A Private School is Not Just A School, But Also A Business, Workplace and Community
I have worked in and with private schools for more than 20 years. And I have come to understand something that I believe every school owner should understand:
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Running a private school is much bigger than teaching children. A private school is actually 4 things that are wrapped into one big item.
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It is a SCHOOL …. It is a BUSINESS …. It is a WORKPLACE ….. And it is a COMMUNITY.
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The problem is that some school owners understand only one or two of these 4 things. And that can make running your school a very difficult task.
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Let me explain.
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YOUR SCHOOL IS A SCHOOL: This is the part everybody understands. Children come to your school to learn and that is why you employed teachers to teach and you cannot joke with the academic side of your school. This is because at the end of the day, no amount of good marketing can make a school that is not giving children a good learning experience to grow.
. 2. YOUR SCHOOL IS A BUSINESS:
I know, this is where you might become uncomfortable. But whether you like it or not, your private school is a business organization. Just like any other business organization, money is coming into your school and money is also going out of your school. You pay salaries, rent, buy fuel, pay electricity bills, buy teaching materials, repair buildings and equipment and you spend money on marketing.
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One major reason why you are collecting school fees is to make sure that money comes in. And many private schools are having problems today because the owners administrator does not really understand the business aspect of the school.
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3. YOUR SCHOOL IS ALSO A WORKPLACE.
.There are people who are working every day in your school. I am talking about the teachers., bursar, cleaner, security personnel, drivers and other members of staff. These people are not machines, but they are human beings who have blood and water flowing in their body. And as far as they are concerned, your private school is also a workplace to them. As a place where they are working, there are certain things they are expecting from your school.
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Your team of staff have needs, they have challenges, they have expectations and they want to be taken care of. They want to know what is expected of them. They want to be paid correctly and on time. They want to work in an environment where communication is clear and they need leadership. They don’t want a place where they will be used like slaves and be paid like beggars. This is why I usually advise school owners to take the issue of their staff management seriously.
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4. YOUR SCHOOL IS ALSO A COMMUNITY and you are the community leader.
.School is made of a community of people which include parents, teachers, school owners and the students. Parents are not just people who come to pay school fees. They are part of the school community. Your teachers and other staff are not just people who come to collect salary, they are part of your school’s community. The students are not just human beings that come to your school to learn, they are part of your school community.
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And you must do everything humanly possible to make sure that everyone in your community understands what you want to achieve and in one way or the other they are supporting your agenda. As I am trying to end this discussion, I want you to know that
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these 4 natures of your school are connected and you cannot completely separate them.
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That is why;
.1. If your school is not giving good education, parents who are part of your community will complain.
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2. If the parents are not paying school fees on time, it will affect the business aspect of your school.
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3. If you are not paying the salaries of your teachers in time, the teachers and other staff members will complain and it may even have a negative effect on their ability to teach very well.
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4. If there is no cooperation between you the community leader and your team of teachers, your school will continue to have problems.
I want you to take these 4 aspects of your school very seriously and make sure they are working together.
