NAIS Guidelines of Professional Practice for Executive Assistants to the Head of School

 View this GPP as a PDF file.​

Approved by NAIS in 2013

Preamble

The NAIS Guidelines of Professional Practice (GPPs) outline standards for professional conduct for various roles or positions within independent schools. We encourage NAIS member schools to view the individual Guidelines of Professional Practice below and share them within their school communities. It is our hope that the increased visibility of and easy access to the guidelines will go a long way in helping schools fulfill their missions.

Overview

The executive assistant to the head of school supports the head’s leadership role, and performs administrative and operational tasks to maintain an effective and well-organized office.  Although responsibilities of executive assistants to the head are as varied as the institutions they serve, the following guidelines provide a common standard of leadership and good practice for individuals vested with the responsibilities of managing the head of school’s office.

  1. The executive assistant to the head mirrors the head’s principles of good practice (NAIS Principles of Good Practice - Head of School).
  2. The executive assistant to the head supports the head’s daily operation of the school, short and long-term goals, and institutional projects.
  3. The executive assistant to the head supports the school’s board of trustees and/or executive and standing committees.
  4. The executive assistant to the head embodies and communicates the school’s mission and core values.
  5. The executive assistant to the head provides a sense of stability in an ever-changing environment.
  6. The executive assistant to the head is accessible, approachable, and welcoming, managing confidential situations with discretion, respect, and sensitivity.
  7. The executive assistant to the head takes an active part in the full life of the school.
  8. The executive assistant to the head understands and promotes the standards and policies of the school, providing leadership as standards and policies evolve.
  9. The executive assistant to the head fosters a partnership between faculty and staff to create a positive environment for students’ academic and social-emotional learning.
  10. The executive assistant to the head respects, affirms, and protects the dignity and worth of each member of the community, and exhibits moral and ethical behavior.
  11. The executive assistant to the head sets professional boundaries, collaborating with constituents within those boundaries.
  12. The executive assistant to the head is a life-long learner who enhances his/her skills, using state-of-the-art technologies to maintain high standards of performance to efficiently and effectively produce work products.