Education leadership is an unusually complex responsibility that requires intelligence, wisdom, and hard work. Perhaps what our schools need most isn't another strategic plan, but rather a strategic organization where unity and trust prevail. 

“One of the biggest accelerators to change is simplicity.”
--Dr. Henry Cloud

Her stress level was off the charts. Frustrated with what they felt was a lack of leadership and too many unfinished plans, some members of the board were boldly raising the stakes.

They wanted a clear plan to grow enrollment and restore confidence in the direction of the school. Or else...

Tammy and I enjoyed a lovely Valentine's Day touring the vineyards of North Georgia. Not the same as Tuscany or Napa Valley, but the mountain terrain was beautiful and the food was delicious. 

Learning to love educators is a crucial part of growing as a school leader--and it's crucial in your quest to achieve sustainable excellence. 

This week Tammy and I had the privilege of leading workshops in Nice, France, for admissions professionals from international schools across Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East.

We learned about the challenges that are limiting their growth and shared strategies for building stronger engagement with faculty and families.

You may be interested in learning what they identified as their challenges to grow this year. 

In our research on the biggest challenges that are limiting school growth, administrators expressed a growing concern about improving faculty morale, including how to deal with negative attitudes.

Advancing the culture is part of the role for every school leader, and it requires understanding how to set clear expectations, defining and enforcing culture-building habits, and improving hiring/re-hiring practices to ensure alignment with the mission, values, and goals. 

2019-20 will have its challenges--every school year does. What specifically could limit your growth? What is your biggest challenge?

That's the question we posed to administrators and board leaders across the country, and we compiled the responses into a series of reports that we're going to share on our upcoming School Growth webinar and podcast programs.

2018 was a remarkable year for School Growth as we delivered growth services to schools across the U.S.

🔹 We've seen courageous school administrators re-kindle their joy for learning and leadership.

🔹 Organizational healing has taken place, as board and school leaders resolved past issues and committed to building stronger relationships.

🔹 Greater results have been achieved through more effective leadership disciplines and planning.

We grow schools and the people who have the courage to lead them. That mission requires a travel schedule that is sometimes rough on the body but it’s worth it because of the privilege we have to guide administrators, board leaders, and faculty to a joyful path forward.

ReContext has developed a data analysis tool (Polarys) for school administrators that demystifies the process of using student assessment and demographic factors to compare school performance within context. That's been a missing piece for far too long, which is why we're so enthusiastic about Polarys and the difference it can make for educators who need to develop context-specific school improvement solutions.

Your school website is the second most important factor (faculty quality and engagement is at the top of that list) in building your brand and enrollment. To be most effective, though, It needs to tell your story in a compelling way, have a clear and consistent call to action, and provide convenient ways to start the relationship.