Are There Taboo Office Topics Anymore?

Business and Operations // December 7, 2016

The day after Election Day was a somber one for many. The media were going crazy with pro and con debates; activist groups on both sides were hosting rallies; and the majority of us office worker-bees mustered through most of that Wednesday in a daze. Regardless of what side of the political fence you were on, the results required a day of reflection. As a nation, we were imagining our next four years. After we collected ourselves and our thoughts settled, most of us were left in a strange position. Politics is one of those taboo topics HR departments tell us not to discuss during work hours. Like religion, political conversations can quickly enter a red danger zone of offensive or harassing language. This opens organizations up to not just HR claims, but, if the conversation balloons past red and into the purple flashing critical mass zone, your school can find itself in a nasty lawsuit.

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Should You Waive Bylaws to Keep Wealthy Trustees on the Board?

Board of Trustees // December 2, 2016

The Chair of the Committee on Trustees has proposed expanding the Board by asking several wealthy members to continue their terms indefinitely. The goal is to “keep them actively involved with the school.” However, the Board’s bylaws specify that, at the end two consecutive terms, a Board member must sit out for one year. The Chair believes that having these Trustees directly involved as Board members is critical. The school plans to kick off the silent phase of a multimillion-dollar capital campaign this school year, and the strategic plan calls for another campaign four years later. Keeping them on the Board is bound to yield larger gifts, she feels.

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Parent and Trustee? Tread Carefully!

Board of Trustees // December 2, 2016

You’re at the grocery store, in the park, or at church. Another parent from your child’s school walks up and says, “What do you think of the way the Board is handling the dress code issue?” Of course, as a tuition-paying parent, you have an opinion. Your first thought is to respond, “It’s really disappointing. I can’t imagine what’s gotten into them!” However, you’ve just become a Board member. Now what?

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Obtaining Reliable Data From Surveys to Guide Your Decision-Making

Advancement // December 1, 2016

A common and quite costly mistake schools make is to base decisions on unreliable sources, from a small group of vocal parents who claim that “everyone” feels the same way, or national trends that may or may not apply to your school. The key to avoiding this mistake is to assume nothing. Costly examples include the assumption that families are leaving because of the cost of tuition or because you don’t have a swimming pool; that new families aren’t enrolling because the lower school entrance needs a million-dollar makeover; or that parents all want a Mandarin program (and should thus have one).

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Tips for Working With International Student Agents

Advancement // December 1, 2016

International students bring not only revenue to private schools, but an enhanced level of culture to the overall student experience. Over the past decade, international K–12 programs have seen significant growth throughout the U.S. Assisting K–12 schools with this growth are numerous International Student Broker (Agent) firms and independent consultants. Although schools don’t need to partner with brokers to enhance or initiate exchange student and international study programs, most of the schools ISM works with for international student insurance report using agents to help place students, along with other associated tasks. Through our insurance relationships, we have compiled the following five tips for working with an International Student Broker.

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“Free” Doesn’t Mean “No Cost”—The Siphoning of Student Data to Advertisers

Private School News // October 31, 2016

Every program, app, or webinar costs something, even if it’s not money. They require your time and attention, which could have gone toward other priorities. Some require your tacit agreement to receive more information about their goods and services. And some pay for their overhead using student data collected from “free” programs.

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10 Reasons You Were Meant to Work at a Private School

Private School News // October 31, 2016

Life as a private-independent school administrator is intensely rewarding, despite the emergencies or interdepartmental spats that arise every fifth moment of the day. When it starts to feel like your entire job is consumed by all the negative aspects, read this article and rediscover why you began your private school career.

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Students’ Self-Reporting of Homework Times Wildly Inaccurate, 2016 Study Finds

Private School News // October 31, 2016

There’s been a lot of chatter about the efficacy of homework lately, even here on The Source. Some folks find fault with the quality of homework given, and others with the quantity. However, a study published in the June 2016 edition of the Journal of Psychology has evidence that previous reports and suggestions based on student estimations of homework time could be wildly inaccurate. If verified, this finding could possibly invalidate the last decade’s worth of homework efficacy studies.

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Curing “Shiny Object Syndrome”: How to Identify Useful Change

School Heads // October 28, 2016

Naturalist Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” While change is vital to every organization’s survival, how a school manages that change determines its viability for the next generation of students. Therefore, identifying the adjustments that are right for your school—and making sure your school is ready for such changes—becomes more strategically important than keeping up with the Jones’s school down the road. This month, we’ll be talking about the cost of "shiny object syndrome," and how to avoid dedicating your school to a failing change proposition.

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10 Reasons You Were Meant to Be a School Head

School Heads // October 28, 2016

School Heads may have one of the hardest jobs in the world, being expected to be “on duty” during every emergency and every rally. You navigate social media meltdowns, campus emergencies, faculty requests, and parent expectations every day—and your biggest thank-you is a smile from a student at your presence. That smile is probably the biggest reason why you signed on for this job in the first place. However, just in case you’ve forgotten why you wanted this gig in the first place, we’ve got a list of the top ten reasons why being a School Head was what you were meant to do.

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