Every private-independent school has a mission statement. It is the creed by which the school operates. It generally stands, unless there are major changes in school structure or raison d’être. ISM has consistently said that “there should be no higher priority for Trustees and School Heads than the careful development of mission and philosophy statements, with an emphasis on continual reference and responsiveness to these two documents.”

The National Center for Education Statistics has just released the report The High School Transcript Study: A Decade of Change in Curricula and Achievement, 1990-2000, which examines the “trends and changes in high school curriculum and student coursetaking patterns for the past decade.” The study included public and non-public schools. The findings are of particular interest when scrutinizing the contention that private schools provide a superior academic education when compared to public schools.

“The core theme of K-12 education in this century should be straightforward: high standards with an unwavering commitment to individuality.” – Mel Levine, M.D., “Celebrating Diverse Minds” Educational Leadership, October 2003

When discussing ways to enhance faculty recruitment and retention, do you include the condition of your school facilities in your considerations? As Head, if you’ve noticed teachers complaining about their classroom space, noise levels, air quality, lighting, and other facility inadequacies, this may be a red flag indicating deeper problems.

During the Obama administration’s first 100 days in office, several initiatives became law that have had an impact on private-independent schools. One bill of interest to employers, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), appears likely to come before Congress this summer but has received little attention in the private school community. As EFCA may significantly impact the way school employees and administrators interact, this article highlights the main features of the bill, considers key ramifications, and recommends ways to positively reinforce elements of your school culture that could be affected by EFCA.

Among the unsettling findings in ISM’s recent 37-school survey was this one: Less than 61% of the parents surveyed agreed that “The school rewards and recognizes excellence in its faculty.” 1 Only 24.44% “strongly” agreed. As School Head, consider your own situation. How would your own parent body be likely to respond to that item?

ISM's Student Culture Profile has been in use for four years. Designed for use with middle and upper school students, the instrument can serve a useful purpose in your efforts, as School Head, to monitor the extent to which your student culture conforms to your school's core purposes and outcomes.

In extraordinary times, leaders need to employ extraordinary insight. There is no school that we know of that is not contemplating or undergoing considerable change, and some of the change is negative—letting faculty go, eliminating raises, reducing or cutting programs and support services, increasing work loads.

In difficult economic times, schools with declining enrollments or other financial pressures may feel the need to downsize their faculty and staff. ISM cautions schools to carefully consider the significant negative impact that downsizing can have on a school’s culture. When downsizing cannot be avoided, however, it is vital that a school conduct this process in a way that is legally compliant, doesn’t provoke discrimination claims, and attempts to minimize the negative cultural aspects as much as possible.

For schools that have frozen salaries for the upcoming school year (i.e., have awarded increases of 0%–2%), a system of Revenue-Performance Bonuses (RPBs) may be worth consideration.