RG175 Blog

Let me begin with a belief. Independent schools that have “turned around,” schools that are thriving, and schools that have made significant advances, all have one common attribute: strong, powerful Heads of School. These Heads do not take that power for granted. They know they are accountable to th... read more

Over the past year I have read almost one hundred resumes from candidates applying for Head of School positions and many suffer from a common resume malady. By listing responsibilities and detailing jobs such as supervising faculty, being a part of the administrative team, and attending trustee meet... read more

Opportunity statements for head positions at independent schools more often than not indicate that the school is looking for a “visionary” leader. And, indeed, vision is often critical to the advancement of a school. It separates true leaders from managers. And yet, heads of school struggle with the... read more

In a few months a new crop of enthusiastic rookie heads of school will assume their new leadership positions. Some will lead schools that have stable enrollments and balanced budgets, and although there will certainly be challenges, there is no pressure to “fix” the schools in the near future. For o... read more

Being a successful Head of School is akin to being part-CEO and part-politician. On one hand, the head is clearly the “boss” with all the requisite responsibilities of managing people. On the other, the Head has to be responsive to numerous constituencies such as trustees, parents, alumni, students,... read more

With declining or stagnant enrollments and the transfer of power to a new, albeit untested generation of heads, it’s imperative for independent school trustees and heads to connect strategy to innovation. And, more importantly, to make sure that first-time heads are trained to understand this connec... read more