Seven Academic Buzzwords to Define in 2016-2017

Private School News // August 2, 2016

Remember when all educators could talk about were MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses)? While they’re still around and useful for the modern classroom, new educational trends and vernacular have entered common parlance in efforts to make curriculums and philosophies sound appealing, stealing some MOOC thunder. Before you start trying to integrate every great new idea Google throws your way, remember that buzzwords must be carefully defined if used by you and your fellow administrators. Otherwise, you risk compromising your projects due to proverbial crossed wires. This month, we’ve collected some of the most popular buzzwords that educators can expect to hear in the coming school year—along with their actual definitions given by leading experts.

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2016 Shows A Dip in Wellness Benefits

Business and Operations // July 12, 2016

Over the last decade, there has been an upward trend for employers to incorporate wellness programs into their employee incentive and benefit portfolios. Such benefits have been considered tools, helping to reduce health insurance costs and paid sick time as well as boost overall employee morale. However, a new study shows that companies are starting to move in the other direction concerning wellness benefits—cancelling incentives due to a perceived lack of ROI and participation. Can it be that the wellness bubble has popped?

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Oh Look, More Acronyms to Memorize! SEVIS, SEVP, and DHS

Business and Operations // July 12, 2016

If your school has an international student program or is considering one, you might be well aware of the acronyms SEVIS, SEVP, and DHS. For those not familiar with the acronyms, as you might have guessed, they relate to the nitty-gritty, compliance side of international student programs. These acronyms need to be universally understood throughout your Business, Admission, and School Head’s offices. Although the enrollment process may start and conclude in the Admissions Office, all offices are involved in the comprehensive process. SEVP stands for The Student and Exchange Visitor Program, SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, and DHS stands for Department of Homeland Security.

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Teach the Teachers: Four Flexible Professional Development Ideas for Summer

Academic Leadership // July 7, 2016

Professional development for teachers is often scheduled at this time of year, with the idea that since class is out, teachers have more time to devote to educational intensives. That’s not always the case—67% of teachers in New Jersey had some form of summer gig in 2015, according to one informal survey, and only a third of teachers reserve time from second jobs and family obligations for ongoing education. With that in mind, we rounded up this list of creative, low-stress—and flexible—professional development ideas to pass to your teachers to keep their minds sharp and their spirits high for the Fall 2016 semester.

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2016 Summer Reading List for Division Heads

Academic Leadership // July 7, 2016

We hope your summer is as sunny and joyous as it has been here at the ISM headquarters, where we’re in the middle of hosting our Summer Institute workshop series in Wilmington, Delaware. Even if you haven’t been able to join in the professional development opportunities with your peers, we don’t want you to let this relatively calm period of the school year slip past without investing in yourself. So, we asked our Consultants to assemble this list of go-to books, and here’s what they recommend.

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Highlights From the 2016 Annual Report on Philanthropy

Advancement // July 6, 2016

Every year, the Giving USA Foundation publishes one of the most highly regarded reports on philanthropic giving in the United States, offering organizations of all sizes and missions a benchmark set of data against which to evaluate their own advancement efforts. While every school’s Development Office faces unique challenges in donor cultivation, the Annual Report on Philanthropy offers interesting food for thought when considering the broader giving landscape.

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2016 Summer Reading List for Development Directors

Advancement // July 6, 2016

We wish everyone at the Development Office and your entire school a sun-filled summer full of relaxation—and professional development. Sure, the classrooms might be empty of students (for now), but your work is rarely done. The temporary breather offers you some time to catch up on that list of books you promised yourself you’d get to this year—and we’ve got a few suggestions for you to tackle while catching some rays.

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Senior Year Gap: Potential Benefits and Disadvantages

Private School News // July 5, 2016

The seemingly logical next step for many newly graduated high school students would be entering higher education in time for their freshman fall semester. However, not every student is prepared to take that immediate jump into heavier study commitments—or mature enough to appreciate the investment a college education entails. Enter “gap years:” an extended break between the end of high school schooling and entry into college. Such breaks are becoming more popular in the United States. In fact, even Malia Obama, eldest daughter of President Obama, is taking a year to discover her professional passions before attending Harvard University. Time away from the classroom could have a profound impact on students’ academic careers—good or bad. Let’s take a look at some of the positive and negative points of gap years.

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Boston Senior Draws Charcoal Portraits of Classmates “to Embrace Diversity”

Private School News // July 5, 2016

It’s been a rough year for the Boston Latin School (BLS). Considered one of the top public schools in the greater Boston area, BLS is currently under federal investigation for allegations of racism unveiled by the student-created #BlackatBLS social media campaign. Surrounded by the racial tension, graduate Phillip Sossou decided to do something about it. So, he drew 411 charcoal portraits—one for each member of the graduating class.

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2016 Summer Reading List for Private-Independent School Administrators

Private School News // July 5, 2016

It’s Professional Development Season! Our Summer Institute workshops are heating up, and other ISM leaders are preparing for Advancement Academy and the Business and Operations Academy. Still, we know many readers won’t have the opportunity to join us on the East Coast for in-person education and networking. In the interest of including you in the professional development festivities, The Source asked the ISM Consultants for book recommendations for your personal edification this summer.

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