Meaningful and Lasting Relationships With Schools
Sally Mixsell | May 18, 2024
In the shifting landscape of independent secondary school education, Educators Collaborative partners are ready to respond to the myriad needs of schools. We love what we do. As EC partners, we regularly exchange information with one another about our ongoing searches identifying patterns emerging in independent schools and clarifying our strategic priorities. We also regularly report out to one another on the projects we are involved in beyond typical search work. Ensuring schools understand the full breadth of our offerings at EC advances our mission of positioning schools for success through effective leadership. To that end, here are some examples of our offerings that may be less familiar to you.
Schools who engage Educators Collaborative in a head of school search often then decide they want us to continue on and help with the next steps. This can take the form of providing the new head a designated coach for the first year (over and above our regular transition services), developing a governance workshop to support the new head of school and/or administrative team, or embarking on the next strategic plan, to name a few possibilities. Sometimes the new head utilizes us to facilitate a search for a needed senior administrator.
Of course, we work with schools that haven’t previously engaged our services at all but reach out to see if we can help them in a particular way other than for a head or senior administrator search. For instance EC partner, André Withers, consults with schools and regional associations around DEI topics and initiatives. I’ve recently worked with a board task force on leadership succession and culture-building to create a stronger sense of belonging. Joan Beauregard has designed a modified vetting protocol to help boards appraise an interim head or internal candidate for a permanent headship placement. Carol Santos is assisting a charter school with its start-up application. Mary Seppala is assisting a school overseas develop appropriate protocols, organizational structures, and student support systems. Nat Conard has been working with a school over time to generate and then act on its strategic goals.
Because of the range of talent and experience among our partners we can tap into the skills most needed for any situation. It is not uncommon for an EC search team to identify another partner in the firm who may be better suited for a specific request. For instance, partner George Sanderson, who has a background in finance, has done several head compensation studies for schools when a different partner was asked about it. Several of us who coach have been suggested by our peers when the school wants to more fully support the new head. A number of us, even though not part of the original search team, have engaged with schools on strategic planning once the new head of school has settled in.
So while the landscape is shifting rapidly, we are able, ready and eager to aid, guide, and support you and your school as you do some of your most important work, whatever that may be. While this was just a snapshot of the services we provide, what follows is a more comprehensive list of our services. We hope these give you insight into the possibilities of what we may be able to do for you.
Here is the complete list of what we do to position schools for success through effective leadership.
Head of School
- Retained Search for HOS
- Retained Search for Interim HOS
- Internal vetting for HOS
- Advancement
- Assistant HOS/Division Head/Dean
- Athletics
- Chief Financial Officer
- Communications
- DEIJ
- Enrollment/Admission
- Human Resources
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Governance
- Board Consulting, Retreats & Workshops
- Board Succession Planning
- Head Evaluation
- Individual & Leadership Team Coaching (HOS, senior admin, BOT etc.)
STRATEGY, AUDITS, ASSESSMENTS
Audits
- Enrollment
- Financial
- Fundraising & Advancement
- Institutional
- Program
Charter Startup & Renewal Consulting
Crisis Management & Conflict Resolution
Head Compensation Study
School Climate
Strategic Visioning & Planning
Interested in learning more about how we can help?
EXPERTS IN SEARCH, TRANSITION & STRATEGY
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