In today’s evolving threat landscape, private-independent schools face the growing and deeply concerning risk of active assailant incidents. These events not only pose an immediate danger to students, faculty, and staff but also leave lasting emotional, financial, and operational impacts on the entire school community. Unfortunately, many schools remain unprepared for the full scope of these crises — from immediate response to long-term recovery.

For independent schools with small development teams, managing multiple fundraising initiatives can feel daunting. How do you balance annual giving, major gifts, and planned giving with limited staff and resources?

Employee benefits — along with a winning school culture — are a key component of attracting and retaining faculty and staff, ensuring long-term institutional success. Schools must balance financial sustainability with competitive offerings by designing benefits packages that meet employee needs while controlling costs. Schools must also pay attention to those factors that contribute to faculty and staff stress.

Running a small development office in a private-independent school comes with unique challenges and opportunities. With limited staff and resources, advancement professionals must be strategic, efficient, and mission-driven to maximize fundraising success.

This webinar will explore key strategies for prioritizing tasks, leveraging volunteers, engaging donors, and building a sustainable fundraising program — while wearing multiple hats. You’ll gain practical insights to help you streamline operations and increase impact.

In private-independent schools, upwards of 70% of the operating budget comes from tuition revenue. It is therefore critical that the admission and business offices work cooperatively to achieve their school’s enrollment and financial goals. Critical collaborative functions include setting tuition and budgets, establishing a financial aid strategy, and ensuring student retention.

Join ISM Consultants Terry Moore and Penny Abrahams as they share their expert advice for strengthening this key partnership to position schools for sustained success.

Private-independent schools thrive when marketing communications, enrollment management, and development operate as a cohesive advancement team rather than as isolated departments. Yet, too often, these functions work in silos, leading to missed opportunities for engagement and growth.

Many private-independent schools struggle to define the role of athletics within their educational missions, particularly as youth sports become increasingly professionalized. While athletic participation offers undeniable benefits — instilling discipline, teamwork, and resilience — sports may dominate resources, promotional messaging, and student life in ways that may not align with schools’ broader institutional goals. Join our panel as they discuss strategies for ensuring athletic programs support, rather than overshadow, a school’s mission.

By adopting a self-funded insurance model for your employee benefits, K–12 private-independent schools can achieve significant cost savings, gain greater control over risk management, and tailor their coverage to meet specific needs. However, successful implementation requires careful planning, including adherence to regulatory requirements, securing adequate financial reserves, and following best practices to ensure compliance and long-term stability.

Choosing the right employee benefit plan depends on factors like company size, risk tolerance, and financial stability. However, your chosen plan impacts your school’s budget and ability to attract and retain faculty and staff.

In this webinar, ISM Employee Benefits Account Managers Antoinette Goodman and Liz Schaeffer will break down the key differences between and implementation processes of fully insured, level-funded, and self-insured employee benefits plans.