A recent report from EdChoice, The Private School Teacher Skills Gap: What K-12 Private School Educators Know and What They Need to Know, sheds some light on the deficiencies many private schools have when it comes to recruiting, nurturing, and retaining quality, mission-appropriate teachers.
9 "Failure Strategies" for Your Board of Trustees
As Board President, you are always concerned with the Board’s success and its governance of your school. With this in mind, consider the following nine strategies that are likely to lead your school to failure.
Three Basic Questions About the Planning Document to Expect From Head Candidates
Before applying for an open Headship, most candidates familiarize themselves with a prospective school’s history and general prospects. They typically review various advancement and marketing materials, the website, and social media efforts. They may even seek constituents’ viewpoints on issues, goals, and opportunities that may impact the next headship.
Why Funding for Professional Development in Technology Is Critical
ISM has long recommended that schools set aside funding for professional development of teachers, and this starts with the Board during the strategic planning and strategic financial planning process.
Preserving Your School’s Facilities: The Impact of Deferred Maintenance
Consider all the buildings on your school’s campus. Is deferred maintenance—the practice of delaying building repairs—slowly and silently destroying your facilities?
Your Good-Case Scenario Document
Previous Ideas & Perspectives articles have encouraged you, as School Head or Board President, to oversee creating a weak-case scenario document. This contingency document would serve as a safeguard against an unexpected shortfall in hard income that would make your strategic financial plan difficult to execute.
The Weak-Case Scenario Document
In conducting strategic financial planning onsite at client schools, ISM routinely recommends, that you, as School Head or Board President, oversee preparing a “weak-case scenario,” usually in Year One of the new plan. This is a simple, confidential, often three-page document that prioritizes operating expense reductions in the event that strategic plan revenue projections fall short of expectations.
When Should the Business Manager and Development Director Attend Board Meetings?
The School Head should always attend Board meetings. But what about other key school administrators?
When the Outgoing Head Stays in the Community
A Head who leaves your school and takes a position elsewhere is the most common scenario, but not the only one. Be wary of the situation created by the chief administrator who leaves the school but remains in the community—particularly a long-term and beloved Head who is going into retirement.
Avoid Setting Traps for Your Architect
As a member of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, you’re likely involved in any planning for new buildings and renovations on campus. Before you even hire an architect to carry out those plans, your school may make decisions that hinder the firm’s ability to bring the project to a successful conclusion.