CEO Notebook
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Boards and Trustees
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Leadership
"I'm afraid that schools the size of mine are on the verge of extinction." Last week, while I was on the road in Denver, a business officer from a small independent school (enrollment less than 200 students) confided thi
3 min read
Every city has a story, but few illustrate important leadership lessons like the story of Chattanooga, Tennessee. That's right, the city that many of us know for a catchy tune about a choo choo is so much more—and
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Who knew learning German could be so amusing?
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Each year we have a unique opportunity to recognize two colleagues who reflect our highest professional standards and our community's aspirations for excellence within independent school business and financial operations
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CEO Notebook
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Culture
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Parent Organizations
As a trustee at my daughter's school, I get a lot of "feedback" from other parents. It ranges from concern over ERB scores to "can't we get more comfortable chairs for parents to sit in at assemblies?" I listen, smile an
2 min read
The financial lens of independent school leaders is about to get a lot sharper. As you begin 2016 at your school, I'm very pleased to share that NBOA is also beginning an exciting new endeavor—one that promises to
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A business officer's 40-year love affair with sailing.
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Your job won’t get any easier this year. Find opportunities to energize, support and manage yourself.
4 min read
With today's unseasonably warm weather in Washington, D.C., I recall that freezing morning in Boston like it was yesterday. The 2015 Annual Meeting Fun Run, in fact, is one of my favorite memories from NBOA's last 12 mon
2 min read
CEO Notebook
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Boards and Trustees
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Governance
A dynamic group of volunteers, a hard-working staff and a well-defined mission to which both groups are committed: This is the unique ideal of nonprofit governance, but it is not easily achieved. In fact, nonprofit leade
2 min read
It has been a week of tremendous loss for the independent school community and the world. Like all of you, I was shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of NAIS President John Chubb on November 12. He was a friend a
1 min read
CEO Notebook
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Boards and Trustees
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Governance
One of the greatest challenges of any nonprofit board is to ensure that its conversations are both generative and strategic. Frustratingly, boards too often get mired in committee work. As a consequence, the full board s
3 min read
A former chief financial officer connected with the students at her school by chaperoning overnight trips.
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"The bean counters are taking over the world!" A school faculty member posted this on Twitter, the implication being that the "numbers people" were influencing too many decisions at his school. I don't know a single busi
3 min read
CEO Notebook
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Boards and Trustees
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Compliance
It's often been said that the only constant is change. As we enter another school year, this cliché is spot-on.
3 min read
As business officers know too well, there really is no such thing as downtime anymore in independent schools. The summer is busy with wrapping up the prior school year and preparing for the one ahead. NBOA is no differen
2 min read
Riding bicycles to raise money and save rides.
4 min read
CEO Notebook
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Boards and Trustees
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Governance
With the busiest part of the school year behind most of us, I invite you to consider your school's Board of Trustees in the context of the NBOA Board of Directors. Our Board is probably similar to yours in some ways, yet
3 min read
As your school year winds down, your professional association's planning for next year is already ramping up. Last week, members of the NBOA staff assembled in Washington, D.C., to identify and plan the vast array of NBO
3 min read
Why one business officer trained to be a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg.
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