Blog | knuckleball

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6 days ago
4 min

Hothouse

Independent school heads and board chairs should engage an outside counselor to help them remain focused on 2020 guiding principles.

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Mike Vachow

Jul 24
4 min

New Trustee Kit

Advice for new independent school trustees: find your inner extrovert.

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Mike Vachow

Jul 14
3 min

Odd Couple

Homemade micro-schools, staffed with deferring college kids, might be the best option for parents of elementary age kids this fall.

88 viewsWrite a comment

Mike Vachow

Jun 18
3 min

The Poet's Eye

Teachers' and advisors' first calls to school families in August will help ground them in the realities of the strange year to come.

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Mike Vachow

Jun 5
3 min

One Voice

As indy schools communicate fall plans this summer, it will be more important than ever for boards to speak with one voice.

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Mike Vachow

May 19
3 min

Killer Piano

School leaders should focus on the guiding principles they'll use to design fall scenarios before moving into the details.

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Mike Vachow

May 12
2 min

Start at the Beginning

In planning for the fall, independent school leaders should be creative in finding ways to have elementary students on campus every day.

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Mike Vachow

Apr 30
3 min

Crossroads

Indy schools will soon communicate major decisions that lie at the intersection of the school as a community and the school as a business.

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Mike Vachow

Apr 21
3 min

Gap Year

College and elementary students could take a gap year in 2020 - 2021, together.

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Mike Vachow

Apr 13
3 min

Chameleon's Dish

Just how promise-crammed is the pandemic crisis for independent schools? Count me very conservatively optimistic.

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Mike Vachow

Apr 5
4 min

No Joke

Independent schools should begin planning for a remote-learning start to the 2020-2021 school year.

573 viewsWrite a comment

Mike Vachow

Apr 1
3 min

Summer of Love (and Money)

A summer 2020 budget and community support plan for independent school leaders.

631 viewsWrite a comment

Mike Vachow

Mar 30
2 min

So Last Week

School leaders risk hasty, well-meaning decision making in the current COVID crisis.

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Mike Vachow

Mar 26
3 min

Together Again for the First Time

The COVID pandemic has separated elementary age students from their most important teachers, each other.

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Mike Vachow

Mar 18
3 min

Love (and Retention) in the Time of COVID

A summer enrollment plan for indy schools recovering from the COVID crisis.

137 viewsWrite a comment

Mike Vachow

Mar 9
2 min

The Development Director's Summer

Over the summer, great development professionals clear the way to spend the rest of the year building relationships.

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Mike Vachow

Feb 27
3 min

Seen and Known

Any member of a school community should expect to be seen and known. Heads must lead and model this effort.

85 viewsWrite a comment

Mike Vachow

Feb 16
4 min

Bubble Season

In their employment and enrollment decisions, heads balance compassion with their duty to protect the school's mission and bottom line.

51 viewsWrite a comment

Mike Vachow

Jan 16
4 min

Prospective Families: Jobs to Be Taught

Independent school enrollment professionals must be good teachers of prospective parents.

42 viewsWrite a comment

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