The U.S. has the largest population in the world of foreign students--well over 1 million! In 2012 we launched the School Growth International Student Enrollment (ISE) program to help U.S. private secondary schools and small colleges expand the size and diversity of their student body with a disciplined approach that maximizes the benefits for the whole school community and reduces the daunting risks. Having assisted in the (re-)design of schools in various countries and with a new office in Shanghai, we are fully committed to working with select schools to grow through the constructive enrollment of international students. 

This is not a bunch of manure! The Dung Beetle teaches four critical lessons about strategic planning:

• How competition shapes behavior
• How to deal with obstacles and stay focused on the mission
• The importance of regularly assessing direction and making adjustments
• The importance of knowing exactly the destination and the problems

Think that's Crazy? Watch this! In his TED talk entitled, The Dance of the Dung Beetle, Marcus Byrne describes the research his team has conducted with these masters of poop and illustrates some lessons that are vital for School Boards and Administrators.

Last week I had the opportunity to host a Learning Journey for a couple of school leaders to visit Atlanta International School in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin Glass, Headmaster for four years, was a gracious host who shared with us about the distinguishing features of the school and his plans for the next few years. What stood out most from our conversation was:

Effective communication is crucial at every level of the organization, especially within and from the board. It promotes better understanding, reduces unnecessary conflict, and helps build healthy relationships. High levels of emotional intelligence and self-awareness are common among good communicators. 

Last week I had the opportunity to tour a couple of public schools in Detroit with Eric Nadelstern, a professor of Educational Leadership at Teachers College at Columbia University. Previously he was a deputy chancellor in New York City's Department of Education. Eric is an articulate, well-published leader who is not afraid to challenge the status quo. 

This week a team from School Growth LLC visited schools in Shanghai to observe classroom instruction, establish sister school relationships, and assist Chinese students who are interested in pursuing enrollment in U.S. schools and college.  

This week I had the opportunity to visit with Blake Stanberry at Haywood Christian Academy in Waynesville, NC. Blake is the founding head of this young school, having built a well-balanced program in only five years of operation.  School Growth has been engaged by HCA to craft a design plan that will position the school as a formidible competitor in Western North Carolina. The school board is implementing The Board Index to improve the quality of governance, and Blake's leadership team is exploring various options to build high value and differentiation.  

I had the privilege of going fly fishing this week with a couple of friends. Bob Collins, Head of School at Shannon Forest Christian School (Greenville, SC), served as our fearless leader. An avid fly fisherman, Bob took Rich and me way out in the mountains along the border of Georgia and South Carolina to a place that few dare travel. We enjoyed beautiful scenery, catching some nice rainbow and brown trout, and great fellowship. From this experience I also found some lessons that apply to school leaders.

The NFL replacement referees were broadly and angrily crticized for their work during the first few weeks of the NFL season. With limited training and experience they stepped up to the challenge of officiating these games so that America (and gridiron enthusiasts around the world) could enjoy professional football uninterrupted by the labor dispute with the referees' union. As should be expected, mistakes were made--some that were game-changing and invoked the righteous indignation of coaches, players, announcers, and arm-chair quarterbacks.

Your birthday is a very important milestone in your life. Whether you like sharing your age or not, with each birthday you've earned the opportunity to celebrate the past year and prepare for the next. One way to do that is to take a birthday retreat, where you find a beautiful, quiet location to get away by yourself in order to spend some valuable time on you. Some good locations for a retreat include the park by the river, the steps of the Capitol Building, your friend's lake house, the zoo, or the bench down by the lake.