Maryland Schools and Baltimore Education Scholarship Trust, for which he chairs the admissions committee.

Refund Policy
IBSC will refund 90% of registration fees if a written request is received two weeks prior to the class. No refunds will be made for cancellations received after this time. Schools seeking to register an alternate to replace a participant unable to attend should contact IBSC@theibsc.org.

Please note: Watch your email for login information for your online class the Friday before the class starts. If you registered for the class later than this time, watch for login information within 24 business hours.