Undertaking a Head of School Search? Six Steps Your Board Should Take

Because the occasion of the Head search marks both an end and a new beginning, it is an appropriate time to reflect on the school’s condition and plan for the future. Extending beyond the nuts and bolts of the Head search process, here are six steps the Board can take to pave the way for a successful transition.

Presenting Yourself on Paper: Tips for a Successful Application

The application package is the first hurdle in the multi-step Head search process. This article offers tips for candidates on the preparation of the résumé, cover letter, and statement of educational philosophy.

The Semifinalist Interview: Tips for Presenting Yourself Well

Based on our experiences observing more than a thousand semifinalist interviews since 1986, this article offers practical suggestions for candidates preparing for their initial meeting with a search committee.

Starting Out: Lessons from the First Headship

Our national survey of independent school Heads explored their entry into this demanding profession. The 420 leaders who responded have a great deal to tell us about the predictable challenges of the first headship – and also about its considerable rewards. This summary of the survey results was presented by Jim Wickenden at the 2003 National Association of Independent Schools Conference.

Preparing for Headship: Advice from the Front Lines

Are you ready to be a Head of School? How can you tell? This report, based on our first  national survey in 1991, offers sage advice from experienced independent school Heads. Their responses speak volumes about the intricacies of school leadership, providing both a warning and a plan of action for prospective Heads.

The Governance Dashboard: A Powerful Tool to Monitor Educational Outcomes

In February 2010, Wickenden Associates collaborated with Montclair Kimberley Academy (NJ) to offer a one-hour presentation at the NAIS Annual Conference in San Francisco. Over the past two years, the MKA Board of Trustees has developed data dashboards to highlight outcomes and trends in academics, athletics, enrollment, and college placement. Learn how trustees collaborated with administrators to identify relevant metrics and how these dashboards are improving Board discussion and decision-making on vital issues of mission and program.

To learn more, download our conference materials (all in pdf format):

 Our slide presentation

Data Dashboards Demystified: Why So Many Trustees are Asking for Them and How They Can Benefit the Board and the School (4-page handout)

 Sample Enrollment Dashboard

Winning Governance Strategies: Improving the Performance of Independent School Boards

With respect for the myriad contributions of trustees and out of a desire to make their service more rewarding, this paper offers specific suggestions for Boards eager to elevate their governance game.

Superstar Trustees: A Celebration of Service

Much has been written about the ways in which Boards and individual trustees fall short in their efforts to govern.  Our national Heads' survey explored the topic of trusteeship from a different perspective. More than 400 Heads told us about their "Superstar Trustees" – Board members whose contributions to their schools have been particularly exemplary. By sharing their example of extraordinary service, we hope to enlighten and inspire others who wish to make meaningful contributions to the schools they serve.

Thriving in an Age of Transition: Five Steps to a Better Board

Concrete suggestions for independent school Boards interested in implementing results-oriented, team-based approaches to governance.

Rethinking the Head's Role: Administrative Restructuring as a Tool To Promote Visionary Leadership

Boards are becoming become more aware of the increasing demands placed on their Heads of School and eager to consider ways to make the Head’s job more manageable. Because time is a finite resource and even the most energetic Head has his or her limits, Boards concerned about the longevity of their school leaders might consider exploring an administrative restructuring. A version of this article appeared in Independent School magazine in Fall 2011.

A New Vision for the College Counseling Office

This National Association of Independent Schools Conference presentation by Jim Wickenden addresses the topic of Core Values, Mission, and the College Admission Process in Independent Schools, laying out a vision for a greatly enhanced, mission-driven college guidance office. This article was reprinted in the Winter 2003 edition of Independent School magazine.

Creating the Future: New Challenges for Boarding Schools

To survive in a challenging competitive environment, independent boarding schools must do a better job of defining and communicating their unique missions, differentiating themselves programmatically, communicating the benefits of a residential education, and articulating those advantages to parents with compelling evidence to back up their claims.

Great Expectations: How Boarding Schools Should Respond to Concerns About College Placement

While most independent secondary schools have been affected by the increasingly competitive college admissions picture, boarding schools have been hardest hit. In this article, Jim Wickenden offers his thoughts about the roots of the situation and suggests ways in which boarding schools might respond.