NAIS Board Chair Circles

Now more than ever, independent schools need boards that are knowledgeable, nimble, and focused to effectively sustain and advance the missions of their schools. Yet boards are composed of volunteers who are devoted but often have little experience or training in effective independent school governance. Board chairs in particular have an important role to play in both leading the board and collaborating with the head of school. They, too, benefit from support in fulfilling their role.

Registration for the 2025–2026 NAIS Board Chair Circles is now closed.

What Are NAIS Board Circles?

NAIS Board Chair Circles bring together small groups of board chairs from across the country. Each circle is thoughtfully composed of six to eight individuals outside your geographic location and chosen based on your preferences and role, ensuring a supportive environment where you can freely share and confide with confidence and confidentiality.

Each circle will meet once a month to explore complex challenges in your leadership position and hear from others to develop strategies that will help you grow personally and professionally. This is an authentic professional development opportunity for facilitated growth with other trustees.

The 2025–2026 Board Chair Circles will meet monthly starting in September 2025 and ending in April  2026. Each meeting will be 90 minutes and will be deliberately framed and facilitated by certified executive coaches who are former heads of school and experienced board members. The dates are as follows (each group will meet on one of the days each month):

• September 16, 17, or 18
• October 21, 22, or 23 
• November 18, 19, or 20
• December 16, 17, or 18 
• January 20, 21, or 22
• February 17, 18, or 19
• March 17, 18, or 19 
• April 21, 22, or 23

Tuesday meetings will be from 12:00–1:30 PM ET, Wednesday meetings will be from 4:30–6:00 PM ET, and Thursday meetings will be from 7:00–8:30 PM ET.

Why Choose Board Chair Circles?

Participants in this group coaching experience will benefit from learning in the supportive context of a community of practice with fellow board chairs, led by governance experts and coaches Brooke Carroll and Mike Hanas. This yearlong experience will help:

• Fortify your working relationship with your head of school
• Nurture the full and appropriate engagement of fellow trustees
• Ensure trustees know their roles and responsibilities and focus on important, strategic topics
• Make visible the norms/guidelines of your board to support a healthy, respectful, and inclusive culture
• Create effective onboarding, mentoring, and development of trustees
• Facilitate effective, efficient, and productive meetings
• Hold accountable/course-correct a fellow trustee operating outside of the board’s lane
• Tend to succession planning

Registration Information

Registration is now closed for the 2025-2026 NAIS Board Chair Circles.

• Upon registering, participants will receive a survey that will help NAIS create meaningful Board Chair Circle groups. Registration closes on August 14, 2025, and the survey must be submitted by August 15, 2025, or sooner.
• Participants will receive their specific Board Chair Circle group information, including their group's dates and times, on August 28, 2025.

Pricing

Pricing is for the 2025-2026 yearlong engagement.