You came into (or will come into) your first School Head position having been successful in roles other than that of Chief Executive. In most of those roles—teacher, grade-level coordinator, Academic Department Chair, advancement professional, finance professional, even (possibly) as a Division Head—you succeeded because you excelled at handling most of the job responsibilities yourself.
More Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many hardships. But, like every situation, there are silver linings that leaders would be remiss to ignore.
Four Approaches for Effective Executive Leadership
Between COVID-19, economic recession, and political and social unrest, it is clear that schools must reevaluate priorities to deal with the realities of the current conditions. Every school’s future will rely on these considerations.
The School Head’s Expectations of the Head Support and Evaluation Committee
Over the years, ISM has written extensively about the Head Support and Evaluation Committee (HSEC). As the linking unit between governance and operations, both the HSEC’s composition and its reason-for-being are critical to your success as School Head.
The New Stimulus Package and Your School—Round 2
The new $900 billion relief bill, signed into law on December 27, 2020, is called the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The bill includes direct payments to individuals, expands unemployment benefits, and reopens the popular Paycheck Protection Program. It provides funding for schools, childcare, and vaccine distribution and administration. It also includes rental assistance, nutrition assistance, and grants for theaters and other live event venues.
How to Make Sound School Decisions
School leaders continue to be tested in these uncertain, unprecedented times. As COVID-19 cases rise around the world, you are probably facing tough decisions every day. It’s important to understand how to consider all angles and come to the best conclusions. We recently published five barriers that can impact decision-making. Today we’ll cover methodologies you can use to think through issues at hand and make sound decisions that support your students and school.
Influencer Positions and the ISM Circle
ISM defines “management positions” as those carrying responsibilities—under the delegated authority of the School Head—for hiring, evaluating, and, when necessary, dismissing those employees who report to them. In contrast, ISM defines “influencer positions”—those school administrators to whom no one reports, but by whom many are influenced.
Your Questions Answered: Maintaining a Healthy Headship
As a School Head, you are probably facing difficult decisions on a daily basis. You have to answer to families, faculty, staff, and the Board in our current ongoing crisis. It is imperative you are supported in your role, and that you have access to all the resources you need to make mission-critical decisions. We’re answering some of your most frequently asked questions about maintaining a positive Headship.
Price-Product-Process and the ISM Circle
Borrowing originally from concepts advanced within the for-profit sector, ISM has for decades taught a basic competitive marketing truth: private schools can compete based on price, product, or process, but not based on all three at the same time. And separately—also for decades—ISM Consultants have taught Boards of Trustees and senior administrators the implications of the ISM Circle, a unique approach to evaluating private school organizational structure. This article shows how to combine these related concepts into a unified set of ideas.
Four Steps for Cultivating Better Relationships With BIPOC Students
The relationships between your school and your students do not begin and end with admission and graduation. Recruiting, retaining, and engaging students and alumni is only successful when time and effort is put toward lasting, ongoing relationships. When it comes to building relationships with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students, you must lead with intentionality and genuine drive to see these students thrive. Your school must develop a framework for enrollment management, marketing, and development that effectively engages your BIPOC community.