Blog | knuckleball

Mike Vachow

Dec 30, 2020
3 min

My Top Hits 2020

The pandemic brought these ideas to the fore of my thinking this year. I'm still wondering about them.

86 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Dec 15, 2020
3 min

The Long Game

In the contrail of the pandemic next year, independent schools will have to play the long game with innovation.

92 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Dec 8, 2020
3 min

Farewell to (Facility) Arms (Race)

It's time to develop a realistic understanding of the long and short term needs of your facilities.

90 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Nov 30, 2020
3 min

Moving Forward

It was a good Thanksgiving on average for independent school heads. Auspicious vaccine news corresponded with the future-gaze of budget...

105 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Nov 11, 2020
3 min

Report from the Admission Office

Report from the field: independent school enrollment trends, November 2020.

79 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Oct 28, 2020
3 min

Core Work

Enrollment professionals follow these core principles in their work with prospective parents.

58 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Oct 21, 2020
3 min

Yard Sale

The pandemic offers schools the opportunity to distill their programs and tighten their brands.

91 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Oct 13, 2020
5 min

Expensive and Messy

Next year, elementary educators will focus on reclaiming and growing what the pandemic took away from children this year.

70 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Oct 1, 2020
7 min

Safe Harboring

Over the summer, independent schools enrolled students leaving schools that had mismanaged the COVID crisis. Now they must retain them.

378 views1 comment

Mike Vachow

Sep 22, 2020
2 min

The New, Older Normal

Next year, the new normal for elementary schools may be older than the old normal.

42 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Sep 16, 2020
3 min

Retention 2020 - 2021

A prescription for retention during a pandemic school year.

81 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Aug 25, 2020
4 min

Exposed

The pandemic has revealed anew a great number of truths about education.

75 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Aug 21, 2020
2 min

The Wolf

Time's running out. Invest in proactive board education.

57 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Aug 20, 2020
4 min

On the Horizon: Budget 2021 - 2022

Approval of the 2021-2022 budget is 4 months away. Retention plans for students and faculty are the key.

62 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Jul 30, 2020
4 min

Hothouse

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

46 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Jul 24, 2020
4 min

New Trustee Kit

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

137 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Jul 14, 2020
3 min

You Are Here

This fall, it will be more important than ever for trustees to be present in the life of the school.

56 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Jun 27, 2020
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.

89 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Jun 18, 2020
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.

55 views0 comments

Mike Vachow

Jun 5, 2020
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.

187 views0 comments