Financial aid often opens the door for many families who want to send their children to your school. However, managing the financial aid process can be one of the biggest headaches for your school leaders.

Smartphones have become an integral part of most people’s everyday routines. Researchers say that Americans check their phones every 12 minutes on average, totaling 80 times per day. With the proliferation of smartphones infiltrating every aspect of our lives, researchers wanted to know—how does even the presence of a smartphone impact one’s ability to concentrate and use cognitive abilities?

Drones are becoming more commonplace in schools across the nation. We provided three tips for responsible drone use last year, and are following up with a few more guidelines that your school could incorporate into your official protocol if you use drones on campus.

Many schools that run international student programs have questions about the correct end-of-year procedures. They want to make sure they’re taking care of students appropriately, while abiding by established rules and regulations. If you have some questions of your own, you’re not alone.

It’s not always easy to see ways that your school’s operations might put you at risk. But managing it effectively isn’t as hard as you may think. Your team can manage risk by identifying exposures from past experiences or the experiences of others, seeing patterns, and considering new trends. Then identify ways you can prevent these risks from occuring now, or options you’ll have to mitigate if they occur in the future.

Shifting to a continuous enrollment program is a hot topic among advancement professionals in private-independent schools. Many schools have made the switch to automatically re-enrolling students for the next year if the student is in good academic standing, has no behavioral issues, and his or her account is paid in full.

It’s inevitable that your school will employ vendors to help support some aspects of your operations. Whether these vendors provide transportation, food, construction, or some other service, all should carry adequate insurance policies. Before you sign a contract and the vendor begins work, ensure each provides proof that the following policies and coverages are in place to protect their business and your school.

Your school probably has a well-thought-out crisis plan in place to help your school react should the unthinkable happen. But an often-overlooked aspect of a crisis plan is communication.

If your school employs an Assistant Head, it may be tempting to think of this position as a “catch all” for everything on your plate that you can’t or don’t have the time to accomplish. This shouldn't be the case, though. The Assistant Head position has the power to enhance your school’s operations. This role must be structured effectively to ensure it’s a value-add to your duties as School Head. Follow these guidelines for setting your Assistant Head up for success.

For schools that have an upper level, helping students find and apply to the college of their dreams is a critical concern for many counselors and staff members throughout the year. As this school year comes to a close and students complete the college application and acceptance process, it’s time to review your program for next year.