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ESHA Events


ESHA holds two major events each year: a three-day retreat in the fall and a reception in conjunction with the annual NAIS conference in the winter.

Other activities include regular member conference calls  - "Connecting Flights"  -  and occasional regional meetings of independent elementary/middle school heads. 
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What are "Connecting Flight" Calls?
The quarterly Flights are an intentional way of giving ESHA members an opportunity to air ideas and consider situations in a safe, knowledgeable and collegial environment.  These calls affirm and strengthen leadership as participants gain insight, awareness, and validation from exchanging experiences with their colleagues about successes and dilemmas. Meeting bi-monthly, if possible, has the added benefit of developing enduring professional and personal relationships over the course of a school year. 
During the hour-long phone discussions, flight leaders listen carefully and guide the conversation, enabling ideas to be exchanged in ways that produce insights, affirmations and “takeaways” for the participants. Each flight normally consists of five or six Heads of varying experience. Contact Executive Director Mary Beth Noel if you'd like to take off on a flight!

2022 ESHA Receptions

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ESHA is an organization that places high value on personal contacts as well as in-person contact. We all miss that face-to-face connection with our ESHA friends.
Once we realized NAIS was going virtual in March 2022 we saw an opportunity. While the Covid conversation is still in play we felt we could safely gather in-person at smaller regional gatherings. A chance to see familiar faces and enjoy each other's company.
While not all regions will be covered the following Heads have graciously offered to host a gathering at their school or a nearby venue.
New England and vicinity
Brendan Largay
Belmont Day School
Belmont, MA
New York and vicinity
Greg O'Melia
Buckley School
New York, NY
Washington D.C. and vicinity
Joe Powers
Woods Academy
Bethesda, MD
Florida and vicinity
Fanning Hearon
Palm Beach Day Academy
Palm Beach, FL
​Seattle and vicinity

Briel Schmitz
Spruce Street School
Seattle, WA
N. California and vicinity
Burns Jones
Cathedral School For Boys
San Francisco, CA
S. California and vicinity
Angi Evans and Rose Helm
Harbor Day School
Corona Del Mar, CA
John Thomas Dye School
Los Angeles, CA
We anticipate these gathering happening in Spring 2022. We will be extending the invitation to all ESHA members to join us as soon as we have confirmed dates and locations. We look forward to seeing you in-person soon!
ESHA's next retreat will be in
Seattle, Washington! 


Please save the date: Saturday, October 22 -Tuesday, October 25, 2022

The event and home base hotel will be The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, located in the heart of Seattle.
After delaying this retreat for 2 years now we are sincerely looking forward to seeing everyone next October.  Mark your calendars now!
​Our retreat planners have been hard at work planning a fun, relaxing and informative agenda. 
​Stay tuned for updates and registration information as we get closer to the date.  





ESHA's Annual Retreat in Nashville, Tennessee was a success!
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Thanks to Our 2019 Retreat Sponsors

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About Our Annual Retreats

Focus
ESHA holds a retreat each fall, planned by and for heads of independent elementary and middle schools. Speakers on topics of professional interest, opportunities for discussion and socializing with colleagues, and relaxation are all part of the program. 

Calendar
Typically, the retreat takes place in mid-October, on a Sunday through Tuesday with pre-retreat activities on Saturday.

The 2022 ESHA Retreat will be in Seattle, at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, from October 22-25.

Participants
The retreat experience is the one ESHA activity limited to members and their spouses/partners, thereby offering time focused entirely on those roles in school leadership.

Sponsors
ESHA is grateful for sponsor support for its retreats and is happy to highlight these partner organizations. For more information, contact info@elementaryschoolheads.org.


​About Our Annual Receptions

Focus
ESHA holds a reception each year in conjunction with the National Association of Independent Schools conference, hosted at a venue near the NAIS headquarters hotel. In addition to ESHA members and their spouses/partners, the reception is also open to non-member Heads and key administrators and staff of ESHA members.

Calendar
In recent years, the dinner has been held on the Wednesday of NAIS Conference week. 

As NAIS will be held virtually in 2022 due to the continuing Covid landscape, the ESHA cocktail party will most likely take place, in-person at several regional locations throughout the country. Please check back for updates regarding ESHA regional events.

​Participants
 ESHA members, their spouses/partners, prospective members, and key administrative and staff of ESHA Heads are welcome.
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