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- And so much more.
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See the articles from our latest issue of Ideas & Perspectives.
The Board's Proper Role in Ensuring Programmatic Excellence
Volume 32 No. 8 // July 1, 2007
ISM Consultants occasionally encounter Board members who strongly believe their main task is to be actively involved in ensuring the excellence of their school’s academic programs. Though often few in number, these well-meaning but misdirected Trustees can divert the Board from attending to its appropriate, strategic tasks and distract the Head from the major task of providing mission-appropriate programmatic excellence.
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The Changing Paradigm for Professional Development
Volume 32 No. 8 // July 1, 2007
Since its landmark research on the factors associated with student and faculty performance, ISM has published extensively on the topic of professional development and faculty evaluation in private-independent schools. High-functioning schools possess a faculty culture rooted in a collective commitment to career-long professional growth. These schools are adept at responding to both evolving student needs and changes in the characteristics of independent school faculties.
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The 2006 Business Manager Survey: Work Environment
Volume 32 No. 8 // July 1, 2007
The School Head must be fully aware of the stress under which the Business Manager functions. This stress may be the result of the confluence of several factors--the diversity and complexity of the tasks and responsibilities assigned to the Business Office, the number of people who report directly to the Business Manager, and the various school constituents that the Business Manager is called upon to interact with daily. Demonstrating an understanding of this complex role is critical to retaining this key Management Team member.
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When Urban Sprawl Threatens Your Country Day School
Volume 32 No. 7 // June 6, 2007
In recent years, as I’ve consulted with schools around the country, I’ve noticed that, as the population grows and cities push their boundaries, schools that were once “country” schools now find they have neighbors. Those schools that still have more acreage than they need appear prescient. Unfortunately, most schools quickly find themselves landlocked on a campus that doesn’t meet their projected needs.
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Your Management Team's Mission Statement
Volume 32 No. 7 // June 6, 2007
The Board has just carried out an exercise to examine and restate your school mission. This statement clearly and unambiguously answers the question: Why does our school exist? In the example we will develop in this article, Aegis Academy (I&P’s fictional coed, K-12 day school) has created the following statement.
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Strategic Planning, Leadership and Your Next Head Search
Volume 32 No. 7 // June 6, 2007
When it comes time for your next School Head search, let your strategic plan and ISM's leadership studies’ findings take some of the stress out of the process. Using these allows the Board to create a list of School Head skills, experiences, and characteristics based on (a) institutional goals and needs and (b) Head-specific research outcomes. These provide your blueprint for the position description for your new Head.
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Why Getting a Quick, Large Gift May be a Campaign False Start
Volume 32 No. 6 // May 12, 2007
Aegis Academy, I&P’s fictional coed, K-12 day school, has carefully prepared for a capital campaign. The school has been successfully cultivating donors for years. The Board’s feasibility study advised a $20 million goal. The top donors have been identified and it is estimated that the top gift will come in at 20% of the campaign total, $4 million.
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How Much Time is Enough?
Volume 32 No. 5 // April 14, 2007
The relationship between time and student achievement is once again being examined. A recent publication, On the Clock: Rethinking the Way Schools Use Time by Elena Silva of Education Sector, funded by The Broad Foundation, notes that the "addition and improvement of the use of time was at the top of the list of recommendations in a report, Getting Smart, Becoming Fairer." Various proposals are now under consideration in public and private education to either lengthen the school day and/or the school year. Quite apart from the practical implications of such a move, what are the research findings?
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The 2006 Business Manager Survey: Salaries
Volume 32 No. 5 // April 14, 2007
ISM recently surveyed Business Managers about their salaries and their working environments. We randomly selected 597 Business Managers from our I&P subscribers; 224 responded.1 This article examines Business Managers' salaries and implicaitons for recruitment and retention; a subsequent article will focus on Business Mangers' responsibilities and work conditions. There are no mandatory rules for a School Head when determining the appropriate compensation for a Business Manager. Factors that might impact salary include type of prior experience, special skills, the responsibilities assigned, the complexity of the school operation, the Business Manager’s number of direct reports, and the conditions endemic to the school or your locale. Also, be aware of the salaries offered for similar positions in comparable schools, other nonprofit agencies, and employers in the public sector for persons with that skill set, e.g., accountants.
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Key Elements in Your Search for a Business Manager
Volume 32 No. 5 // April 14, 2007
School Heads should determine the compensation package that will recruit and retain the best Business Manager possible. Having the right person in this position, one who is capable of covering multifaceted tasks that call for different skills (finance, human resources, facilities management), is crucial in providing the School Head with the support needed.
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