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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?
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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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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
How You Can Help Your Teachers Become Remarkable Advisors
Academic Leadership // February 15, 2018
It’s up to the School Head to create your advisory program, but it’s often left to Division Heads to implement the school’s plan and ensure its continued success. So how do you, as a link between the School Head and your faculty, help teachers become exemplary advisors?
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Five Actions That Can Help Improve Student Engagement
Academic Leadership // February 15, 2018
One of your primary duties as an academic leader is to support your faculty and help them connect with their students. However, most seasoned leaders will tell you that perfecting the art of student engagement varies greatly, depending on the students’ ages and your overall school culture.
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Using Analytics to Improve Your Marketing Communications Efforts
Advancement // February 7, 2018
It’s no longer enough to create content, pop it onto your website, and hope it attracts mission-appropriate students and families to your school. You must have a content strategy in place to create and distribute content effectively. Many teams have created such a strategy but forget an extremely important aspect—measurement and analytics.
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Host a Preview Party to Boost Enrollment
Advancement // February 7, 2018
You’re no stranger to tight competition when it comes to student enrollment at private-independent schools. While you work diligently to offer admission to mission-appropriate students, they must then decide to enroll at your school over others in the marketplace. One way to encourage enrollment once offers have been extended is to host a preview party. A preview party invites all students to whom you’ve offered entrance to come to campus, meet members of your faculty and staff, and gain a sense of your unique school community.
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Five Steps to Minimize Your School’s HR Risks
Business and Operations // February 6, 2018
The School Head and Business Office have a mutual responsibility to protect the school from risk. Two sources of risk for many private-independent schools are human resources and employment practices. Are you sure your current practices are in line with the law? Do you feel sufficiently informed about areas of potential liability? If not, implement the following five-step plan to dramatically reduce your school’s human resources-related risks.
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Should You Re-enroll Students Who Owe Tuition?
Business and Operations // February 1, 2018
When your School Head announces his or her retirement, it requires careful planning by your Marketing Communications Office.
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Why the Well-Being of the School Head Matters
School Heads // February 1, 2018
Research proves that the well-being of the School Head can have a profound impact on the school. ISM recently conducted an investigation into how the well-being of the School Head truly impacts school outcomes, including faculty culture, student enrollment, and the Head’s own long-term success.
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Should You Re-enroll Students Who Owe Tuition?
School Heads // February 1, 2018
A student is behind on tuition, but his or her family has promised to pay the remaining amount. When contracts for the following year are sent, that student commits to re-enrollment. Now the school needs to make a choice—do you re-enroll a student who owes tuition from a previous term?
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5 Ways to Start Your Morning on the Right Foot
Private School News // January 30, 2018
For most of us, January mornings are cold, dark, and downright hard. But using your morning effectively can be a great way to center yourself for the day ahead, ensuring you can give your best to your job and family. Read on for five ways to start your morning on the right foot.
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School Spotlight: The Westfield School Experiences 10% Enrollment Growth After a 10-Year Decline
Private School News // January 30, 2018
Many factors impact enrollment: student experience, family perceptions, community involvement, and much more. But, as any School Head or Advancement Director will tell you, the issues of enrollment and re-enrollment drive many conversations and are a top focus for most of the Leadership Team. The Westfield School, a coed day school in Perry, GA, that serves more than 540 pre-K through 12th grade students, was no exception. However, School Head William Carroll and his team had identified a troubling trend—enrollment had slowly declined for the past 10 years. The Westfield School knew it was time to make a change.
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