Virtual & Onsite Consulting Services

Onsite Consulting
Onsite Consulting

Ensure that your school’s governance and operations support your mission.

We work together with your leaders, teachers, staff members, and students to understand your school’s unique needs, strengths, and challenges. We help you create a plan to help you meet your goals.

Your team can then put these mission-appropriate recommendations into action to achieve increased cash reserves, higher enrollment levels, and long-term stability. At the end of the day, we all have a singular purpose—advance school leadership to enrich the student experience.

We offer personalized consultations for many leadership divisions of a private school—the Board of Trustees, School Heads, the Business Office, the Development Office, Enrollment Management professionals, Marketing professionals, and Academic leaders. Select the area of school leadership you’d like to further explore.

 

Our Consulting Services

School Head

Whether you want to ensure that all school functions run at peak efficiency or are considering implementing new strategies and initiatives, lean on a trusted source of knowledge to increase the likelihood of long-term success.

Business & Operations

Take advantage of a full range of planning, facilities, and operations consulting services that give your school a solid footing for the future. Examine where your key operations work well, and where they can use improvement.

Academic Leadership

Your programs set your school apart. Explore how to create and build programs that pull families in and give them an experience they couldn’t have at another private-independent school.

Admission & Enrollment Management

ISM’s data-informed approach pinpoints what attracts families to your school and inspires them to stay. Receive customized solutions based on your school’s unique marketplace stance, challenges, and opportunities.

Fundraising & Development

Learn how to develop successful strategies to engage and bring donors closer to your institution. No matter your school size, history, or pedagogy, explore how to plan, implement, and evaluate your fundraising strategies to realize your full potential.

Marketing Communications

Explore how to share exceptional stories of student learning, engagement, and outcomes, and illustrate how these can become differentiators that distinguish your school from your competitors.

Board of Trustees

The Board must focus its efforts on governing, planning, and financing your school's future, while leaving everyday decisions to competent administrators. To do that successfully, your Board must think, plan, and act strategically.

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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.

The Secret to Smarter Faculty Hiring: Reference Checks Done Right

Academic Leadership // March 31, 2025

Have you ever made a hire that you later regretted? A strong hire can move a school forward more effectively than any other initiative. When a new hire doesn’t meet expectations, it can take a heavy toll. One crucial step in the hiring process might save you and your school a lot of time, trouble, and money: Strategic, structured reference checks

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6 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Professional Development

School Leadership // February 25, 2025

In the process of preparing to teach a couple of professional development workshops for ISM, I got to thinking about the students who have gotten the most out of their experiences — and why. What has been the difference for those with tangible, measurable results versus those who check in, check out, and don’t move the needle when they get back to their schools?

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How to Nail Re-enrollment Every Time

Enrollment Management // January 16, 2025

So many factors determine the success of your re-enrollment process: How do current families feel about their child’s experience? Are your teachers and program meeting student and parent expectations? What is the forecast for prospective student admission? Answering questions like the...

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What School Leaders Need to Know About Property and Casualty Insurance

Business and Operations // November 8, 2024

Independent schools are committed to delivering an exceptional educational experience, but what happens when the unexpected hits? From building damage to legal claims, having the right property and casualty insurance in place can make all the difference. This blog outlines the essential areas of ...

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Financial Protection for the Unexpected: The Case for Tuition Insurance

Business and Operations // October 23, 2024

At ISM, our insurance experts believe that providing tuition insurance isn’t just an optional add-on — it’s a smart strategy that protects both families and schools from unanticipated financial hardships. In fact, making tuition insurance a standard part of your school’s tuition package can be a win-win for everyone involved.

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Reaching Stealth Applicants: Engaging Families Before They Inquire

Enrollment Management // September 25, 2024

The admissions process has typically followed a straightforward path. Families initiated contact with schools signaling their interest, which provided admission teams instant visibility into potential applicants. As competition for private school admission intensifies, standing out is no longer a...

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Top Five Strategies to Advance School Leadership

Academic Leadership // August 19, 2024

Studies show that an informed leadership team significantly impacts a school's effectiveness and provides the necessary support for educators, administrators, students, and families. Ensuring a positive correlation between school leadership and success starts with advancing your leadership team; you...

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