Stay current with the latest private-independent school news.
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?
Sign up to receive Community Corner, a free newsletter from ISM.
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.
Join more than 30,000 private-independent school administrators and have Community Corner delivered right to your inbox.
Search
See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
Must Tuition Outpace Inflation?
Board of Trustees // October 21, 2014
Boards often confront the issue of sustainability of private-independent schools, now and in the future. One common concern is that private school tuitions have historically outpaced inflation—a well-documented truth. The real question is whether this leads to the demise of private schools. To answer this question, we’ll need to explore several factors.
Read More
School Administrators at Board Meetings: Who, When, and Why
Board of Trustees // October 21, 2014
Should school administrators besides the School Head routinely—or ever—attend Board meetings? Are there times when the Board ought to meet without the School Head? Don’t allow these seemingly small questions to become issues of contention. Put the following guidelines, observations, and recommendations to work.
Read More
Is Your School Secure? Online Filters and Firewalls, Part Two
Academic Leadership // October 15, 2014
Last month, we talked about the different types of Internet filters available for school use and how they protect your students from dangerous hackers and disruptive websites. However, as powerful as these programs are, tech-savvy students—or even teachers!—can undermine your system. This month, we’ll turn our vision inward to examine security breaches from behind school walls.
Read More
Dealing With Emotional Outbursts in the Classroom
Academic Leadership // October 15, 2014
In July 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported a lawsuit between a private school and a parent over the school’s treatment of its students during a time of emotional turmoil. What was the initial issue that sparked the litigious chain of events? A student’s inappropriate behavior during a classroom exam. Emotional outbursts can surprise and intimidate teachers unprepared to handle them—especially younger, inexperienced teachers. Let’s review how teachers could and should respond to students throwing hissy fits.
Read More
The Pros and Cons of Payment Methods
Advancement // October 13, 2014
There are dozens of ways for donors to make their financial contributions to your capital campaign or annual fund, and each has advantages and disadvantages. With your time at a premium, you can’t evaluate them all. To help you decide what method works and which wastes your resources, we've compiled this pro-con list of three common methods of payment.
Read More
Advertising Your Local Business Supporters
Advancement // October 13, 2014
Does telling people which vendors or donors have contributed to your school—financially or otherwise—constitute advertising? To answer that question, let’s play a game of “What If” this month. “What if” your private school has a spectacular after-school athletics program, made possible through community partnerships with local gyms and other vendors. Let's also pretend that your private school has a policy that forbids advertising of parent (read: local) businesses in its various publications and newsletters. Would partnering with these vendors break that policy?
Read More
Stories, Not Statistics: Lessons From the “I Am a Warrior” Campaign
Advancement // October 9, 2014
We recently featured Valley Christian School’s “I Am a Warrior” campaign in our Private School News e-Letter. The school's campaign garnered several national awards and received great community response, with a 20% jump in enrollment over the two years since the campaign began. Marketing Director Kim Ellefsen attributes much of the campaign’s success to her fantastic school and the support of her school’s program leaders, but the campaign itself is quite remarkable. So let’s take a look at how Valley Christian’s campaign succeeded—and apply the lessons at your school.
Read More
Open House Tips and Tricks
Advancement // October 9, 2014
October heralds open house season. Just as every school is different, no two schools run open houses in exactly the same way. Here are some insights gleaned from the open house veterans on our Admission Director e-List!
Read More
An App a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Business and Operations // October 3, 2014
OK, OK, of course we know technology has yet to hand us an app that is as resourceful or as accurate as our doctors are. Regardless of the reports that tie health benefits to apps, online trends, and social media usage, the original cliché we stole our title from is still by far your healthiest choice—the classic apple. It’s no secret, the key to good health is in the fuel you feed your body. So, keep those apples in your lunch pails! However, technology has handed us some crafty gadgets—97,000 at last count—that not only complement our healthy diets, but also work to keep us in line when we try to wander past the gym and into the local bakery. Here are a few suggestion-worthy apps to pass along to your health-committed faculty and staff as part of your Wellness Initiative.
Read More
Ask ISM’s Risk Management Expert
Business and Operations // October 3, 2014
Q: Do you have any suggestions for a process for student and employees to report concerns or misdeeds?
Read More