Best of Thrive

Best of ThriveWelcome to the Best of Thrive!

These videos are recaps of five of the most popular live presentations at NAIS Thrive 2025 in Nashville, based on attendee feedback. We’re grateful to all of the presenters for delivering their presentations in a condensed, recorded format to be shared with NAIS members.

Interested in presenting at Thrive 2026 in Seattle? Session proposals must be submitted by May 28, 2025. Click here to learn more and begin your submission!
 

Fresh Eyes: Reimagining Board Culture Through Sustained Reflective Practice

  • Presenters: Dan Glass, head of school, The Brandeis School (CA); Mike Hanas, certified executive coach and interim head of school, Sonoma Academy (CA)
  • Watch the condensed presentation here.
The role of a process observer is not new, but its utility in strengthening board culture may be worth a fresh look. Many of us have questioned whether the governance model of our schools works. What if it does but needs raised expectations and accountability for living more fully into governance as leadership? In this recording, heads, trustees, and senior leaders eager for a fresh approach to fortifying board culture will be introduced to a case study of a reimagined model for sustained partnership among a head of school, consultant, and board of trustees.

Creativity Over Complacency: Creating a Culture That Reflects Your School’s Values

Teacher burnout and dissatisfaction are real concerns. Plus, fewer college graduates are choosing education as their profession of choice. How do we keep teachers fulfilled and satisfied in an increasingly stressful job? Getting our faculty and staff engaged in developing creative solutions to persistent concerns changed the life of our school. In this recording, discover what we learned from expert advice—as well as from trial and error—as we tackled common issues like compensation, morale, and evaluation. Hear about the journey we took to create a culture in which faculty, staff, and ultimately students thrive.

Marketing Magic: Enrollment Strategies A to Z

This recording is designed to revolutionize your approach to enrollment management. In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, staying ahead requires innovative strategies to drive recruitment and retention. In this immersive A-Z journey, explore unleashing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI); navigating the search engine optimization (SEO) maze; fostering a collaborative partnership between admission and marketing; personalizing the admission process; and mastering retention marketing by crafting an exceptional customer experience. Get equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to transform your enrollment strategies, creating a lasting impact on your institution's success.

Cultivating and Retaining Exceptional Educators: Strategies for Independent School Leaders

  • Presenters: Alex Bragg, lower school principal, Woodward Academy (GA); Elizabeth Maglio, director of professional learning, Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS)
  • Watch the condensed presentation here.
In an era where recruiting and retaining talented educators is more crucial than ever, independent school leaders must consider innovative and sustainable strategies to nurture and retain their talent. In this recording, gain a deeper understanding of the current challenges and opportunities in teacher talent management within independent schools. Explore proven frameworks and strategies that support teacher development and long-term retention, practical tools for creating a growth-driven professional environment fostering teacher satisfaction, and an actionable plan to implement in your school to improve teacher retention rates and enhance professional learning communities.  

How to Be Miserable at Work: Guaranteed Strategies to Be Dissatisfied, Unmotivated, and Unhappy

Looking to increase your feelings of misery at work? Watch this recording to flip the script on traditional happiness seminars. Using paradoxical reasoning and humor, examine the unhelpful thought patterns that fuel misery, discontent, and unhappiness in our professional lives. Grounded in cognitive-behavioral theory and principles of motivational interviewing, gain self-awareness around personal cognitive distortions that obstruct positive mindsets. Find out how to use interactive activities to learn common cognitive distortions that lead to negative emotions including anxiety, guilt, and shame. You could flip this script to cultivate more joy and satisfaction, if you must.