smj podcast

As the COVID-19 health crisis turns into an economic crisis, the risk of student attrition comes to the fore. With years of research into retention, Jill Goodman intimately understands parent thinking and behaviours. She shares her insights in this interview and discusses six experiences your parents need to not just stay the course, but to become great advocates for your school.

How do you attract and retain donors? Is direct mail dead? How often can you ask for donations without driving donors away? According to The New York Times, Tom Ahern is one of America’s most sought-after creators of fundraising messages. Also the author of ‘If Only You’d Known’ … ‘You Would Have Raised So Much More’, Tom answers these questions and more as he discusses with Brad the things school Heads need to know for their school to raise funds well.

As the impacts of COVID-19 roll on, Beth Blackwood, CEO of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), shares her insights to help arm you and your school at this pivotal time. What are other Heads doing? What are the key short and long-term communication and marketing challenges, and what’s the best way to handle them?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, how you handle the next few months will matter. Your communication will become your reputation. In this ever-changing landscape, we discuss ways you can face some of those changes head on and answer key questions about how to continue to communicate well and strengthen your brand in the months ahead.

Leading a school requires courage. Leadership and governance consultant for RG175, Tom Olverson, discusses the need to be bold to drive your organisation. His insights carry great authority due to his 38 years in independent schools across the United States, and 27 years as a school Head. Tom explains how your school can’t become its best self, until a mutual agreement is made on what the school is supposed to be. As a school Head, you need the courage to lead.

How can we be strategic in the midst of so much change? Mark McCrindle, award-winning researcher and influential thought leader, explains how school Heads can navigate through the challenges the pandemic brings. Leaders need to look towards the future and beyond. In times of uncertainty it is vital for school Heads to communicate strategically and be the voice of calm and reason – this is what students and the school community are looking for.

Brad interviews Heather Hamilton, Executive Director of Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), to discuss how schools can create a virtual lifecycle of advancement by mapping out all stakeholders and their roles within the school community, and how it is placed within the wide umbrella of advancement strategies. They continue by discussing how to implement them to support your school’s goals.

In part two of our podcast about COVID-19, expert crisis communicator John Le Cras again joins Brad and Scully to discuss why schools are powerful media organisations. Establishing trust and delivering the correct communication regarding a situation within the school community is paramount. They continue discussing the topic of having a clear narrative with a concise strategic communication plan in action, and how crucial it is for school Heads to anticipate issues, considering all scenarios and the ways it could play out.

How do you communicate to stakeholders about the COVID-19 virus, and more importantly how can school Heads communicate trust to parents? In this interview, former director of news and current affairs for Channel 7 Perth and expert crisis communicator, John Le Cras joined the podcast to give clear, concise tips on how to communicate effectively to concerned parents. John explains why it is crucial to stick to your key messages, and to create and have a consistent narrative for all school staff.

How do you define defamation? When things go wrong with parents and a school Head is attacked online, is it worth suing? In this interview with Ben Tallboys, Principal of Russell Kennedy Lawyers, we answer these questions and discuss a recent ruling in the case of a Queensland Head who sued several parents for defamation. We also give you some tips for what to do if you think you’re being defamed.