4imprint recently published a Blue Paper entitled Corporate Involvement in Schools, and I thought it would be very helpful for schools as they plan for the new school year.  Although it is directed at business, it can be a great resource on how you can partner with businesses to benefit your school.

Local companies can attend career fairs on your campus, to provide details on their industries or specialties to students. You could also work with a business to set up a work shadow program, which would allow students to follow local professionals for a day or two, to understand what is all involved in a career that interests them.  Beyond career information, there are also opportunities for collaboration on fundraisers, student performance incentives, and sponsorship opportunities.  The business that you partner with benefits by becoming more visible in the community, promoting their name, and possibly tax benefits from donations to the school, so teaming up becomes a win for both the school and the business.

Take a look at the Blue Paper, or listen to the Podcast.  There may be some ideas you want to pursue.

Are you already thinking about the upcoming school year, too?  I recently ran across an article in Teacher Magazine listing some suggested to-dos for new teachers, and it got me thinking about a newsletter that 4imprint published last year, about welcoming new staff members. I remember this one clearly, since I had mentioned it to some friends and family who are teachers.

Both the article and the newsletter have some great ideas on engaging students on day 1, introducing new teachers to the staff, and mentoring, to make the school year enjoyable for all. Maybe some of the ideas in these articles will work for your school, or maybe they’ll spark other ideas that you can use.  Either way, everyone should feel comfortable on the first day of classes!

I was reading an article on CNN recently, entitled Principal to Parents: Take Kids off Facebook, and it started me thinking about who use social networking, and why.

The article addressed a principal’s concerns that students, in this case middle-schoolers, use Facebook and other social media for inappropriate reasons, such as bullying.  It also opens up the door for personal information to be spread across the web, which can cause difficulties for students down the road.  They may not be aware of the complexities that can arise for them now and in the future, as a result of personal information being shared.

The article did not address positives of students using social networking sites, however.  It can be a way for students to interact with relatives and friends, to communicate successes in school, on the athletic field, or other events in their lives.  Students can also be ‘friends’ with parents, older siblings, or even teachers and coaches, any of whom may provide guidance through positive online conversations, posts and updates.

As adults, many of us do use social networking tools for keeping up with family, friends, and acquaintances.  It is ideal for planning reunions, parties and events.  It is also a great tool for businesses, to communicate with customers and prospective customers.  For your school, it can be a practical tool to communicate fundraisers, schedules, and accomplishments to parents, PTA, and alumni.

Does your school use social networking sites as a way to communicate?  Do you also block social networking sites on school computers for students who may not be a particular age? Let me know.  Given today’s technology, this is certainly not an issue that will be going away anytime soon.

As educators, I’m sure you have dealt with the issue of students and their cell phones. Whether texting, getting calls, or using social media sites on smartphones, they are very distracting in the classroom.  Your school may even be one that has banned cell phones during class, or even on school property.

With so much that can be done with technology, however, can cell phones actually aid in learning?  School districts in North Carolina are using smartphones to improve math performance, and other districts will be joining in the next year.  The phones are school-issued, so some capabilities, such as texting, are not enabled.  Students are able to post questions on blogs, and it allows students to ask for help at any time of day.

Although some of the applications that would be available on a student’s personal smartphone are not ideal for a learning environment, using personal phones could make the use of these in the classroom a reality much sooner.  Guidelines would need to be set before a program is implemented and the phones are allowed into class, but there may be opportunities to incorporate them in your lesson plans.

The use of phones can also allow students to quickly share ideas through texting or perform internet searches on whatever the topic may be.  They can make exchanging and gathering information very efficient and timely, in a way that was not possible a few years ago.

I’m interested to know where you stand on the issue of phones in the classroom – does it bother you?  Are you in favor of using them as a learning tool?  Or are you against them altogether?

As phones and their capabilities evolve, I’m sure you can see the use of this technology becoming a reality in the classroom much sooner than later.

Are extracurricular activities important in a student’s overall education?

Most studies indicate that yes, it is important for students of all ages to participate in some sort of extracurricular activity.

According to an article by Robert Needleman, MD, children as young as age 6 can benefit from extracurricular activities.  The most commonly mentioned benefit is higher self-esteem for participants, which leads to better academic performance and community involvement.  The right activities, such as journalism or photography, can also provide experience or guidance in future careers.

At the college/university level, activities outside of class are also important to student development.  Activities encourage interaction with other students, developing leadership skills, and positively impacts student academic performance.  Most colleges and universities promote extracurricular activities as way to develop well-rounded individuals, to allow for more confidence and in future job successes.

Of course, as important as these activities are, it is difficult to always find enough funding to take that school field trip, participate in sporting events, or purchase new equipment and uniforms.  Fundraising has become a necessity for most schools, but there are many options beyond selling pizza and candy, so parents, relatives, and neighbors are willing to buy if it is unique or something they can use.  Try one of the many fundraiser websites for ideas, including EasyFundraisingIdeas.com or RRewards.com.

4imprint’s latest Education Newsletter gives practical fundraising ideas for your school, to aid in continued or new extracurricular offerings.

We’ve all seen the statistics of unhealthy eating on children’s physical health, but recently I have come across some research about the impact of student nutrition on academic performance.

The studies I have found show that breakfast is important for students of all ages, from early childhood to college level.  According to a study by the Food Research and Action Center, children who skip breakfast before school have slower memory recall, lower cognitive test scores, and attendance issues.  Surveys of college students have indicated that as a result of skipping breakfast, they tend to fall asleep during class and become unable to concentrate.

While over 10 million students are participating in a school breakfast program, many more, approximately 30 million, participate in school lunch programs.  Whether your school offers breakfast and lunch, or just lunch, it is important to be sure that your nutrition programs offer healthy options.

Changing your school’s nutrition program to offer healthier options can be a high-profile event in which you involve students and parents.  Getting their buy-in upfront, as well as that of the school district, will make the transition easier, and minimize any negative reactions.  By building awareness about why the changes are necessary and enlisting the support of influential students or organizations, implementing the healthy eating during the school day will be seen as a positive change.

Has your school implemented any special programs to encourage healthy eating?

Read more why and how to promote a healthy meal program in 4imprint’s Education Newsletter.

I know this is a simple, value-priced product, but for those of us who love to read – especially business materials –  it’s a great item.  Also handy for spending quality time with contracts or other legal or detailed material.  Who doesn’t love that?