Let's Do Something About Violence

Every application to private school goes through a thorough review process. The more competitive the school, the more exhaustive the review process becomes. So, the question we parents want to be answered is simply: how do we make sure our child's application gets to that final, all-important "Approved" stack of folders. Put another way, how do we ensure that our child's application has legs? (Having legs is an expression that speaks to the endurance of whatever is supposed to have legs.) With respect to admissions applications, the idea is to advance your child's application from one stage of the process to the next until finally, you achieve a positive outcome.

Here is what to do to ensure that your child's private school application has legs.

All required documentation has been submitted.

This sounds so simple, yet you would be amazed at how often an admissions application can founder right at the beginning of the review process. The staffer who reviews your child's application has a checklist of the required materials which must be in the folder. If something is missing, the folder goes into a stack for applications that have missing documents. It cannot normally advance to the next stage of the process for the reading and critical assessment of all those materials unless it is complete.

Ann Dolin sheds some light on the private school admissions process in this short video.

Each private school has its own admissions procedures and protocols. The more competition there is for

Keeping your child's medical and academic records organized and easily referenced is an important task every parent must undertake. Here's why.

You and I have to keep certain records safe yet available for easy reference. Important papers such as tax returns, wills, deeds, titles, diplomas and certificates prove ownership and achievement. Many of these documents are originals which is all the more reason to keep them in a safe place and to keep them organized. You probably do not have to refer to them very often but you know where to find them when you need them.

The same thing applies to your child's records. There will be many times when you will have to furnish proof that your child has been immunized against certain diseases. Aptitude and other academic testing results are also important papers to keep on files. Here's how to organize your child's important papers so that you won't be missing the documentation you will need to support her application to nursery school, primary school, high school, and college.

Medical and Health Records

Keep records of all immunizations, test results and prescriptions. Why? Because you will be required to provide proof of immunizations as part of your child's medical record when you apply to private school at any level. Schools need to know about allergies your child has so that they know what action to take if and when she has an allergic reaction to something. Ditto with any medications which your child takes. If

Is Your Job Search Stuck in the Past? Here’s How to Fix It

It’s late fall, early winter. The air is crisp, the holidays are approaching, and suddenly, it hits you.

The promotion you’ve been counting on? Not happening. Your colleague is getting the nod, and you're left wondering why. After playing out the scenarios in your head, it’s clear: it’s time for something new. A fresh start, new challenges, a change of scenery, just what you need, right?

Absolutely. But now comes the big question: How do you make it happen?

You start by facing a hard truth: your resume is outdated. You haven’t touched it in years, and as you scroll through the document, you realize: your job search approach is so… 2020.

Microsoft Copilot generated this image.

Sound familiar? Don’t panic. The job market has evolved, and so should your strategy. Here’s how to modernize your approach and stand out in today’s competitive landscape.

Get Involved. Stay Involved. Expand Your Reach.

By now, you’ve been at St. Swithin’s for five years. You know the school, the students, the routine. But let’s talk about something bigger, your presence beyond the classroom.

Sure, involvement at school is a given, it’s expected, maybe even required. But what about the world outside those walls?

• Have you joined a local service club or choral society to connect with people?
• Have you attended workshops from your state’s independent school association, or better yet, helped

Should Latin be Taught?

Does a dead language have any place in a 21st-century curriculum? Is it useful? Is it relevant? Does it have value as an enrichment to the core curriculum? I think it does, and for the following reasons.

1. Latin offers young people a glimpse into the life and times of the ancient Romans.

Yes, they can read about ancient Rome and watch videos. They can learn about the expansion of the Roman Empire under Julius Caesar. All that information is readily available. But it is filtered information. The whole point of learning a language is to be able to read source materials. I don't want somebody telling me what Julius Caesar said. I want to read it for myself. I want to understand what Caesar said, why he said it, how he said it - the works.

With that assumption in mind, it makes sense to allow students to experience the language by learning how to speak it. Perhaps Latin may be a dead language because it is no longer the lingua franca of commerce and world affairs. On the other hand, Latin is a beautiful-sounding language that will delight young listeners.

I will disclaim that I learned Latin back in the 50s and 60s when it was taught in the rather old-fashioned way languages were taught back then. You learned endless conjugations and declensions. You struggled with Latin's nuanced sense of tense. Et cetera. It would have been rather dry and dull had