Virtual & Onsite Consulting Services

Onsite Consulting
Onsite Consulting

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.

 

Our Consulting Services

School Head

Whether you want to ensure that all school functions run at peak efficiency or are considering implementing new strategies and initiatives, lean on a trusted source of knowledge to increase the likelihood of long-term success.

Business & Operations

Take advantage of a full range of planning, facilities, and operations consulting services that give your school a solid footing for the future. Examine where your key operations work well, and where they can use improvement.

Academic Leadership

Your programs set your school apart. Explore how to create and build programs that pull families in and give them an experience they couldn’t have at another private-independent school.

Admission & Enrollment Management

ISM’s data-informed approach pinpoints what attracts families to your school and inspires them to stay. Receive customized solutions based on your school’s unique marketplace stance, challenges, and opportunities.

Fundraising & Development

Learn how to develop successful strategies to engage and bring donors closer to your institution. No matter your school size, history, or pedagogy, explore how to plan, implement, and evaluate your fundraising strategies to realize your full potential.

Marketing Communications

Explore how to share exceptional stories of student learning, engagement, and outcomes, and illustrate how these can become differentiators that distinguish your school from your competitors.

Board of Trustees

The Board must focus its efforts on governing, planning, and financing your school's future, while leaving everyday decisions to competent administrators. To do that successfully, your Board must think, plan, and act strategically.

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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.

Three Things to Consider Before Making the 2022–2023 Tuition Decision

Business and Operations // December 15, 2021

Despite the unusual circumstances of the past year and a half, educational institutions must still consider the annual question of tuition rates. Unfortunately, the increase of programs and services, talent needs, digital infrastructure, and more have all increased the importance of carefully considering tuition costs.

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Taking the Mystery Out of the Fundraising Ask

Fundraising // December 2, 2021

Donor solicitation is a process, not just an event. It’s an opportunity to gauge a prospective donor’s interest, followed by an open invitation to invest in your school. Solicitation is a time to investigate donor enthusiasm and identify opportunities that resonate with them.

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Celebrate Positive Psychology to Instill Mental Health Resilience

School Health and Wellness // December 2, 2021

Even before the pandemic, ISM’s research revealed 70% of teens said anxiety and depression are major problems. While some dismiss this judgment by reasoning that “we’re just talking about it more,” the dramatic increase in teen suicide rates underscores the validity of this conclusion and the real consequences we must face.

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Personal Pronouns: What They Are, and Why Your School Should Care About Them

School Leadership // December 2, 2021

Adolescence is one of the great equalizers in life. No matter your background or country of origin, everyone can relate to the storm of feelings circulating in maturing minds and bodies: uncertain, awkward, insecure, and confused. One of the most basic forms of self-discovery is gender identification. Here’s what your school should know about personal pronouns.

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Change Your Financial Aid Program Strategy: Helpful FAQ

Business and Operations // November 18, 2021

The term “financial aid” typically elicits misunderstandings at best, and outdated stereotypes at worst. As schools move into financial aid season, we want to equip you with clarifications and answers to the most commonly asked questions about how a financial aid program can best support your school’s strategic plan. Here’s how you can change your financial aid program strategy.

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Caring for the Whole Child: International Student Challenges

School Health and Wellness // November 17, 2021

International students may face culture shock, language barriers, difficulty understanding their teachers, and myriad other challenges—including mental health—as they leave all they know and everyone they love behind. Being a student is a challenge; being an international student is an even bigger one. Here’s how to care for the whole child.

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Five Steps to Create a Content Marketing Strategy for Your School

Enrollment Management // November 17, 2021

Digital marketing is here to stay. And with that comes a term you’ve likely heard a time or two: content marketing. Chances are you’re aware of the impact content marketing can have on your school, but maybe you’re not sure exactly how to create an effective strategy. We discuss five steps to create a content marketing strategy for your school.

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Seven Actions You Can Take Now for Annual Giving

Fundraising // November 7, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged all development staff to rethink fundraising strategies and to build the relationships critical for success. As with all things COVID-19 related, fundraising strategy can feel like a moving target. Here are suggestions to help you continue moving forward.

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Seven Steps to Avoid Hiring Mistakes

Business and Operations // November 7, 2021

Finding the right people to join your team should be simple. You have positions to fill; candidates have skills and experience that meet your hiring needs. But a lot goes into avoiding potential hiring mistakes. Here are seven steps to take to avoid hiring mistakes—starting with the interview.

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Four Ways the NPS Survey Helps Evaluate Teacher and Staff Satisfaction

Enrollment Management // November 7, 2021

Finding outstanding teachers and staff is one of the most important tasks to master when running a reputable school. Keeping those valuable teachers is another skill set that must be refined. Here are four ways the NPS survey helps you to evaluate teacher and staff satisfaction.

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