Your Board is responsible for developing a comprehensive policy on financial aid, based on your school's particular mission and budget guidelines (careful calculations of per-pupil cost, retained earnings, and incremental costs.) But what frames an effective financial aid policy?

A recent report, published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, documents the escalating mental-health issues among teens and young adults over the past decade.

The Department Chair must balance the roles of leader and colleague. When it comes to academics, they should be part of creating and implementing the school’s strategic academic plan.

The right schedule helps you deliver your mission with excellence. It should be supremely student-centered—that means, it best supports student learning, not what adults in the school may want.

Your school ambassadors must be on the same page when it comes to marketing and messaging. Alignment about the education that your school provides—and what makes your school different from its competitors—strengthens everyone’s efforts.

The world is changing, and private school admission is changing right along with it. Parents and students want different things when it comes to their commitment to education, and it’s up to Admission Directors to illustrate the value their schools provide.

It is always improper to accept a philanthropic gift from an applicant family prior to the student’s acceptance and subsequent enrollment in the school.

Private-independent school cultures vary greatly, and some leaders wonder who has the “final say” when it comes to termination decisions.

How your school compensates its teachers can be one of the trickiest issues to face as a Head. You want every teacher to feel that he or she is paid fairly for work performed, while abiding by your strategic financial plan and protecting the school’s long-term viability. Some members of the private school community have questioned whether merit pay makes sense as a faculty compensation structure for their school.

It's a careful balance between managing parental expectations and donor relationships—all while focusing on providing the best mission-appropriate education for your students. We sat down with a School Head who navigates these channels each day to hear his perspectives on today’s pressure to succeed.