Concussions are a very real danger that students who play contact sports—particularly football—and their parents must consider. And they must take concussions seriously. The September 2010 suicide of a Virginia high school football player Austin Trenum a few days after he may have suffered a concussion during a game fueled the discussion of the possible link between concussion and suicide. Just months before, Owen Thomas, a University of Pennsylvania football player, killed himself. An autopsy of his brain showed early signs of a trauma-induced brain disease that has been found in NFL players—more than 20—who are deceased. The disease is called chronic traumatic encephalopathy and is linked to depression and lack of impulse control.

Sonia Brown, a 14-year old freshman in Yakima, WA, was the one to review her school progress with her parents…rather than the adults who teach her.

Congratulations—you’ve been promoted to Division Head! Once the euphoria has subsided a bit and you have a chance to reflect on your new responsibilities, you may find yourself wondering, “So, what exactly do I do now?” There’s no doubt that there will be a thousand possible initiatives to launch, “fires” to put out, and helpful guidance and direction to offer to your faculty and staff. Given all the possibilities, what is the best use of your time? Even if you are not new to your position, this question weighs heavy on your mind.

Exercising your mind is as important as exercising your body. You might think that, since work keeps you going a million miles an hour five days a week, that you’re getting all the mental fitness you need. But, that’s not the trick to exercising your mind. The real trick to keeping your mind focused and healthy is to learn something new every day.

Brace yourself, English teachers, OMG, LOL, and Tweet are now acceptable words according to the Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionaries.

It’s a new school year and a fresh start to tackling one of any organization's largest issues—communication. Communication concerns seem to never find absolute resolution. There are always news tactics and policies that seem to assist in keeping the channels of communication open for a bit, but as time passes there it is again—communication troubles popping up on employee evaluation forms, in suggestion boxes, and on the tails of the gossip comet.

On the first day of school students are required to bring pencils, pens, paper … and their cell phone? Some schools are experimenting with “bring your own technology” (BYOT) policies. Research concluded in April 2010, by the Pew Research Center indicated that 75% of students, aged 12-17, own a cell phone or smart phone. The logic behind BYOT policies is simple—if students already own some sort of smart device, allow them to drive the speed in which technology is updated, saving the school precious dollars on IT support and demand.

There’s no denying it, social media has made a place for itself in today's marketing plans. Facebook is among the leaders, and understanding why people fan Facebook pages can help your school develop its social media strategies.

Protect a bully? That’s ridiculous! Although it seems counterproductive to protect someone who threatens and abuses others, yes, even bullies need protection. Bullies, both online and in the schoolyard, often act on spontaneous compulsions without thinking about the effects of their actions. Let’s be honest, not all bullies are intentionally trying to harm someone. And, those who are intentionally seeking to harm another often act on emotional impulse without having the proper coping skills to handle the situation responsibly. As you know, not all bullies are bad kids, just momentarily misdirected.

On the ISM Business Manager listserv last month, a few subscribers shared thoughts about sustainable lunch programs. This healthy trend is starting to pick up momentum, and so for all our readers who are equally curious about how to add local food alternatives to their lunch menu without stretching their budgets into the red, we’ve done some research for you.