Community Corner
Community Corner

Stay current with the latest private-independent school news.

What are the latest trends impacting private-independent school enrollment? How can you be the most effective in your role as an administrator? How can you help your school meet its mission and best serve your students?

Check out Community Corner, a free blog from ISM.

We cover such topics as how to communicate with your constituencies, work with your fellow school leaders, leverage new technology trends, utilize recommended reading and resources, implement new strategies—all to better serve your school's mission. 

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See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.

Liability and Risk Management Issues Associated with Exercise Equipment

Private School News // April 29, 2010

It may not be football season, but that doesn't mean sports-related and fitness-equipment-related injuries can be forgotten until next school year. One of the most frequent sources of negligence claims and lawsuits against personnel and facilities stems from the use of exercise equipment. Many claims report a failure to properly instruct on the proper use of equipment and/or insufficient supervision. These claims often include allegations related to the following*:

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Tips for Parents on How to Keep Their Children Safe Online

Private School News // April 29, 2010

Allowing kids to go online unsupervised and without ground rules is like letting them explore a major metropolis by themselves. The Internet, like a city, offers enormous opportunities for entertainment and education, but also presents risks. —The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

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Insect Bites That Do More Than Sting

Private School News // April 29, 2010

Springtime brings out more than new leaves and flowers—it brings out all those little critters, too. As classes start to wander outdoors again, exploring kids wander through the sports fields again, and school gardens begin to grow, this is a good time to be reminded of potential allergies to insect bites and stings.

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A Teenager's Search For Happiness

Private School News // April 27, 2010

Editorial Most adults, if not all of us, set out each morning on a quiet journey to find happiness. We don't always find it—we don't always look in the right places to find it—but we always intend to. Teenagers set out each morning on the same journey. They want to be accepted, appreciated, respected, and most of all, happy.

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Are Our Schools Obsolete?

School Heads // April 23, 2010

It seems that every decade there's a new "flavor of the month." Each time, it is the new thing that will revolutionize education and change the way in which we do things. It is possible that the last invention to truly change education was the blackboard, invented in 1801 and popularized in the United States in 1842 by William Alcott. Tables and benches were replaced by individual desks and chairs, and the Prussian military rows were incorporated as the ideal of educational practice.

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Ask the Expert

School Heads // April 23, 2010

Q:: "I read more stories about teachers suing schools and school districts for wrongful dismissal. How can I protect my school against this?"

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Ask Michael

Business and Operations // April 21, 2010

Q: We're a religious school, but our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement says that "we don't discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion," etc. Is this a problem?

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"Can You Believe They Did That During The Interview?"

Business and Operations // April 21, 2010

As many schools are now either right in the midst of—or are thankfully winding down—their faculty hiring efforts for this season, we thought we'd take a moment to share a few views of the "lighter side" of the interviewing process. Whether it is due to nervousness, desperation, or other factors, we all know how interviews can bring out the "quirkiness" in even the most otherwise "calm, cool, and collected" individuals.

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"Qualifying Exigency" Defined for Military-Related FMLA

Business and Operations // April 21, 2010

Over the past two years, two new categories of FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) were added under federal law: "qualifying exigency" leave (of up to 12 weeks) and military caregiver leave (of up to 26 weeks). When originally added to FMLA, "qualifying exigency" was broadly defined as leave required to help a family member prepare for a sudden military call-up. The Department of Labor (DOL) has since provided more details around situations where a "qualifying exigency" may apply.

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