Independent School Moonshot Podcast

Visit the episode page: https://www.moonshotos.com/transparency-in-actionJim Brewer, Head of The McGillis School, talks about their innovative approach to pricing and sustainability. He shares the journey McGillis embarked on to align tuition rates with teacher compensation and long-term financial stability.From transparency in financial goals to data-driven insights, Jim details how McGillis School used a strategic tuition model to enhance its program quality and teacher retention.For school leaders looking to balance growth with sustainability, this episode offers practical lessons on engaging the community in financial planning and the power of storytelling in institutional leadership.What You'll Learn:Understand the Market: Jim Brewer emphasizes the need for school leaders to know their market, including the community’s willingness and capacity to pay tuition.Transparency Builds Trust: McGillis School gained family support for tuition increases to improve teacher salaries and sustainability by being open about financial goals and constraints.Strategic Use of Tuition: McGillis identified tuition adjustments as a necessary lever for long-term viability, balancing competitive teacher pay with sustainable enrollment.Collaborative Decision-Making: Engaging trustees, faculty, and families in decisions about tuition and compensation helped align goals across stakeholders.Data-Driven Insights: Tools like NAIS workshops and market benchmarking informed McGillis’s financial strategies, making changes more palatable to the community.Discussion PromptsHow does our school’s tuition structure support (or hinder) our financial and strategic goals?What steps can we take to engage our community in transparent conversations about financial planning?How can we assess the willingness and capacity of our families to support tuition increases aimed at sustainability?What role does our board play in leading these conversations, and how can we leverage their support effectively?How might we adapt some of McGillis School’s strategies around compensation and tuition to support our faculty and financial goals?

Visit the episode page: https://www.moonshotos.com/how-to-differentiate-your-school-and-boost-enrollmentIn this episode of the Moonshot podcast, hear from Clayton Johnston, Director of Admission at Brentwood College School and author of "Dare To Be Different: Practical Tips for Developing a Unique and Sustainable Admissions Strategy for Your Boarding School." The book is available on Amazon.Clayton shares insights from his 30-year career in admissions, offering a fresh perspective on building successful enrollment strategies.Clayton provides a roadmap for future-proofing school enrollment, from clearly articulating your school's differentiators to leveraging social media to create authentic connections to empowering admissions teams to innovate.Tune in to learn about the power of differentiators, how to build trust in your team, and why passion is the ultimate sales tool.Dare to Be DifferentPurchase your copy of Dare to Be Different here!What You'll Learn:Differentiation is Key: Clayton Johnston emphasizes the importance of identifying and articulating clear differentiators that set a school apart from others in a competitive market.Empathy and Understanding in Leadership: Clayton highlights the critical importance of heads of schools building empathy and a deep understanding of the admissions process. By walking in the shoes of their admissions team and understanding the pressures and complexities they face, heads can provide more effective support, foster a stronger sense of trust, and help the team perform at its best. This empathy also aligns leadership with the school’s most crucial revenue-driving function—enrollment.Inbound and Outbound Strategies: Clayton’s approach combines inbound marketing (social media and content) with outbound efforts (personalized engagement in local markets), demonstrating the importance of hustle and authentic connections.Retention Starts with Culture: Retention is everyone’s responsibility, from faculty to staff. Engaging the entire school community in a culture of caring helps keep students.The Role of Passion in Admissions: People don’t buy facilities or programs; they buy passion. Clayton’s passion for his school has been a key driver of enrollment success.Discussion PromptsClayton emphasizes the importance of differentiators in setting a school apart from others. What are our school's key differentiators, and how effectively are we communicating them to prospective families?Clayton's approach to enrollment focuses on empowering his team and avoiding micromanagement. How can we foster a similar culture of trust and empowerment within our leadership teams?Clayton mentions that retention is everyone's responsibility. How can our school engage non-academic staff (e.g., maintenance, kitchen staff) in the retention strategy to ensure students feel supported?Clayton's blend of inbound marketing and targeted personal outreach has successfully opened new markets. How could we better utilize social media or other platforms to reach untapped enrollment opportunities?Clayton stresses the importance of maintaining a passion for the school when speaking to prospective families. How can we ensure that passion is conveyed consistently across all touchpoints of the enrollment process?

Visit the episode page: https://www.moonshotos.com/winning-recruitment-strategies-for-a-competitive-independent-school-marketIn today’s competitive market, independent schools face new challenges in attracting and retaining students.The traditional “gatherer” mindset, where schools wait for families to come to them, is no longer sufficient.To thrive, schools must take a proactive approach—actively finding and reaching out to and engaging with new families while maintaining strong relationships with current ones.In this case study episode, J.P. Watson, The Gowan Group, provides independent school leaders with the tools and strategies they need to shift their enrollment approach.Whether you’re a Head of School, Enrollment Manager, or an aspiring leader, this resource will help you:What You'll Learn:Develop a Proactive Enrollment Strategy: Learn how to balance the gatherer and hunter mindsets to optimize recruitment efforts.Align Your Institutional Goals: Discover how to ensure your strategic planning, enrollment management, and community outreach efforts work together seamlessly.Leverage Data for Targeted Outreach: Understand how to use tools like NAIS Market View to effectively identify and target new families.Build Strong Community Relationships: Explore ways to deepen connections with current families, alumni, and local organizations to enhance your recruitment efforts.Prepare Aspiring Leaders: Gain insights into why and how to develop enrollment and marketing competencies among your school’s future leaders.Discussion PromptsMindset Shift: How can our school balance the gatherer mindset with a more proactive approach to ensure a more effective enrollment strategy? What specific actions can we take to begin this shift?Institutional Alignment: How can we fully align our strategic planning, enrollment management, and community outreach efforts? What steps can we take to improve alignment if necessary?Community Engagement: How can we deepen our relationships with current families, alumni, and local organizations to enhance our recruitment efforts? What new partnerships could we explore?Data-Driven Recruitment: How are we currently using data to inform our recruitment strategies? What additional data or tools like NAIS Market View could we leverage to recruit potential families effectively?Leadership Development: How can we encourage and support the development of enrollment and marketing competencies among our aspiring leaders? What training or resources could we provide to help them succeed in these areas?

Access the episode page here: https://www.moonshotos.com/blue-ocean-strategy-for-independent-schoolsIn this special episode of the Independent School Moonshot Podcast, David Hanson, CFO and COO at The Branson School and Managing Partner of Winthrop & Associates, LLC, shares insights from a free webinar originally hosted on Friday, September 27th, 2024. The discussion centers on how independent schools can leverage Blue Ocean Strategy, a concept developed by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne in their groundbreaking book, to redefine their market space and create new demand.The webinar was edited to remove school specific questions.Hanson explores strategic frameworks, emphasizing how schools can shift their focus from competing in overcrowded markets to identifying and addressing the unique needs of their communities. By utilizing the Four-Box model—raise, reduce, eliminate, and create—he shares practical steps schools can take to align their offerings with what their students and families truly value.We also dive into the importance of rethinking traditional budgeting models, engaging students in strategic planning, and setting realistic timelines that align with the rapidly evolving educational landscape. This episode offers valuable insights for school leaders looking to drive innovation and create sustainable growth within their schools.Tune in to learn how Blue Ocean Strategy can help your school stand out by focusing on what matters most.Presentation SlidesClick here to download the presentation slides.What You'll Learn:Strategic Frameworks: Schools should carefully select the right strategic framework before diving into the planning process. Blue Ocean Strategy offers a unique approach that encourages schools to look beyond competitors and focus on the needs of their specific communities.SWOT Analysis Limitations: While SWOT analysis remains useful, Hanson recommends focusing less on external competitors and more on the needs and desires of the school’s current and potential customers.Blue Ocean Strategy: This strategy enables schools to create new demand by focusing on their core strengths and meeting the unrecognized needs of their community, potentially uncovering new opportunities and avoiding overcrowded competitive markets.Budget Alignment with Strategy: Many schools need to fully consider the financial implications in order to build strategic plans. Schools should perform a needs analysis to understand where to invest resources and which programs or initiatives can be eliminated.Engage Students in Strategy: Involving students in strategic planning can help schools better understand what is valued most on campus and where resources may be underutilized.Set Realistic Timelines: Strategic plans should be viewed through shorter timeframes, like three years, to align with the average head of school’s tenure and ensure flexibility in adapting to rapid changes.Discussion PromptsHow could your school benefit from adopting a Blue Ocean Strategy approach? What opportunities could you create by focusing on unmet needs in your community rather than competing with other schools?David Hanson mentioned the importance of utilizing the Four-Box model (raise, reduce, eliminate, create) to realign a school’s offerings. How might this model help you streamline or innovate programs at your school?Involving students in strategic planning was a key takeaway from the episode. How does your school engage students in decision-making, and what value could they add to your strategic planning process?Budget alignment was discussed as a critical factor in successful strategic planning. How can your school ensure its financial resources are best allocated to support its strategic priorities?David Hanson suggested that strategic planning timelines should be shortened to reflect better the head of the school’s tenure and the pace of change in education. How might your school benefit from adopting shorter, more flexible planning cycles?

Mergers and acquisition discussions continue to heat up in independent schools— two schools coming together to create a stronger community.But, acquisition stories don't always revolve around one school acquiring another. Often, they're about a smaller, strategic acquisition that aligns perfectly with and boosts a school's institutional goals.And this is why I'm so excited to share my latest case study: Acquisitions with a Twist: The Village School of Naples' Unique Approach to Growth.In this insightful interview, Dennis Chapman, Head of School at The Village School of Naples, offers a behind-the-scenes look at how acquiring the college guidance program Quest for Success harmonized with the school's objectives and aligned with its strategy to grow its new upper school division.It was the right acquisition at the right time.Hear how Dennis and his team:✅ Grew enrollment by 54%.✅ Nearly quadrupled the size of their upper school.✅ Enhanced the school's college counseling services and raised its community profile. ✅ Enabled the school to provide college placement services to over 500 students from all over Collier County, Florida.Chapman's reflections offer a unique perspective on growing an independent school and serve as a blueprint for alternative ways to approach acquisition as a growth strategy.

In our 31-minute conversation, Amy Jolly, Head of ScVideohool, Applewild School (Fitchburg, MA) shares how she and her team ​doubled the school's revenue in four years​ (yes, I wrote DOUBLED!).You'll learn how she embraced an iterative approach to grow programs, sunset those that weren't working, and create an energy that excites the community about where they are today and where they'll go tomorrow.

In this episode of the Independent School Moonshot Podcast, Chris Watson, Head of School at Soundview School, shares the detailed process behind their successful tuition reset.Before making any bold moves, Chris and his team spent three years conducting in-depth studies to diagnose the root causes of their enrollment challenges. They resisted the temptation to jump to quick fixes and instead focused on understanding what was affecting their school’s market position.Soundview’s approach was deliberate, thoughtful, and strategic, from market analysis to right-sizing faculty and campus consolidation. By the time they reset tuition, they had a clear plan in place to address not just enrollment but the school’s future growth in a changing landscape. Tune in to hear how this methodical process led to better outcomes and what other independent school leaders can learn from it.What You'll Learn:Thorough Diagnostic Process: Before considering a tuition reset, Soundview School spent three years conducting enrollment feasibility studies, market studies, and parent surveys to diagnose the root of their enrollment issues.Market Positioning Over Tuition: The primary focus wasn’t on reducing tuition and addressing the school’s market position. The tuition reset resulted from understanding broader strategic needs.Communication and Value Alignment: Soundview communicated the tuition reset not as a cost-cutting measure but as part of a broader effort to make education more accessible and enhance the school’s value in the community.Financial Strategy Beyond Tuition: The school coupled the tuition reset with improvements to the development program, leading to increased philanthropic support and a more sustainable financial aid model.Hyperlocal Strategy: Understanding the local market, particularly the school’s positioning relative to Seattle and the surrounding area, was critical to the strategy’s success.Future-Oriented Vision: The reset was about solving current enrollment issues and positioning the school for future growth, particularly in anticipation of a new light rail station and population changes.Discussion PromptsWhat Problem Are We Trying to Solve? Before considering changes like a tuition reset, what are the specific challenges facing our school—enrollment, market positioning, or programmatic issues?Diagnostic Approach: How can we thoroughly diagnose the root causes of any challenges? What data (e.g., market analysis, enrollment trends, community feedback) do we need to gather to make informed decisions?Community Engagement: What steps can we take to ensure our community understands and supports any strategic changes? How can we maintain transparency and trust throughout the process?Value Proposition: How does our current pricing model align with the perceived value of our school’s offerings? Are there opportunities to adjust our tuition or value-added services to better match community needs?Long-Term Vision: How do our current strategic decisions position us for future growth or changes in our market? What external factors (e.g., local developments, demographic shifts) should we consider in our planning?

The Story of a Financial TurnaroundImagine starting as a new head with a mandate to re-engineer the school’s financial model. Then, add a global pandemic to the mix just seven months after starting, and threading the needle becomes WAY harder.That’s what Booth Kyle faced when he assumed the headship at Indian Creek School.In this case study, learn how Booth and his team navigated the challenge, achieving the board’s mandate to limit losses in year one and then earning surpluses in each subsequent year by activating untapped opportunities already on campus.Indian Creek School isn’t just a story of financial accomplishment but more about creating a culture of success and empowerment, where encouragement to think about things in new and different ways is the norm, not the exception.Subscribe to the MoonshotOS newsletter to receive your copy of the case study.

Join us for an exclusive case study episode featuring Rob Phillips, the visionary head of Seattle Academy, who has led the school through remarkable growth from a modest beginning to over 1,200 students.This episode offers unparalleled insights into how an entrepreneurial mindset can dramatically transform educational settings. Discover strategies to inspire leaders in any field to foster a thriving, inclusive community.What You'll Learn:Entrepreneurial Foundations: Dive into Seattle Academy's origins, from a pivotal disagreement to its rapid establishment, showcasing the power of vision and resolve in educational entrepreneurship.Tailored Learning for All: Learn how Seattle Academy meets the diverse needs of its student body, emphasizing personalized education and broad program offerings that cater to various interests and strengths.Community Involvement: Understand how the school's strategic location in downtown Seattle enhances student engagement and community involvement, turning geographic challenges into substantial advantages.Leadership Rooted in Entrepreneurial Thinking: Gain insights from Rob Phillips' forward-thinking approach that combines robust educational philosophy with practical management strategies to navigate the complexities of modern education.