At Stevenson School in picturesque Pebble Beach, California, the school’s data operations team is turning technology on its head. Rather than building business processes around available technology, they’re harnessing technology to facilitate more efficient and strategic business processes. As a result, more staff can access the data they need when they need it, and the school is primed for enterprise-wide AI data analysis. CIO Nathan Gault speaks with hosts Jeff Sheilds and Howard Teibel about his journey from the hallowed halls of Yale to industry, specifically in higher education software, and now to the independent school world, where he’s drawing on his experiences in each sector to drive the transformation of school business processes.

This episode expands on the Net Assets magazine article, “One Record To Inform Them All: Streamlining Data Operations,” which was published in the September/October 2024 issue.

The Net Assets podcast is a partnership between NBOA and Teibel Education Consulting, with hosts NBOA President and CEO Jeff Shields and Teibel Education President Howard Teibel. This show is made possible thanks to the generous support of Community Brands.

When crisis strikes, school leaders often feel pressure to make a statement and move on. But in the latest episode of The Net Assets Podcast, Jeff Sheilds and Howard Teibel speak with a school head taking a radically different approach.

Kalyan Balavan, head of the Dunn School in Santa Barbara County, is leading his community through an authentic dialogue about the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict. Rather than taking sides, Kal has worked to facilitate open and curious conversations, bringing in diverse perspectives to educate students about this complex geopolitical issue.

As a classroom teacher turned administrator, Kal believes schools have a responsibility to help students make sense of controversial events, not shy away from them out of fear. He argues the real crisis is one of ignorance—and educators must seize opportunities to combat that.

But being a facilitator rather than the "sage on stage" requires a new mindset. Kal vulnerably shares how he's navigated pushback and assumptions along the way. His commitment to the hard work of inclusion over virtue-signaling statements is refreshing and thought-provoking.

This is a conversation about courageous leadership in polarized times. Jeff and Howard explore with Kal what it takes to create a learning community that embraces tough questions—and why that matters now more than ever.

Links & Notes

• The Cost of Protest • Kalyan Balaven, Dunn School

When Louisville Collegiate School was offered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand its campus within a tight urban landscape, school leaders rejoiced. Despite thorough due diligence, they had to adjust course when parts of the community objected to what seemed like a win-win situation. CFO Deana Paradis shares how the business leader played an important role managing change, which has resulted in a more unified campus with less traffic congestion and stronger community partnerships. Jeff Shields, NBOA President and CEO, and Howard Teibel, President of Teibel Education Consulting, explore with Paradis lessons learned and successes earned in navigating campus growth.

This show is made possible thanks to the generous support of Community Brands.

Links & Notes

• Louisville Collegiate School