Ensure that your school’s governance and operations support your mission.
We work together with your leaders, teachers, staff members, and students to understand your school’s unique needs, strengths, and challenges. We help you create a plan to help you meet your goals.
Your team can then put these mission-appropriate recommendations into action to achieve increased cash reserves, higher enrollment levels, and long-term stability. At the end of the day, we all have a singular purpose—advance school leadership to enrich the student experience.
We offer personalized consultations for many leadership divisions of a private school—the Board of Trustees, School Heads, the Business Office, the Development Office, Enrollment Management professionals, Marketing professionals, and Academic leaders. Select the area of school leadership you’d like to further explore.
ISM’s Consulting Services can be conducted virtually, ensuring you get the support you need, no matter the circumstances. Learn more by contacting our School Success team.
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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
Board Cultivation Is the Key to Long-Term Financial Stability
Fundraising // April 1, 2022
Your Board members and their involvement in your fundraising operation—as both donors and volunteers—are key to your program’s long-term stability. Your Trustees provide foundational support of your annual fund, your events, and your capital campaigns, not only while they serve but also as Board alu...
Read MoreThe Fundraising Ask: What If Your Prospects Say “No”?
Fundraising // March 17, 2022
You’ve done all your research on a potential donor, found the perfect solicitors, completed a series of relationship-building efforts. Additionally, at the appropriate time, your “closer” made what you all thought was the perfect ask for support. But the answer was an unexpected version of “no”.
Read MoreNow That You’ve Hired Great People, Offer Them Great Pre-Onboarding
School Leadership // March 17, 2022
For most schools, the onboarding process typically starts during teacher and staff orientation. Has your school considered the “pre-onboarding” phase of hiring? Research suggests this process engages new hires during the uncertain phase from acceptance until their first day on the job.
Read MoreFour Tips to Be a Holistically Healthy You
School Health and Wellness // March 17, 2022
No matter how hard you try, working toward your health goals almost always proves to be difficult—increasing your chances of giving up. One reason is that your health goals rarely address overall well-being and instead focus on one area, like weight loss or being on social media less.
Read MoreTeacher Turnover Rates Are Increasing—Will Your School Survive?
School Heads // March 4, 2022
Teacher retention and turnover have been conversation topics for decades. Since the 2020 school year, however, teachers are experiencing and adapting to unprecedented instruction methods, in addition to personal and global health concerns. Stress and burnout levels are high in the education profession, raising concerns about increases in teacher turnover and shortages.
Read MoreHow Admission Offices Can Partner With Teachers to Improve Enrollment Outcomes
Enrollment Management // March 4, 2022
Admission and enrollment are facets of private schools that require finesse. When recruiting new families, Admission Officers are tasked with communicating their school’s value proposition. The cost of private education continues to outpace inflation, and educational options are plentiful. Schools o...
Read MoreA Case for Flexible Work Hours: An Educator’s Debate
School Leadership // February 17, 2022
If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that flexibility isn’t “nice” to have, it’s a necessity—especially when it comes to overall well-being. Because of the pandemic, working from home and flexible hours are much more common—maybe even demanded by many of today’s employees.
Read MoreHow to Use Mindfulness in the Classroom to Support Student Health
School Health and Wellness // February 17, 2022
In recent years, mindfulness in the classroom—sometimes referred to as “contemplative pedagogy”—has gained traction as a way to reduce stress and anxiety in students as well as to improve academic and behavioral outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge our learning systems, with school closures, remote learning, physical distancing guidelines, and other unexpected changes negatively affecting children's mental health. Now more than ever, it is prudent for educators to apply evidence-based strategies that counterbalance the negative emotions that might otherwise thwart student progress.
Read More8 Things You Should Know If You’re a New Admission Director
Enrollment Management // February 17, 2022
Are you new to the role of Admission Director at your school? We rounded up several tidbits about what admission leaders should know, based on a question-and-answer session with Mary Yorke Oates, Director of Admission at Charlotte Latin School in North Carolina and leader of The New Admission Director workshop at Summer Institute 2022.
Read MoreLeadership Lessons: After the First 100 Days
School Heads // February 1, 2022
Reaching the 100th day of school is a huge milestone for younger students—creative classroom projects using “100” as the theme are featured and celebrated. That same time frame represents a different yet equally meaningful milestone for school leadership.
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