Welcome from our Head of School and CEO

As you explore these pages, you’ll discover an association purpose-built for Academic Leaders. At the center of everything we do are the nine competencies that Academic Leaders need to serve their schools well and move their communities forward.

You’ll also discover an association designed to connect Academic Leaders with the networks you need. Your school’s membership includes to any educator working to strategically improve teaching and learning beyond the walls of a single classroom, allowing you to collaborate with colleagues in different roles at your school, or with peers at schools across the country and around the world. In support of your work, every member has access to online meetups, communities, courses, webinars, in-person forums and gatherings, and a robust array of member-exclusive resources.

Most importantly, you’ll find a friendly, helpful staff at the Association. We believe that partnership is essential to meeting your unique challenges now and preparing your school to thrive in the future. We’re here to support you in that work.

As part of our partnership, I'd love to find a chance to talk together. You can find a time to connect on my calendar. I hope we'll get the opportunity to connect.

Why One Schoolhouse? Why Now?

​The Association for Academic Leaders is a product of both longtime collaboration of Academic Leaders and intense collaboration during the COVID pandemic.

In the late 1990s, a group of Academic Leaders formed the Independent School Educators (ISED) listserv, dedicated to sharing information, solving challenges, and celebrating victories. This group of deans, division heads, curriculum directors, and many more, evolved from a loose organization into the Independent Curriculum Group (ICG), which formed in 2008 with Bruce Hammond as Executive Director. Around the same time, the Online School for Girls (the predecessor to One Schoolhouse) formed as a collaborative effort led by Academic Leaders in leading girls’ schools. The Online School for Girls began offering professional development for educators in 2010.

In 2013, Peter Gow became the second Executive Director of the ICG. Under his leadership, ICG began partnering with One Schoolhouse in 2018 to offer an expanded program of Academic Leaders Retreats, online professional development courses, and other resources. On July 1, 2019, ICG became a part of One Schoolhouse, with Gow joining the One Schoolhouse staff until his retirement. Gow continues to work with One Schoolhouse in emeritus.

At the advent of the COVID pandemic, One Schoolhouse jumped in to help the independent school community the guidance and information needed, creating resources that were shared with more than 1000 schools. Over 7000 teachers and Academic Leaders enrolled in online courses designed to help schools create emergency distance learning programs and meet student needs. As the pandemic continued, One Schoolhouse developed bi-weekly newsletters to share resources with over 10000 educators. A free weekly live webinar series was launched. In response to Academic Leaders’ needs, One Schoolhouse revived a listserv for Academic Leaders, providing educators with the opportunity to crowdsource resources and advice, and create connections.

By the spring of 2021, One Schoolhouse could looked back at the resources created to see many of all the elements of an association already in place. To move forward, One Schoolhouse commissioned a survey of 4000 Academic Leaders. 75% of the respondents surveyed agreed with the statement, “There’s no one organization that meets all my needs.”

The Association for Academic Leaders is purpose-built to meet those needs, providing the community and resources to support the growth and development of the competencies Academic Leaders need to serve their schools well.

​“I am truly delighted to be a part of this historical expansion of One Schoolhouse’s support of independent schools. This Association is designed to connect, educate, equip and empower its membership for the benefit of independent schools across the country and around the globe.”

James Palmieri, Ed.D., Executive Vice President at National Business Officers Association and One Schoolhouse Board Chair