Interesting article for students in the college admission process. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, some colleges are quietly tracking applicants’ online interaction and considering it during the admissions process:
Read the full story here:
For more information on how independent schools are preparing students for success in a global community, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
“Come in and sit wherever you like” is not the sentence you hear most teachers in an elementary school say. More often than not, classrooms can be constrained environments with one size desk and one size chair to fit all student shapes, sizes and learning preferences.
This is not the case on the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus, where students in all grade levels are encouraged to pick their favorite seating or standing option for maximum attention and learning.
“Just like you have as favorite pen or coffee mug, students can make decisions based on how they feel that day,” said Campus Head Peggy Campbell-Rush. “Learning is active and involved and fully embraces the brain-body connection.”
Called proprioceptive input or vestibular stimulation, this science shows the body needs to move to keep the brain active. So, when students sit for more than their age plus two minutes, their brains start to fade, resulting in less attention toward the lesson and teacher.
The Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus has blazed trails in the realm of seating options under Campbell-Rush’s leadership. Today, a wide selection of move-to-learn seating is the hallmark of every classroom on campus. Several years ago, Campbell-Rush began introducing small movement cushions and standing desks to classroom repertoires. Today, students can choose from those resources plus many new ones including couches, rocker stools, balls and more. The same trends in classroom resources are happening on the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus, where students have enjoyed a plethora of new seating styles.
The result? Learning is up, and discipline needs are down, Campbell-Rush said.
“Students are engaged and teachers are getting the most out of all their students,” Campbell-Rush said. “It gives new meaning to the phrase, ‘move it or lose it.’ On the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus we are up and moving.”
This spring, junior students will be looking at the college process through the lens of what they learned during Junior Day. According to the Bolles Office of College Counseling, students have some important college initiatives on their to-do list:
For more information about innovative approaches to a successful independent school experience, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
It’s that time of the year for high school students across the world — when college applications are due, and most timely, when students need to decide whether they will apply early decision (ED) or early action (EA) to colleges and universities that are particularly appealing to them.
What’s the difference? An experienced guidance counselor at an independent school in Jacksonville, Florida explains.
Early Action programs are non-binding and enable the student to learn of an admission decision relatively early in the senior year (usually December) without committing to a particular college or university until May. Early Action applications are typically due in November. A handful of schools have Restrictive or Single-Choice Early Action (REA) programs. Under such a plan, the student agrees to submit only one Early Action application to that school and no other, yet without committing to attend the college if accepted. Other applications can be submitted for Regular Decision.
Early Decision is a program in which a student makes a binding commitment to attend the college or university if accepted. Early Decision applications are generally due in November of the senior year, and the student will receive one of three decisions (admit, defer, deny) in December. Since the deadlines are so early, it is vital that a student applying under Early Decision have done a great deal of research and be absolutely convinced that the college is an ideal match. While an applicant gains a statistical advantage by applying under an Early Decision plan, he or she risks committing to a college in October when, six months later, a very different choice might be made. Early Decision II programs are also available at many colleges, in which the application is not due until January and a decision is rendered in February.
To learn more about the college counseling process, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
(Visit the National Association of Independent Schools for more information and search tools for finding an independent school — and many other helpful facts about an independent school education! Below is copy from that page)
While they share much in common, each independent school is unique. You can find schools that fit your student’s needs using our detailed School Search, which profiles nearly 1,500 fully accredited, non-discriminatory NAIS member schools.
Independence in the truest sense of the word. Independent schools are governed by a board of trustees, not a public school board. They are primarily supported by tuition payments, charitable contributions, and endowment revenue.
For more information about independent school education opportunities, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
Numbers and statistics can paint a very clear picture for some. A group called “Statistic Brain” looked at 2015 figures from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the nation’s leading source for rigorous, independent education research, evaluation and statistics. In its analysis, “Statistic Brain” came up with some very interesting comparatives between the experiences/performances of students/parents/faculty in independent school settings and those in public school settings. The data was gathered in 2015 and the data crunch is simply titled, “Private School Statistics.” Some of the interesting highlights include:
For more information about independent school education opportunities, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
This 2013 article from “The Week” addresses the question many parents ponder when considering their student’s educational path. It’s also the title of Ryan Jyoti’s well researched article, “Is Private School Worth It?”
In the story, she articulates some of the reasons why parents opt for an independent school experience. Here are a few of the highlights from the story, which is linked here:
For more information about independent school education opportunities, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
In recent years elementary educators are welcoming students with some amazing technology skills into our classrooms. Their eye-hand coordination is impressive and their thumbs are wizards on hand-held video games. However, they do not quite have sufficient skills to hold a pencil, paint with a brush, cut with scissors, work on a slant board, white or blackboard or draw with a marker. Quite possibly, 100 years from now we will not even use some of these instruments but, for now, we need to get students strong and adept enough to have success with tasks that require fine-motor control. Good fine motor control starts in our core and upper arms.
Additionally, many children coming into our classrooms these days have had very little “tummy time” (meaning that between the busy lives of working parents and current safety regulations they have spent a lot of time in their early years sleeping on their back in a crib, sitting in strollers, riding in car seats, and so on.) Most probably spent almost no time on their stomach building the muscles in the core of the body that support good posture and thus good arm, hand, and finger control. It seems like the days are gone when kids run through backyards, hold on tight to rope swings, climb up trees, have wheelbarrow races, and so forth. Many schools are even taking away certain playground equipment for fear of lawsuits and perceived dangers. So, as teachers we have to be creative and invent ways to recreate the activities of yesteryear that strengthened the shoulders, upper arms, and hands.
If students do not have the physical skills required to write—and to write for prolonged periods—many young learners cannot complete the tasks required. This is not only problematic for achieving the immediate task but affect future progress. Lack of success leads to diminished motivation, focus, and confidence.
Although technology seems to obviate the need to write by hand, there is plenty of research to suggest that considerable cognitive benefit comes from using your upper arm to increase your fine motor control. For the time being, we still need to use our hands, even with the wave of technology bombarding us. The best time to develop hand and arm skills is in the elementary grades. Using your arms and hands lays the neural groundwork for other important skills, such as reading, math and other school subjects.
Peggy Campbell-Rush, Bolles PVB Campus Head, has installed vertical white boards in classrooms and has teachers encourage work by students on these boards everyday to build core and arm strength.
For more information about independent school education opportunities, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
by Peggy Campbell-Rush, Author of I Teach Kindergarten
The optimal way to speak to your son is side-by-side. Whether you are trying to gather information, even a question like “How was school today?” you will get more out of your son if you are at his side rather than face-to-face. Boys are biologically predisposed, when confronted face-to-face, to react as if there will be a winner or loser in the conversation. Of course, you will be the loser because your son might either pick a battle or shut down. Try sitting on the couch together or snuggle up to read a book together and then begin your conversation.
Boys love competition. If you say, “I need these toys cleaned up” chances are you will come back and the toys will still lay where they were. However, if you can make it a competition — like, “I bet you can’t pick up these toys in 2 ½ minutes,” or “I think I can beat you and pick up more Legos than you, ready, set, go” — you will find that a boy will dive right in. Make it fun.
Boys have the verbal center spilt between the right and left hemisphere of the brain. This makes it harder for boys to find the right words and to express themselves especially their feelings. Do not be dismayed. You can model some language and words that help your son express his feelings better.
You can help communication with your son by keeping verbal instructions to less than a minute. Give one direction at a time. Use the least amount of words to get your message across. For example, “Go get your backpack.” Rather than, “We have to leave for school in 10 minutes, do you know where your backpack is, I need you to go and find it.” Less is more.
If you have daily routines in your household, show it in photos. Do you have a morning routine? If so, take photos of your son doing each and then post them in a timeline. For example, wake up, get dressed, brush hair, have breakfast, brush teeth, put lunch and snack in backpack, ready to go!
Vision is one of a boy’s best learning aid. Boys rely on vision more than any other sense. Boys see bright colors best. Boys perform better in bright light. Put your son closer to windows with natural light when doing homework or reading at home.
Boys do not hear as well as girls. Scientists say that girls hear sound twice as loud as boys do. Boys have a much higher tolerance for loud noises. Make sure, when you are talking to your son that you speak loudly and clearly.
Boys get the “gist” of things and girls get the “details”. For your son, figure out the most important detail of your message. “The most important thing I want you to remember is…”
Hope these tips help you enjoy your wonderful son even more than you already do.
For more information about independent school education opportunities, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
Innovative ideas…
For more information about independent school education opportunities, visit http://www.Bolles.org.
The Education Resource 
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