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Fighting Obesity: Wellness Programs That May Alleviate Health Care Costs
Business and Operations // November 20, 2012
On April 4, 2012, Chronicle Online published an article stating that obesity now accounts for almost 21% of all U.S. health care costs. A study from Cornell confirms this is more than twice the previous estimate.
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Ask Michael
Business and Operations // November 19, 2012
Q: A Board member has been encouraging us to provide diversity training to all faculty and staff. I’m not sure how to approach this. What do you suggest?
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Lighthouse Leadership
Business and Operations // November 19, 2012
Editorial by Michael Brisciana Hurricane Sandy recently left millions on the East Coast seeking a light in the darkness. News stories of devastated communities longing for relief brought to mind the image of a lighthouse—a beacon of light, hope, and safety. A lighthouse is also a powerful visual of the role leaders can play in both good times and bad—pointing the way forward, toward light and safety.
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HR Legal Updates
Business and Operations // November 19, 2012
Health care Reform—With the 2012 election now over, it is clear that the PPACA health care reform legislation that was passed in 2010 will be fully implemented. Please check with your benefits adviser to determine where the school’s benefits program stands regarding requirements coming into place in 2013 and 2014.
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Getting Your Board on Board for Development!
Advancement // November 13, 2012
Consultant Susan Howlett, author of the book Boards on Fire!, was charged with training a trails-based nonprofit’s Board to ask for major gifts. When she broached the issue, she said they were highly resistant.
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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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