The Right Tool for the Right Job: Three Times to Call Instead of Emailing

Academic Leadership // April 17, 2014

The days when people used their cellphones to call their friends and co-workers are quickly fading. These days, a quick text or email is regarded as a replacement for good ol’ fashioned conversations. For busy Division Heads, email may seem like it was invented specifically for your hectic lives, enabling the quick dissemination of information and instructions to the whole school. But email isn’t always the right communication tool to use, and it certainly shouldn’t be your only contact method. We have three instances when you should avoid using email and go for the phone instead.

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Support Your Teachers in Their Race to the Finish Line!

Academic Leadership // April 17, 2014

There are dozens of articles on how teachers inspire and motivate students, but how can we reinvigorate the teachers? As close to the end of the school year as we are, teachers may feel overwhelmed with the high-stakes final grades and exams happening over the next two months. So, here are a few ways to keep your teachers up and at ‘em through the final bell.

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The Tale of a Tooth: A Principal Plays Tooth Fairy

School Heads // April 17, 2014

Sometimes it’s the smallest things you can do that make the biggest impact on your students, and this is certainly true for a young lady at James Hill Elementary School as reported by the Huffington Post. Having lost her tooth during recess, third-grader Avery Patchett was upset that the tooth fairy wouldn’t see her baby tooth.

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Thanking Batkid: How to Acknowledge Anonymous Donors

Advancement // April 10, 2014

Photo credit to Robert Galbraith/Reuters Have you heard about Miles, the Batkid of San Francisco? Back in November, the Make-A-Wish Foundation made this five-year-old cancer survivor’s dream come true by turning the whole city into a Gotham-themed playground for a day, complete with supervillains condemned by the U.S. Department of Justice and damsels in distress. Turns out this act touched more lives than just our heroes'. Someone rented a billboard to thank Batkid for his feats of daring-do during his day fighting crime—and no one knows who funded it! It’s a complete mystery, one that not even Batman himself could solve. By keeping his or her identity masked, this anonymous donor’s indirect contribution to the Make-A-Wish foundation puts the focus on their mission—to give children hope, strength, and joy by granting wishes, extravagant or modest—rather than garnering attention for him- or herself.

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The Anatomy of a (Great!) Thank-You Letter

Advancement // April 10, 2014

Sometimes, it’s the simplest words that have the biggest impact, and remembering to say “thank you” can be the easiest way to preserve the relationship you've worked so hard to establish with your donor. But what makes a great thank-you letter? What can encourage donors to feel good about the gifts they’ve already made—and inspire them to give again?

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Double Trouble: Dealing With Siblings in Your Applicant Pool

Advancement // April 9, 2014

Alyssa Smith was a diamond in the rough in last year’s applications. You were excited to offer her acceptance, and she and her parents have been a wonderful addition to your private-independent school community. This year, you see “Smith, Michael” on one of your applications, and you open it with pleasure to find … a young man you can’t accept.

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"Have You Decided Yet?"

Advancement // April 9, 2014

In early spring, your Admission Office bustles with news for waiting families and burning questions your staff ask among themselves as they wait for responses as your deadline approaches. How many of your currently-enrolled families will re-enroll? How many of your “yes” letters will come back with a signed contract and a check? What if you don’t hit your enrollment goal? What if you're over enrolled?

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Merit Pay: The Debate Rages On

Private School News // April 2, 2014

Adequate compensation for teachers has long been the subject of debate, in both private-independent and public school spheres. Recently, merit pay has become the focus of renewed compensation efforts, particularly in its implementation. Should pay be based on student performance, or on other factors? Public schools using merit pay based on test scores have seen little success. Private schools, on the other hand, use merit pay for faculty growth and retention purposes.

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Wake Up on the Right Side of the Bed—Start School Later!

Private School News // April 2, 2014

Waking up can be a drag. With all the apps and gadgets available to help late risers roll out of bed on time, clearly rising and greeting the morning remains the greatest pre-coffee hurtle for many. Such dysfunction can carry over to your classrooms, particularly in your homerooms and early courses. Here's an idea to solve the yawns: Delay your start time! Several private-independent schools across the country are experimenting with later start times and seeing positive results.

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Teen Sues Parents for Tuition

Business and Operations // March 27, 2014

Rachel Canning, an 18-year-old senior living in New Jersey, made national headlines when the lawsuit she filed against her parents for tuition costs caught the attention of CNN. Canning is suing her parents for the last semester of her private Catholic school tuition, as well as living expenses, claiming she cannot financially support herself and was forced to leave her home in the fall of 2013.

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