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.

Soon after the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), I&P recommended that private-independent schools adopt the “principles embodied in SOX” as “guidelines for schools to use in ensuring that their management of financial affairs instills confidence.” Private-independent schools, acting as nonprofit institutions, are not required to observe most of the regulations found in SOX. However, there are two regulations they must follow.

Recently in I&P, we recommended that schools refine or develop three Purpose and Outcome Statements: the school’s mission (more likely a review and refinement), the Portrait of the Graduate, and the Characteristics of Professional Excellence for faculty. While each one has its place in guiding the school’s day-to-day educational activities, they can also be used to clearly differentiate the school from its competition. The three statements and how they are fulfilled provide an excellent opportunity for the school to describe its distinguishing characteristics for its constituencies (internal and external).

The number of student discipline-related lawsuits against private-independent schools has been increasing over the past several years. Such actions can be with or without merit. The former may lead to a huge monetary loss at a time when schools can least afford it; the latter can lead to loss of reputation and negatively impact your ability to recruit and retain students (and coincidentally, teachers). A thorough review of the manner in which you handle disciplinary situations can possibly save you a great deal of time, money, and prestige.