10 | NAIS
lesson plans: critical thinking; communica-
tion; creativity; collaboration; and charac-
ter. Yet, Bassett adds another in “cross cul-
tural competence.” He says, “It is no longer
enough to understand your own identity or
know your own tribe, so to speak. If you’re
not competent in working with other tribes,
you’re not going to be successful.”
Over the course of his leadership of the
NAIS, Bassett says he is especially proud to
see how independent schools have become
champions of diversity; how students have
increasingly embraced diversity, and not just
in terms of ethnic diversity, but attitudinal
diversity.
SAFEGUARDING
INDEPENDENCE
Bassett doesn’t mince words when offer-
ing an explanation as to how independent
schools outperform –autonomy.
He says the primary role of NAIS
is advocating for freedom of independent
schools and fighting against measures that
would lead to ineffective control.
Independent schools are empowered
through their ability to define their own
missions.. Independent schools enjoy the
freedom of admitting students congruent
with their missions, preparing or calibrat-
ing curriculum essential to the mission, and
