Board Governance Workshop For Private Schools

TEDDY ROOSEVELT SAID "THE TEST OF OUR WORTH IS THE SERVICE WE RENDER."  Service on the board of a private school or non profit isn't simply an honor granted in recognition of your professional achievements or the fact that you're the only one left standing the last AGM. It involves legal obligations and a significant responsibility for the stewardship of your school's mission and assets, the educational experience of your students, and careers of your staff. You and your fellow trustees have the primary legal and moral responsibility for the governance of your non profit and ensuring that the mission of your school is carried out. To achieve your mission, you must maintain the confidence, moral, and financial support of your members, donors, volunteers and stakeholders. These critically important aspects of non profit governance depend on you and your fellow directors effectively governing your school based on best practices, and a clear understanding of your roles and responsibilities. It's important for you to pay close attention to these responsibilities because non profits are garnering greater attention today. Non profits are being called upon to play greater roles in their schools. And your community has higher expectations about the conduct of your board. If problems surface, it is only natural to ask, "Where was the board?" Are your trustees prepared?  RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE BOARD A non profit's board of directors is responsible for defining the school's mission and providing overall leadership and strategic direction for the school. Their responsibilities include: Determining and articulating the school's mission, vision, and values Recruiting and selecting the school's Head of School Supporting and assessing the performance of the school's Head Ensuring that the school engages in planning for its future Determining the programs that the school will deliver to implement its strategies and accomplish its goals; monitoring the performance of these programs to ensure their value Ensuring that the school has financial and other resources adequate to implement its plans Ensuring the effective management and use of the school's finances Enhancing the school's credibility and public image Ensuring organizational integrity and accountability Assessing and developing the board's own effectiveness   GOVERN MORE AND MANAGE LESS Do you have a "great" board? What makes an effective board...what's their secret to long-term success? Research shows that great boards have a set of common attributes that clearly separates them from others. Effective boards need to govern more and manage less and focus on: Developing a strategic plan and following it through an action plan  Linking board agenda to strategic agenda Monitoring success of the school's initiatives and adjusting course as needed Developing clear expectations and plan of action for Trustees to support the plan Directing the Head of School to prepare strategically via an annual operational plan Establishing committees to monitor goals Structuring meetings to policy and strategy, not day-to-day operations Annually assessing the performance of the board and committees based on the plan's priorities Focusing on policy, organizational strategy, and the relationship between budget and priorities Using board committee to monitor strategic initiatives and reporting to board for action Every board should take the time to fine tune their practices to ensure that they leading the school effectively and coordinating the combined resources of their board members and Head of School. Is your board firing on all cylinders?  PRACTICAL WORKSHOP TO IMPROVE BOARD PERFORMANCE If you'd like to proactively improve your board's performance for the coming school year or plan a retreat to fine tune your board for this fall, you should seriously consider our board governance workshop. Our workshop will provide feedback to analyze and develop a clear set of strategies to guide your school's leadership with ongoing development. Whether you require training in strategic board structure and function, need an objective expert opinion on a particular issue, or would like our assistance in formulating your board's agenda, the workshop will move your Board forward.   OUR ONE-DAY WORKSHOP INCLUDES: Facilitation of a one-day workshop that assists your board in developing strategies and tactics to close your performance gap for the governance of your school. A comprehensive 360° online "Board Performance Self-Assessment Survey" that candidly and anonymously assesses your board's performance. An interactive presentation on best practices of school governance. Participation in hands-on case scenarios that highlight effective board practices and engage discussions on parallel issues of your own school, which apply research to your own situation. Utilize the results of your Board Performance Self-Assessment Survey to build a profile of your board's performance gaps based on a comprehensive analysis of your confidential responses to the online survey and identify areas needing immediate improvement. As part of the process, Board members will candidly discuss and reach consensus on issues surrounding the performance of the board and lay the groundwork for long-term improvement. Board Performance Report: This will include working with board members to development a "Board Performance Report" that provides a comprehensive overview of the board's survey results, issues, and a plan of action for improvement. The report identifies areas needing immediate focus and the 'roll-out' of a set of multiple strategies to enhance the board's overall development.   Next Step If you would like to build a better board to effectively lead your school, and would like to find out more about HEG's board governance workshop, please contact Doug Halladay directly by sending an email to info@halladayeducationgroup.com or calling HEG at 1-604-868-0002. Be ready for the coming school year by having your board retreat booked in your calendar now. To your success,  Douglas Halladay President Halladay Education Group P.S. Don't forget to go to our secure Online Store to invest in our Strategic Planning or Start-A-School Toolkits.They're affordable and practical.

Marketing For A New School

My apologies for not connecting with you sooner, but we've been extremely busy with new projects and developing our new eNewsletter format. As you can see, HEG has a new look for our Inner Circle eNewsletter and we hope that you enjoy it.

 
Our recent private school development projects have our team of associates travelling to all four corners of the globe with projects in: Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, China, Panama, Ontario, Alabama, Texas, Manhattan, and Malaysia.
 
In the past three weeks I've joined our team of HEG Associates to work with clients in Ulaanbaatar, Beijing, Panama City, and Washington, DC. Our projects vary from feasibility studies/business plans for new private K-12 international schools, to strategic plans, Head of School Searches, school formation, and major research projects for a Ministry of Education. In the month of June we'll be working in Mobile, Alabama, and Manhattan. If you're based there and want to arrange a meeting, please email me to set up a date to meet.
 
Today I want to share with you a number marketing initiatives you should consider when preparing to open a new private school. They say you never a get a second chance to make a first impression, so making sure that your marketing and admissions strategies are 'ramped up' is critical to maximizing enrollment for day one of operation. Please read on to find out more.

Marketing Strategies For Your New School

The right time to connect with parents and their kids starts long before the official opening of your school. In order to ensure greatest coverage and impact, a mixture of target marketing activities should be used during all stages of the formation. The list below provides a sampling of potential marketing tools, initiatives, and channels you can use. The best results are likely driven by a continuous utilization of a combination of the marketing tools and channels (as outlined below).

1. Open Campus: Regularly staged events provide a "touch and feel" experience for parents and prospective students at your new campus. If you don't have one, then set up a mock-up of your ideal classroom.
2. Coffee Sessions & Informal Meetings: Regular sessions provide prospective students and parents an opportunity to learn more about the school, curriculum and facilities; events with your Director of Admissions and Head of School.
3. Website: A website has to be informative, structured, interactive, and foremost credible. A website is typically the first point of contact or prospects; search engine optimization is critical; curriculum, fees, and school brochure should be downloadable. Ensure that you create an opt-in tool to capture visitors to your site and then follow up with an auto-responder system and email-based weekly newsletter to keep your prospective parents engaged and aware.
4. Social Media Sites: Web sites, such as Face book and Twitter, have become powerful marketing tools and need to be incorporated into holistic campaigns.
5. Brochures: Similar to the website, a brochure has to be informative, structured, transparent, and appealing, and provide all relevant contact details. This in turn needs to available on your website.
6. Press Releases & Newsletters: Cost sensitive tool ensures constant exposure of school in the media and keeps public informed about news and / or changes. This is also online so there are links back to the school's website to support SEO efforts and viral marketing.
7. Direct Mail & Flyers: Direct mailing promotes the school and is known to have a reasonable success rate. In particular, in the pre-opening phase direct mails can be utilized to increase the awareness of the local community and your open hours.
8. Radio Advertising: Effective image tool to increase the general awareness of the school, which might however not necessarily address the envisioned target group.
9. Billboards: Effective image tool within the defined catchment area of the school.
10. Newspaper Advertising: Useful tool for opening phase and special events held at the school.

To find out more about how we can help provide you solutions, please email HEG at to discuss your needs in more detail.

To your success,

Doug Halladay

President

Halladay Education Group

P.S. Don't forget to go to our secure Online Store to invest in our Strategic Planning or Start-A-School Toolkits.

Should Boys and Girls be Taught Separately?

Hi Inner Circle Member:

Thank you for the feedback from last week’s eNewsletter on computers in schools. I posted one of the comments on my blog. We had a great time last weekend. My daughter’s school held its first gala and auction fundraiser (even though they are a century old). I think they raised about $300,000. They are on a roll, as they announced their capital campaign also raised $21 million for their new senior school. Does your school have your fundraising events lined up (e.g., Annual Campaign, Gala Dinner/Auction, Capital Campaign, Planned Giving, Golf Tournament, Spring Fair)? If not, we should talk.

On Sunday I was down at our family cottage putting in a new floor. Of course I forgot my knee pads, so I am still paying for that omission! However, it looks good. It is one of those lino peel-off floors that looks like laminate (which looks like hardwood).

I decided yesterday to call a sampling of my Inner Circle members who opted into my eNewsletter or downloaded a special report. I wanted to find out more about your interests and how I could serve you better. And I thank you for your feedback. What I did pick up from our conversation, is that many still do not know what services I can provide to help you out with your private or public school, or non-profit. In a nut shell, my areas of expertise include the following. Give me a call if you would like to determine how I could help your organization.

- School Formation and Mergers

- Board Governance

- Executive and Faculty Searches

- Institutional Assessments and Audits

- Admissions and Marketing

- International Student Recruiting

- Head Evaluation and Support

- International Development Projects

Today in my eNewsletter I am going to talk about whether boys and girls should be taught separately.

Enjoy the eNewsletter,

Doug Halladay

President and Founder
Halladay Education Group Inc.
www.HalladayEducationGroup.co

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In This Issue

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1. In The News

2. Services That Your School Needs

3. Should Boys and Girls be Taught Separately?

4. Products To Invest In To Start And Manage Your School

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1. In The News

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Hovering parents bully teachers
Baltimore Sun - United States
Affluent areas such as Howard County are fertile ground for demanding parents, said Helen E. Johnson, an author and consultant to colleges on parental ...

Georgia parents could get state money for private school
WRDW-TV - Augusta,GA,USA
Georgia parents could be getting state money to send their children to private schools. The state Senate is considering a bill to give parents that money if ...

Ads invite private-school students to return to the public system
Vancouver Sun - British Columbia, Canada
It's advertising in local newspapers, urging students in independent schools to return to the public system. The district is simply following the lead of ...

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2. Services That Your School Needs

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>>> (1) Strategic Planning

Do you want a plan to improve your school? Then your School needs a Strategic Plan. I can facilitate the development of your comprehensive Plan that will build consensus and motivate support and define critical priorities and strategic for your Board and Administration to improve your school.

Click on the following link to download my brochure on our Strategic Planning process, or call me at 1-604-868-0002, or email me at info@halladayeducationgroup.com Click on the following link to download my firm’s brochure outlining Strategic Planning services:

http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/File/heg_strategic_planning_services-1.pdf

>>> (2) BOARD GOVERNANCE WORKSHOPS

Do you want your private school or non-profit to be more successful in board governance? If so, my full-day governance workshop and online survey helps your trustees to fine-tune their performance and refocus their mandate. Please email me at info@halladayeducationgroup.com or call us at 604-868-0002 to find out more about how we can help you. Click on the following link to download my brochure

http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/File/Board%20Governance%20Workshop%20%26%20Fax%20Back%20Form.pdf

>>> (3) STARTING YOUR OWN SCHOOL

Starting a private school can be very challenging and you never have a 2nd chance to make a first impression. This is why you need a firm that has experience starting schools in USA and Canada. Our services are broken down into the following:

1. One-Day Comprehensive Overview Session

2. Formal Feasibility Study

3. Detailed Business Plan Development

4. Full Turn-Key School Formation Services From Start To Finish

6. Ongoing Consulting Services

7. Ongoing Management and Operations Services

If you would like more information about my services and range of fees related to help start your school, please call me at 1-604-868-0002, email me at info@halladayeducationgroup.com, or click on the following link to download my brochure outlining our services and fees:

http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/File/Overview_School_Formation_Fees_Services.pdf

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3. Should Boys and Girls be Taught Separately?

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My commentary came as a result of an article I read in last weekend’s New York Times Magazine. It was about public schools that were separating schoolboys from schoolgirls. This is movement is gaining traction in American public schools, in response to both the desire of parents to have more choice in their children’s public education and the separate education crises girls and boys have been widely reported to experience.

My own professional background includes being the Head of K-12 girl’s day and boarding school (with a 50 horse equestrian centre). Hence, I know quite a bit about single gender schools and their value. There are pro’s and con’s to single gender education, but it is interesting that the public school system is now taking a step forward in this area.

I have always been a strong believer in tailoring the school’s educational program to the needs and learning style of the child. I have noticed that Vancouver School District has a number of mini-schools (or schools-within-schools) that specialize in unique educational programs. The Vancouver School District Mini School programs provide opportunities for enrichment for students who consistently achieve B averages or higher, who are highly motivated students and who would benefit from a learning environment with highly motivated peers. This includes schools that focus solely on: performing arts, outdoor education, International Baccalaureate, math/science, elite athletes, high school in a university, and more.

I have been both in both public and private schools, and I cherish my time in each system. What I enjoyed about private schools is the autonomy to program an educational program that meets a specific learning style or educational philosophy. What I see in the article and what Vancouver School District is doing is customizing an educational program for certain learning styles. Some may argue that this is undemocratic and elitist. What I see is a system that is tailored to helping children learn to their own levels of excellence and to follow their passion.

If you would like to comment on this eNewsletter, please click on the following link and add your comments on my blog.

---> http://halladayeducationgroupinnercircle.blogspot.com/

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4. Products To Invest In To Start And Manage Your School

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Do you want effective tools to help start and manage your school? These 2 products can help.

(A). STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOLKIT (#1 BEST SELLER)

Learn How To Develop Your Own Strategic Plan Like The Pro's With This Easy To Follow, Step-By-Step, All-In-One Strategic Planning Toolkit. Get all the details here:

http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/products/stratgic_planning_toolkit.php

(B). WEBINAR SERIES – DISCOVER FROM EXPERTS HOW TO START A SCHOOL (#2 BEST SELLER)

Are you still struggling with starting your own for- or non-profit K-12 School, College, University, or Institute? You're not alone. I share with you how to start a school from the viewpoint of those who have been in the trenches and understand how to put a school together efficiently, and cost effectively. These include:

1. Independent School Formation: The Critical First Steps

2. 9 Secrets To Starting A US Charter School

3. 8 Golden Rules of Starting a Junior School

4. Starting a Successful Private Senior School from the Ground Up

5. 10 Steps To A Winning Strategic Plan

6. The Whole Enchilada - All 5 Webinars at 40% Off

Get all the details here:

http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/products/webinaroverview.php

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To your success,

Douglas Halladay
President and Founder
Halladay Education Group Inc.

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P.S. Do not forget to check out our secure Online Store for ways to invest in improving or starting your own school or non-profit. Here is the link:

--> http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/products/products.php