School Administration and Management

A small private school typically has a small staff that handles financial, marketing, and other essential administrative tasks. In larger schools, departments with several staff members handle these tasks. In a small private schools, the administrative team wears many hats and handles all the administrative tasks. This article aggregates all the articles I have written about running a small private school. Use it as a handbook and a reminder of things you should look at from time to time.

Back Office

5 Changes In The Tax Act Of 2017 To Review

We identify changes in The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which impact not-for-profit private schools. Work with your tax professional and accountant to ensure that you comply the Act's requirements.

This video discusses the impact of the Tax Act of 2017 on non-profit organizations.

Running Your School: Managing Enrollment

Not filling all the seats is a challenge for many schools. Jason How offers some answers to common enrollment questions. Be aware of population and demographic trends in your market area. Offer the curricula and high standard of teaching which parents demand.

Understanding Enrollment Agreements

Attorney Sara Goldsmith Schwartz answers my questions and provides some general guidance regarding best practices for enrollment agreements. Consult with your attorney to write an enrollment agreement that serves your school's interests.

Are Employees Stealing From You?

Part of a trustee's job is to

Editor's note: I asked Jason How, a professional enrollment strategist and Managing Director of Agency J, to answer some of my questions about achieving enrollment targets and related matters. ~Rob

1. My school's enrollment is declining. I can't afford a marketing professional. What should I do?

Understanding what a school means when it can't afford a marketing professional is essential. Here are some guiding questions:

• Does it mean that they don't have an in-house marketing person?
• Does it mean they can't afford to hire an extra pair of hands?
• If it can't afford to hire outside help, is it because the administration made certain assumptions about the cost of hiring a marketing professional?

Once we understand what the school means, the next thing is to clarify why their school's enrollment is declining. Each reason has its solution. Reasons include:

• Declining student age population within the geographical region.
• Growing competition due to:
  • New schools are popping up in the area.
  • Existing schools are expanding aggressively.
  • Deteriorating ratings and feedback about the school's programs lead to a rise in negative reviews and word-of-mouth, discouraging others from attending the school (true story).
• Over-reliance on a single marketing and enrollment source.

It's important to get clarity on the main reason for the decline because marketing is not a magic pill that can solve every issue.

If a school has a good reputation but happens to be located in an area with fewer student-age population, there is not much marketing that can be done. Parents are not going

Most of us like to start a project and see it through from start to finish. Signing on to run a going concern is a pretty safe bet. But what about tackling something that will make enormous demands on your abilities, energy, and experience but which has a lot of risk? Such as taking over a struggling private school?

Taking over a struggling business entails a lot of risk. However, you have talent and experience. So, let's examine what's involved in investigating a head of school position at a struggling school before you sign on. Here are eight keys to a successful business turnaround.

First, let's agree to define a struggling school as an institution with financial difficulties. Once you understand that you will have to do some hefty lifting raising money, that will help you focus on what has to be done. The truth is that most struggling schools didn't arrive in their present condition overnight. This is a train wreck that the previous head of school and the board saw coming for several years before now. Things have unfortunately gotten to the point that either the school gets turned around or it closes its doors for good.

Reasons why the school is struggling

Let's look at some of the reasons why a school finds itself facing difficult times.

Its business model is flawed.

A flawed business model usually results from the trustees and administration implementing programs and structures that do not meet the needs of potential

Your worst nightmare is unfolding. The Board has asked you, as Head, to prepare a strategic plan for the school. Before you even start, consider these three tips.

1. Conduct a Rigorous Situation Assessment

A plan is only as good as the facts on which it is based. For this reason, a situation assessment is essential to support informed decision-making in strategic planning. A situation assessment addresses three major topics.

Know the Board's Appetite for Change

Be sure to scope the Board's appetite for change. After all, the Board will ultimately be asked to approve the strategic plan and the allocation of resources to support its implementation. If the Board doesn't buy into your plan, then the strategic planning process could come to an inglorious end, when presented to that very same unsuspecting Board by the soon-to-be ex-Head. With the Board on your side, at least you can do some proper advance preparation and lobbying on issues you know the Board finds difficult to accept.

Document the Way Things Work Today

Don't assume that you - or anyone else, especially the Board - understands the way things actually happen at the school.

• Prepare a detailed description of every major functional area.
• Include everything from the administrative functions through to the academic functions.
• Identify who is responsible for the functional activity, the activities being managed, the way the activities are managed, staffing, and budget.

Without these descriptions in hand, it becomes almost impossible to describe how any change proposed in the strategic plan

Douglas Halladay heads The Halladay Group, a consulting firm specializing in all aspects of private school operations. We asked him how to advise a board of trustees on a headmaster search. Here are his answers.

We aggressively seek candidates for you who combine solid administrative skills and outstanding management abilities with dynamic leadership experience. The model that we utilize is included below.

Step 1: Initial Meeting

During our first meeting with the client, we review your organization regarding the position to be filled. We also seek to understand the organization's environment, which includes learning about the culture, norms, philosophy, history, work atmosphere, and personalities of the people and community this person will work for and with, as well as coming to know what causes individual success or failure at this organization and thoroughly understanding the vision of the organization. If confidentiality allows, we spend time with the supervisor and peers of the position to determine the management's style and personality. Since our goal is to find someone in whom the community will have confidence, both in ability and style, this part of the process is crucial.

This video outlines the hiring process involved with hiring education professionals.

Step 2: Position Profile

My firm next prepares a Position Profile that describes the client organization, details the nature of the position, the key issues facing the new leader, and the qualities and experience of the