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We cover such topics as how to communicate with your constituencies, work with your fellow school leaders, leverage new technology trends, utilize recommended reading and resources, implement new strategies—all to better serve your school's mission.
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Tips To Take Care of Yourself
Advancement // November 13, 2012
As Development Director, your duties are in full swing—annual campaign, volunteer training, event management, year-end giving campaign around the corner, donor cultivation and stewardship, maybe even a capital campaign to boot. With all that activity, its amazing you have time to breathe, let alone take time to take care of yourself. But it’s important to give yourself permission to see to your own needs. Don’t collapse under all the pressure! Here’s a few ideas to help you balance.
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New Surveys on Community College CEOS, Chief Development Officers Reveal Gaps in Fundraising Perspectives
School Heads // November 6, 2012
Parallel surveys of Chief Executive Officers and Chief Development Officers at community colleges reveal significant gaps in perspectives by these senior leaders with respect to fund-raising goals, resources, and their respective roles.
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How Much Do You Value Your Development Director?
School Heads // November 6, 2012
Recently in her Fundraising Wisdom blog, consultant Carol Weisman outlined five ways to ensure your Development Director leaves your organization in less than five years. While she is directing her barbs more at nonprofits overall, her wisdom certainly applies in many ways to private-independent schools.
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Ask Michael
Business and Operations // October 26, 2012
Q: We're having a debate within our administrative team about whether we should continue to offer contracts to teachers, or not. What is ISM's recommendation?
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Performance Reviews: Missing the Forest for the Trees
Business and Operations // October 26, 2012
As human beings, we’re all apt to “miss the forest for the trees” on occasion. Nowhere is this truer than in organizations, especially regarding performance reviews. Here is a story from outside the world of education that may help us see a few truths pertinent to teacher evaluations within private-independent schools.
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Pruning the Orchard: The Cost of a Few Bad Apples
Business and Operations // October 25, 2012
We’ve entered the fall harvest season, with apple, cranberry, and pumpkin festivals abound. This brings to mind the question whether we allow “a few bad apples to spoil the bunch”—or whether prudent “pruning” will help our orchards thrive in the years to come.
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How To Get People Talking About Your School
Advancement // October 24, 2012
Word-of-mouth marketing is the most powerful marketing you can invest time in. There is no budget to consider, no approval to seek, no research to undertake. It’s merely tossing a topic of conversation out to the masses and waiting for it to grow to a roar. Right?
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Recruiting Students Through Your Summer Program
Advancement // October 24, 2012
If your school has a thriving summer program that attracts students not just from your school but from neighboring schools as well, you have a pool of recruiting potential at your fingertips. But you’re thinking, “I don’t want to come across as I’m taking advantage of the situation.” You don’t have to. We have subtle tips that will help you work with the Summer Program Director to pique the interest of your summer attending families.
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Fight Bullying With an Acceptable Use Policy
Business and Operations // October 23, 2012
Nearly all states have anti-bullying laws requiring schools to provide awareness training, rules of engagement, reporting guidelines, and recourse for violations. However, many do not include cyberbullying—yet. Click here for the latest PDF from Cyberbullying Research Center displaying state cyberbullying laws.
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Halloween Safety
Business and Operations // October 23, 2012
Halloween is the one night when a child can become anyone or anything he/she fancy—it’s a haunting yet magical evening. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated 40 million kids between the ages of 5 and 14 went trick-or-treating in 2011. There were tricks and treats, but also accidents, many of which could have been prevented.
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