A Canadian Boarding School Cousin to Close
Sedbergh School filed the Canadian equivalent of a US chapter 7 bankruptcy, a “notice of intention,” which will allow the school to complete the current school year followed by an orderly unwinding of affairs and settling of its debt burden.
It’s very sad news.
I spent time on Sedbergh’s campus this summer (I want to thank them one [...]
Vermont Academy Featured for its Green Initiatives
The blog, Green Is Sexy, highlights Vermont Academy environmental initiatives and policies as part of their CFL Spotlight series. Of course it took me a second to get the CFL reference.
VA is on top of their eco-concious practices and policies with a Bottled Water Initiative, composting, recycling, organic and local source movements.
Most interesting about [...]
Both Sides of the Prep School Basketball Coin: Athletics and Academics Boys Class A Basketball Concludes
With the boarding school basketball season finished, we’ve come across a couple of highlights that provide an interesting picture of the intensely competitive Boys Class A level.
Class A basketball hosts an unusual combination of athleticism and academic preparation.
For loud, unbridled, super athletic, basketball, take a look at this YouTube video of the Boys Class A [...]
Ohio State’s Jim Tressel Would Make a Great Boarding School Teacher
In a quiet, but very public first (unconfirmed), Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel addresses- in a thoughtful, human, and understanding way- what is, essentially, the ‘third rail’ in college athletics- gay athletes.
I’ve seen Tressel’s interview with Outlook Columbus noted at Yahoo Sports and at ESPN.com.
Writing for Yahoo Sports, Dan Wetzel captures this issue [...]
National Association Director Marks onBoarding School’s 500th Post
Editor’s Note: For our 500th blog post, we invited friend and Independent Educational Consultants Association, Executive Director, Mark Sklarow to comment and reflect on onBoarding Schools’ contributions to families and the larger boarding school community.
Many thanks, Mark, for the kind words.
For those who live, eat and breathe boarding schools on a regular basis, [...]
10,000 Hours to Greatness: Unique Boarding School Programs Teach Every Student Skills for the Future
It has been argued that in order to excel at something or become an expert in a particular discipline, it takes 10,000 hours of work and practice. That is no doubt a great deal of time, which at 2 hours per day would take 13 years to reach.
But for high school students at many [...]
Prep School Admission & Financial Aid Decisions Arrive in the Next Few Days
In prep school admission and financial aid, it’s good to be ready for anything.
With first round admission and financial aid letters due to arrive to families in the next few days, it’s time think about perspectives, plans, and responses depending on the offers you receive from schools.
It’s always best to have one’s ducks in a [...]
Fountain Valley School Builds Global Perspectives into Curriculum
Fountain Valley School recently affirmed and expanded the school’s commitment to diversity and global experiences through the creation of the Global Scholar Diploma Program (GSD).
Program Chair, Dr. Susan Carrese describes the program this way:
“Globalization is a 21st century reality…At FVS we believe it is essential to embrace the world beyond our campus, our borders and [...]
A Laugh Out Loud Olympic Parody
Don’t miss the two part parody “Ribbon: The Thin Red Line Pts 1 & 2″ done by Pete Hodgin, Kents Hill School history teacher.
These videos are Saturday Night Live worthy.
Hodgin hits all the right notes and skewers the seriousness with which some of the more odd sports are presented and brings laughable absurdity to the [...]
Private School A Special Opportunity- Not A Signifier of Social Status
Peter Baron of AdmissionsQuest forwarded an e-mail to me today from a woman wondering how open her children should be with their peers about their prep school applications and asking whether I thought the parents academic credentials carried any weight in the admissions process.
The question of how open to be is a sensitive one.
Some children [...]
Benefitting from Understanding Fundamental Principles: Midland School Ninth Graders Build Pinhole Cameras
It’s easy to send photo students into the field, digital cameras in hand, to begin their photography studies. It’s quick and easy; go take some pictures.
But the quick and easy assignment skips over some fundamental understandings and history.
In this classically hands-on exercise of progressive education, Midland School 9th graders build pinhole cameras and process their [...]
Plagiarism + Mixing + the “New Paradigm Defense” = Teachable Moment
“Author, 17, Says It’s Mixing, Not Plagiarism,” (New York Times) presents a nice opportunity to talk about plagiarism and misappropriation with students.
The article chronicles the rise and issues of 17 year old author Helene Hegemann whose first novel, “Axolotl Roadkill,” received the kind of overly enthusiastic reviews in Germany that sometimes greets young authors who seemingly provide [...]
A Scholar Among Us: Henryk Hoffman, Perkiomen School
Scholarship is an interesting and quiet side of some boarding school faculty. It seems there’s always a faculty member or two researching, writing or creating and showing.
We recently came across an article by Mr. Henryk Hoffman, Latin and German teacher as well as the World Languages Department Chair at Perkiomen School.
Mr. Hoffman’s piece “Elmore Through [...]
Getting to Know West Nottingham Academy
Jesse Roberts, West Nottingham Academy, Director of Admission, talks about the opportunities and experiences that set WNA apart.
A small coed boarding school with 120 students, WNA makes relationships paramount- student-student and faculty-student.
WNA, offers the requisite strong academics with the school’s emphasis on relationships and interaction overlaying everything the school does.
“What sets us apart is the [...]
The Unsung Part of Westover School’s Green Cup Accomplishment
Westover School recently held a ribbon cutting for its newly installed 158.60 kW solar energy system.
Motivated by Green Cup Challenge competition and a school-wide commitment to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, Westover’s consumption of grid electricity has declined by 37.5%.
Creative financing- like many non-profits, Westover’s capital spending has come under pressure from market declines [...]
