Private School Administrator Shadows Students, Is Shocked

Private School News // October 31, 2014

Once upon a time, all teachers were students. As the years go on, teachers are further removed from personal experience, forgetting what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a lecture—the fifth lecture that day. With that in mind, Alexis Wiggins, the newly minted “Learning Coach” at an international private school, decided to shadow two students and relearn what the current learning experience was like so she could mentor teachers and administrators on matters like curriculum and scheduling. The results from Wiggins’s shadowing experience as posted on education leader Grant Wiggins’s personal blog demonstrate how teaching in a vacuum—without feedback or understanding of the students’ experience—can lead to an oppressive, rather than conducive, learning environment.

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National Novel Writing Month in the Classroom

Private School News // October 31, 2014

Instilling a passion for reading at a young age is important, especially when you’re competing with television and video games. But, the love of storytelling lives on! Over 89,000 young writers in 2,000 classrooms wrote their stories and novels during last year’s National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November— and your students could join in the fun.

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Ask ISM’s Risk Manager

Business and Operations // October 29, 2014

Q: I’m new to the position of Business Manager, and very new to education. I’ve been doing a good amount of reading to prepare for my role, but some of it escapes me. Can you tell me what an “Employment Practices” claim is in terms of education?

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Schools Reacting to Ebola in the U.S.

Business and Operations // October 29, 2014

Ebola in the U.S. has many on guarded alert. The devastation in Africa has Americans worried that it’s only a matter of time until we start to see rising death tolls here in the states. Numerous schools over the past weeks have suspended classes and closed campuses in response to scares that some of their students or parents came into contact with one of the few confirmed Ebola patients in the U.S. This panic is prompting people to take extra precautionary measures to keep their families safe.

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Your Personal Emergency Office Kit

Business and Operations // October 29, 2014

In the event something should affect your ability to leave campus, most schools are well equipped with supplies to support faculty, staff, and students for a considerable amount of time. There are numerous natural and human-instigated disasters that can affect your school (as well as your personal safety) for which even the best risk management plans cannot protect you from. Tornados, earthquakes, fires, industrial accidents, and the like can happen without a moment’s notice, leaving you and your students without an immediate escape route. This is when a personal emergency kit can come to your rescue.

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Responding to Criticism, Part Two

School Heads // October 23, 2014

Last month, we talked about responding to (inevitable) criticism of school policies and decisions. POM Wonderful, a juice company, offered an example of how to respond positively to such criticism, but what about responding badly? School Heads should know just as much about how not to respond to criticism as they do about responding well, to avoid public and private faux pas across the board. Again, we turn to John Oliver’s HBO satirical news show “Last Week Tonight” for our case study in responding to criticism. This time, we’ll look at how Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler reacted to Oliver’s satire—and how it backfired. (Primary image credit to CNET)

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Fact or Fiction? 5 Strange Ways Students (Try to) Get High

School Heads // October 23, 2014

There’s an excellent reason why alcohol and nicotine via tobacco are banned from children—and why other mind-altering substances are completely illegal. Children trying to achieve a blissful “high” to escape from the pressures and doldrums of everyday life can do irreparable damage to their still-growing bodies. That doesn’t mean that students won’t try the darnedest things to achieve an elusive, forbidden high.

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“Your Fly Is Down”—and Other Awkward Conversations

Business and Operations // October 22, 2014

You walk into your monthly meeting, and your turn to speak arrives. You stand up in front of your fellow administrators to present your part of the agenda. As you take your seat, the School Head leans over to whisper, “I’m really sorry, but did you know your fly was down?” Moments like this happen all the time, and our example is relatively tame. Instead of a zipper having fallen, it could’ve been oppressive body odor or poor work performance. These issues—personal and professional alike—should be addressed. As Business Manager, sometimes it falls to you to have these tough, awkward conversations. Such situations require tact, sympathy, and—occasionally—some tough love.

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Managing Hazardous Chemicals on School Grounds

Business and Operations // October 22, 2014

The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas, learned about disposing of hazardous chemicals the hard way this summer. CBS reported that the school’s Science Department Head found a small amount of acetone peroxide while cleaning up a classroom over the summer. Acetone peroxide can explode in even small quantities when confined in a container like a beaker, so the school was evacuated and emergency personnel contacted. A local bomb squad detonated the explosive substance in the vacant lot across the street. While no one was hurt, the incident was certainly a wake-up call for The Hockaday School and for everyone who thinks hazardous waste is glowing green barrels of nuclear byproduct. Hazardous chemicals exist at your school and require adequate management policies and practices to protect your school, faculty, and students.

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Ask ISM's Health Care Reform Specialist

Business and Operations // October 22, 2014

Q: We’re thinking about implementing a wellness program at our school, but we've found conflicting information about the benefits and expenses of such programs. What can you tell us?

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