When a student is the odd man (or woman) out at recess, it can be discouraging and awkward for that student to try inserting him- or herself into ongoing games. But—through one young student’s clever and simple idea—loneliness on the playground might be a thing of the past, thanks to the Buddy Bench.

In the 2004 comedy Mean Girls, the movie follows an insular and materialistic group of “popular” teenage girls—aptly named “the Plastics”—and its odd inclusion of a young lady who sought community and acceptance at her new school. As the actresses’ antics devolve into a predictable high school drama-fest, the movie itself offers a startling look into what can happen in toxic student communities. These toxic communities may be funny when presented on the big screen, but their formation is especially troubling after recent events at a public high school in Wilmington, Delaware. A freshman was killed fighting over a boy with another female student, during which she was surrounded and assaulted in the girls' restroom. To combat this potential for dangerous, damaging relationships to form within student social circles, Headteacher Jane Lunnon at Wimbledon High School—an independent girls’ day school in Wimbledon, England—invited educational speaker and trainer Emma Gleadhill to discuss how to build healthy relationships, both in school and later in life.

Families enroll their children in private schools for many reasons, including safety, unique educational opportunities, and their students’ ultimate academic future. That future often includes higher education and college—and the practically required expectation of standardized testing. In the last few years, several comparison studies lend third-party support to the theory that private-independent education better prepares students for college than public schools do, as indicated by those test scores.

Sexual harassment and assault claims need to be treated swiftly and delicately. Failure to manage sexual claims appropriately can lead to fines and lawsuits. The following five steps will help your school reduce its legal risks.

Depression is a very real disease. Melancholy moments are something we all deal with from time to time, however, clinical depression is depression lingering for two or more weeks that significantly interferes with daily life—and is not an emotional state we all experience at one time or another. It does not discriminate. Depression affects people of all ages, nationalities, genders, and religious orientations. And, it’s costly. Each year, employers spend billions in sick time and medical costs related to depression.

As March turns to April, the summer season feels closer than ever—which means your students may be anticipating seasonal employment. Perhaps you’ve heard murmurings from faculty or parents that the school should formalize relationships with community employers of students. Such a project requires a large initial output of resources and research, and must be properly maintained from year to year. Still, a database helping your students find and connect with mission-appropriate employers might help more than just the newly employed in the long run. With that in mind, we’ve got some key points for the Business Office to hit while collecting resources for would-be student workers.

Q: I received a legal-looking letter from The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) asking for information about a Medicare Beneficiary or Spouse. Is this letter legitimate, and do I have to do something with it?

Conversations abound on the Business Manager e-List, as private school administrators swap stories and resources with their peers. We’ve collected six of the most relevant crowdsourced points from the e-List over the last few months, hoping that your Business Office will find some useful gems for future use.

Higher education roiled this spring in the wake of the scandal from Mount St. Mary’s University, a private Catholic university in Emmitsburg, Maryland. In January 2016, the school’s student newspaper The Mountain Echo ran a special edition featuring the student retention plan of President Simon Newman. In addition to potentially unethical use of incoming student data to encourage freshmen to leave early, the President allegedly told a professor that “this is hard for you because you think of the students as cuddly bunnies, but you can’t. You just have to drown the bunnies ... put a Glock to their heads.”

School Heads from around the world congregate on our e-Lists to find crowdsourced answers to common problems only their peers would understand. If you’re curious to see what your fellow Heads have been talking about this year, read on for the fruits from nine lively discussions ranging from arming your teachers to considering alumni fundraisers.