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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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Scaring the Trouble Out of Troubled Teens
Private School News // January 29, 2013
“What is wrong with today’s teens?” many are asking. With school shootings, bullying, teen suicides, and violent teen crimes making headlines we’re left shaking our heads and wondering how to approach the rising concerns. For those who believe that tough love is the answer to scaring troubled teens straight, the following findings may surprise you.
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Green Corner: How Green is Your Playground?
Business and Operations // January 29, 2013
Winter weather most likely has your mind preoccupied on snow removal, heat conservation, and winter maintenance. However, if your school is located in the south or west, winter maintenance concerns are minimal, and even for those located in snowier regions, playground updates are always somewhere on your to-do list.
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Safer With Armed Guards?
Private School News // January 29, 2013
Since last month's tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, school administrators and government officials have been looking at different processes and risk management procedures to secure U.S. schools. One idea is for schools to have armed guards on campus.
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Your School’s Security
Business and Operations // January 29, 2013
Since the tragedy last month at Sandy Hook Elementary School, our nation’s schools and government have been discussing new policies for protecting schools. Stricter gun laws, armed guards on campus, proposed gun/shooting classes—these are circulating topics of discussion. Surely, your Board, Head, key administrators, and yourself have taken a fresh look at your school’s risk management policies over the past few weeks, comparing your school’s standards to how other schools are securing their students and faculty.
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FMLA Requests
Private School News // January 29, 2013
According to The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations, an employee only needs to give an employer a short and plain statement of his or her need for leave. He/she doesn’t have to mention FMLA at all when asking for extended time off. It is up to you, as Business Manager or School Head, to determine if the employee qualifies for FMLA.
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Holistic Flu and Cold Prevention
Business and Operations // January 29, 2013
It’s flu season. Sniffles, sneezes, achy head, sore muscles, fatigue, cough, chills, fever, upset stomach—a perfect storm of symptoms guaranteed to make you feel miserable. Like it’s close cousin the common cold, the flu virus comes on strong and sudden. Symptoms are similar, only when it’s the flu that has struck you, symptoms are intense and lasting—sometimes for up to three weeks.
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Ask Michael
Business and Operations // January 24, 2013
Q: Our school is thinking about instituting a merit pay plan. How would you recommend putting this in place?
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2013: Renewing Your Passions
Business and Operations // January 24, 2013
Those who are drawn to HR work in schools generally are givers by nature. This is a wonderful characteristic and should be duly celebrated. Sometimes, though, givers give to everyone else without remembering that they occasionally need to give to themselves, renewing their own energies and passions. As 2013 begins, we want to offer a few words of encouragement along these lines.
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Building Confidence and Taking the Pressure Off
Business and Operations // January 24, 2013
We know that part of a school leader’s job is to build up the confidence of faculty and staff—helping “set them up” for success. A recent story reminded us, though, that sometimes we also need to build up the confidence of those whom we assume are already very confident: the Head’s direct reports and other senior professionals at the school.
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2012 ISM Re-enrollment Survey Results
Board of Trustees // January 23, 2013
In this report, just released in December, we describe the results of the 2012 Re-Enrollment Survey, an instrument administered by Hanover Research on behalf of ISM. The survey, which was taken by independent schools throughout the U.S., serves as a follow-up to the National Private School Parent Survey, and is aimed at determining whether the intentions captured in the parent survey matched the “reality for schools.”
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