The 20th Century School treats learning in the same way an automobile manufacturer treats making cars. Every student (worker) is assigned particular times (clocking in) and places (workstations) where his/her teachers (supervisors) deliver common curricula (assembly lines) to meet commonly agreed standards (quality control). Teachers who attempt to make the “system” more humane and effective for students are in danger of stunting their careers and being considered troublemakers. Vaunted ideals of life-long learning, independence, and creativity so prized in students (at least in theory), are not as valued in teachers for whom conformity is a critical norm.

All too often, schools plan community service programs thinking – rightly or wrongly – that everyone in the community is anxiously awaiting the generous services of their students. As Head, you kick off your school’s program each year by enthusiastically convincing the students and their parents that community service is a worthwhile endeavor and deserves everyone’s time and utmost attention. The Community Service Coordinator develops mission-driven guidelines and establishes requirements for the program. Forms are prepared for students to have signed, verifying that they have performed the requisite number of hours in meaningful ways.

When community service and service learning are an integral part of life at a school, children come to understand that their help makes a difference. Further, they appreciate that service must be a lifelong commitment. The following article is one in a continuing series on developing your school’s community service and service learning program.

Substitute teachers are essential – and good ones are difficult to find. Over the years, you, as Head, have assembled a key group of talented, reliable substitute teachers. They are the first people called because of their expertise, their teaching skills, and their knowledge of and support for your school. Similarly, your school may be their first choice for work assignments. However, as your programs change or your teachers learn and apply the latest pedagogy, these substitutes may begin to feel out of place in your faculty culture. Consider offering annual orientation and professional development to your core group of substitutes so that they, like your regular faculty members, can maintain excellence in the classroom.

ISM recently conducted its second annual nationwide survey of parents of children attending private-independent schools. Again this year, the survey was designed to address school concerns about the current economic situation and the effect it might have on re-enrollment. A total of 11,385 people responded; last year, there were 13,291 responses.

As the administrator in charge of the high school schedule, you have a moral responsibility. The schedule is not a neutral instrument, but one that dictates and sanctions the lives of children. Think about the way in which your students are living in your school—particularly the driven students.

ISM recently surveyed a random sample of 450 I&P subscriber schools to gather information about compensation for full-time faculty. The 194 responding schools answered questions concerning teacher salaries, selected benefits, and hiring. The preceding issue showed implications of the salary data; this article focuses on non-salary benefits.

The most distinctive difference between students’ educational experiences in most private-independent schools and those of students in their strongest public school competitors is the level of personalized attention they receive—attention guided by the multiple human values embodied in school mission. In lower schools, this kind of attention is fostered by relatively low student-to-teacher ratios, often in self-contained classrooms. In middle and upper divisions, the advisory program is the primary “delivery system.” The most significant, programmatic difference-maker in serving private-independent schools’ strategic interests—in both fulfillment of mission and development of competitive advantage—is the vigor, authenticity, and professionalism of their advisory programs.