Supporting Students With Learning Differences in Independent Schools

Independent schools are uniquely positioned to support students with learning differences, thanks to small class sizes, close-knit communities, and flexible approaches to education. This webinar is designed for administrators, learning specialists, and support staff in independent schools who want to strengthen their ability to serve students with diverse learning needs.

Why It’s Time to Upgrade Your Financial Aid Process

Your financial aid process can either support your enrollment goals or stand in the way of them. Today’s families expect an intuitive and transparent application experience — and if your process feels outdated, confusing, or inconsistent, you risk losing qualified applicants.

Learn how to assess your current financial aid workflows, uncover hidden friction points, and move toward a more efficient, and family-friendly experience.

Active Assailant Insurance: Protecting Schools from Emerging Threats

In today’s evolving threat landscape, private-independent schools face the growing and deeply concerning risk of active assailant incidents. These events not only pose an immediate danger to students, faculty, and staff but also leave lasting emotional, financial, and operational impacts on the entire school community. Unfortunately, many schools remain unprepared for the full scope of these crises — from immediate response to long-term recovery.

It’s Time: Let Go of Your Outdated Middle and Upper School Schedules

One of the most underestimated factors that influence a school’s success is the school’s schedule (or “timetable”). To maximize their development, performance, and future readiness, your students need a schedule that supports their well-being and takes into account the best research on how they learn. Your schedules should also facilitate your unique programming and experiences — the factors that differentiate your school from competitors.

Nevertheless, many middle and upper schools continue to have schedules that include characteristics that are best avoided:

Setting a Data-Driven Annual Fund Goal: Key Metrics for Success

As your school’s development director, you know that setting the right annual fund goal is critical to your program. Despite that, at some schools, the annual fund goal is set by the board and school head to “fund the gap” between expenses and expected income. But this is not the right way to establish the goal for an annual fund. Instead, use accurate data from past fundraising successes to set a challenging but achievable goal.

What not to do

Include “Loose Periods” in Your Middle and Upper School Schedules

ISM research has repeatedly shown that a strong sense of community is a differentiator when students and parents are choosing a school or choosing to remain at a school. In middle and upper school, this sense of community is fostered during assembly, advisory, and activity programs.

Furthermore, having access to daily extra help is essential in providing support to your students — especially middle school students, who benefit from a daily study hall.

From Enrollment to Engagement: Onboarding Your New Families

Retaining families is “enrollment critical.” It’s never too early to start re-recruiting your new parents and students with a transition to your school community that is positive and mission-centered. As families juggle the demands of daily life, school leaders must be increasingly creative and thoughtful in providing new families with the information and connections necessary to establish a strong, productive partnership with the school based on shared values.

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