The Finance Committee must bring to its relationship with the Business Manager a perspective that is simultaneously supportive and critical. Ask hard questions. Supply relevant evidence.

ISM often finds that private-independent schools still underfund professional development (PD), perhaps unaware of its importance and thus downplaying it in the budget. As a Trustee, ensure that enough funding is allocated to professional development for all school employees. The difference could be a vibrant school culture, rather than one that’s simply “going through the motions.”

Many schools form disciplinary and honor committees to help resolve behavior-based student issues. If mission-appropriate, some schools choose to include students on these committees to ensure students feel heard and are involved in the process.

Strategic academic planning is a complex subject with no simple answers. Your school must construct your academic offerings in a way that best supports your mission, while also doing what’s best for your students. Consider these three dimensions of strategic academic planning as you continue to evaluate what makes sense for your school.

When you start a fundraising campaign that asks your community to support your school's long-term mission and vision, you want to know that you are going to be successful. This is where a campaign feasibility study comes in.

When your School Head announces his or her retirement, it requires careful planning by your Marketing Communications Office.

Creating the perfect admission packet for your school requires careful thought. After all, what works for the school down the street may not work for yours—your school’s admission packet must reflect your school’s unique culture, beliefs, and mission.

You should periodically check your school’s group long term disability (LTD) policy to ensure it’s best suited to serve your school’s employees. It can be overwhelming, so here are there places to start when checking your school’s LTD policy.

Many schools put tremendous effort into maintaining student records. However, there is sometimes less emphasis on maintaining and organizing proper employee records. It’s important to store your employee records appropriately for both organizational and audit purposes. Enstating a system that can be easily followed ensures current and future administrators can find the information he or she needs quickly, and helps protect your school from risk.

You’ve probably run into parents who consistently refuse to follow the guidelines your Leadership Team has set. So how do you handle this situation? You don’t want to penalize a student for a parent’s behavior. But ultimately it’s your role to protect the school's long-term viability —and that includes ensuring you support a mission-appropriate culture.