Females have a reputation for struggling with self-acceptance. We're (I'm compelled to include myself in this) always competing with some imaginary beauty princess to be thinner, have shinier hair, wear the latest trends (and look better than those chic models in them, too!), and smile white, pearly smiles of cheer 24/7.  

"I used to walk a mile uphill in the snow every winter to school." Remember hearing your grandparents tell you that story when you were small? That was their way of encouraging you to be more ambitious, thicken your skin, and to get your rumps up and outside! If they thought you had it comfy, wow, what would they think about today's generation?

Columbia University and the University of California conducted a survey of millions of schoolchildren and found that they were more likely to be obese when their school campus was located within a block of a fast-food restaurant. Students whose school was a quarter of a mile or more away were not as likely.

OK, that's a bold statement to make, and of course fairness can't always protect your school from legal issues—there's much more to lawsuit prevention then simply being fair. Interestingly enough however, employees who believe they been treated fairly—even if treatment was negative—are less likely to sue or bring charges.

As many as 100,000 of last year's teachers won't be joining students this fall as they return to the classroom, reports the National Education Association.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), reports an increase of 13 percent in religious discrimination charges. Charges filed are at an all-time record high, and they've been growing steadily for the past five years.

Recently, scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted a study, the first of its kind, to generate national data on pesticide residue in homes. They collected their data by observing residents' pesticide use along with other housing factors. They concluded that "measurable" levels of contamination were found in residential homes.

Workplace discrimination charge filings with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) soared to an unprecedented level of 95,402 during Fiscal Year 2008—a 15% increase from the prior year, the federal agency announced March 11, 2009. (The EEOC's fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.)

Google is about to do it again—introduce another product that changes our perception of e-mail and online networking—Google Wave. People are already talking about what it could mean for the education world—and they're talking good stuff. Google Wave, if it functions as Google intends, will unveil a new way people communicate and work together. By combining e-mail and instant messaging, it will allow people to include richly formatted text, photos, and videos into both forms of messaging, having broad implications for how students develop and use collaborative skills.

It's not just the economy bringing change to your school—it's also a whole new generation full of fresh thoughts and different needs. And in times of uncertainty, it's especially important to focus on employee recognition and support.