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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
Should Your School Invest Time and Resources in Pinterest?
Business and Operations // April 19, 2012
There’s a new social media giant in the making, and it’s one you might want to consider taking some time to familiarize yourself with—Pinterest. Just what is Pinterest? If you’ve already acquainted yourself with Twitter, then you’re aware of the power of social media and how easy it is to share your school’s events, successes, and news with your followers. If your school has included social media as part of its marketing plan and development practices, then you might also be aware of how profitable social media can be. Just a few minutes a day can go a long way. However, for the visual thinkers out there, Twitter can be visually unpleasing regardless of custom backgrounds and the adoption of Twitpics.
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Green Corner
Business and Operations // April 19, 2012
10 Tips for Reusing Plastic Milk Jugs According to the National Geographic documentary Human Footprint, Americans consume about 989,985,594,240 half gallons of milk over the course of a lifetime. Good news—Americans clearly enjoy this healthy beverage. Bad news—waste is a growing issue for all of us.
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How Much Is Sick Time Costing Your School?
Business and Operations // April 19, 2012
With the school year starting to wind down and renewal contracts being negotiated, sick time is likely one of those things your school is taking a look at. Allowing faculty and staff to accrue sick days is often seen as an added benefit in many schools—one that is perhaps cheaper than offering Short Term Disability (STD) insurance. But is it really cheaper? Let’s take a closer look.
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Indicators of School Crime and Safety
Board of Trustees // April 18, 2012
Establishing good indicators of the current state of school crime and safety across the nation—and regularly updating and monitoring these indicators—is important in ensuring the safety of our nation’s students. This is the aim of Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2011, just released in February of this year. This is the 14th report in a series of annual publications produced jointly by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Institute of Education Sciences (IES), in the U.S. Department of Education, and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in the U.S. Department of Justice. This report presents the most recent data available on school crime and student safety.
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School Anniversary Milestone on the Horizon? Here’s What One School Has Done to Get Ready
Advancement // April 13, 2012
Palmer Trinity School, FL, is planning its 40th anniversary celebration and Development Officer Lauren Dowlen shared the steps the school has taken so far. This could be helpful for all our readers whose schools are facing a milestone, especially if you need a jumpstart!
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Let Your Students Tell the Story to Inspire Donors
Advancement // April 13, 2012
Katya Andresen, Chief Strategy Officer for the online donation-collection conduit Network For Good, shared in her blog “The Six Things I Wish I’d Known 20 Years Ago.” One of those things was: What I wish I had also known about communications: Nothing beats a good story about one person. (Including a good story about two, 20 or 20,000 people.) Research is clear: if we want to spark someone’s empathy and inspire a donation, we must tell the story of our cause through one person (or animal). We must give our mission a pulse and save the abstractions and statistics for another day.
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The “Bully” MPAA-Rating Controversy
School Heads // April 10, 2012
In Philadelphia, City Councilman Jim Kenney wants every student in the city to see the new documentary “Bully,” but the R rating assigned by the MPAA film board could prevent that. Due to five instances of a distinct expletive heard on film, the MPAA won’t move on the rating. Meaning, kids who should be seeing this may not be able to without their parents with them.
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Do You Have the Right Academic Administrators?
School Heads // April 10, 2012
Last month, we looked closely at how defining “Characteristics of Professional Excellence” can enhance a school’s processes for hiring, evaluating, and developing faculty. This month, we examine the other side of the coin: What skills and characteristics do academic administrators need to have to succeed and thrive in a 21st century environment?
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Spring Allergies Alerts for Students—and You
Business and Operations // April 3, 2012
Springtime for much of the U.S. means allergy sufferers are already feeling their seasonal pains. For adults, it’s likely that they’re aware of their symptoms and know how to treat themselves. Children, however, may not have shown signs of allergies before. Teachers and administrators should know what signs to look for.
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IRS Issues A Chart To Help Employers Determine What Health Insurance Coverage Must Be Reported On Form W-2
Business and Operations // April 3, 2012
The IRS has issued a chart that lists various types of health insurance coverage, and whether that coverage must be reported on Form W-2 by many employers beginning with the 2012 calendar year.
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