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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
Creating Your School’s Diversity Statement
School Leadership // October 4, 2020
As School Head, you know that supporting diversity, inclusion, and equity requires more than enrolling culturally diverse students. With your Board, you may have considered multiple dimensions of building and sustaining an inclusive institutional culture for everyone. Your Board may have formally endorsed diversity-related initiatives through its most recent planning document. To establish an institutional commitment to authenticity about diversity, be sure to clarify and formalize the school’s “case” by crafting a Diversity Statement.
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Should Your School Purchase Email Lists?
Marketing Communications // October 4, 2020
As a marketing leader, a primary goal is sharing your school’s message with your community. While you already have an email list of former and current families, you are always looking for ways to expand your reach and drive interest in your school. One question we’ve heard often: Should schools purchase email marketing lists of prospective families?
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The Financial Aid Mistake Your School Must Avoid
Business and Operations // October 4, 2020
Is your school’s financial aid program producing unintended, negative consequences for your applicant pool and current families? The answer might surprise you. Schools want and need middle-income families to join their communities. Unfortunately, many schools use a financial aid model that actually discourages these families from applying for admission and aid. Here’s why and how to fix it.
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How to Use Content Marketing to Boost Inquiries
Marketing Communications // September 27, 2020
Your website is the face of your school, especially when visits to campus are less than ideal. Your school website presents your school’s mission, describes what you offer to prospective students, and persuades families to submit an inquiry. Your goal as a marketing leader? Create content that encourages families to connect with your admission team.
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Six Ways to Use Your Guide to Giving and Getting Involved During and After COVID-19
Fundraising // September 27, 2020
ISM recommends that your Development Office publish an annual Guide to Giving and Getting Involved to help your constituents understand the case for voluntary support and the myriad ways that they can be involved in your school community. It is critical to remind parents who are not regularly on campus that the school must be sustained through the commitment of time and money from its friends.
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Here’s What You Need to Know If You Experienced a Fall Admission Bump
Enrollment Management // September 20, 2020
ISM Consultants have worked with many school Admission and Marketing Directors who enjoyed surprising spikes in their inquiries and applications during the late summer months. And, while this may seem like encouraging news, we caution against premature excitement.
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A Positive Faculty Culture Can Help Prevent Teacher Burnout
Academic Leadership // September 20, 2020
The impact of COVID-19 feels relentless. Whether your school returned to campus this fall, is conducting learning online, or is using a combination of the two, stress is imminent. Teachers can especially suffer from this stress as they balance new methodologies for instruction with their own family concerns. You must be able to recognize when a teacher may be reaching a level of burnout.
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How to Conduct a “Return to Work” Debrief
Business and Operations // September 20, 2020
Part of your “return to school” plan probably involved speaking with faculty and staff about how they could return to work fairly and safely, regardless of whether or not your campus would re-open for in-person instruction. Now is the time to reflect on those conversations.
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Four Steps for Cultivating Better Relationships With BIPOC Students
School Heads // September 13, 2020
The relationships between your school and your students do not begin and end with admission and graduation. Recruiting, retaining, and engaging students and alumni is only successful when time and effort is put toward lasting, ongoing relationships. When it comes to building relationships with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students, you must lead with intentionality and genuine drive to see these students thrive. Your school must develop a framework for enrollment management, marketing, and development that effectively engages your BIPOC community.
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Five Do’s and Don’ts When Working With Volunteers
Fundraising // September 13, 2020
As an Admission or Development Director, it would be nearly impossible to do your job without the help and support of volunteers. The quality of your volunteers’ experiences with your school makes a profound difference in their ability to accomplish their given tasks and their willingness to volunteer again. Follow these “do’s and don’ts” when supporting your volunteers.
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