Using two hypothetical case studies (the arrogant athletic director and the amorous band director), this article explains how superintendents and school boards should deal with problem employee behavior. In both cases, consulting the school attorney and confronting the employee appropriately are essential first steps. (MLH)

In many states, school nurses are responsible for too many children; their numbers are dwindling when disabled and chronically ill students desperately need their services. Tennessee has the highest student/nurse ratio (10,000 to 1). Only 6 states meet the recommended 750 to 1 ratio. School-based clinics could ameliorate this problem. (MLH)

Schools must increasingly deal with children who brandish weapons and exhibit antisocial or violent behavior. Psychologists agree that young children are very susceptible to violence and that stored violent images can warp their interpretation of reality. To combat youth violence, many schools have adopted antiviolence curricula and conflict…

Computer activities can help children learn fundamental principles and collect information for use in problem solving. Because standardized tests do not accurately measure students' problem-solving skills and teacher-made tests are often unreliable, educators should peruse the "Mental Measurements Yearbook" series for more appropriate…

School executives move beyond the bounds of ethical behavior when they exercise favoritism or act unethically to avoid trouble. Because public agencies are empowered by a political system driven by influence and power, confusion and uncertainty often arise. Sidebars advise how to handle hypothetical situations and clarify ethics policies. (MLH)

Specific numbers on layoffs are difficult to secure. A survey of the American Federation of Teachers' 51 largest affiliates indicates that only a small percentage of teachers were laid off last year. However, 50 percent reported reductions in programs or increases in class size; 25 percent reported wage freezes; and 10 percent reported higher…

The National School Safety Center pegs the number of gun-toting U.S. students at 100,000. Unless metal detectors are employed as part of a carefully thought-out school safety plan, their use is likely to be ineffective, controversial, and a legal minefield. Random student searches are becoming common. A sidebar describes a Washington, D.C., junior…

Pulling up stakes is seldom the best way to handle difficult people at work, because they exist everywhere as bullies, "yes" people, whiners, nonentities, know-it-alls, or "no" people. This article examines these six personality types and tells how administrators can avoid being victimized. (MLH)

Parents' efforts to help their children learn are more important to academic success than the family's economic well-being. This article describes recent research affirming the importance of parent-school involvement and outlines strategies for removing barriers, weighing model programs, and constructing a program that stresses open communications…

Medically fragile children do not always require special education services. However, teachers need specialized training before they can teach kids accompanied by life support equipment. Boston's Project School Care advises administrators to consider four sets of procedures: administrative guidelines, plans for providing health care services and…

Young mothers with children are fastest growing subgroup of homeless people in the United States. Frequently moving or "transient" children are prime homeless candidates. School officials can help by tending to kids' basic needs (food, rest, clothing, and school supplies) before expecting reasonable behavior or learning effort.…

Workplace gossip has consequences: stealing time, damaging morale, and hurting people. Gossip feeds on truth and falsehood, can become part of "corporate culture," and is inevitable. Administrators should plug information gaps, set a good example, promote a calm atmosphere, anticipate rumors, use informative staff newsletters, and teach…

It is difficult to assemble the necessary conditions for school-based management when staff are struggling with basic civility. A New Jersey superintendent proceeded slowly while recognizing that things could go wrong and providing staff with needed conflict-resolution tools. School and district councils helped diffuse acrimony and motivate staff…

This year's budget cleaver has chopped away at school cafeteria budgets across the country. In some districts, this means fewer choices on the lunch line, fewer staffers, deteriorating equipment, and more sales of snack and processed foods. Some schools have dropped the School Lunch Program because of budget cuts. (MLH)

At this year's National Association of Secondary School Principals convention, participants agreed that schools should address social problems but voted against national competency testing and school choice. At the National Association of Elementary School Principals convention, principals expressed various administrative concerns, but most…