Nine Attributes Of An Effective School - How Does Your School Score?

IN THIS ISSUE Where's HEG Working? In The News Solutions For Your School Developing An Effective School Toolkits BUY & SELL SCHOOLS      HEG provides consulting services in connection with the sale of Private K-12 Schools, Language Schools, & Career Colleges, including:   1). Profitable Group Canadian Career Colleges offering health & technology programs. (Sch. No. 1075) 2). Growing Group of Canadian Language Schools. (Sch. No. 1037) 3). Solo Canadian-based Language School. (Sch. No. 1022) 4). Successful Western Canadian Career College specializing in business, healthcare, ESL, & IT.  (Sch. No. 1063) 5). Globally recognized Canadian Career College offering hospitality & culinary programs. (Sch. No. 1055) 6). Turn-key group of Western Canadian Career Colleges offering business-oriented diplomas & certificates. (Sch. No. 1019) 7). Successful K-12 Asian private international school. (Sch. No. 1034)    8). Unique Canadian Language School & Career College offering ESL, Work/Study, & Hospitality/Tourism Programs. (Sch. No. 1031)   Contact HEG by email or phone if you would like to find out more about these schools or would HEG to provide consulting services in connection with the sale of your school.   ONLINE STORE Visit Our Store For Helpful Toolkits TESTIMONIAL "HEG  is a very professional team that brings a myriad of talents to private schools and are quite focused and results driven. They work efficiently and are task-driven. As a start-up school we have so many items in our punch-list to complete and Doug and the HEG team came in and helped us with almost every aspect of the operations in a very short time frame. They are flexible and a joy to work with. I would recommend them to any group that wants to start a world-class international school or improve the performance of your established private school." -- Dr. Jorge Nelson, Head of Chadwick International School

Hi, Another hockey season has begun here in Vancouver; and we're hoping that we'll have better results than last year's second place finish in the Stanley Cup. Perhaps our 41st year for the Canucks will be the lucky one (eternal optimist).  The last few months have been busy at HEG, working with clients in Africa, MENA, North America, and China. I found time while working in Asia for a visit to the Great Wall. Our most recent school development project culminated in our clients opening their new K-12 private international school in Panama called Metropolitan School of Panama.  We're very proud of what the founders have accomplished in such a short time. They've done a tremendous job of using a variety of media to build their relationship with prospective parents. You'll note in their monthly newsletter, their kinds words about our firm.   With the passing of Steve Jobs I find it inspiring to read the articles coming out on his vision and drive as a leader. In fact, I just finished reading an enlightening blog on his leadership skills entitled "Steve Jobs and the Seven Rules of   Science of Motivation Success". I also came across this article "10 things only bad managers say", which provided a viewpoint on how not to lead. Finally, I watched a video on Youtube by Dan Pink that talked about motivating today's employees,which is very applicable to the school setting. You should take a few moments to watch it. My point is that leadership comes in many shapes and forms, but the elements of school-based leadership and effective board governance are critical to your school's success. Today, I want to share with you what is involved with developing an effective high-performing school and your role as a leader in making this happen. Be the Steve Jobs of your school community. 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.   Where's HEG Working Right Now? Here's an update of what HEG's working on:    Market Study and Business for a Private K-12 For-Profit International School in Angola  Board Governance Workshop for a Private K-7 International French School in British Columbia Board Governance Workshop for a Private PreK-11 Preparatory School in British Columbia School Evaluation for a PreK-11 Preparatory School in British Columbia Strategic Plan/Action For a Private K-10 Preparatory School in British Columbia  Market Study and Business Plan for Private Non-Profit International High School in Texas Formation of a new Private K-12 Canadian International K-12 School in Saudi Arabia    Providing consulting services to school owners in connection with the sale of their Canadian Career Colleges, Language Schools, and Private K-12 schools globally  If you're interested in our consulting services, and would like to discuss your needs further, please contact Doug Halladay by email  or call directly at 1-604-868-0002.   In The News Private Schools Spending in the GCC Expected to Reach $12 Billion in 2020  The private school market is growing rapidly in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), presenting a significant opportunity for investors and school operators. With K-12 combined public and private... Is private school education worth it? When you're up for $150000 in fees and extras for a child's private-school education, it'd be nice to know it's a good investment. After all, a year 7 student starting next year will cost $215000 by year 12 if school fees keep rising at an annual rate... For-Profit Education: A Vulnerable Industry?  Many have flocked to education as a means of empowerment in the economic slowdown, believing the ever-rising cost of tuition would be worth the well paid job opportunities awaiting them. Of course, this version of the American dream has not panned out... Online Educators Gaining Both Classes and Critics "Online education is still creating its own image right now," said Chuck Fattore, who taught both traditional and virtual courses with the Houston Independent School District. "It's not an institution yet in any sense. Educators aren't sure how to use... First international private school opened in Jeju North London Collegiate School Jeju, the first international private school in Jeju Global Education City, opened Friday. "NLCS Jeju is the country's first case where the 161-year-old prestigious private school in the UK will maintain its reputation... The 37 Most Expensive Boarding Schools In America  It can be just as tough to get into some of the nation's most elite boarding schools as some top colleges--and cost just as much money. Of course, the hefty price tags attached to a boarding school education include room and board, state-of-the-art... Solutions For Your School STARTING A SCHOOL Our experienced team can provide step-by-step 'turn-key' services to start your school in the USA, Canada, &  Internationally. Click here for more info.  STRATEGIC PLANNING  We're experienced developing Strategic Plans for schools globally. Our plan can focuses your school's mission, build consensus, donor confidence, & define priorities for your Board & Staff. No school should be without one. Click here for more info. BOARD GOVERNANCE WORKSHOPS Great schools have great boards. Can you afford not to ? Our governance workshops & online board performance surveys fine-tunes your board's & focuses your priorities. Click here for more info. SCHOOL EVALUATION Are you sure your school is doing the best it can? Our In-Depth Performance Review assesses your school's performance against benchmarks & provides snap-shot right away. Click here for more info. BUYING AND SELLING SCHOOLS  HEG provides consulting services in connection with the sale of K-12 Schools, Language Schools, & Career Colleges in Canada, US, and Internationally. Click here for more info. Nine Attributes Of An Effective School - How Do You Score? In today's complicated education environment, the need to work smarter and be ready for the first day of operation for your new school is critical and can't be repeated. They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The mechanics of school formation can be challenging and rife with pitfalls, and without a solid foundation and groundwork, a new school can collapse. This is why establishing a school requires exceptional planning, preparation, an experienced team, and uncompromising commitment to a clear vision and sustainable model as an effective school. To shape your new or established school to become a high-performing school takes a sustained commitment. There is no single thing a school can do to ensure high performance. Researchers have found that high-performing schools have a number of characteristics in common. These schools have the following attributes: A clear and shared focus High standards and expectations for all students Effective school leadership and board governance   High levels of collaboration and communication Curriculum, instruction, and assessments aligned with measurable standards Frequent monitoring of learning and teaching Focused professional development A supportive learning environment High levels of family and community involvement   The nine attributes are not listed by priority, although logic would dictate that sudents and their learning is central to the practices of effective schools.  If your school is not there yet, don't despair. What you need to do is develop a strategic plan to formulate your short- and long-term priorities and an action plan to guide your board and administration in reaching your destination.   Next Step If you would find out more about how to improve your school's performance, please contact Doug Halladay directly to find out more about our services and how we can help. Send an email to info@halladayeducationgroup.com or call directly at 1-604-868-0002. HEG Recommends Here are  2 of our most popular toolkits that will help you either  start your own school or develop your own strategic plan.   STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOLKIT  Learn how to develop your own Plan with step-by-step instructions contained in a detailed Workbook & Manual, along with $500 worth of bonus CD's. It's all here to help you develop your own plan. Click here for more details. START-A-SCHOOL TOOLKIT Are you still struggling with starting a school? Experienced school leaders share how they started their school from the ground up. You'll also receive our bonus CD ($150 value) on developing your strategic plan. Click here for more details. To your success, Douglas Halladay President Halladay Education Group Inc.   P: 604.868.0002 F: 868.472.8737 E: info@halladayeducationgroup.com www.HalladayEducationGroup.com   You are receiving this because you signed up at HEG's website or you told us you wanted to subscribe. We will never distribute your address to anyone. Period. We promise.

Fundamentals of Strategic Planning

Hello,

Are you slowly getting ready for Christmas and the holiday season? I noticed on my return from Saudi Arabia that the stores here in Vancouver are promoting X-Mas 24/7. WalMart is now open 24 hours a day. Nothing quite says Christmas like a visit to a big-box retailer at 2 am.  ;^)

I noted two recent newspaper articles that caught my attention. One article commented on the alarming decrease in public school enrollment and subsequent increase in private schools here in the Vancouver region. The writer commented that "many parents, sensing that their own efforts to instill etiquette and self-discipline and aptitude are lost at the school-house door, are taking more control over the educational fate of their children. "

The second writer's article was an online article  on the latest " Program for International Student Assessment" (PISA), which is a comparative survey of the academic performance of 15-year-olds around the world - an authoritative study released every three years. What caught my attention was the fact that Chinese teenagers from Shanghai far outscored their international peers in all three subject matters that were tested last year: reading, math, and science. The rise of China as an economic and political juggernaut has become familiar, but now there's another area in which the Chinese are suddenly emerging as a world power: education.

There is a saying by Peter Drucker that "The best way to predict the future is to create it". Circumstances like the ones described above don't just happen. They are planned out and take into consideration the current and future environment and strategies to maximize success in reaching them. Private schools and their success don't just happen because they're in the right place at the right time, they took the time to look at their environment and develop strategies to maximize programs to match market demand. An increase in Shanghai's student performance was not just luck; their leaders put a plan together to ensure that their students and teachers became more capable.

Do you want to improve your school's or system's performance? Developing a strategic plan is the answer. Today I'm going to share with you the critical elements of a strategic plan. Please read on. Remember what Yogi Ber said, "You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there."

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.

Key Elements Of Successful Strategic Plans

If you want to improve your organization's performance - be it a new or established individual school - or an entire education system, you need to develop a systemic approach to your strategic plan that answers the following four questions:

The planning process itself should be sequential and build on the work developed in the previous stages. As seen the diagram below, you need to identify where you are via an internal/external analysis of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOTS). At the same time you need to determine where you want to be and what is blocking you (issues) from reaching your vision and mission. To overcome these barriers, you develop your strategic goals and objectives, which are measurable.

Following this you need to then develop your action  plans to coordinate the implementation and monitoring of the  goals and objectives. This is illustrated in the diagram below:

To get a better understanding of HEG's proven strategic planning approach, please check the links below:

• Click here to read comments by our clients on our services as well as our planning process.
• Click here to review our strategic planning options (customized to your organization).
• Click here to download HEG's Eight-Step Strategic Planning Process.
• Click here to invest in our Strategic Planning Toolkit.

NEXT STEP

HEG and our team are experienced with the development of strategic plans, with experience in the USA, Canada, Malaysia, China, Korea,  Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc. If your group needs support with the development of your plan, then you should seriously consider our services. There is still time to make arrangements to development a strategic plan in the spring of 2011. If you'd like to learn more about how we can help your organization, please email HEG or call  our direct line at +1-604-868-0002 to find out more.