Community Corner
Community Corner

Stay current with the latest private-independent school news.

What are the latest trends impacting private-independent school enrollment? How can you be the most effective in your role as an administrator? How can you help your school meet its mission and best serve your students?

Check out Community Corner, a free blog from ISM.

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

It’s Auction Time!

Advancement // April 19, 2011

Often the spring means it’s auction season—live and/or silent—at private-independent schools. The auction is not only a fund raiser but also usually a fun celebration for everyone. With eBay as a household word, more and more, schools are using an online auction options for their silent auctions.

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Ask the Expert

Advancement // April 19, 2011

Your annual fund is the foundation of all your other fund-raising efforts at your school. This month, Phil Higginson, Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement, and Penny Rogers, Director of Communications, both from Ravenscroft School (NC), tackle a question about donor categories and benefits.

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Does Your Teacher Evaluation System Include Professional Development?

School Heads // April 8, 2011

The conventional idea is that teacher evaluation is based solely on classroom observation—and that the annual review is a “lets get it over with” thing. Personal and professional development is not generally part of the equation, and the evaluation system can be viewed as punitive rather than productive.

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School Districts and Productivity: How Do You Rate Return on Investment?

School Heads // April 8, 2011

As Head of a private-independent school, you generally operate on a budget that is rooted in tuition and other hard income matched to the cost to deliver your mission to your students. For your school to operate, you must recruit and retain your students and make every attempt to minimize the “gap” between tuition and cost to educate a student—striving to reduce that gap to zero. For continued success, your Trustees should be mapping out a strategic plan and a strategic financial plan to grow your school for future generations. You use your annual fund and other fund-raising efforts to support the “extras” that define your school.

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Green Corner

Business and Operations // March 31, 2011

As one last winter storm threatens Delaware, we’re still excited to start sharing spring-related articles and green tips. This month our Twitter followers led us to an interesting article on berkeleyside.com, about Sharon Gamson Danks, an urban planner who believes in edible, eco-education.

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Efforts to End Bullying Spark New Concerns

Advancement // March 28, 2011

With homosexual student suicides making headlines, anti-bullying and anti-gay advocates are stepping up and pushing schools to make a change in their sexual education lessons.

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Target Hardening

Business and Operations // March 28, 2011

Target hardening, including CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) is an approach to making your school a less attractive target for anyone with “bad intent.”

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Reduce Stress and Increase Memory

Advancement // March 28, 2011

Your job is stressful. Private school administrators are among some of the hardest-working, devoted professionals out there. You work long hours, you’re constantly on the move from one project to the next, and your busy season seems to never end—there’s always something on the rise.

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