In a 2006 issue of Ideas & Perspectives, ISM introduced the Purpose and Outcome Statements, a set of three complementary documents that include: ul { text-align: left; } ul { margin: 0px; } ul.dashed { list-style-type: none; } ul.dashed > li...

Nearly four decades ago, ISM began receiving feedback from client schools that their parents were becoming increasingly demanding and challenging. Fast forward to today and the calls and concerns from School Heads, academic administrators, and teachers are almost deafening. If parents had high ex...

As Chair of the Committee on Trustees, you coordinate the nomination of potential Trustees for open positions on your Board. When filling your annual slate of nominees, use the Board Profile derived from your strategic plan and strategic financial plan, and screen your nominees based on their e...

Prioritizing the development of Division Heads’ leadership skills must be an essential area of focus for all School Heads. Although there are situational differences, typically, Division Heads are charged with interfacing with families, managing parent and student concerns, supervising teachers,&nbs...

After a contentious Board meeting, the following may be a discussion between two Trustees in the school parking lot. “Why does the School Head keep bringing Leadership Team members to our meetings? It sure throws a wrench into our sessions. It just says to me the Head doesn’t know what’s going on...

Parents seek convenient services that maximize their time and minimize their stress. For many, getting their children to and from school is the most inconvenient aspect of life in a private school. If your school provides transportation options, you, as Marketing Communications Director, have a mark...

Hiring and keeping a talented School Head is one of the Board’s major responsibilities. But, frankly, most Boards only allocate time to Head succession when the School Head resigns and the urgent need to find the next leader is forced on them. Boards must understand that Head succession planning is ...

Periodically, a private-independent school faces the challenge of launching a search for a new School Head. While Boards comprise people who can define the search components and estimate the monetary costs, they may not consider the indirect “expenses” in personnel, time, and organizational dis...

School headship has always been challenging, but the proliferation of failed headships in private-independent schools during the past five years has illuminated the profound significance of the “match” between School Heads and schools (and their primary constituencies). One key Stability Marker (Sta...

Admission Offices face new challenges every year, from meeting enrollment targets to the pressure of balancing selectivity while expanding access to students and families with unique profiles. A well-run admission department should yield an incoming student class whose academic priorities and values...