Effective Communication Discussion Freeman-Brown Private School Case Study The following case study is based on true events. Names and identifying details

Effective Communication Discussion Freeman-Brown Private School Case Study
The following case study is based on true events. Names and identifying details have been
modified.
Freeman-Brown Private School (FBPS), based in Illinois, was founded in 1944 by the Brown
and Freeman families. Over the years, the school acquired a reputation as a leading academic
institution with an advanced curriculum. Parents described the school as having a highly
performing academic environment that provided a rigorous curriculum while fostering a safe,
family-oriented atmosphere in a place where community was valued. Not surprisingly, the
student population grew and the school opened multiple campuses in the metropolitan area
(Bristol, Culpeper, Richmond, Hampton, and Staunton). The Brown and Freeman families
eventually sold FBPS to the for-profit, Alabama-based Caudhill International Family of Schools
in 2007. The mission of the Caudhill group was to broaden the international focus of FBPS,
along with the nine other schools it owned (across the United States, Switzerland, and Mexico).
Even under the new ownership, the environment in the various FBPS campuses was still
described as achievement-oriented and supportive.
Milestones
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1944 – Freeman-Brown Private School was founded by the Brown and Freeman families.
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1944 – Inaugural opening established Hampton campus.
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1969 – Culpeper campus was established.
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1981 – Richmond campus was established.
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2003 – Bristol campus was created.
•
2007 – Freeman-Brown Private Schools joined the Caudhill International Family of
Schools.
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2008 – Culpeper campus relocated to Staunton campus.
•
2008 – The inaugural freshman class joined Freeman-Brown Preparatory High School.
•
2010 – Freeman-Brown Preparatory High School was designated an authorized
International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme School.
•
2012 – Freeman-Brown Preparatory (High) School graduated its first class in May.
•
2012 – Freeman-Brown’s new 6th-12th grade Middle and Upper School campus opened
in August in North Richmond.
•
2013 – The Upper School Athletic Complex and Student Center opened.
Within a year of Caudhill owning the school, parents noticed a subtle name change. The school,
which was previously known as “Freeman-Brown Private School,” was now “Freeman-Brown
Preparatory School.” This name change in itself did not seem to affect the school’s image or
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functioning at an operational level, but it was an early indication of the strategic direction in
which the school would be heading.
In 2008, FBPS attempted to enter the high school business at its Culpeper campus, but that initial
attempt was not as successful as anticipated. This was probably a contributory factor to the
relocation of the high school to a new state-of-the-art campus in Richmond, known as the North
Richmond campus.
A high point for FBPS came in 2010 when it launched its International Baccalaureate
Programme (IB Programme). Its first IB graduating class was May of 2012. However, that same
year FBPS decided to close both the Culpeper and the Hampton campuses. At the time of the
Hampton closure, families were informed that low enrollment was the reason behind the closure
and that all other campuses would remain open. The economic recession in the United States
between 2005 and 2011 led to many organizations going out of business, and the education
sector was not exempt (U.S. Department of Labor, 2013).
In addition to the economic recession, private schools in Illinois have faced intense competition
from charter schools, which are independently run public schools. Between 2011 and 2013, two
top-rated charter schools opened campuses within 5 miles of the Staunton campus. Some FBPS
Staunton campus students transferred to those schools.
In 2013, FBPS sent an e-mail to parents in error, informing them that the Staunton campus (preK through middle school) would be discontinued. That e-mail was withdrawn on the same day,
and shortly afterwards, the head of the school retired. Caudhill appointed Dr. Audrina Murphy as
the new head of the school. Dr. Murphy, a well-educated and experienced administrator, worked
with “strategic planning experts” to create a niche and a new mission for the school. Dr. Murphy
embraced her new role and continuously assured parents that the Staunton campus would remain
open. Parents who attended the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) meeting in midDecember 2013 affirmed that she offered assurances at the meeting.
January 2014
Winter break started on Monday, December 23, 2013, and students were scheduled to return to
school on Tuesday, January 7, 2014. On Monday, January 6, 2014, the Staunton campus
principal received information that the campus would close at the end of the semester, and this
news was conveyed to faculty and staff at the school. Only two campuses would remain open:
the Richmond and North Richmond campuses.
Parents were outraged, students were in disarray, and faculty and administration were in shock.
If parents had been informed earlier, it would have been possible for them to try to secure a spot
for their children at one of the schools nearby. However, open admissions at the surrounding
schools had closed earlier in December. Parents attempted to place their children on waiting lists,
but most lists had already filled up, some in excess of 800 students. Additionally, many local
schools had already completed their hiring for the following academic year, leaving FBPS
faculty and staff limited in employment options.
As it turned out, FBPS was not the only school closing campuses. That period was a difficult
time for schools in Illinois in general, with reports from the Center for Education Reform (2011)
reporting that between 2010 and 2011 the major reasons schools closure were financial,
mismanagement, and district-related issues.
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Parent Meeting
Parents were invited to a meeting on January 8, 2014, to meet with the head of the school and a
Caudhill official. Parents invited the media to the meeting, but the media was denied access. At
the onset of the meeting, Dr. Murphy took the podium and began by praising the Staunton
campus and its community. These statements bothered some of the parents, who demanded to
know why the school was closing if it had all the positive attributes just attributed to it.
The meeting grew tense and heated. Parents felt betrayed because of the timing of the closure
announcement. Dr. Murphy stated that buses would be provided to shuttle children ages 2-12 to
the new locations. However, the closest campus would require a trip of 40-miles (minimum)
twice every day. This would not be a viable option for many parents, but the announcement
timing left them with few options.
Other parents tried to negotiate with the administration to run the school for one more academic
year so families would have enough time to transition their children. Neither the Caudill official
nor Dr. Murphy agreed to this proposed solution.
Some parents offered to pay more in terms of tuition, but administration again did not agree to
this proposal. Parents asked if the closure was due to financial reasons. Dr. Murphy replied that
finances were “not a factor” and the closure was for “demographic reasons.”
While Dr. Murphy stated that the reason for the closure of the two campuses was not financial in
nature, Moody’s analytics reported that the parent company (Caudill) was experiencing some
strain. The rating of Moody’s analytics is a representation of the analysts’ opinion of the
creditworthiness of an organization. From August 2012 to 2014, the corporate family rating
(CFR) went from B2 to Caa2 indicating a lack of confidence in the financial health of Caudill.
Moving Forward
Following the parent meeting in January, some families pulled their children out of FBPS
immediately, prior to the completion of the academic year. Those families received no financial
reimbursement as parents had signed a contract for the academic year. Other families decided to
withdraw from the school at the end of the semester. By June 2014, student population had
significantly diminished on the affected campuses.
Some of the students who remained at Staunton planned to transfer to surrounding schools. Few
decided to continue at the Richmond and North Richmond campuses. Others registered at
Allegiant Academy, a new nonprofit private school opened by parents previously affiliated with
Staunton. Kasey Luce, daughter of one of the FBPS founders, came out of retirement to become
principal of Allegiant Academy. In addition to her role as principal of the school, Luce was also
the president of the nonprofit corporation that owned the school.
Allegiant Academy began with an enrollment of about 100 students (pre-K-8 grade), rising to
120 students by the end of the year. Most of these students were from the Staunton campus
population. The school leased a church for its first year to house the school. Parents described
Allegiant Academy in positive terms with approximately 90% of families choosing to reenroll
for the 2015-2016 academic year.
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References
Center for Education Reform. (2011). Appendix D. Closed charter schools by state. Retrieved
from https://www.edreform.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/12/CER_FINALClosedSchools2011-1.pdf
U.S. Department of Labor. (2013). Travel expenditures during the recent recession, 2005–2011.
Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2013/ted_20130115.htm
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Refer to the “Freeman-Brown Private School Case Study” document for details pertaining to this assignment.
The board of directors at Freeman-Brown Private School (FBPS) has hired you as part of a consulting team to review the situation and present your
findings and recommendations. Write a paper (1,500-1750 words) that discusses the case. Complete this assignment from the perspective of the hired
consultants. Respond to the following questions:
1. Review how organizations interact with their external environment (as open systems and complex adaptive systems). How effective was Freeman-
Brown as an open system at the time of the closure? How effective was Freeman-Brown as a complex adaptive system at the time of the closure?
2. Review your reading this week on the internal environment of organizations. What is your evaluation of the organizational culture and
organizational climate at the time the decision to close two campuses was made?
3. What is your evaluation of the decision made by Dr. Murphy and Caudill? What is your evaluation of the process of going about the closure?
4. Was FBPS demonstrating social responsibility? Discuss the closure impact on three specific stakeholders.
5. Provide an explanation, using appropriate management theories, for how the administration could have handled the closure effectively with
stakeholders? Include one theory from each of the following: the classical approach, the human relations approach, and the modern management
approach.
6. You have been asked to suggest two goals: one long-term and one short-term goal for the future direction of FBPS. Justify your decision.
7. Present a concluding statement that integrates the four functions of management as a means to revamp management at FBPS and meets the
recommended goals.
Use at least two academic resources as references for this assignment.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful
complet
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You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

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