What is the real job of the Academic Management Team (i.e., Deans, Division Heads, and Department Heads) at your school? It often seems that those who report to the Head of School have an overwhelming array of responsibilities. Job descriptions are diffuse and often end with the ubiquitous phrase (or assumption) “and other tasks as required.”

Professional development is essential to the stability and strength of your school, and ISM always recommends that schools have strong programs in place. It is one of the few areas in school operation where you can receive a maximum return for minimum expense. Professional development is the core element of ISM’s evaluation systems, Meaningful Faculty Evaluation™ and Strategic Management Evaluation™.

“Teachers rank second only to air traffic controllers in terms of stress.”   - Dr. Milbrey McLaughlin, cited in High Energy Teaching (ISM, 1993) Teachers have an avid interest in working with children and adolescents, and in helping them grow and mature in every aspect of their character. As teachers continue in their profession, however, evidence indicates many deteriorate rather than renew, or leave the profession rather than commit long term. An Education Week survey reveals that 20% of new teachers leave the classroom after three years, and 50% quit after five. Although their original motivation may not burn out, their ability to renew and revive often does.

ISM suggests that you, as Board President, think of strategic planning as a quadrennial activity. During the months prior to the day(s) on which you will gather your Board and Head (and, if appropriate, other senior administrators) for the planning event itself, data gathering is usually in order. For example, many Boards conduct a current parent survey in order to provide themselves with a sense of that constituent group’s strategic excitements, interests, and concerns, thereby widening the participation circle indirectly beyond that of the planners themselves. A similar survey of faculty/staff, young alumni, and former parents may be productive. Certainly, comparative data such as faculty salary and fringe benefit benchmarks will enhance the quality of the strategic planning process itself, as will a thoughtful self-scoring on ISM’s Stability Markers®.

Courtesy and professionalism are contagious, as are their opposites. As Head, you want to have a better grasp of how effectively your school’s non-instructional personnel display these qualities when dealing with your faculty members and with each other. After all, your employees will always tend to be on their best behavior when you are nearby.

In their recent book, Geeks and Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape Leaders, (Boston: Accenture LLP, 2002), Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas have isolated what they believe are the four essential characteristics that all leaders share. In the process the authors feel they have defined “how leaders come to be.” Their findings should be of great interest to you as a Head of School—the day-to-day leader.

As Director of College Counseling, you are responsible for providing one of the most critical services your school can offer. While parents set academic excellence and next-level placement as high priorities when they select your school, the college-bound teenager ideally makes the primary decisions when it comes to selecting a college. It is your job to help students find the institutions of higher education that best match their interests, needs, and abilities. What are the key avenues students use today to find appropriate colleges—and what can you do to ensure your program steers them in the right direction?

As Head of School, you know that middle and upper school parents want—and students need—programs and services that extend beyond “pure” academics. Your school derives a competitive advantage from its ability to provide benefits such as caring teachers, safe environment, leadership and social opportunities, and character education.  

As with most students, teachers tend to make good progress toward achieving their goals if they are provided with both system and reward. This can be especially true when the goals relate to technology—a professional development area that still lurks as ambiguous and uncertain in the minds of many faculty members and, as well, in curricular and instructional frameworks in otherwise taut academic administrations.

At many private-independent schools, scheduling and space issues continue to frustrate school administrators. Yet, many schools also dedicate time and money to maintaining their campus grounds—space that often lies vacant during much of the school day. Why not take advantage of this available space by creating outdoor classrooms and learning areas?