RG175 Blog

After her appointment in the late autumn, a future head was invited to a January board meeting of the school she would eventually be leading in July with sincere assurance from the search committee chair that she would be there just to watch and observe. It seemed like a helpful opportunity for the... read more

Serving as a school head is a profound honor and joy, which many describe as the greatest job in the world. Those who seek the role are most often compelled by the desire to do good for a community, and have the ambition to create an environment that will produce people who make a significant and po... read more

First-year heads need thought partners. In fact, all heads need thought partners.What is a thought partner? They are the head’s key administrators who show signs of intelligence, imagination, and buy-in to the head’s emerging vision for the school. As new heads develop their political capital, engen... read more

Recently I heard about the struggles of two first-time heads of school. Their missteps are a reminder of the importance of a head’s on-going professional development that focuses on the practical skills of leadership.Within a year and a half of beginning his tenure, a first-time head fired two long-... read more

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

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