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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
Three Fundraising Apps Worth Checking Out
Advancement // May 9, 2017
Today’s world moves fast. How we reach donors, capture their attention, pique their interests enough so they support our causes, and make our cause accessible to them is constantly changing. Technology has reshaped the way we access and manage a good portion of our daily lives, and certainly that includes the way we manage fundraising. These apps could be the answer your looking for in your campaigns.
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Planning a Grandparents Day to Bond With These Key Supporters
Advancement // May 9, 2017
Many schools show their appreciation through an annual Grandparents Day—often expanded to Grandparents and Special Friends Day so all students can invite someone who is important in their lives. This can be one of the most important —and enjoyable—days of the year. In some instances, school leaders report, it’s so special that grandparents travel hundreds of miles to attend. Perhaps you’re considering adding this event to your school’s calendar, or updating your current Grandparents Day.
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Your School's Stories on Instagram
Private School News // April 28, 2017
Your school’s story is what makes your school unique. It’s what attracts families, strengthens retention, and unites your community. How you tell your school’s story is critical to how it’s received—and its success. And, how you communicate your story, via social media sites, video, pictures, statistics, testimonials, prose, school newsletter, Head blog, website, etc., is part of the puzzle of how you tell your story.
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Stretch Your Technology Hands
Private School News // April 28, 2017
If you use a smart phone, a trackpad on a laptop, or a computer mouse—(and, let’s be honest, of course you use at least one of those things, if not all of them, daily)—you could be developing Technology Hand.
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The Importance of Faculty Collaborative Time
Private School News // April 28, 2017
A teacher at a private school typically devotes most of the day to instruction, with almost no time for collaborating with other teachers, mutually planning lessons, or even reflecting on their practices. Professional isolation is a significant issue in many of our classrooms.
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Yet More Growth in the Charter School Population
Board of Trustees // April 11, 2017
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools supports and lobbies for charter schools at the state and federal levels. The organization’s latest annual report indicates that more than three million students now attend public charter schools. That’s nearly three times the student population of a decade ago. There are now more than 6,900 charter schools in the United States. Clearly there has been demonstrated growth in that sector.
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Foster Board Objectivity—Avoid Subjectivity
Board of Trustees // April 11, 2017
Trustees are human beings, and from a strategic viewpoint, human nature can impede or disrupt a Board’s key functions. One term that captures much of this problematic dimension of human nature is subjectivity. For Board members, subjectivity may lead to an overlying personalized way of seeing organizational purpose, envisioning the school’s future, and determining planning priorities. Subjectivity can easily undermine the strategic thinking needed to preserve school mission, ensure organizational stability, and lead a school into the future. Increases in tension or anxiety on the Board may contribute to increased subjectivity.
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Your School’s Newsletter: Is It Informational or Considered Junk Mail?
Advancement // March 31, 2017
Regardless of whether your school sends out an electronic or printed newsletter, if it’s not perceived as informational and relevant, it may be seen as just another piece of junk mail. And, if your families, faculty, and staff aren’t reading it, then they’re missing what you’re trying to share with them.
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Facebook Ads Strengthen Your School’s Story
Advancement // March 31, 2017
Facebook is the go-to social media outlet for sharing your messages, offers, and events with your community. The once free social giant has changed its algorithm several times over the years, making communications more challenging for companies and losing some of it’s support along the way. However, it remains at the top of the pyramid for social advertising strategies, so we are forced to reignite our love for its capabilities.
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The True Benefits of Preschool
Academic Leadership // March 29, 2017
Perhaps your school has a preschool, or is thinking about adding one. Perhaps you see preschool as a doorway into full enrollment at your school. But is it worth it? In short, does it meet the needs of your families, your students, and your school’s mission? Academic leaders, parents, and researchers believe a quality preschool program improves skills like simple math and phonics, and prepares children for the social and emotional behaviors as they enter kindergarten and elementary school. For example, a study in Virginia last year, including more than 20,000 students in a government-funded preschool program, indicated that children in the system showed great improvements in alphabet recognition. But do the benefits of preschool extend into student experience in later schooling?
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