On November 9-10, Newton Country Day School hosted the annual Northeastern Independent Schools Spiritual Council’s Conference. The event, titled Nurturing the Adolescent Soul, drew independent school educators who are involved in campus ministries, service programs, character development, and religious studies from schools across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.

Following a welcome from Sister Rogers and Mr. William Hulseman, Director of Campus Ministry and a member of the Religion Department at Newton Country Day, three invited guests addressed the gathering. Reverend Shayna Appel who helped form the Unitarian Universalist Trauma Response Team after her experiences at Ground Zero in 2001, first spoke on “All Things in Common.” Currently with the United Church of Christ, she has served as Associate Pastor at Dartmouth College and has led Youth Conferences for eight years.

James Ryudo Bastien, COO of the Zen Peacemakers and the founder of Girls and Boys Town of New England, brought his 30 years of experience with human service organization to his address, “Developing Meaningful Relationships with Adolescents.” A speaker of national renown, he is a published author and trained Zen Instructor. The final speaker preceding dinner and conversation was award-winning author Mimi Doe. Her work has been covered on national television and by international publications, including The Wall Street Journal and The London Independent. Doe’s talk, “Nurturing the Teenager’s Soul,” focused on the manner in which parents interact with their children to help both generations build more balanced lives.

Events on the second day of the Conference opened with a Multi-Faith Morning Liturgy and continued with speaker Brian Daniell, Dean of Residential Life at Lawrenceville School, NJ, presenting on “Creating the Honor Code.” Shabbir Mansuri, founder of the Council on Islamic Education, spoke to “Advancing Religious Freedom and Mutual Respect.” Mansuri is dedicated to improving coverage of world history and religions in American schools.

Closing speakers for the Independent School Spiritual Council’s Conference were Jan Flaska and Michael Spencer. Flaska, Dean of Spiritual and Ethical Life and Assistant Dean of Students at Deerfield Academy, holds the school’s Robertson Distinguished Chair in the Teaching of Religion. Spencer, Dean of Chapel and Spiritual Life at St. Paul’s School, NH, is a widely published author that includes a curriculum in Applied Ethics.