The conversations about vaccines—benefits versus risks, conspiracies versus truths, personal rights versus public safety—are not new to private school leaders. Both sides of the debate have strong opinions and can be very vocal. Schools must make decisions reflective of their mission and culture to best protect their students, faculty, and staff.

Summer Institute is one of our biggest professional development events of the year, bringing over 350 private-school leaders from all over the world to learn and grow together. We hosted 27 workshops over four weeks in Minneapolis, MN, and Philadelphia, PA. From Board members to School Heads, Business and Advancement Officers, division and academic leaders, there was a learning opportunity for everyone. Today we’re sharing our recap of Summer Institute 2019.

Secondary traumatic stress (STS), sometimes known as compassion fatigue, is a condition that impacts people who work with others who have experienced trauma. Education leaders should be aware of this condition and explore ways to support faculty and staff as they work with children from all backgrounds.

Saint Mark's High School attended ISM's Summer Institute to transform its fundraising strategy. The school went from an approach that did not resonate with donors to meeting its goals and growing its donor pool by 10%.

If you’re experiencing a tough time or dealing with secondary traumatic stressors, it can be difficult to appreciate life's good moments. Bettering your mental health can make happiness easier to accept and improve your overall health. After all, the key to a healthy body is a healthy mind. There are simple ways to get back in touch with yourself and improve your mental state.

As we close out the final days of June, take a moment to congratulate yourself—you made it! Now as the summer months take hold, we have a few reading recommendations. Pick up these books to learn and grow so you’re ready to take on a fresh school year this fall.

When Trustees leave your Board—whether they rotate off or resign—the Committee on Trustees should interview them. Gathering this data can help you support future efforts to build the Board’s performance and effectiveness.

When a Board committee or Trustee is on the agenda to present a proposal to the Board, expect him or her to come thoroughly prepared. The following template helps in organizing a proposal presentation. Send formal proposals electronically or by mail to all Trustees a week before the meeting, to allow review of the ideas.

Many teachers feel evaluations are less about supporting effective teaching and more about fixing what is perceived to be wrong. These evaluations erode trust between administrators and teachers, because teachers often don’t feel supported—they feel judged.

The summer months are a perfect time for self reflection, level setting, and creating new goals. We have a few summer reading picks that are perfect for academic leaders. Read on for our 2019 recommendations for summer reads and resources.