We understand both the complexities of organizational culture and the human side of change. We have experience working with both the internal community and guiding a board through change.

Align and Advance Strategic Planning - Our Signature Approach

A school embarks on strategic planning to map out a journey to become the best version of itself. We facilitate a process centered on alignment, establishing a shared reality so a community can discover the most exciting and actionable opportunities for the school’s continued success.

We combine community-based strategic design with a full communications and brand audit so your school is aligned in its strengths, will advance with confidence into the future and can communicate a compelling, consistent vision to families and donors.

Find more information and a downloadable PDF here.

We are proud to collaborate with our strategic partner Caravan Brand Partners to deliver this service.

Additional Strategy Services

We love to be fresh eyes and help bring clarity when situations are complex and multilayered, identifying both tensions and opportunities

• Practical support for complicated leadership transitions

• Actionable plans to enhance enrollment and fundraising

• Strategic vision creation

• Head/board alignment checkup

Building Better Teams retreat facilitation
Spend a full or half day with a leadership team, board of trustees or faculty leaders increasing trust and creating better connections for more effective collaboration, problem solving and overall team performance. No trust falls or personality tests, our approach centers on coaching the team in processing a real issue facing your school or organization while highlighting principles that will improve your group dynamics. Virtual workshop version available. Read more about our approach to team retreats here.

Keynotes and Speaking Engagements
Julie presents on topics related to leadership, emerging trends and school change for groups across the United States, including NAIS, TABS, NEASC and the Association of Academic Leaders Forum. She is happy to work with you to speak onsite or virtually on any topic that has appeared in the Talking Out of School newsletter. Contact us for more information.

Executive Coaching
Executive coaching provides heads of school and senior leaders with a confidential space to think through complex situations, clarify priorities, and increase their effectiveness collaborating with a board. We believe coaching can be a uniquely powerful leadership development experience, increasing leaders’ capacity to create positive impact on a school and support sustainability in an incredibly demanding job. Julie Faulstich takes on a limited number of coaching clients each academic year and offers annual retainers and other coaching packages. Reach out for more information.

Leadership Development Programs

Shaping the Head/Board Partnership (for Heads of School)

In this small, confidential cohort, we’ll focus on practical ways to move from reactive to intentional, building a partnership that can handle tension, support your leadership, and strengthen the work of moving the school forward.

The Boss Skills Lab - a virtual course in management skills (open to anyone in a management position)

Fall, 2026 theme: Tools for Productive Conflict

The Boss Skills Lab is designed to introduce concepts based in organizational psychology that are both “bite sized” and significant enough to move you forward. It will allow room to process these concepts in small groups with peers and then return to your job and experiment applying the concepts and building your skill set.

We’ve spent many years in board rooms and we “get it.”

The times we live in demand more of everything from heads and boards and inspired institutional leadership is more necessary than ever, starting with good governance practices.

We take into account the complicated ways day-to-day operations and governance intersect as well as the stress on trustees occupying several different roles at once within a community.

Our training, advising and support, with options for stand-alone workshops as well as ongoing coaching, honestly acknowledges complexity and aims to provide trustees with skills and tools to productively partner with heads of school.

Facilitated Head of School Evaluations

An annual head’s evaluation by the board is not just governance best practice - it’s a key opportunity to create an avenue for honest feedback, setting the stage for leadership growth, a more satisfied and effective head of school and increased trust between the board and the head. A facilitated head’s assessment is customized for your school’s needs and can include a combination of 1:1 interviews and surveys. Reach out to chat about the possibilities.

Governance Training Sample Workshops

Principles of Independent School Governance: Mission, Money, Momentum

Balancing Board and Community Membership

Practical Board/Community Communication Skills

Supporting a HOS Transition