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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
From Neuroscience: Why Gaming Engages Students
Academic Leadership // January 31, 2012
Dr. Paul Howard-Jones told attendees at the Learning Without Frontiers Conference in London last week that video gaming engages kids because gaming stimulates the reward system in the brain to produce dopamine, “which helps orient our attention and enhances the making of connections between neurons, the physical basis for learning,” the New York Times reported.
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Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries
Board of Trustees // January 24, 2012
The National Center for Education Statistics publishes a biennial series of compendia describing key education outcomes and contexts of education in the Group of Eight (G-8) countries—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The 2011 report is organized into six topical areas: population and school enrollment, academic performance, contexts for learning, expenditures for education, and educational attainment and income.
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Ask Michael
Business and Operations // January 24, 2012
Q: As the School Head, should terminations of faculty and staff be my decision, or the Board’s decision? Throughout my career as a Head (this is my first year at this school), employment decisions have always been under my purview. Board members here, though, keep trying to insert themselves in personnel decisions. What do you recommend?
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Legal Updates and Important Cases
Business and Operations // January 24, 2012
We want to briefly review two cases that have been decided in recent weeks. Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC In early January, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that federal discrimination laws “do not protect church employees who perform religious duties, a major church-state decision that recognizes religious groups’ constitutionally protected right to select their own leaders.” (Quoting from a Washington Post article).
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Constructive Conversations, Coaching, and Mentoring
Business and Operations // January 24, 2012
In recent years, there has been widespread interest in books recommending “fierce” or “difficult” conversations. For example, two well-known tomes—Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (by Stone, Patton, and Heen), and Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time (by Susan Scott)—offer many excellent communication techniques.
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From the HR Blogosphere
Business and Operations // January 24, 2012
Blogs, forums, chat rooms, listservs—the list goes on and on. These can be valuable resources for finding alternative opinions and information about almost anything. From HR concerns to just needing a quick laugh to fuel the rest of your day, blogs can remind you that you're not alone in the all-too often chaotic world of private-independent education.
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Tips From the ISM Development e-List
Advancement // January 18, 2012
E-mailing for Pledges Katie Gilman, Director of Development at Veritas School (VA), asked for samples for an e-mail appeal that would help her bring in those last gifts to bring the school up to 100% participation.
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QR Codes: Scanning That’s Good for Your School
Advancement // January 18, 2012
Since we first explored QR code scanning in 2D Barcoding: Smartphone Technology to Promote Your School last year, those little square codes have been popping up everywhere! It's a good bet that you have seen them on mailings, sale fliers, in stores, in malls, and many other places. The widespread use of the smart device (iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, etc.) means you really have a new way to get your message to your supporters.
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Teacher Quality and Student Performance: US vs. International
School Heads // January 10, 2012
As the No Child Left Behind education law in the United States reaches its 10th anniversary, the maelstrom of teacher accountability, student performance, and high-stakes testing continues to dominate the educational reform rhetoric. And, as a private-independent school Head, your thoughts are turning to teacher contracts. While you are probably free from much of the issue, you are concerned about having the best faculty to deliver your mission to your students.
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What Does 2012 Hold in Store for 2012?
School Heads // January 10, 2012
In his popular blog for teachers, Larry Ferlazzo takes a stab at what is going to happen in education in 2012. “I think I batted close to 50% in last year’s predictions,” said the English teacher from Luther Burbank High School, CA, “That can’t be much worse than those made by professional pundits.”
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