Walking into a new school with a recently earned certificate in one hand and a key to the office in the other is an unsettling feeling. Principals in this position--who often wonder who will help them along the way--need support from an effective principal or administrator. Though corporate leaders often use the phrase "reach behind you and…

In collaboration with the Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Connecticut, and with the guidance of its directors, Joseph Renzulli and Sally Reis, the Southeast Elementary School in Mansfield, Connecticut, has implemented the schoolwide enrichment model (SEM), a program designed to enhance learning and…

The 33 modules of a Utah district's successful Resilient Youth Curriculum pilot program provide guidelines for initially working through students' protected exteriors to establish trust and facilitate the resiliency-building process. Students then develop ownership of the program by participating in planning, shaping, and implementing the…

Summarizes a study comparing effects of three different preschool models on urban public school children's success. Children enrolled in child-initiated programs mastered more basic skills than those in academically directed or middle-of-the-road classrooms. By fourth grade, the negative effects (lower scores and maladaptive behavior) of overly…

In the 1960s and 1970s, some communities developed community schools--facilities to accommodate multitudinous human services for people of all ages and interests. Some schools are reinventing themselves as community centers, developing educational and recreational programs for youths and adults; medical/mental health, social-service and…

Introduces a character-education framework to guide principals in designing programs. Critical elements include discussion of values to be fostered, development of a comprehensive vision and purpose, consensus on expectations, adequate resources and training, parent/community partnerships, program and implementation standards, and assessment. (MLH)

Describes several existing arts education programs that might be successfully adapted by other schools: Connecticut's HOT (Higher-Order Thinking) Schools program, North Carolina's A+ Schools Program, and the Los Angeles-based Different Ways of Knowing program. These programs differ but have a common bond--the conviction that the arts make a…

The School Improvement Model launched by the Iowa State University College of Education in 1964 uses a total-system approach to measure and report teacher performance. SIM focuses on student achievement and emphasizes validity, reliability, discrimination, and 360-degree feedback from principals, other teachers, parents, and students. A Wyoming…

The standards movement and family work schedules are major factors underpinning the expansion of extended learning opportunities. A recent report by the Council of Chief State School Officials details the development of afterschool and other programs in California, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Texas. (MLH)