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NOVEMBER 2-3, 2025 | GIRLS PREPARATORY SCHOOL | CHATTANOOGA, TENN.
   
Heads' Retreat
About the Heads' Retreat
TAIS's day-long Heads' Retreat will take place on Monday, November 3rd, on Girls Prep's campus parallel to the broader Annual Conference programming. A Heads' Retreat ticket purchase covers attendance at the Annual Conference on Sunday followed by the Heads' Retreat on Monday. We are proud to have designed a program around the conversations our Member School heads have expressed to be most urgent. National experts will expand our thinking through sessions packed with current data, broad experience, and proven effective strategies. A midday Partner Solutions will offer opportunities to connect and network after which we'll enjoy lunch together.
Registration
A Heads' Retreat ticket purchase covers attendance at the Annual Conference on Sunday followed by the Heads' Retreat on Monday. Heads' Retreat tickets must be purchased separately and cannot be included in Annual Conference group ticket purchases. Registration closes on October 17th.
Schedule
7:45 Registration
8:10 Welcome8:25 Keynote by Debra Wilson, President, NAIS10:10 Session I with Ann Snyder11:10 Partner Solutions12:05 Lunch12:50 Session II with Peter Baron2:50 Closing
Keynote
Shifting Sands and Transformative Trends
With Debra Wilson, President, National Association of Independent Schools
One thing about school leadership in 2025 – it’s certainly not boring! What trends are impacting independent schools and education at large? Join us for this interactive session where we will take on everything from the cutting edge in developments in Washington to the enrollment and other dashboard trends around the country and into Tennessee, to AI and the student experience, to how the landscape in higher education and beyond might impact our sector. What trends will make us adjust our sails and what transformations may result from the foundational moves afoot? Let’s figure it out together!
Session I
What Heads Need to Know About Advancement in 2025With Ann Snyder, Founder, Ann Snyder School Strategy Consulting
Join Ann Snyder for an overview of independent school philanthropy trends as well as a look at best practices in working with your advancement team. Drawing from several sources, Ann will lead an interactive workshop to help Heads of School of varying levels of experience navigate the advancement landscape during challenging times, capital campaigns, and more.
Session II
What 100 Heads of School Reveal About the Independent School Business Model
With Peter Baron, Founder, Moonshot.OS
What do 100 heads of school really think about the independent school business model? After dozens of candid conversations, a clear picture is emerging. The challenges are real, but so are the opportunities.
In this two-hour, hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the business pressures heads are navigating today, from tuition dependence to enrollment shifts. Together, we’ll examine school case studies and engage in guided exercises that surface key elements of your school’s business model and spark ideas for iteration.
This session is designed for heads who want to think more strategically about financial sustainability, operational design, and long-term value.
You’ll walk away with:
- Insight into the most common business model challenges surfaced by 100+ heads of school
- Case studies of schools making bold, practical shifts
- Tools to identify opportunities and pressure-test new ideas
- A peer-powered space to think differently about the future
Sponsors and Exhibitors
Interested 2025 Annual Conference sponsors and exhibitors should check out our 2025-2026 Corporate Partnership Guide (here) and reach out to Paige Johnson at [email protected] for a Discovery Call.
TAIS Board-Approved Cancellation Policy
Attendees will receive a full refund for an in-person conference if they cancel up to six weeks prior to the event and a 50% refund up to four weeks before the event. Refunds are not possible after four weeks prior to the event due to the costs incurred for food orders, hotel contracts, venue costs, and other administrative and setup fees. All refunds will reflect a 15% administration fee.
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