A growth-oriented faculty culture is imperative for school success. Teachers who constantly strive to better serve their students are the backbone of their schools—they are the frontline, delivering missions with excellence.

A risk is a threat that could adversely affect your school’s ability to deliver its mission. If 2020 taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected. Therefore, creating a risk management plan is imperative.

Today’s school spotlight features Flintridge Preparatory School, located near Los Angeles in La Canada, California. Flintridge Prep is a private-independent, coed day school for grades 7–12.

The new $900 billion relief bill, signed into law on December 27, 2020, is called the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The bill includes direct payments to individuals, expands unemployment benefits, and reopens the popular Paycheck Protection Program. It provides funding for schools, childcare, and vaccine distribution and administration. It also includes rental assistance, nutrition assistance, and grants for theaters and other live event venues.

For classroom teachers and those who work with students, the events in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021, represent many things. They are not just an important teachable moment about our nation’s civic culture, but also necessitate a discussion focused on student well-being.

When you consider risks to your school, you may think of intruders, active shooters, and natural disasters—now pandemics. If the pandemic (largely unforeseen and unplanned for) has proven anything, it’s that risk management must be more than a checklist that you scan once a year. Instead, risk management must be integrated into an administrator’s daily tasks—starting with due diligence and awareness.

In a typical year, balancing strategic goals with daily concerns is challenging. With COVID-19, it's more complicated than ever before. Due to the challenges of this non-typical year, school priorities must change. As School Head, you must re-examine your school-year goals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many hardships for schools and families. However, a small silver lining of this time has been the moments of reflection it has afforded. When the pandemic drastically changed the very basics of education delivery, everything was upended. Now, nine months later, teachers and leaders can reflect on what does and does not work in schools today. As we share the silver linings we’ve discovered, we encourage you and your team to reflect on your own experiences to plan for the future.

School leaders continue to be tested in these uncertain, unprecedented times. As COVID-19 cases rise around the world, you are probably facing tough decisions every day. It’s important to understand how to consider all angles and come to the best conclusions. We recently published five barriers that can impact decision-making. Today we’ll cover methodologies you can use to think through issues at hand and make sound decisions that support your students and school.

Hosting a community-building event in the wake of COVID-19 may seem like an impossible task. But in our current environment, building a community is more important than ever. Here are five ideas for your next virtual community-building event.