MINNDEPENDENT’s Professional Development Seminar/Webinars are opportunities for K-12 private and independent school professionals and staff to connect and engage in idea sharing to help schools enhance the offerings they provide to students and families.

School Leaders, admissions, marketing, development, and technology staff are exposed to practical, hands-on tools presented by experts from local and national organizations who share valuable information about current trends.

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, click here or contact Lisa Vosbeek, Director of Development and Programs: 651-424-4930, or email [email protected]

WEBINAR

4 Strategies for a Smarter College Search
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
7:30pm

FREE WEBINAR for School Leaders, Guidance Counselors and Parents

The college search continues to become more complex, making it harder for families to identify right-fit schools. Challenges include:

Admission trends have changed around how colleges admit students
Testing – some require it now and some don’t – what path makes sense?
The number of schools on the “more selective” list continues to grow and not just in the elite category
Substantial changes to the FAFSA and financial aid may make college more expensive

Join us to learn how these changes may impact your family, and new strategies to consider giving your student the best opportunity to be admitted and maximize scholarships and financial aid.

Cozy Wittman – Education and Partnerships
College Inside Track

Cozy Wittman leads the education and partnerships for College Inside Track, an organization that helps families navigate the college process and ensure they get the best price at the schools they are considering. She is considered a national subject-matter expert on late-stage college planning and educates parents, school counselors and financial professionals around the country on strategies they can use. In addition to being a featured speaker at conferences and high schools, Cozy is a mom of 5 kids with very different goals for college, so she is no stranger to the college search.

If you are the parent of a high school student in grades 9-11, this is incredibly important info you will not want to miss. 
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED! After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

WEBINAR

Advanced AI Strategies for School Leaders
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
10:00 – 11:15am

This hands-on session gives private and independent school leaders practical ways to use AI in their daily work and guide responsible adoption across their schools. Participants learn to analyze school data while protecting student privacy, draft policies and procedures, and build AI workflows for operations, enrollment, human resources, and communication. They also learn how to help faculty identify useful AI applications across roles and subject areas. Participants leave with ready-to-use prompts, live examples, and a resource library they can use and share with their teams.

William Grube, Founder, Gruvy Education

Bio: William Grube is the founder of Gruvy Education. Through Gruvy Education, he partners with over 300 schools and several state-level organizations to provide AI training. He equips educators with the skills and knowledge to use AI effectively in their specific roles.