The Department Chair must balance the roles of leader and colleague. When it comes to academics, they should be part of creating and implementing the school’s strategic academic plan.

The right schedule helps you deliver your mission with excellence. It should be supremely student-centered—that means, it best supports student learning, not what adults in the school may want.

Culture is a cornerstone of how your school functions. Without a healthy school culture, teachers aren’t able to give their best to their students, students don’t feel supported in their learning experience, and parents aren’t satisfied with the education that your school offers. It’s a recipe for disaster.

If you find that your school culture isn’t adequately supporting your students, faculty, and families, all is not lost. You can shift a culture from toxic to healthy. It might not be easy, but it will absolutely be worthwhile.

An exemplary advisory program sets your school apart. This program provides school leaders with the valuable opportunity to work one-on-one with students, providing individualized support and guidance to help them achieve success.

Your school’s advisory program will be unique, based on the needs of your students, schedule, and resources. You’ll need to define how often advisors meet with students (and whether parents are involved), the topics open to discussion, and how this program fits into your school’s overall student offerings.

There is no “right” length of time for classes at your school—and in fact, class times vary greatly even at schools of similar grade levels and pedagogies.

Many Division Heads begin their careers as teachers, and would like to maintain a presence in the classroom even after moving into an administrative position. But does that make sense?

Strategic academic planning is a complex subject with no simple answers. Your school must construct your academic offerings in a way that best supports your mission, while also doing what’s best for your students. Consider these three dimensions of strategic academic planning as you continue to evaluate what makes sense for your school.

Many schools form disciplinary and honor committees to help resolve behavior-based student issues. If mission-appropriate, some schools choose to include students on these committees to ensure students feel heard and are involved in the process.