Run A School
Schools are home to complex and nuanced cultures, united by the staff’s deep commitment to student achievement. Professional educational leadership helps manage these cultures and the success of the entire organization.
School leadership must balance the “business” of running a school, including operations and finances while promoting a positive culture and robust learning environment that helps students thrive and strengthens the entire school community.
A Big Responsibility
In the continuous pursuit of student academic achievement, schools master a diverse range of responsibilities including recruiting and retaining quality teachers, developing innovative and engaging curriculum frameworks, improving teacher practice through professional development, employing enlightened governance, following smart business practices, and maintaining world-class facilities that provide a safe and secure learning environment. Managing these systems and structures make running a school so challenging and gratifying for educators.
Creating A World-Class School
Running a school also involves offering a rich, diverse program of fine arts, athletics and after-school activities in addition to a strong academic program. Students who participate in these programs acquire a truly 21st Century education and build the kind of personal portfolio of student work that appeals to the best universities.
Engaging With All Stakeholders
Running a school that delivers on these promises requires real teamwork on behalf of the organization’s staff and the involvement of students, teachers, and parents alike. Coordinating all these moving parts requires inclusive educational leadership working with a highly motivated team of professionals and having strong relations with the Board.
Effective school management also requires the school’s leadership to commit to a continuous school improvement process, typically in the form of accreditation. This comprehensive effort requires a deep, ongoing, commitment to student learning and school improvement that affects all aspects of an international school.
Understanding Real-Life Scenarios
In addition to working with 500 international schools around the world, ISS directly operates and/or owns about 20 distinguished international schools so we remain active in the daily operations and demands of running a vibrant, world-class school. We believe every school has a unique context requiring a tailored approach to services. As you encounter complex and challenging situations, our seasoned team and comprehensive service offerings can help you identify practical solutions for your unique situation.
Considering Starting A School?
Our multi-faceted approach to all aspects of school management, including governance, teaching and learning, and facilities gives you a cohesive plan to develop a well-respected, sustainable international school that achieves growing enrollments and teacher retention. We help clients around the world achieve their vision of creating world-class international schools where students can thrive.
Cayman International School Expansion Project
Hire Educators
With the intense growth in international education, the demand for quality educators continues to climb. ISS-Schrole Advantage helps connect schools and educators from around the world, using powerful technology and engaging job fairs. Recruiters value the ease-of-use and robust candidate pool. Candidates appreciate the ongoing support and meaningful job opportunities.
Expand Your Career
Curriculum-focused SLACK channels, TwitterChats, blogs, and daily sharing on #issedu keeps you connected with the happenings in international schools everywhere. You can hear stories of educators putting meaningful tools into practice and can dive into professional development opportunities that continue to build your own personal tool kit. If you’re thinking about a new opportunity, you can explore our current leadership postings.
Team Tips
“Don’t underestimate the positive value of parent engagement has on shaping your school’s culture. Engaged and motivated parents are your best advocates.”
– Dick Moore
Team Tips
“Put clear and concise procedures in place from the start to ensure payments and payroll are processed timely and accurately.”
– Deirdre Simon
Team Tips
“Building strong teams in international schools is paramount as the school community often fills many roles for teachers, students and parents. Investing the time in building teams grounded in trust and respect will always pay dividends in the long run. ”
– Keith Cincotta
Team Tips
“Take time to consciously craft the professional culture of your school. With a robust professional culture everything is easy. Without it, everything is difficult. What you as the leader choose to focus your time and attention on sends a powerful message so focus with intention.”
– Bruce McWilliams
Team Tips
“Remember that the key is always the people, more than the program. Finding and hiring the right people is where success begins.”
– Dale Cox
Team Tips
“Your school’s most valuable assets are your teachers. Get it right the first time and their experience will forever remain positive.”
– Desiree Bryant
Team Tips
“Benchmarking your tuition and salary levels against schools you likely compete against for teachers is an excellent first step in your annual budget process.”
– Dick Moore
Team Tips
“Starting a school requires significant planning, time, vision, and expertise. We look forward to assisting those who are motivated to start a school whose program will be inquiry based, deal with problem solving and include community service learning in a caring environment.”
– David Randall
Team Tips
“Leading a change initiative? Consider creating a visual artifact to communicate scope. A great artifact does the talking when you’re not around and also becomes a reflective tool when assessing progress.”
– John Burns
Team Tips
“Rise above the day-to-day crisis’ and details that require management time. Allocate time to envision and lead work to shape the preferred future of your school. Day-to-day details can be a siren’s call. It is easy to get trapped into becoming a manager and not a leader.”
– Bruce McWilliams
Team Tips
“What three skeletal parts are indispensible to a Head of School? A wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.”
– Stephen Plisinski
Join The Family
Share and connect with the wider co-created community! Tag your posts and follow other international educators on #issedu.
Stay up to date with the life of ISS and
our wonderful international community.
Check Out These Great Articles
Seven Principles of Agile Design
7 Tips to Stretch Your School Supply Budget
View Some of Our Recently Completed Leadership Searches
Explore How ISS Can Help You
Keep Growing, Run A School
What Is Your Next Step?
As a nonprofit organization, ISS is dedicated to supporting you and developing all aspects of a strong, vibrant school. Each year, we work with more than 800 international schools and thousands of teachers across our suite of services to help you achieve your goals.