RG175 Blog

After 32 years as a Head of School at four different PK-12 schools, I have found building a great team of teachers and administrators to be the most important role you have as a school leader. After years of hiring and trusting my instincts, it wasn’t until I joined Avenues: The World School in New... read more

I know, I know. Eyes glaze over. Comments abound: “Mission? Don’t they all sound the same?” “I don’t really pay attention to them!” “Do they matter?” Sigh. Here’s my story of an early addiction to mission and, I hope, the case for why a mission statement matters—to you as a leader and to the school... read more

Many new heads beginning their tenure will face some degree of financial stress at their schools. I fear that in the face of what may be an existential crisis for some schools, the same “usual suspects” will be trotted out by boards as solutions—better marketing, a greater presence in the community,... read more

As we end this unimaginable school year and transition to planning for the summer and fall, we are terrified, saddened, and exhausted by a global pandemic that has disrupted nearly every aspect of our lives.COVID-19 has shattered our norms, routines, and patterns. It has also shuttered our schools.... read more

New heads were hired over the course of the last eight months all over the country and around the world with great fanfare and excitement for the future. When done well, a search is structured around a strong mission and an open, inclusive process, yielding the person best suited to lead the school... read more

In times of leadership transition, Head of School Search Committees invariably express a desire to find a leader who will “take the school to the next level.” When asked to describe the “next level,” the picture gets fuzzy. A search team of a half dozen deeply-committed school community members fill... read more