Governance Virtual Series - Florida Council of Independent Schools

THREE-PART VIRTUAL SERIES OVERVIEW

October 14 | November 17 | December 8

12:00 - 1:30 PM

Series Description: Exceptional schools are built on exceptional governance. Join us for this engaging three-part virtual series as we examine the board practices that strengthen leadership, navigate conflict, and ensure long-term institutional success. Through real-world case studies and practical guidance, participants will learn how effective governance fosters trust, preserves institutional memory, and creates the conditions for heads and schools to thrive.

Session 1

Session 1: Divided Boards: How to Avoid Factions and Manage Conflicts Successfully
Date: October 14, 2026 | 12:00 - 1:30 PM

Session Overview: This session will use a case study to discuss social/cultural/political issues that may lead to conflicts within boards and how they can pit individual board members against each other and create factions within a board. These issues may be parent or staff initiated. The solutions to resolving these conflicts and divisions within boards relate to the core of healthy board governance: preserving institutional memory on boards and vetting, selecting and training wise board members.

Session 2

Session 2: Shadow Dockets and Succession Planning
Date: November 17, 2026 | 12:00 - 1:30 PM

Session Overview: This session will explore one of the more sensitive and increasingly common dynamics in independent school governance: what happens when boards begin thinking about leadership transition long before a head’s contract is nearing completion. Drawing on real case studies, we will examine how informal conversations, shifting alliances, and behind-the-scenes succession planning can affect trust, transparency, and the board-head relationship. Participants will consider the difference between responsible long-term succession planning and governance practices that can unintentionally destabilize leadership or create division within a school community.

Session 3

Session 3: How Institutional Board Memory Sustains Leadership and Strengthens Schools
Date: December 8, 2026 | 12:00 - 1:30 PM

Session Overview: Several factors influence head tenure. Surprisingly, performance isn’t usually one of them. High turnover among board members and chairs, along with the loss of institutional memory, often leaves heads working with people who don’t know their history or accomplishments after just five years. Short board and chair terms, weak leadership of the Committee on Trustees, and neglect of the board’s core functions all contribute to head turnover. Join us to gain clear strategies to extend the tenure of effective heads by strengthening board structures and practices.

SERIES SPEAKER

MEET THE SPEAKER

MEET THE SPEAKER

John Littleford has spent over 40 years in education as a teacher, administrator, and consultant. Based in Delray Beach, Florida, he leads Littleford & Associates, a global consulting firm he founded in 1994 that supports independent schools in areas such as leadership searches, fundraising, financial planning, and governance. Previously, he served as headmaster at La Jolla Country Day School, University School of Milwaukee, and Breck School, where he drove enrollment growth and major fundraising efforts. A graduate of Dickinson College, he also completed studies at Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford, and authored Faculty Salary Systems in Independent Schools, published by NAIS.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Registration:

Member - $79 Individual Session | $179 Three-part Series

Non-Member - $99 Individual Session | $259 Three-part Series

Location: Zoom
Zoom information, link to connect, and password will be shared closer to the event.

Registration Deadline: 1 week prior to the event date

Cancellation & Refunds: Workshop refund requests must be made in writing and emailed to Keara Danger at kdanger@fcis.org. There is a $10 per person processing fee for requests made up to 1 week prior to the event date, with no refunds after this date.

Questions? Contact Nicole Robison at nrobison@fcis.org.