Joining ISM a few years ago, I was immediately tossed into learning our theory. As any great organization will do, ISM wanted me to completely understand its mission and theory, and sample firsthand the concerns and mindset of its audience.

The financial aid season is winding down, if not over for the 2013-2014 school year. You might be left wondering if your Financial Aid Committee made the best decisions possible. If you’re questioning the decisions made and the ease of transition of your financial aid software’s formula to your records and accounting software, then this summer might be a good time to shop around.

Q: Two years ago, we promoted someone who had been an excellent teacher into a Division Head role. Unfortunately, he has struggled mightily in the role—he seems unhappy, and the faculty is quite upset with what feels like a state of paralysis in the division. He’s supporting a large family, so I know it would be hard for him to give up the substantial raise that went along with the promotion. What should we do?

It’s summertime! In honor of the season, we want to leave our readers with some healthy tips for enjoying the great outdoors. No matter what region you live in, these green living tips from WebMD will help you stay safe while exploring and relaxing outdoors, save money on your cooling expenses, and make a dent in your carbon footprint.

As spring has turned to summer, we hope that you are enjoying a more leisurely pace—one that permits both renewal and reflection. The relative calmness of summer often allows one to sit back and ponder developments that have occurred in the past year, and to look forward to what might be on the horizon come September. It is in this reflective frame of mind that we would like to share a few thoughts on ways to improve your HR practices once school is back in session in the fall—most particularly, through the use of very brief surveys.

A recent study by Aflac reveals that Americans aren’t prepared for the Health Care Reforms created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. As many organizations and companies are choosing consumer-driven health plans, and the responsibility for health decisions requires more patient accountability, workers are being put at risk of making costly mistakes without a financial back-up plan.

As most of you wrap up the school year and get ready for some down time (maybe some professional development with ISM?), we thought you’d might like a little roundup of interesting tips, stories, and products we’ve run across.

Maximizing space doesn’t have to be supported by an annual fund or development campaign. In fact, designing classroom spaces that optimize collaboration as well individual thinking can be done with a no-frills approach.

As you add new Trustees to your Board this summer, make sure that you take steps to build on a successful Board-Head partnership. The following seven procedures are a summary of ISM best practices that enable the Head and Board to work together within a climate of trust and openness.

Another social media giant has emerged and cemented a spot among the Internet hall of famers—Pinterest. For the past two years, we’ve watched as Pinterest evolved from the rumors of fame to climb popularity rungs. As of March 2012, Pinterest became the third largest social network, surpassing LinkedIn and Tagged. This once invitation-only-community has been open to the public for a little over a year, and open to businesses since October 2012. And, its openness has only accelerated its popularity. So, if you haven’t given a second thought to adding another social community to your school’s social media plan, this summer might be the perfect opportunity to investigate a little further.