Dear ESHA Friends,

​Some of you have already been back in session for a week or two while some are starting up this week. Regardless, your school is - as it is every year - different than it ever has been or will ever be with new students, new faculty, new parents, new board members. So you're probably reverting to your primary roles as Head teachers while also attending to your equally important but sometimes overwhelming role as managers of the school's business. It's always a lot! I certainly wish you the greatest success in the 2017-18 year and encourage you to remember that you, like your staffs, need occasional time away from school, some professional development, and a reasonable plan to regularly give yourselves a break. These are proven tasks that result in better leadership over the long haul.

If you can, start this work now and consider attending ESHA's retreat in October (see below at the end). Be with your true peers, enjoy the company of our wise and upbeat members, learn from the stimulating presenters, and take in the inspiring surroundings. You're sure to get a nice boost and good energy for the job back home.

Cheers!

Chris

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​Dear ESHA Colleagues,

​As I write this, the hallways are readied for our community to regather, but they are still a week away from beginning to return.  I have always loved summer, but when we get to the middle of August, I am excited to start the new school year and look forward to another year of growth and possibilities.
 
Just as summer flies by, so has my time as President of ESHA.  I want to thank the Board and the Executive Committee for all of their wisdom and hard work.  Also, it has been an honor to work with Chris Abell whose energy and passion for this work has made our organization even stronger.  For me, the good news is that I plan to continue to be an active ESHA member and look forward to more exciting annual gatherings and conversations with my mentoring flight.  Have a wonderful opening to the school year and see you in Boulder.

Best,

​Muddy

                                              Heads Up! 

From ESHA member Dane Peter's "Dane's Blog," here is a quick review of the traits of inspirational leaders.

Dan Rockwell's "Leadership Freak" addresses ways to deal with mediocrity.

We are all aware of this alarming and frustrating trend, and Judy Twenge reports on it in detail in her article in The Atlantic, "The Impact of Smartphones and Social Media on Young Teens." 

                      Leading Off
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Dear ESHA Friends,

​This is just a quick mid-summer "hello" and a wish that your summers are going well and that you are getting a good break.
I'll suggest two things that would only briefly interrupt your relaxation time:
1) If you haven't yet done so, make sure to register below for our October Retreat in Boulder, Colorado.
2) Take a look at the short articles below as both a primer for the retreat and a different way of looking at the future enrollment.
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Cheers!

Chris

                                                 Heads Up! 

ESHA member Aaron Cooper of The Elisabeth Morrow School wrote the piece linked below for the summer edition of Independent School. If you haven't read it yet, take a look!

https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-school/summer-2017/market-shift/

Also, check out the article from the September, 2016, issue of the Harvard Business Review on "Knowing Your Customers." You might read the first four or five pages to get the thesis and then the last three on Southern New Hampshire University's experience. 
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https://hbr.org/2016/09/know-your-customers-jobs-to-be-done

Finally, note that The Jane Group, a crisis management and communication firm, offers scaled pricing for ESHA schools based upon the size of the school.
Jane Hulbert, who spoke to us at our Savannah gathering in 2015, can be contacted through the janegroup.biz.

​Dear ESHA Friends,
 
Several items come to mind as we move into spring. 
 
First, on a somber note, please keep Jerry Ward, Head of The Fenn School, in your thoughts. Sadly, he lost his dear wife Lorraine on March 9. Lorraine was a true friend and inspiration to many of us, and members of ESHA’s Executive Committee – on which Jerry recently served - certainly mourn her passing and extend our condolences to Jerry. Jerry can be contacted c/o The Fenn School at 516 Monument Street, Concord, MA 01742.
 
Second, as happens every year, several veteran ESHA members are retiring. Steve Barker of Friends Academy (MA) (we were at NAIS Institute for New Heads of 1984 together!) and Larry Griffin of Shore Country Day (MA) have both supported and served ESHA consistently over the years. Palmer Bell at Riverside Presbyterian (FL) has likewise been a long-time booster. And there are others whom I’m no doubt forgetting, so please remind me! Most of all, Steve Hinds of The Meadowbrook School (MA), President of ESHA in 2002-2003 and a long-time board member, has doggedly, enthusiastically, and cheerfully promoted and guided ESHA through thick and thin. Thank you, Steve, for your terrific service to our organization, and thanks to Palmer, Larry, and Steve Barker as well. Your devotion to ESHA has had a major and beneficial impact.
 
Third, we had a terrific annual dinner on March 1 at the Calvert School in Baltimore, thanks to our host Andrew Holmgren and his staff. Nearly 60 Heads, spouses, partners, and guests – including the dynamic duo of Rob Evans and Michael Thompson – attended the event and were treated to a delicious meal and an outstanding tour of the school. I was so caught up in the evening that I forgot to fulfill my role as ESHA photographer and thus sadly have no photos to share with you. They were ALL beautiful people, however.
 
Fourth, I’m including below an “article” – really a series of questions and answers – that tells the stories of a dozen Heads who were in the 1984 class of what I like to call the “New Heads’ Boot Camp” that NAIS runs. The stories were compiled a while ago, in 2012, and may or may not be of interest to you. As a participant, I certainly enjoyed reading them and learned a lot. It’s a hefty compilation, but the reflections are certainly manageable in small doses.
 
 Cheers,
 
Chris

As mentioned above, here is the report on the New Heads of 1984.

             

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2017 Annual Retreat
Boulder. Colorado
October 7-10          

"HEAD TEACHER TO CEO"

​Donna Orem, President of NAIS, will deliver the keynote speech on leadership at the October Retreat.

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Dear ESHA Friends,

It's a brand new year, one that will hopefully be extremely fulfilling for you and your schools. I was thinking that in your work, the calendar year flipflops the school year since you start 2017 with the second half of the game before you begin another first half in August ot September. Now you're able to make any half-time adjustments that are appropriate so that your team can finish well. I send you my applause and encouragement for both what you've accomplished in the first part of the annual contest and for what you plan in order to seal the victory in the second half. Go, ESHA Heads!
 
Cheers!
 
Chris Abell
Executive Director