This interview with Carolyn Callahan, an expert in gifted education, examines the process of program evaluation and other topics. It discusses how often evaluations should be done, differences between evaluating a relatively new program and a well-established program, inappropriate evaluation practices, program features parents should look for,…

Effective fund raising among graduate school alumni requires efforts that differ from those used with undergraduate alumni. Working with school-based or umbrella alumni organizations, staffing, and development of services and programs appropriate to this population are keys to success. Reunions, career roundtables, orientation, mentor programs,…

It is proposed that an external audit of a college advancement program is analogous to a periodic physical examination that offers objectivity and expertise. Audits are appropriate at the time of administrative transitions, performance difficulties, and even periods of sustained success. Guidelines and expectations are discussed. (MSE)

Discusses the importance of planning, implementing, and evaluating camp physical activity programs. Appropriate physical activity programing should consider frequency, intensity, time, and type of activity. Also important are following the principles critical to physical training: specificity, overload, and progression. Two examples of physical…

In a rural Montana outreach project, ex-addicts educate intravenous drug users (IVDUs) regarding drug- and sex-related behaviors at high risk for spreading the AIDS virus, and provide IVDUs with the means to modify these high-risk behaviors. The project also gathered information about the behaviors and attitudes of IVDUs in Montana. (KS)

Outlines tactics and strategies to employ to get a theater program established as an important part of the life of a high school. Discusses getting one's bearings, claiming one's space, working the system, shameless self-promotion, and the first production. (SR)

Discusses the record of magnet schools in increasing and equalizing student opportunity, building educational quality, and improving student learning. (SR)

Describes a study that evaluated implementation of curriculum materials for secondary social studies in the Netherlands. The evaluation focused on individual teachers' actual use of these materials in their classrooms. A large discrepancy emerged between the curriculum developers' original intentions and the observed instructional processes.…

To address the district's pregnant-student dropout problem, the Memphis City Schools initiated the Adolescent Parenting Program (APP), in cooperation with several community agencies. The program provides comprehensive services and an incentive program to ensure students' progress toward graduation. According to this program evaluation, the APP has…

Monetary costs and benefits of supported employment to individuals with mental retardation (n=20), taxpayers, and society were assessed, as was the quality of life of supported employees. Supported employment was found to be cost-effective over a five-year period during which programs moved from sheltered to supported employment. (DB)

Physicians and other health professionals attended either a two-day voluntary (n=27) or one-day mandatory (n=23) conference on toxicology. Groups did not differ in pretest/posttest scores; two-day participants were significantly more satisfied. Both groups demonstrated significant knowledge gains. (SK)

Uses the successful example of Whittier Middle School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to discuss community service projects in middle schools. Discusses types of projects and requirements for a successful program. (SR)

Describes a plan for a spelling bee in which both sixth graders and senior citizens participate. Argues that such an activity impresses students with the idea that school learning has practical applications in the lives of adults. (HB)

Analyzes administrative content areas prioritized according to competence and aspiration by midmanagement (principal) interns over an eight-year period as they completed administrative certification programs. Interns were primarily concerned with areas of practice involving instructional leadership and were less concerned about certain technical…

The Arizona Schools for the Deaf and the Blind have a multicultural population of students. Efforts to serve the needs of these students include instruction in English as a Second Language, the Spanish Club, the Native American Club, vocational programing such as the Work Education Program, and preparation for transition. (JDD)