"I believe our connection with you has totally made our school stronger overall, and you have helped guide us through some turbulent times."
~ CFO, Independent School

"I appreciate your work on this and the support of [the] firm. You make my life so much easier."
~ Head of School, Independent School

"On first glance, [the handbook is] a beautiful piece of work! Love the new organization."
~ Associate Head and Dean of Students, Independent School

"Thanks for your excellent work in guiding us through this process."
~ Head of School, Independent School

Independent Schools

Our Independent Schools practice is focused on the critical issues facing school administrators and leadership, including:

Counseling

Allegations of sexual abuse, hazing or bullying
Student disciplinary matters
Educational malpractice claims
Employee disciplinary matters
Internal grievances
Internal investigations of employee, student or vendor misconduct
Promotions and tenure
Regulatory compliance, including data security
Risk management
Terminations and layoffs

Documentation

Acceptable use of technology agreements
Admissions documents
Athletic documents
Board bylaws
Bullying prevention and intervention plans
Codes of conduct
Conflict of interest policies
Data security compliance programs
Document retention policies
Employment agreements
Enrollment agreements
Faculty and staff offer letters
Housing agreements
Job descriptions and applications
Medical policies
Off-campus trip forms and safety compliance
Residential guidelines
Student, faculty, and employee handbooks
Trustee confidentiality agreements
Vendor contracts
Whistleblower policies

Training

Acceptable uses of technology
Avoiding discrimination, harassment, and hazing on campus
Appropriate use of social media
Bullying prevention and intervention
Data security compliance
Preventing and addressing sex abuse allegations

Litigation Defense

Employment Claims
Student and Parent Claims

Title IX Compliance

Policies and procedures for responding to complaints of harassment and/or sexual assault
Guidelines for conducting an effective investigation
Training those responsible for implementing the complaint response procedures
Investigating complaints of harassment, including allegations of sexual assault

Schwartz Hannum PC is a member of, and a frequent speaker at, the Association of Independent Schools in New England, the National Association of Independent Schools, the National Business Officers Association and many other associations for independent schools.