Bob Newsome was thrilled to land the job as head of Whitecastle Country Day--a small K-12 school with a solid reputation in the area. He worked hard to learn as much as possible about the school in advance of his start date. He spent time with faculty and staff, and made an effort to overlap frequently with Andrew Reynolds, the long-serving,…

Most business people seem to understand the direct connection between product and revenue; they seem keenly aware of the staggering cost of inattention to product. Yet, when these same business people become trustees of independent schools, they tend to overlook this connection, which is surprising when one considers the frequency with which they…

Having observed independent schools for years--first as dean of admission at Princeton University from 1978-1983, and then as president of an educational consulting firm since 1986--the author has noticed that the challenges of leading a school have changed dramatically. In consulting with more than 700 independent schools, often in a search for a…

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book "Outliers," describes how studies of expertise consistently show that 10,000 hours of practice in a discipline is required for true mastery. This is problematic for those who become independent school trustees--bringing with them a passion for their school and for education in general, but not much else. Many…

Discusses some ideas about being a professional in educational fund-raising and working with volunteers with particular attention toward improving the use of those volunteer workers. (Author/RK)

To develop trust, group cohesion, and teamwork, the members of the Sheridan School Board of Trustees participated in a forest survival exercise. (SJL)

The author compares the position of a school head to the head of a complex organization, and discusses four sets of circumstances or factors which help to explain the special isolation and anxiety of the school head's job. He concludes with some suggestions to trustees which would make the principal's, or head's, job easier. (KC)

The author discusses the nature of a good trustee, and the difficult task of maintaining equity and excellence in the private school. (KC)

Considers the relationships between trustees and the heads of schools and colleges, the tenure of independent schoolheads, and some of the fears that cause unreasonable actions by trustees toward the anxiety-ridden administrator. (RK)

Let's concentrate on staying in business today and tomorrow, and forget about 1986. (Author)

Discussing how a headmaster and his board of trustees can work together to make their school a happy, productive place, this article addresses the roles of the headmaster and the trustees, the relationship between the two, complaint procedures, and factors adversely affecting the headmaster's ability to do his job. (DS)

Describes the many contributions of John Chandler in his 15 years at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS); cites his concern with the nature and problems of school administration and describes some of the developments at NAIS under his direction; notes his family background. (SB)

Four members of the Council for Women in Independent Schools discuss what private school trustees should know about women's issues, including those regarding curriculum, athletics, employer-employee relations, equal pay, women board members, and problems involved in searching for and hiring a woman school head. (Author/RW)

Trustees evaluating their private school should know the school and its staff. They can use objective evaluation methods, such as standardized test results or college placement of graduates, but they should also incorporate the opinions of recent graduates and the community and utilize staff presentations to the board. (RW)

Offers ideas on ways in which private schools can recruit able trustees and recommends a seven-step process for nominating trustees, including examining the present board and school goals and needs; soliciting suggestions; ranking, screening, and meeting candidates; and selecting and approaching the final slate of nominees. (RW)