Developing a clear and effective administrative structure is fundamental to building a great school. Often, schools operate on very thin margins hoping to save resources, reduce tuition, or prevent being perceived as “top heavy”? However, what they often fail to realize is the cost of under-valuing and under-resourcing the school. While the Head of School is responsible for building and hiring his/her team, the board needs to understand the cost and impact of doing so in a wise and strategic way. What is the board’s role in developing the structure the Head envisions? How many administrators are required to run a high functioning school? Is it the same for every school? What are the potential implications of an under-resourcing admin team? How does one phase in the respective admin roles effectively? What resources are necessary to attract the right talent? This session will explore these questions and issues by looking at some key foundational principles, best practices, and case studies.
Eric Cook
Having previously served as the Executive Director and Board Chair, Eric has been formally associated with SCL for over a decade. Eric is also the Head of School at Covenant Classical in Fort Worth, TX where he has served for 11 years. Prior to Covenant, Eric was the Head of Upper School at Faith Christian School in Roanoke, VA. Eric is from Lexington, Kentucky, but worked in schools in Ohio and Virginia before joining Covenant Classical School in 2009. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from Transylvania University, and a master’s degree in Instructional Leadership from Northern Kentucky University. He has taught history, political science, psychology, and philosophy in public schools, and served as an assistant principal for several years. In 2006, Eric felt called to join the classical Christian school movement and became the Middle and Upper School Head at Faith Christian School in Roanoke, Virginia. In addition to his leadership roles, Eric taught apologetics, theology, philosophy of religion, and served as thesis director. Eric and his wife, Liz, have six children.
