Virtual & Onsite Consulting Services


Ensure that your school’s governance and operations support your mission.
We work together with your leaders, teachers, staff members, and students to understand your school’s unique needs, strengths, and challenges. We help you create a plan to help you meet your goals.
Your team can then put these mission-appropriate recommendations into action to achieve increased cash reserves, higher enrollment levels, and long-term stability. At the end of the day, we all have a singular purpose—advance school leadership to enrich the student experience.
We offer personalized consultations for many leadership divisions of a private school—the Board of Trustees, School Heads, the Business Office, the Development Office, Enrollment Management professionals, Marketing professionals, and Academic leaders. Select the area of school leadership you’d like to further explore.

ISM’s Consulting Services can be conducted virtually, ensuring you get the support you need, no matter the circumstances. Learn more by contacting our School Success team.
Our Consulting Services
School Head
Whether you want to ensure that all school functions run at peak efficiency or are considering implementing new strategies and initiatives, lean on a trusted source of knowledge to increase the likelihood of long-term success.
Business & Operations
Take advantage of a full range of planning, facilities, and operations consulting services that give your school a solid footing for the future. Examine where your key operations work well, and where they can use improvement.
Academic Leadership
Your programs set your school apart. Explore how to create and build programs that pull families in and give them an experience they couldn’t have at another private-independent school.
Admission & Enrollment Management
ISM’s data-informed approach pinpoints what attracts families to your school and inspires them to stay. Receive customized solutions based on your school’s unique marketplace stance, challenges, and opportunities.
Fundraising & Development
Learn how to develop successful strategies to engage and bring donors closer to your institution. No matter your school size, history, or pedagogy, explore how to plan, implement, and evaluate your fundraising strategies to realize your full potential.
Marketing Communications
Explore how to share exceptional stories of student learning, engagement, and outcomes, and illustrate how these can become differentiators that distinguish your school from your competitors.
Board of Trustees
The Board must focus its efforts on governing, planning, and financing your school's future, while leaving everyday decisions to competent administrators. To do that successfully, your Board must think, plan, and act strategically.
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One-on-One Coaching for New Heads
Work with an ISM Consultant in your first years of Headship to set you on a path to success.
•Data-Driven Diagnostics •
• Coaching •
• Customized Support •
Help Your School Thrive
ISM members receive access to exclusive, research-based strategies for every leadership division of your school. Take advantage of guidance, savings, and much more.
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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
Managing Stress 102
Business and Operations // November 9, 2010
In our last issue, we published an article about managing stress, Managing Stress 101. At the conclusion of that article, we promised readers we would follow up with some stress-management strategies after giving them time to reflect on elements in their daily lives that may trigger symptoms. If you were one of the readers who, in fact, did begin a stress journal, and who pinpointed some stressors in your daily routine, as promised here are some management tools that may help you as you continue to de-stress your life.
Read MoreControversial Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policies
Business and Operations // November 9, 2010
Anoka-Hennepin, the largest school district in Minnesota, has been the center of a national spotlight over gay bullying and harassment issues. Seven students—five from the school district and two from affiliated area schools—committed suicide in the past year. Of those seven, activists said four were harassed because of their sexual orientation. School Board Chairman, Tom Heidemann, said Board members will not address the district's controversial policies. “They believe the policy is fine as it is now,” said Superintendent Dennis Carlson.
Read MoreMake a Merit-Based Pay System Work for Your School
School Heads // November 8, 2010
Schools nationwide are starting to question the way they hire and evaluate faculty. Seniority is becoming less important, which could be terrible news for teachers that use their tenure—not their teaching skills—as leverage. Today, more and more schools are not necessarily looking for teachers with the most experience, but teachers that can prove their commitment to the students, the mission of the school, and their positive contributions to the overall faculty culture.
Read MoreWellness Programs in Private-Independent Schools
Business and Operations // October 27, 2010
Perhaps the two most obvious risk management benefits of implementing a wellness program are improved health of faculty and staff and, over time, the potential for reduced cost of health care (premiums paid by the school) since these are influenced by claims submitted by the school.
Read MoreNew Student Addiction—Caffeine Drinks
Private School News // October 26, 2010
Many of us rely on caffeine to pick us up in the morning—perhaps even again in the afternoon—and don’t stop to think that it could be bad for our bodies. Don’t worry. Caffeine in moderation (about 18oz a day) is perfectly fine for the average person. When it becomes scary is when it is combined with alcohol.
Read MoreStudent Sport Injuries on the Rise
Private School News // October 26, 2010
Overuse sport injuries are on the rise for high school students. Whereas it used to be students would play several different sports over the course of a school year, now they’re concentrating their energies on their sport of choice and increasing their risks for injury.
Read MoreBuying Recycled Computers Can Stretch Your Budget
Private School News // October 26, 2010
Technology moves at a speed seemingly far faster than most of us can keep up with. As soon as you purchase a new computer and walk out of the store (or take it off the delivery truck) it’s obsolete. And, when you’re looking to replace all the computers in your classrooms so they can handle new server upgrades (have you heard Microsoft is finally releasing a new operating system—whooo-hooo!) it can make a huge dent in your already tight budget. Well, cheers to Eastern Lancaster County School District for thinking green—and smart.
Read MoreA Fresh Look At Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Editorial Blog)
Private School News // October 26, 2010
From time to time I go to lunch with our HR Consultant, Michael Brisciana, just to catch up with what’s new on the Association tour, in the consulting world of ISM, and in life. Nothing fancy. Just your basic colleague lunch that is always a welcome break from my typical eat-at-the-desk routine. The last time we ventured into the square together, Michael mentioned Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model. At the time, I couldn’t recall ever hearing anything about it, but after he handed me a printed article later that day, I started to remember the long lectures and opinionated conversations from my required college psychology courses years ago. A few days later, Michael e-mailed me an article by Chip Conley that took Maslow’s theory and applied it to the business world. For about a month now, I have played around with different ideas on how to relay this information to you—our ISM’s e-Letter readers. Well, after several rough drafts that ended up in my recycle bin in tightly balled wads of paper, I think I’ve finally found a way to translate the information—I’m just going to write what I personally have taken away from this. This is certainly not going to be hard-hitting journalism or profound ISM theory, but if I can get this approved by the powers higher than me, I think you’re in for an interesting read.
Read MoreIs Paid Maternity Leave Illegal?
Business and Operations // October 25, 2010
We’ve received several questions recently concerning maternity leave policies. On the one hand, some have questioned whether such policies violate anti-discrimination laws. On the other hand, other schools have wondered how to coordinate paid maternity leave with their existing short-term disability (STD) insurance policies. We’ll try to address both issues here.
Read MoreBullying Isn't the Only Factor in Teen Suicides
Advancement // October 25, 2010
“Keep in mind 33,000 of our fellow Americans are dead this year from suicide. Very few of them were bullied,” said Thomas Joiner, a clinical psychologist and Florida State University suicide researcher. As part of the Admission Office, your duties may also involve communicating with parents. What could a parent care about more than the safety of their child? With a few recent suicide stories circulating in the news, chances are at least one parent has voiced their concerns about your school’s bullying policies, and many have thought about it. But, besides including your school’s policy in the next parent newsletter, what more can you share with them? Well, read on.
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