| | | | Dear Friend, There is a great deal in the world right now encouraging people to pull apart. Fear, exhaustion, division. And yet, at Pollyanna, we continue to see something else emerging too: people searching for connection, for community, and for spaces where they can learn and grow together. That is why our work matters even more now. As we look ahead to our National Conference in April 2027 and the Pollyanna Circle Membership beginning in July 2026, we are stepping fully into a simple but powerful belief: together, we are stronger. The Power of Us is not just our National Conference theme. It is a reminder that meaningful change does not happen in isolation. It happens when students, educators, families, and leaders come together with courage, honesty, curiosity, and care. It happens when communities choose conversation over silence, partnership over fear, and hope over cynicism. Over the last year, we have watched schools and organizations carry real weight: hard conversations, division within communities, leadership and staff stretched thin. But we have also witnessed resilience, creativity, and a deep desire to build communities where people feel seen and valued. Our Circle Membership was designed with this spirit in mind: an ongoing space for learning, collaboration, and support throughout the year, not just at a single event. In the months ahead, we hope even more people will join us. Community has always been built by people willing to show up, listen deeply, and move forward together. Warmly, | |  | | | | | PNC 2027: The Power of Us Save the date or sign up: April, 12, 13, 14, 2027 in Charlotte, NC The Pollyanna National Conference brings together school communities from across the country for a shared experience grounded in connection, dialogue, and action. Participants gain strategies rooted in real-world practice, hear perspectives across roles and lived experiences, and leave with clear, actionable next steps for their schools. Real change happens when we come together. | | | | | | Circle Membership Workshops Begin July 2026 What does it look like to support your entire school community not just in moments, but across an entire year? The Pollyanna Circle Membership makes that possible. Your school will gain sustained, meaningful access to the work that builds Building Stronger and Kinder Communities: - 20+ live virtual workshops designed for learning and application
- Leadership opportunities for students through the Teen Council
- Preferred pricing for the National Conference
Join the schools investing in what matters most. Click here to register. | | | | | | | | Parent Program for Volunteer Leaders After working with many schools to strengthen parent volunteer leadership, Pollyanna has codified our most effective strategies into a new Pollyanna Parent Program for Volunteer Leaders. Designed for Parents Association leaders, admissions ambassadors, advancement volunteers, and other key parent partners, this program equips volunteers with the tools to lead with purpose, build connection, and elevate the parent experience across your community. Bring this program to your school in 2026-27 and invest in the parent leaders who help shape and represent your community. | | | | | | | | | | May in Motion Pollyanna partnered with Chandler, Collegiate, Crystal Springs Uplands, Latin School of Chicago, NYS Homes & Community Renewal, NWAIS, and St. Peter’s Prep—bringing our work into classrooms, boardrooms, and community spaces across the country. From Pasadena to New York, Chicago to the Bay Area, our team partnered with schools and organizations to strengthen leadership and build more aligned communities.Through these sessions, communities explored what it takes to lead and live well together: strengthening governance and decision-making, building resilience, deepening relationships, and cultivating cultures rooted in accountability, reflection, and repair. | | | | PTC Alumni Returned Teen Council wrapped up this year with educator and administrator Aaron Ray, Director of Opportunity Programs at Hamilton College, along with Teen Council alums Addeson and Emerson, for a thoughtful conversation about student leadership, growth, and the transition to college. Together, they reminded students that no one has everything figured out, and that spaces grounded in community and connection matter during times of change. We’ll miss our graduating seniors Ava, Emma, Mira, and Victor as they begin exciting new chapters, and we’re grateful for all they brought to the Teen Council community. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Join us at LeadTeam Partners Summit this Summer On August 13, Pollyanna's Senior Advisor, Jason Craige Harris, will be presenting the keynote at the LeadTeam Partners Summit at Bullis School in Potomac, MD. Jason's session, Developing a Strategy for Culture That Works is part of a day-long event that brings together experts specializing in independent schools—covering enrollment, governance, academics, operations, and more—to help school leaders hit the ground running for 2026–27. Learn more about the LeadTeam Summit here. | | | | | | 10 STORIES FOR 10 YEARS “Pollyanna is giving teachers the support they need, offering students ideas and giving them a voice.” Paquita Davis-Friday, Board Chair Read Paquita's full story on page 27 of our 10-Year Impact Brochure. As we close out our 10th year at the end of June, please consider making a gift. | | | | A FINAL THOUGHT “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Helen Keller | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pollyanna, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation 501(c)(3). © 2026 Pollyanna | New York, NY 10075 | | | | | | | |
