"k12"
Shared Sacrifice: Jim Wickenden Echos the Call
Jim Wickenden, principal of his eponymous firm, Wickenden Associates called out school heads in the name of shared sacrifice in his blog post titled “Setting an Example.” Citing school cost cutting efforts, Jim notes the symbolic importance of school heads sharing in communal sacrifice and the message that a school heads public sacrifice would send. [...]
Read MoreOlney Friends School Helps Reclaim Forest
Learned about this one via AQ’s Twitter. Working to re-forest coal mining lands in the surrounding area, Olney Friends School faculty and students- working together with BARK (Barnesville Area Reforestation Kommittee)- have participated in the planting of more than 30,000 trees over the past six years. Learn more about their commitment on the school’s blog, [...]
Read MoreAchievement = Practice, Practice, Practice
Organization, routines, how to organize one’s day- these are all fundamental parts of the boarding school experience. Current research tells us that they may be even more important that we think. I’ve been telling families for years, that there’s nothing magic about going to boarding school. It’s a different way of going to school with [...]
Read MoreGood Teaching is Committed Work
The New York Times ran a conversation (Teaching: No ‘Fallback’ Career) covering a subject that regularly comes up at our house and, currently seems to be on many peoples’ minds as they consider the stability of civil/public service careers- “maybe I’ll go into teaching?” In the framework of a struggling private sector, it’s a nice [...]
Read MoreThe Benefits of Girls Schools: now on to longitudinal studies
Huffington Post contributor Susan Sawyers also posted some thoughts about the National Coalition of Girls Schools study confirming benefits for girls in single gender schools (Are Single Sex Schools Good for Girls?). While nothing earth shattering, her comments are an interesting, “yes, but…”Clearly, single gender education cultivates some benefits. Is it a panacea? No. The [...]
Read MoreKents Hill School Cuts Ribbon on New Performing Arts Center
Kents Hill School recently cut the ribbon celebrating the conversion and transformation of their former Newton gym into the Performing Arts Center in Newton Hall. A multipurpose gathering and performing arts facility the Center includes the Vivian Russell Theater “where Morning Meeting will be held, visiting lectures and presentations will be hosted, and, of course, [...]
Read MoreNow Is the Time to Give
If you believe in a boarding or independent school and you can afford to make a financial contribution, give now. Independent schools- just as colleges and universities- are working through endowment decreases and pressure. With increased financial aid demand, creating an even greater strain on institutional savings and finances. If independent school is part of [...]
Read MoreSome Interesting Good News: Knox and St. Bede working to grow
We realized that we’ve published two posts last week about schools that are building dormitories and/or working to expand their boarding populations this week. While not a silver lining, nor confirmation that everything is rosy, it’s great to find two schools well positioned and so dedicated to boarding that they’re building dorms and working to [...]
Read MoreRoss School Offers Merit Scholarships
File this under the ‘fantastic opportunity’ category. Ross School in Bridgehampton, NY “is offering $20,000 annual Merit Scholarships for students in grades 5-11 who demonstrate academic achievement and exceptional promise” in a number of areas. Have a demonstrated talent for the Arts, Athletics, Community Service, Math, Media, Music (Jazz), Science, or Theater? This may be [...]
Read MoreKnox School Wakes From Slumber with Ambition and a Plan
With new head of school George Alison at the helm, The Knox School is focusing its mission and looking to grow its current student population by 40 over the next few years- to about 170 from its current 130 students. Jennifer Lawrence joined the Knox board of trustees and set to realizing the schools potential [...]
Read MoreOlney Friends School Placed on National Register of Historic Places
Peter drew attention to this on AQ’s twitter account the other day and I thought I’d follow up with a mention here. The National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior approved listing the Olney Friends School campus on the National Register. The buildings date from the late 19th century and feature local materials. [...]
Read MoreSt. Bede Academy Returns To Boarding Roots: A commitment to build two new dormitories
St. Bede Academy- a small Benedictine Catholic school in Peru, IL- broke ground this past Monday on a new building that will house female boarding students beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year. Reclaiming its boarding mission, St. Bede reopened its boarding department boarding department with the 2007-2008 school year, with four girls and eight boys [...]
Read MoreLasting Power of Girls Schools: more than anecdotal
Highlighted in the current National Coalition of Girls’ Schools newsletter is a UCLA study confirming the lasting affects of a girls school education on graduates. I find the most interesting aspect of the study coming from its longitudinal view. Alumnae seem to carry and benefit from their girls school experiences deep into college and graduate [...]
Read MoreStrong Cultural Institution Confront Budget Pressures
Julliard is putting its Music Advancement Program on indefinite hiatus with fundraising under pressure. The program will complete it second year obligation with current students but has canceled auditions and will add no new students this year. The Music Advancement Program brings music lessons to kids who don’t normally have access to music training. Professional [...]
Read MoreInternet Protocols and Boarding School
April 7th marked the 40th anniversary of Requests for Comments or RFC. In “How the Internet Got Its Rules,” in the New York Times, Stephen D. Crocker recounts the fluidity as the World Wide Web became codified. RFC’s are the technical working papers that worked through and created internet standards and protocols that allowed different [...]
Read More