Hi Inner Circle Member:
Well, we are almost ready to relax and enjoy our summer (is July really almost over?). My daughter has 1 more show left in her musical theatre production. The theme is Golda takes over from Teve in Fiddler on the Roof because he broke his leg skate boarding. Hey, I believed it.
We are entertaining friends out from England, so we are hoping to share with them weather that is different from what is happening back in Britain (I saw flooding in Oxford). I may even pull my Ping golf clubs out and imperil the rest of the golfing community by playing a few rounds.
I hope your summer has been warm, lazy, and fun.
Enjoy today’s eZine,
Doug Halladay
President Halladay Education Group Inc.
www.HalladayEducationGroup.com
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In This Issue
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1. Services You Can Use
2. Products You Will Want To Have
3. Developing Policy Manuals
4. Inner Circle Thought of the Week
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Services You Can Use
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Do you want your private school or nonprofit to be more successful in board
governance, to effectively develop your own strategic plan, or start your own school?If so, our services can help.
Please email us at info@halladayeducationgroup.com or call us at 604-868-0002 to find out more about how we can help you with:
- Starting A School
- Strategic Planning
- Board Governance Workshops & Evaluations
- Head of School Searches & Evaluations
- Coaching for Board Chairs and Heads of School
- Institutional Assessments
- International Student Marketing/Recruiting
- International Education Reform Projects
Get all the details here: http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/services.php
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2. Products You Will Want To Have
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(A). "Strategic Planning Toolkit: 10 Steps to Success!!" (#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). "Inner Circle Webinar Series -- Secrets of Starting A School From The Trenches” (#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:
- “Independent School Formation: The Critical First Steps"
- “9 Secrets To Starting A US Charter School”
- “8 Golden Rules of Starting a Junior School”
- “Starting a Successful Private Senior School from the Ground Up”
- “10 Steps To A Winning Strategic Plan”
- “The Whole Enchilada - All 5 Webinars at 40% Off”
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3. Developing Policy Manuals
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WHY HAVE POLICY MANUALS?
I am amazed when I work with existing schools that have little or no policy manuals. That too goes for new schools. What happens is whenever a situation or crisis arises (and it’s a crisis when there are no consistent rules), a new decision is made. Do you have any idea how frustrating that would be for a parent, student, or staff member? The inconsistency would drive them crazy AND away from your school (think re-enrollment!).
Some people think that a policy manual for staff, students, parents, and even board members creates too much bureaucracy. However, the opposite happens. You create consistency and efficiency in your operations and management, and build an environment where people understand their roles and responsibilities and focus on the mission of the school…teaching young people.
Today we find ourselves in a sophisticated and complex society. The school community is expecting more and more of schools. Policies and guidelines are needed if school leaders are to deal with their responsibilities efficiently and meet the challenges of parent demand, tighter budgets, and added programs.
A well designed policy handbook gives the school’s CEO the protection necessary to handle challenges encountered daily. It provides immediate answers to handle personnel, student expectations, finances, employee benefits, and parent and board behaviour. It provides the administrator with a framework for rules (policies) within which to function. It gives him or her immediate control and strengthens his or her position as the leader, rather than causing him or her to delay decisions until the board meets. It also helps as a guide to discretionary action, and allows him or her to use discretion with individual cases. It ensures that All individuals are treated fairly.
THE BOARD HAS 4 FUNCTIONS
An important principal to remember is that the board establishes policy and the administration carries it out. I know of some schools that have run into problems because the roles of the board and administration were not firmly understood by both parties. Boards DO NOT manage schools. On the other hand, administration should not establish policy, since they are an employee of the board, and their role is to carry out policy. Truth be told, the board has 4 main functions:
1). Hire the CEO;
2). Approve and monitor the budget;
3). Develop and implement the mission and strategic plan;
4). Establish school policy.
WHAT IS POLICY?
A policy is a course of method of action adopted by the board to guide present and future decisions. A policy has the full authority of the board behind it. To break a policy is to commit insubordination. Policy is company law, and it communicates to staff, students, parents, and the trustees what the board expects. Policies should always be written down; anything else would be open to interpretation and misunderstanding. It is always wise to have a lawyer look over all your policy manuals to make sure that they are within the law.
HOW TO WRITE POLICY
Effective policies and regulations need to be clear-cut and clear. They need to express the board’s decisions about what should be done (policy) and the administrator’s directions as to how, by whom, when, and where they will be done (regulations).
The language should be precise but not legalistic (can you imagine that in a student handbook!). They policies should be easy to read to be understood by the audience. All your handbooks should be consistent in style and format. It would be helpful if one person were given responsibility for writing all of the policy (probably the chief administrator).
You need to establish a priority to determine which handbook to work on first: student, staff, parent, alumni, boarding, and/or board of governors. If you are a new school, you should develop a staff handbook first, then students, parents, and board (normally you can imbed these in your bylaws or constitution).
It is also important to keep your policy manuals accurate and current. This means someone needs to regularly maintain them. Hence, you need a regular procedure for updating manuals.
One of the best methods in developing policy manuals for a new school is to have the board and staff work together, in a creative manner, with neither feeling threatened by the other. You then have a lawyer familiar with school and/or employment laws examine it. It would also be helpful to have other sample policy manuals from other schools to work with. You may not agree with everything they say, but they will serve as a springboard for ideas. One final note is to ensure that all your policies are consistent with your school’s mission, vision, values, and philosophy. You want build on your mission, not tear it down.
I have developed a professional portfolio of templates for the following handbooks, which I can tailor to your school’s needs, including manuals for:
- parents
- students
- staff
- residence
- alumna/e
- trustee and goverors
If you would like more information about DEVELOPING POLICY MANUALS, call me at 1-604-868-0002 or email me at info@halladayeducationgroup.com
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4. Inner Circle Thought of the Week
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INSTRUCTIONAL SIGNAGE
Hi-rise under Construction:
TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE THE STREET BELOW
In a Laundromat:
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT
In a London department store:
BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS
In an office:
WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN
In an office:
AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD
Outside a secondhand shop:
WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?
Notice in health food shop window:
CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS
Spotted in a safari park:(I sure hope so)
ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR
Seen during a conference:
FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR
Notice in a farmer's field:
THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.
Message on a leaflet:
IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS
On a repair shop door:
WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK
Smile and enjoy your day.
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To your success,Douglas Halladay
President and Founder
4316 Arthur Drive, Ladner, BC, Canada, V4K 2W8
P: 604.868.0002 / F: 868.472.8737 / Email: info@halladayeducationgroup.com www.HalladayEducationGroup.com
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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
