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.
Search
See articles for School Heads, Business & Operations, Advancement, Academic Leadership, and Trustees, in addition to Private School News.
“What Your Students Did Over Summer Vacation”
Private School News // July 7, 2014
For most students, summer vacation offers a time of relaxation and rest before the start of another jam-packed school year. For others, though, summer marks the beginning of new adventures and opportunities otherwise unnoticed during days full of classes and nights full of homework. What are your students doing this summer? Read on for a glimpse into the possibilities of summer break.
Read More
2014 Summer Reading List for Private School Administrators
Private School News // July 7, 2014
While the warm weather invites people to step outside their offices for some well-deserved relaxation from the stress of the school year, summer break also presents an opportunity to catch up on some books from your “read when I get a chance” list. Here’s our list of must-read books for private school administrators for the summer.
Read More
Breathe Easy With(out) Mold: How Other Schools Handled Mold Infestations
Business and Operations // June 27, 2014
As the de facto Facilities Manager, you’re likely very familiar with your school’s minor facility inconveniences. The girls’ bathroom lights always seem to flicker as if in a horror movie; the projectors show the blue screen of death anytime the chemistry teacher wants to show a video demonstration; and the school garden attracts unseemly quantities of Japanese beetles. There are bigger problems on your plate, so you typically wait to “get around to it later.” Well, there’s one concern that if left untreated will become a big headache—fast. And that, dear readers, is mold.
Read More
Ask ISM's Health Care Reform Specialist
Business and Operations // June 27, 2014
Q: Our broker has informed us that our insurance plan is too good, and that we will have to pay a penalty. Is this true? I understand that there are minimum requirements, but I wasn’t aware that there are also caps on how comprehensive the coverage you offer can be.
Read More
Summer Reading for Business Managers: Recommended Books and Webinars
Business and Operations // June 27, 2014
Summer can be a peaceful time at school—while everyone’s out of the building, you’re able to complete loud facility upgrades and examine policies in peace. But, that’s no reason not to take a few moments and rejuvenate your mind with a great book! So keep reading (see what we did there?) for some recommended books and webinars to help you discover and implement great strategies this next school year.
Read More
Summer Reading for Division Heads: Recommended Books and Webinars
Academic Leadership // June 24, 2014
There’s a heat in the air, a humidity that refuses to lift, and an itch in your feet to walk on green grass rather than plush carpet. That’s right, summer’s here! While the classrooms are empty, there’s no need for learning to stop. So spend some time this summer catching up on your recommended reading and that professional development webinar you’ve been meaning to watch.
Read More
Stories to Inspire: Three Creative Teacher Induction Strategies
Academic Leadership // June 24, 2014
Last month, we talked to School Heads about the importance of adopting a year-long induction process for new teachers. Let’s allow that momentum to carry us onward and take a look at what other private-independent schools have done to inspire next year’s meetings and induction programs.
Read More
Prescription Drug Abuse Is (Still) a Problem in Private Schools
School Heads // June 20, 2014
Two years ago, we published an article on prescription drug abuse in private schools. We reported that medicine prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was being misused by high-performing students—not to get high, but rather to focus on schoolwork and manage their heavy workloads. Now it’s 2014, and prescription drugs are still reported as a major problem for our best and brightest students.
Read More
Exercise Your Mind This Summer
Business and Operations // June 20, 2014
Research has long proved that, during the summer, kids’ minds don’t retain much of what has been packed in there during the school year. Typically, the first few weeks of the new school year are spent catching up. But it’s not just students who need a refresher after a long break in their routine.
Read More
Bee-Safe Campus
Business and Operations // June 20, 2014
If your school is involved in green living practices or a community gardening program, perhaps you’ve been following the headlines concerning the decline of our beloved and relied upon honey bee. If the honey bee continues to disappear, the future of our food may be in jeopardy—or at least, the future of our fruits and veggies naturally being pollinated may be in jeopardy.
Read More