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What are the latest trends impacting private-independent school enrollment? How can you be the most effective in your role as an administrator? How can you help your school meet its mission and best serve your students?
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We cover such topics as how to communicate with your constituencies, work with your fellow school leaders, leverage new technology trends, utilize recommended reading and resources, implement new strategies—all to better serve your school's mission.
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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
Strengthen Your Advisory Program to Alleviate Student Stress and Depression
Board of Trustees // April 25, 2019
A recent report, published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, documents the escalating mental-health issues among teens and young adults over the past decade.
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Department Chairs: Private School Leaders, Coaches, and Mentors
Academic Leadership // April 21, 2019
The Department Chair must balance the roles of leader and colleague. When it comes to academics, they should be part of creating and implementing the school’s strategic academic plan.
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Is Your Schedule Student-Centered?
Academic Leadership // April 19, 2019
The right schedule helps you deliver your mission with excellence. It should be supremely student-centered—that means, it best supports student learning, not what adults in the school may want.
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How to Create a Framework That Aligns Your Marketing Messages
Advancement // April 16, 2019
Your school ambassadors must be on the same page when it comes to marketing and messaging. Alignment about the education that your school provides—and what makes your school different from its competitors—strengthens everyone’s efforts.
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Are Open Houses Effective for Private School Admission?
Advancement // April 15, 2019
The world is changing, and private school admission is changing right along with it. Parents and students want different things when it comes to their commitment to education, and it’s up to Admission Directors to illustrate the value their schools provide.
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Do Not Accept Philanthropic Gifts From Applicant Parents
Advancement // April 14, 2019
It is always improper to accept a philanthropic gift from an applicant family prior to the student’s acceptance and subsequent enrollment in the school.
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Who Is Ultimately Responsible for Hiring (and Firing) Decisions
Business and Operations // April 9, 2019
Private-independent school cultures vary greatly, and some leaders wonder who has the “final say” when it comes to termination decisions.
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Have You Considered Merit Pay for Your Faculty?
School Heads // April 2, 2019
How your school compensates its teachers can be one of the trickiest issues to face as a Head. You want every teacher to feel that he or she is paid fairly for work performed, while abiding by your strategic financial plan and protecting the school’s long-term viability. Some members of the private school community have questioned whether merit pay makes sense as a faculty compensation structure for their school.
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Admission and Ethics: A Head’s Perspective
School Heads // April 1, 2019
It's a careful balance between managing parental expectations and donor relationships—all while focusing on providing the best mission-appropriate education for your students. We sat down with a School Head who navigates these channels each day to hear his perspectives on today’s pressure to succeed.
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Action Minutes Make Sure Good Ideas Do Not Get Away
Board of Trustees // March 28, 2019
Think of the expertise that’s in the room every time your Board of Trustees meets. What a tremendous resource—and here’s the opportunity to tap it. Still, you’ve noticed that great ideas and suggestions can slip away. They pop up during a discussion, but that information doesn’t get captured in the standard Board minutes.
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