School Partner Connect Summit
August 18–19, 2025, Falls Church, VA
Join us this summer for the School Partner Connect Summit, a two-day gathering designed to connect K12 independent school consultants and coaches, spark meaningful dialogue, and inspire action through shared ideas. The SPC Summit is your opportunity to foster meaningful relationships, sharpen your strategy, and expand your impact.
School Leaders - Register for Monday’s Keynote with Ben Harris by clicking Register, Get Tickets, and scrolling to the complimentary ticket.
Build relationships, sharpen your strategy, and expand your impact.
Who Should Attend?
Experienced K-12 Consultants and Coaches
The SPC Summit offers a front-row seat to a collaborative network of experienced consultants who support school leaders and help independent schools thrive.
Keynote Speaker
August 18, 5:15 p.m.
Ben Harris | Vice President & Director of Economic Studies, Brookings Institution
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Former Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy and Chief Economist, U.S. Treasury Department and a nationally recognized leader in public finance and economic policy, Ben Harris brings a powerful keynote on how macroeconomic trends, policy shifts, and fiscal realities are reshaping the landscape for independent schools and education organizations.
Drawing from decades of experience—including advising Vice President Joe Biden and leading teams at the Treasury and Brookings—Harris will share:
What school leaders and consultants need to understand about the economy today
How changing fiscal priorities may impact federal spending overall and education funding in particular
The broader forces shaping the future of talent, retirement, and institutional resilience
This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the country’s top economic minds—and a moment you won’t want to miss.
Masterclass
August 19, 9:30 a.m.
Josh Chernikoff | Education Entrepreneur & Lead Generation Coach
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In this tactical session, two-time founder Josh Chernikoff shares his blueprint for landing ideal clients—without relying on cold DMs or expensive ad agencies.
You’ll walk away with:
Proven methods to book meetings with school decision-makers
A script-free approach to building trust and turning leads into paying clients
Access to Josh’s Lead Generation Engine Blueprint—a step-by-step guide to consistent, sustainable sales in the education space
Perfect for consultants and founders ready to scale their business without losing their sanity.
AI Tools + Workflows
August 19, 3:30 p.m.
Even Harris | National Expert on Emerging AI Risks in Schools
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This 45-minute session offers a quick overview of a dozen AI tools every independent school consultant should know, with concrete examples of how they boost efficiency. Then we’ll move into a hands-on workshop featuring two custom GPTs—one for quickly drafting session titles and descriptions for conferences, and another for building polished, scope of work proposals when outlining your services for a new client. You'll walk away with time-saving tools you can start using right away.
From Head of School to Head of Enterprise
August 19, 4:15 p.m.
Dr. Valaida Wise | President of Dr. Valaida Wise Consulting
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How Independent School Leadership Prepares You for Entrepreneurship
Independent school leaders are vision-setters, culture-shapers, crisis managers, and strategic thinkers; skills that mirror those required of successful entrepreneurs. In this inspirational talk, Dr. Valaida Wise shares her journey from leading schools to launching and growing a consulting business. She explores how the unique demands of school leadership-balancing mission with sustainability, managing diverse stakeholders, navigating uncertainty, and leading with purpose- lay a powerful foundation for entrepreneurship. Whether you've recently started a new venture or have had your consultancy for years, this session will inspire you to lead with creativity, courage, and determination.
Schedule and Information
*Subject to change
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4:30 PM: Check In at Hilton Garden Inn
5:00 PM: Welcome & Introductions
5:15 PM: Keynote Speaker: Ben Harris
6:15 PM: Happy Hour with School Leaders and External School Partners
7:15 PM: Dinner at Clare and Don’s Beach Shack (External School Partners)
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8:30 AM: Networking Breakfast
9:15 AM: Welcome to SPC Summit
9:30 AM: Masterclass: Josh Chernikoff
10:30 AM: Roundtables
11:15 AM: Break
11:30 AM: School Leader Panel
Melissa Gray-Hughes, Associate Head of School, McLean School (MD)
John Bonhom, Assistant Head of School, Indian Creek School (MD)
Jennie Wills, Chief Advancement Officer, St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes (VA)
12:30 PM: Lunch
1:30 PM: Group Photo in Falls Church City
2:30 PM: Roundtables
3:30 PM: AI Tools with Evan Harris
4:15 PM: From Head of School to Head of Enterprise: Dr. Valaida Wise
5:00 PM: Happy Hour at Solace Outpost with Boost My School
6:30 PM: Dinner on Your Own
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Hilton Garden Inn Falls Church
706 West Broad Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Reservations must be made by 07/26/25
Dinner on Monday, August 18
130 North Washington Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Breakfast + Lunch, Tuesday, August 19
421 West Broad Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Happy Hour, Tuesday, August 19
444 West Broad Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Local Restaurants for Tuesday evening
School Partner Connect Events
Interested in Sponsoring the Summit?
See the options below and contact chris@leadteampartners.com.
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SPC Summit (August 18-19)
$5,000
Lead recognition for SPC Summit
Introduction & Thank You during the SPC Summit
15-minute Product Preview at SPC Summit
Sponsor Provided Promotional Handout
Logo on Website and Registration Page
Promotional Email Sent to Attendees post event
Email Acknowledgement pre/post SPC Summit
Company Spotlight in September newsletter
SPC Summit Attendee List
Attendance for two representatives from sponsoring firm for SPC Summit
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$2,500
Monday, August 18 at 7 pm
Attendance at SPC Summit Keynote with Ben Harris on current economic conditions
Attendance for dinner with external school partners and school leaders
Introduction & Thank You during the SPC Summit
Sponsor Provided Promotional Handout
Logo on Website and Registration Page
Email Acknowledgement pre/post SPC Summit
Thank you in September newsletter
SPC Summit Attendee List
Attendance for one/two representatives from sponsoring firm during dinner
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$1,500
Tuesday, August 19 at 8:30 am
Welcome attendees prior to their day of learning and networking
Attendance at SPC Summit Breakfast
Introduction & Thank You during the SPC Summit
Sponsor Provided Promotional Handout
Logo on Website and Registration Page
Email Acknowledgement pre/post SPC Summit
Thank you in September newsletter
SPC Summit Attendee List
Attendance for one/two representatives from sponsoring firm during breakfast
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$1,500
Tuesday, August 19 at 11 am
Attendance at School Administrator Panel before lunch
Attendance at SPC Summit Lunch
Introduction & Thank You during the SPC Summit
Sponsor Provided Promotional Handout
Logo on Website and Registration Page
Email Acknowledgement pre/post SPC Summit
Thank you in September newsletter
SPC Summit Attendee List
Attendance for one/two representatives from sponsoring firm during lunch
-
$1,500
Tuesday, August 19 at 5 pm
Welcome attendees after their day of learning and networking
Attendance at SPC Summit Happy Hour
Introduction & Thank You during Happy Hour
Sponsor Provided Promotional Handout
Logo on Website and Registration Page
Email Acknowledgement pre/post SPC Summit
Thank you in September newsletter
SPC Summit Attendee List
Attendance for one/two representatives from sponsoring firm during Happy Hour
Thank you to our sponsors!
Monday Happy Hour Sponsor
Tuesday Happy Hour Sponsor