Date(s):
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Time: 2:00pm ET
In partnership with 
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many areas of school operations, including enrollment contracts. What changes should schools make to existing contracts, and what should you include in future contracts? Caryn Pass, a Partner at Venable, will join us to answer your most pressing questions about enrollment and re-enrollment contracts.
Watch every ISM webinar run between March 1 and August 31, 2020 for only $880. Learn more.
Penny Abrahams, ISM Consultant; Amy Riley, ISM Consultant; and Caryn Pass, a Partner at Venable, will come together to answer questions related to enrollment management in this difficult time. Join us for answers to the following questions:
- Should schools add an addendum to their contracts for the 2020–21 school year that specifically mentions provisions for remote learning and force majeure? If so, are there implications for enrollment deposits that have already been paid?
- What specifically does force majeure protect?
- What language should be included in future contracts, specifically to help protect schools from tuition refund requests?
- Under what circumstances might a prorated refund be offered?
- Should specific language be included in contracts for schools with toddler or early childhood programs vs. grades 1–12?
Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask their own questions.
You will:
- explore the implications of remote and blended instruction on enrollment contracts;
- examine what changes you should make to your enrollment contracts; and
- discuss how your school’s unique structure may impact contractual considerations.
This webinar is great for:
School Heads, Enrollment Management leaders, Admission Directors, and Business Officers.
Caryn G. Pass
Partner, Venable LLP
Caryn Pass has a nationwide practice advising independent schools in virtually every type of legal matter. Caryn's philosophy is that effective legal counsel must be consistent with a school's culture. Accordingly, she immerses herself in her clients' operations, missions, and environments. Caryn takes a proactive approach when assisting schools.
By identifying problems before they arise and assisting with the creation of a sound foundation, she places schools in the best possible position to respond to legal challenges. Her goal is to craft practical solutions that comply with the law, while integrating the school's culture, goals, and practical limitations.
Independent schools interact with many constituencies, including students, parents, employees, trustees, donors, alumni, neighbors, and vendors. Caryn helps to navigate these relationships by establishing policies, procedures, strategies, and best practices that promote positive working and learning environments, while limiting potential liability exposure.
Caryn is uniquely positioned to assist her school clients with a wide range of legal issues. Her national practice, along with her diverse client base, allows her to track trends and provide schools with strategies in anticipation of the challenges ahead. Her clients include small and large schools; parochial and non-parochial schools; well-established schools with large endowments and newly established institutions; boarding and day schools; and single-sex and co-ed institutions.
Penny Abrahams, IAP-L
ISM Consultant | Virtual Advancement Summit Convener
Expertise
Penny first joined Independent School Management in 2010 as a member of the Advancement Academy’s founding faculty. As a Consultant, she specializes in marketing communications, enrollment management, and development. Her experience in these areas comes from working in private-independent schools for more than 13 years, and serving a variety of other non-profits for an additional seven years.
Her areas of expertise and passion include building enrollment management and marketing plans; developing mission-based messaging; crafting digital marketing and social media strategies; establishing crisis communications plans, and advising on optimal staffing structures and functions.
Current Role
As an Advancement Consultant and founding Advancement Academy Faculty member with ISM, Penny:
- consults in marketing communications and enrollment management planning, case statements, message frameworks, and development assessments
- conducts workshops and webinars focused on marketing communications and enrollment management best practices
- speaks at regional and national education conferences
- co-convenes ISM’s Advancement Academy for experienced school practitioners
- writes for ISM’s publications, including Ideas & Perspectives
She holds the Leader Certification through ISM’s International Advancement Program (IAP-L).
Prior Experience
Penny began her career in schools in 2001 at Ravenscroft, a PreK through grade 12 school in Raleigh, NC.
As the Annual Fund Director, she managed all aspects of the school’s annual giving program, overseeing a team of volunteers responsible for raising nearly $600,000. Penny later became Ravenscroft’s Director of Communications and was charged with building the school’s communications program from the ground up.
From 2013-17, Penny served as the Director of Admissions & Marketing at Academy at the Lakes, a PreK3 through grade 12 school located in Tampa, FL., where she helped the school reach record application and enrollment numbers.
Prior to her time in private-independent schools, Penny worked in publications and media relations for the University of Texas, the Memphis Center City Commission, and U.S. Synchronized Swimming.
Education
Penny graduated with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received her International Advancement Program—Leader certification in 2012.
Amy P. Riley, Ed.S., IAP-L
ISM Consultant
Expertise
Amy provides ongoing consulting and coaching in the areas of admission, enrollment management, marketing communications, constituent relations, customer/client service, and school culture.
Current Role
In addition to her consultation and coaching services, Amy's responsibilities at ISM also focus on:
- writing for ISM’s advisory letter Ideas & Perspectives, distributed to school leaders in almost 1,000 schools;
- leading marketing and enrollment management workshops and webinars; and
- offering ISM content, quick tips, and tools via LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter.
Amy has been a member of the ISM team since 2011, when she joined the faculty of ISM’s Advancement Academy. In 2013, she joined ISM as a full-time Consultant. She serves as Academic Dean of ISM’s International Advancement Certification Program and holds Leader (IAP-L) level certification in the program.
Prior Experience
Amy has served educational institutions for more than 15 years. She was an educator at the public secondary and post-secondary levels; acted as Director of Advancement, leading admission, marketing communications and development; and functioned as an enrollment management consultant and school culture coach for private-independent schools.
Amy has led workshops on behalf of CASE-NAIS, FCIS, NCAIS, AMS, ACIS, EMA, and AISGW.
She holds a number of K-12 education credentials:
- Educational leadership and secondary English education certification, with gifted education endorsement
- American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) High School Journalism Institute Fellow
Education
Amy earned an Ed.S in educational leadership, a master’s degree in English, and grades 6-12 teaching certification at the University of West Georgia. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Auburn University, AL.
If several of us at the school want to attend the webinar, do we each have to register and pay?
If two or more people at your school want to attend the webinar in the same location (for example, in a conference room with one monitor), then you only need to register and pay for one person who will receive the email and link. If you have people in remote locations, each person will need to register and pay separately. Essentially, a registration and payment gives you one link to the webinar.
Will I receive a reminder about the webinar I’ve just purchased?
Yes. A message will be sent to the email address you registered one or two days before the run date. You will receive a link to the webinar as well as PDF slides of the presentation you will be attending.
What happens if I miss my webinar? Will the fee be refunded?
If you’ve missed your scheduled webinar, don’t panic—you will automatically receive a link to the recorded webinar, barring any technical difficulties that prevent us from recording the session.
Will I receive a recorded version of the webinar after it concludes?
Yes, a recording of your webinar will be sent 24–48 hours after the recording concludes.
What if I have questions about the presentation? Whom do I contact?
You will be able to type questions, thoughts, and concerns in the communication box throughout the webinar. Each webinar allows 15 minutes for answering questions.
Confirmation and Cancellation Policy
We will correspond with you through email as soon as your workshop is confirmed, no later than two weeks prior to its start date. Occasionally, we may be forced to cancel an unconfirmed, scheduled workshop due to insufficient registration. So we ask that you do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until you receive notice that your workshop is confirmed. (ISM will not be responsible for any change/cancellation charges assessed by your airline or travel agent.)
Tuition Payment and Cancellation Policy for In-Person, Group-based Programs
Tuition must be paid in full 10 business days prior to the start date of the in-person, group-based program. An attendee with a balance due on the start date will be denied entrance to the program until the balance is paid in full.
Cancellation requests must be made in writing by emailing workshops@isminc.com, faxing to 302-656-0647, or mailing to: Professional Development Coordinator, ISM, 2207 Concord Pike, #417 Wilmington, DE 19803.
- Cancellations received more than 15 business days prior to the start date of the program will be fully refunded. Gold Dollars will also be fully refunded.
- There will be no refunds for cancellations made less than 15 business days before the start of the program. For registrations paid for with membership Gold Dollars, the member school will receive a 50% refund of Gold Dollars.
- Non-payment of tuition or no-show to the event does not constitute a cancellation. Full tuition will be due and payable.
The Substitution Option and Wallet Option
Should an attendee need to cancel less than 15 days prior to the start date of the workshop, the school has two options to avoid penalty. Schools may also exercise these options at anytime for cancellations.
- The school may substitute another employee.
- The school may bank the funds for a future ISM registration. These funds must be applied to a professional development event within one year from the start date of the original workshop. After one year, the funds will be forfeited. To use banked funds, please call the Professional Development Coordinator at 302-656-4944 x152.
*We DO NOT accept enrollments from consultants.
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ISM believes in providing quality and excellence in all of our events and in ensuring the satisfaction of everyone who attends. Nearly 100% of our participants say they would recommend our events to their colleagues. If you are not satisfied with your event for any reason, ISM will credit the fee you paid toward another similarly priced workshop or will refund it.
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4/29/2025 — 4/30/2025
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