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See the articles from our latest issue of Ideas & Perspectives.
New Federal Rules Spur Need to Review Email and Internet Policies
Volume 32 No. 2 // February 10, 2007
In December 2006, new federal rules went into effect concerning the sharing of electronic documents during the discovery phase of litigation. In brief, the rules require parties involved in federal lawsuits to produce “electronically stored information” prior to trial. While sharing of electronic documents prior to trial has become commonplace in recent years, the new rules codify the practice, as well as require that the documents be provided in a timely and efficient manner.
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Board Service: A Sample Written Commitment
Volume 32 No. 2 // February 10, 2007
Consistent with the implications of five ISM Stability Markers’™ collective emphasis upon the nature and importance of forming and maintaining a “strategic” Board of Trustees, ISM here offers a recommended sample form and process for use with new (and veteran) Trustees. This form is designed to go beyond the obvious “pledge and promise” implied by its title. It is designed to educate every Trustee equally regarding the nature of his or her acceptance of this volunteer role in your private-independent school. That being the case, ISM recommends that the Board President instruct the Committee on Trustees Chair to require a fresh signature from every Trustee, every year.
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The Board's Contract With the School Head: Solidify Expectations, Define Relationships
Volume 32 No. 1 // January 14, 2007
A reasonable contractual agreement between the Board and its sole employee, the School Head, encourages moderation, compromise, and perspective. While some feel contracts promote distrust, the opposite is true. The document, properly designed and implemented, will enhance the relationship between the Head and the Board by bringing clarity, focus, and mutual benefit to the most critical employment relationship of the school.
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An Annotated School Head Contract
Volume 32 No. 1 // January 14, 2007
This model has been prepared to fit contract renewal for an experienced Head, but it can be readily adapted for other circumstances. In the case of a newly employed Head, all terms that refer to continuance would not be used in the initial contract, nor would a school be likely to provide for a mini-sabbatical such as that specified in Promise 9. The model also provides for school housing (Promise 5) and a school vehicle (Promise 7)—both easily omitted. These types of agreements are, in general, governed by the laws of the state where the school is located. Because these laws may differ, it is important that you have your legal adviser review all contracts. This model contract is not considered copyrighted material. You are encouraged to copy this contract and adapt it to your school’s needs. Be sure to have your school’s lawyer review it and ensure it meets all state regulations.
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The Private-Independent School Headship: A Management and Leadership Xcellence Formulation
Volume 32 No. 1 // January 14, 2007
Consider the ISM X™ (The ISM Management and Leadership Xcellence Formulation). Designed to communicate a series of critical organizational, financial, and cultural principles, the ISM X also contains implicitly the outcomes of: ISM’s 2004-05 Head leadership studies, ISM’s 1989-95 student performance and faculty culture study, and the internal ISM studies that have resulted in three iterations of the ISM Stability Markers®, the latest being in 2006.
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The Development Quartet: The Core Leadership Team of the Comprehensive Development Model
Volume 31 No. 16 // December 28, 2006
A donor-centered approach to development focuses on relationship management—the process by which schools identify, cultivate, solicit, recognize, and steward donors and prospects to establish and nurture relationships and to raise funds and other resources. This approach puts new responsibility on those who are most accountable for defining and selling the school’s vision and strategic direction.
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Price, Product, Process: The Impact on Enrollment Demand
Volume 31 No. 16 // December 28, 2006
ISM has suggested that private-independent schools may be broadly categorized into those that are built upon (a) a price/value promise, (b) a product promise, or (c) a process promise. Few schools fall cleanly into just one of these, but ISM argues that, especially in preparation for your quadrennial strategic planning activity, it is crucial to know into which of these three categories your school predominantly fits.
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Power and Service: Tension in the Private-Independent School
Volume 31 No. 16 // December 28, 2006
When power is at the center of relationships in a school, the conversation has moved from “what is good for students” (the service paradigm), to “what is good for adults (or me)” (the power paradigm). In another context, ISM has suggested that schools seem to move inevitably toward adult-centeredness over time.
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Strategic Downsizing
Volume 31 No. 15 // November 22, 2006
In most of the strategic plans ISM facilitates in its work with private-independent schools, overall school enrollment is projected to remain flat for the six-year life span of the planning document. ISM’s stance is that, for enrollment growth to be shown by the plan, there must be solid evidence that the school can systematically increase its enrollment.
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Is 360-Degree Feedback Useful in Private-Independent Schools?
Volume 31 No. 15 // November 22, 2006
A review of evaluation literature—particularly in corporate practice—soon brings up the topic of 360° or multi-rater feedback. This evaluation process is increasingly being referenced among private-independent school educators. Teachers are being rated by their students; School Heads are being rated by their direct reports and by faculty; parents are being asked to give feedback concerning school personnel and Trustees. If such a process is being considered at your school, whether bought from a company or developed in-house as online surveys, it should be understood and used appropriately. A 360-degree process should be used for professional development purposes and might lead to performance objectives, but should not be used for evaluative purposes in and of itself.
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