School improvement has many faces. It can be about governance, leadership, faculty, students, curriculum, instruction, finances or any of the many areas related to school operations. Hollinger International engages with schools to identify areas in need of improvement, determine best solutions, and ensure success.
Institutional Assessment and Improvement Planning
Hollinger International conducts institutional and department evaluation studies to assess performance and develop school improvement plans. Institutional assessments cover governance, administration, leadership, faculty, curriculum, instruction, finances and operations. Department studies are tailored to meet the specific needs of the department or division. Based on the results of the study, we provide a report and recommendations that include an action plan and specific strategies to ensure school improvement. To gather data for the study, we use the following:
- On-site meetings and focus groups
- One-on-one interviews
- Surveys
- Informal observations
- Review of curriculum, and instructional and behavior management policies and practices
- Review of policies and procedures for parents, faculty and staff, meeting minutes and related materials
- Review of finances and financial policies
Our evaluation and improvement plan provides critical information and a comprehensive plan with actionable strategies to improve your school.
Organizational Climate and Faculty Culture Improvement
The nature of relationships among adults in schools is the single greatest determinant of students’ academic and social success. Unfortunately, many schools and nonprofit organizations suffer from low faculty or staff morale. Low morale can have devastating effects on an institution and its ability to achieve its mission. Conversely, high morale, teamwork and collaboration will ensure growth and success. Yet, for a variety of reasons, heads and executives are often reluctant to address the issues that cause low morale. Hollinger International works with schools and organizations to transform relationships, develop high morale and create collaborative teams at all levels. The results are remarkable.
Team Building
As Roland Barth articulates so well, “All too often, the adult relationships are (in that wonderful phrase from preschool education) parallel play. For hours at a time, two- and three-year-olds in a sandbox can be so engrossed in themselves, in their own work and project and tools, that they are oblivious to anybody else in the sandbox. This is thought to be a stage of development through which two- and three-year-olds soon pass on their way to far more sophisticated forms of human interaction. But I’d say that parallel play characterizes most of what I see going on in schools. The self-contained classroom is parallel play. The English department that doesn’t interact with the math department is parallel play.”
Yet we know that when teachers work in teams to develop the curriculum, integrate teaching and learning across disciplines, share information about students, and serve as mentors for each other, student performance improves. In addition, building and nurturing faculty and staff teams reduces burnout and turnover, and creates a collaborative and supportive environment in which to work. Who doesn’t want that?
Strategic Planning
Hollinger International helps schools develop strategic plans to improve education, increase enrollment, add grades, and raise funds for campus improvement and endowments. To determine the best approach to strategic planning, Dr. Hollinger helps schools assess the advantages and disadvantages of various strategic planning models before proceeding.
International Baccalaureate Programmes
Hollinger International helps schools design and implement IB Programmes. We help schools develop a curriculum that meets the requirements of the IB and provide assistance throughout the entire process of obtaining IB authorization or accreditation.