A Word to the Wise: In Cyberspace Doesn’t Mean Free to Use

Advancement // March 22, 2011

The copywriters at Webcopyplus blew it. And they admitted it. They searched for an image for a tourism piece and found what they were looking for in Google images. Then they downloaded the image and used it, assuming that since the image did not have a copyright notice it was “public domain” and this free to use.

Read More

1:1 Laptops in the Classroom—Where Are We Now?

School Heads // March 15, 2011

For more than a decade now, we have heard the battle cry: “Give every student a laptop to improve learning, engagement, test scores, graduation rates…” you name it. And many schools and school districts have adopted 1:1 laptop programs, giving students a tool to explore and have access to the wider world beyond their own community. Indeed, access to the world of information and instant communication via the Internet is one of the key pieces in the 21st Century School concept. But where are we, for real? What has happened in the classrooms that have adopted a 1:1 laptop program?

Read More

Bedbug “Epidemic” Means Schools Have to Be Ready

School Heads // March 15, 2011

There have been plenty of stories about bedbugs in the last couple of years. These nasty little creatures, that are very difficult to eradicate, have been found in all 50 states, according the National Pest Management Association. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently held its second national bedbug summit.

Read More

Student Dress Code Policies: Infringing Upon Religious Rights

Advancement // March 7, 2011

Clayton High School started the school year facing a lawsuit. Ariana Iacono, forced to take out her nose ring while in school, fought back against what she claimed was an infringement on her First Amendment right to exercise her religion.

Read More

Newly Improved Online Software from ISM Changing the Face of Financial Aid Application Process

Private School News // March 4, 2011

Financial aid administrators at private-independent schools will have an easier time than ever making precise and appropriate aid awards in the coming year, thanks to FAST® v3-powered by ISM.

Read More

Five Questions to Ask Yourself When Advertising Open Positions

Private School News // March 4, 2011

It’s that time of year again—hiring season … and it looks like a busy one for many schools! This year, we’ve received a record number of questions about what a good ad should say. Because each school is unique, there isn’t a stock answer to this. However, we can offer five key questions that you should ask (and answer) when writing the ad:

Read More

Educating Kids About Social Media—21st Century Technology in the Classroom

Private School News // March 4, 2011

Have you seen the recent news article about the six girls who created a Facebook event, “Attack a Teacher Day,” and were arrested? This story might have turned out differently if their school had a program in place to educate students about social media.

Read More

Are Obstacles—Real or Imagined—Standing in Your Way?

Academic Leadership // February 25, 2011

Progress—and success—requires hard work and determination. It’s often easier to fall back on some handy reason why you can’t accept a challenge, or face an issue. In his most recent book, Excuses Begone, self-help guru and motivational speaker, Dr. Wayne Dyer, lists 18 common excuses that people use to rationalize not taking action or striving to improve their lives. While some of these reasons may be very real (feasibility must be considered) many of these excuses are essentially are self-imposed obstacles for taking action.

Read More

Managing Risk, Liability, and Student Medical Records

Business and Operations // February 25, 2011

An often overlooked issue of risk and liability in 21st Century education is the management of student medical records. In today's private-independent school environment, administrators are required to maintain detailed health histories, physicals, allergy information, medications, emergency contacts, and more for a diverse body of students with a wide array of conditions and backgrounds.

Read More

Connect Students to Evaluation With Student-Led Conferences

Academic Leadership // February 25, 2011

“Parent-teacher conferences—we all know how they go. Parents troop into classrooms to talk with teachers about their children's progress in school. Often, the process feels rushed, and parents leave feeling vaguely dissatisfied, as if they didn't really get what they came for.” Does this sound familiar? That description of a parent-teacher conference appeared in an Education World article about a growing trend in reporting student progress to parents: student-led conferences (SLC).

Read More