Introduction - Learning from the Past & Sharing the Present: Page 1
Special Guest Interview: Page 2
Dr. Mike Drake, Executive Director of GISA: About GISA & Getting Personal
Articles & Other Resources: Page 2
Survey Responses Part II: Your Independent School: Past & Present Issues: Pages 3-4
Spotlight on ISC Services: Governance; Mini-Survey; & ISC Contact Information: Page 5
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Learning From Each Other
In September 2007, ISC administered an electronic survey to 509 heads of schools in the Southeastern region of the United States.
Part I of the survey, which aimed to gain a better understanding of independent school issues that occurred when each of the participants’ schools was founded, was published in our last Insights issue. Click here to view the PDF.
PART II of a two-part Series on the South
This issue contains the second part of a two-part series about past, present, and future independent school issues. In this issue we present a timeline, according to our survey respondents, of their specific independent school issues. We looked for similar trends in school heads’ responses and highlighted those that extended across states.
Also presented in the last issue were questions directed to Dr. Mike Drake, Executive Director of Georgia Independent School Association (GISA), about his views on independent schools in general. The second part of the exclusive interview, about specific organizational experiences and Dr. Drake’s personal goals, are presented in this issue.
Statistics
Over 105 heads of schools responded to the survey. As new issues have emerged as technological advancements and sociological changes have affected the field of education, this Insights issue serves to share some of their responses with our Insights readers nationwide. Can you and others at your school relate to any of the issues presented?
Sharing Our Experiences
Are schools and their leaders appropriately handling issues they first encountered one or two decades ago? According to our survey responses, some of the issues that heads face are no longer extremely challenging but others have not gone away or have escalated. The graph below represents what respondents anticipate. For example, 4 heads, who have been serving at their schools since the 1980’s, responded that the issues their schools will face in the future will be similar to those that exist today.
In your opinion, will the issues/challenges that your school will face in the future be similar or different from those that exist today?
The main change I have seen in 16 years is the growth that we have experienced as has been true of independent education in Georgia whether from schools inside or outside GISA.
I think that the main issue of becoming more sustainable as businesses and preparing our children for the next century will remain the major issues of GISA for the foreseeable future.
My philosophy has always been “kid centered” so my approach to teaching and leadership have changed very little. I do think that the demands to change how we operate relative to things such as technology put some stress on more traditional teachers and leaders but the adjustment is necessary to make certain that children are prepared for the challenges they will face.
The best experience I faced as I moved through the administrative pipeline was to serve as a school’s interim headmaster when I was only 30. This was a great learning experience for me and probably gave me as many insights into how people operate as anything else I have done. I also have been blessed to have great schools heads and assistant administrators after I became a head, who have all served as role models and teachers for me.
The one frustration that this job has brought to me is the inability to teach students on a regular basis. Teaching history has always been my first love. When I left [The Westfield School] in 2001 I had hoped that over time [teaching] might become less important to me. In fact, just the opposite has occurred. I could certainly be accused of having romanticized the teaching profession in the years I have been at GISA, but I truly believe that teaching will still bring me the satisfaction that it brought me when I first started in this profession 39 years ago. I have decided to resign as Executive Director of GISA, effective June 30, 2009, in order to have the opportunity to return to teaching full-time.
Some Background Reading
The following resources offer interesting information about different areas of independent education.
Clackwell, Caroline. An Uneasy Fit: Socioeconomic Diversity and Independent Schools. Independent School. Winter 2006.
Should We Be Using Learning Styles? What Research Has to Say to Practice. The Learning and Skills Research Centre. 2004. Link
Ideal Images of Educational Leadership in Mexico City and South Texas. The Educational Forum. Winter 2006. Link
Independent Schools: Past to Present
What was the biggest issue that your independent
school faced when you became its head of school?*
1980-1989
“Our biggest challenge in 1988 was lack of resources. Our tuition was very low and correspondingly, so were teacher salaries, causing us to lose even dedicated teachers who wanted to stay.” -Head in FL
This group of leaders became school heads in the 1980’s. During this period, the greatest challenge that they report was keeping enrollment stable at their schools. Some responded that this may have been related to defining the school’s identity to the community to be served.
Managing finances and finding more ways of funding were second to enrollment issues for the majority of the schools represented in this group. The need to expand school facilities with a yet-to-be developed donor base played a part for some school heads when they entered office. For others, this challenge continued even today.
1990-1999
“Declining enrollment & the budget problems that it brings...” - Head in KY
“The school tried to be everything to everybody.” - Head in FL
The two most common issues for heads in the 1990’s were funding/finances and identity establishment. The majority of this group of heads came to their schools at a time when many were struggling with identifying the school vision and carrying forth its Mission, and the conflict that sometimes emerged in synchronizing the two..
Some heads also reported that budget problems brought about low self-confidence amongst the staff; as a result, overall morale amongst the faculty was a constant challenge. Other heads also dealt with the need for facility improvements and budgeting accordingly. Technological advancements, along with the emergence of the popular use of internet, pressured independent schools to stay abreast of their competitors.
2000-2007
”Growing population in the area & the changing expectations of the school...the recruitment and retaining of good teachers.” - Head in GA
The number of responses that named financial challenges, including inadequate funding, was tied with the number of responses naming enrollment issues for this group of school heads. These two issues led the others by a large majority of respondents. A close second popular response was identity/vision challenges.
Other common answers included facility deterioration; the need to improve and maintain high academic standards; and maintaining competitive teacher salaries and benefits. Leadership turnover was also prevalent at this time and the pressure to come up with innovative ways to tackle rising costs of independent education was evident amongst leadership.
*The above summaries represent responses from administrators who became their current school’s head during
specified time periods above. 88 respondents answered this question. The head who has been at his/her school the longest and
shortest amount of time started in 1980 and 2007, respectively.
Independent Schools: Present
Do any of the issues that you faced when you
became head at your school, still exist today?**
1980-1989
“Competition from both public and other non-public schools & issues related to parenting.” - Head in VA
While most of the heads of schools in this group indicate that they currently do not face many of the issues that they experienced when they came into office in the 1980’s, some did note teacher salaries and cultivating the idea of giving as continuous issues. Others noted issues related to academic expectations, school size, and character education. One responded that the school’s facilities remain an issue and another commented that issues related to parents are on-going.
According to these survey responses, we observed no noticeable trends throughout the respondent pool. This may be a good sign as it could suggest that the majority have appropriately addressed and overcome issues that they dealt with twenty years ago.
1990-1999
“Competition from nationally recognized magnet programs is always a challenge.” - Head in FL
“The never ending effort to attract the dollars necessary to be competitive with [more established] schools.” - Head in GA
The most common challenge that the heads of this group have faced since the 1990’s has been tackling rising costs and required funding. Many respondents reported that “giving and donor development” are top issues on their agendas today.
Other frequently mentioned issues were retaining qualified staff/administration; staying on top of the competition in both public and private sectors; and educating the community on the value of independent education. The overall issue of communication, or lack thereof, came up often amongst this group of respondents. The increasing challenge of having to more frequently articulate the mission so that all families understand and “buy in” was specifically expressed.
2000-2007
”Enrollment in a weak economy has placed additional pressure on admissions and budget.” - Head in FL
Although the issues of funding and finances were close behind, the most frequently expressed issue, by far, was enrollment. The majority of participants expressed their concerns for “lower-than-desired enrollment levels” and the “underdeveloped culture of giving” at their schools. As the pressure to increase teacher salaries and handle rising costs escalates, the stresses of having to build endowment and conduct larger capital campaigns have become more prevalent.
Along with financial concerns, school heads are now beginning to take the issue of diversity more seriously, which has influenced both staff and student recruitment. In addition, many school heads shared their difficulties in educating and “pleasing” their schools’ parents. Parents have not only become more demanding and vocal, but their involvement often complicated many of their school management issues.
**The above summaries represent responses from administrators who became their current school’s head during
specified time periods above. 76 respondents answered this question. The head who has been at his/her school the longest and
shortest amount of time started in 1981 and 2007, respectively.
Spotlight on ISC Services: GovernanceISC has been engaged in interesting projects recently; a brief resume of one follows:
Durham Academy - Durham, NC
In October, ISC led the Board of Trustees at Durham Academy in an afternoon/evening workshop, the ostensible agenda for which was to lay the groundwork for the planned capital campaign to fund implementation of the recently completed strategic plan.
For most board retreats, ISC conducts a pre-workshop survey of the entire board and senior administrative team. The value of these surveys is to capture members’ perspectives, both veteran members and those relatively new to the board, on a range of topics ranging from opinions on the board’s internal operations to each member’s long term vision for the school and what it will take to achieve it.
As often happens when such self-analytical questions are posed, the responses led the DA board chair, head of school and ISC’s consultant to recognize that another issue needed to be addressed at the workshop. This involved building closer relationships among board members since there was a large number who had recently joined the board.
During the workshop, the large board (30 members) was separated into groups of 5-6 people who were selected in such a way as to ensure the proper mix of veterans, new members and administrators. In group discussion of the topics assigned all voices were heard. Whereas, on large boards new members tend to defer to the institutional memory and experience of those who have served multiple terms.
The retreat accomplished its “published” goals, but of equal importance, the gathering and planned exercises built a stronger bond among all members. ISC was pleased to learn that the DA Board now builds small group discussions into board agendas, so pleased were its leaders and members with the esprit de corps that developed in the October session.
-Submitted by Ted Lingenheld
Survey: Please tell us what you think!
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Contact InformationFor Questions related to Insights:
Angela Choi at 770.828.4972 or email
Other ISC Services:
For Funding; Strategic & Campus Planning:
For Fundraising; Marketing; & Enrollment Management:
Julie Robinson at 404.401.5561 or email
For Senior Administrative Search; & Governance:
Independent School Counsel
Five Concourse Pkwy, Suite 725
Atlanta, GA 30328