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My Child Has Been Expelled For Smoking Pot!
If your child is caught smoking pot or drinking on her private school campus, the consequences will be severe.

We parents hold our breath as our children enter the teenage years. They face so many temptations. They cope with so much peer pressure. Popular culture bombards them with notions of what is acceptable and what's cool. What's a parent to do? Sometimes it seems as though we are swimming against the tide. A very strong tide.

Regardless of what pressures our teenagers face, our job as responsible parents is to teach our children that there will be consequences for their actions. Some consequences are positive. Others will be negative. For example, when our teenagers learn to drive, they are taught that it is illegal to run a red light. Or to drink and drive. Those consequences seem pretty obvious. Most teenagers, but not all, tend to obey those basic rules. That's the point. We try very hard to teach our teenagers that rules are there for a purpose. You perhaps many not agree with the reason for the rule. You do, however, have to be aware of the rules and obey them.

But what about the consequences our children might face for breaking the rules in a private school? You see, private and public schools are very different when it comes to discipline. The difference between public and private schools becomes even more noticeable when handling big issues such as substance abuse, among other disciplinary matters. Most private schools will have immediate consequences for

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For Profit vs Not for Profit Schools

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For Profit vs Not for Profit Schools
What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of a for profit versus a not for profit school? Is one kind of school better than the other?

Private schools are generally set up in one of two ways: as for-profit entities or not-for-profit (nonprofit) entities. The for-profit version is typically used by either a corporation or a private individual in order to make a profit but not be eligible for contributions that are tax-deductible to the extent provided for by law. Not-for-profit status is what most private schools chose to organize under so that they may make money but also receive contributions that are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law.

What then are the advantages and/or disadvantages of a for profit versus a not for profit school? Is one kind of school better than the other?

For-Profit Schools

The way in which a for-profit school is set up is to allow it to be controlled by an owner. That owner could be an individual or group of individuals as is often the case with many pre-schools and some elementary schools. Another form of ownership is a corporation. This often is a corporation owned and operated by a group of local individuals. More typically, for-profit private schools are owned by a corporation that has schools in several locations. For-profit schools are usually in business to make money or turn a profit. They pay taxes on those profits. Parents pay for the school's services just as though they were customers. Examples of this sort of school include Le Rosey in Switzerland, Sylvan Learning Centers, the Nobel Schools, as well as thousands of

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5 Admissions Tips for International Students

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5 Admissions Tips for International Students
In addition to complying with all the usual admissions requirements, international students must also obtain a student visa. Here are five tips to help you navigate the admissions process.

If you live overseas and are thinking about sending your child to private school in the United States, pay attention to the following five admissions tips for international students. I am assuming that you are not American citizens or green card holders and that English is not your first language. Many students from countries outside the United States want to attend American private schools. International students make up about 15% of the student population in American boarding schools, according to The Association of Boarding Schools.

The I-20 Form

Be aware that not every private school is certified by the United States Immigration Service to accept foreign students. Why is that important? Always confirm that the school in which you are interested is a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified school. If the school is not SEVP-certified to accept foreign students, it will be unable to issue the form I-20 which is the first step in applying for and obtaining a Student Visa from the U.S. Immigration Service. Once you have received the I-20 from the school which you have chosen to attend, you will pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee. The Immigration Service will not allow your child into the United States as a student without the proper paperwork. If in doubt, ask the school if it can issue the I-20 form. Do not assume anything.

Pay Attention to The Deadlines

Applying for admission to an American

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Safe Schools

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Safe Schools
A safe school does not happen. A safe school is the result of a concerted effort on the part of your school community to have a safe school.

Safe schools are everybody's concern these days. Years ago you worried about keeping the dormitory doors locked at night and making sure the trip to New York City was properly chaperoned. It was so simple.

Now parents, teachers, and students have to deal with cyber-security, stalkers, substance abuse, bullying, suicide, and a host of other really tough issues. How does a school community cope with safety? Let's take a look.

Improve your communications

In a very small school (100 students or less) you might be a are all syndromes that resultble to get away with the old-fashioned telephone tree where one person calls five others and so on. The problem with this method of alerting the community is that there are always a few people who don't get called. Install a web-based mass notification system and most of your worries will be over. Web-based mass notification systems use text messages, email, and websites to communicate news instantly to every member of your community. Whether the news is a weather-related closing or an accident involving one of your teams, it is received instantly. You can alert your community to whatever the bad news is before it hits the media. Google "web-based mass notification systems" to get an idea of the wide variety of systems available. Then have your IT consultant get two or three proposals for you and your board to review. A web-based mass notification system will help prevent the spread of misinformation when things happen. It's critical

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The Writing Sample

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The Writing Sample
This article discusses the significance of writing samples in the admissions process for private schools, emphasizing the importance of a child's ability to express themselves through writing. It provides insights into the purpose of writing samples and offers tips for parents and students on how to approach them effectively. By encouraging regular writing practice and emphasizing authenticity, the article aims to help students succeed in their admissions journey.

At some point in the admissions process, your child is going to have to write an essay, otherwise known as The Writing Sample. Don't be unduly fazed by this requirement. It is simply one more piece of the private school admissions puzzle. Interestingly enough, writing samples are often part of the admissions process for college and graduate school. Learning how to write well at a young age will benefit her in the future in a great many ways.

What is the Purpose of the Writing Sample?

Very simple, really. The school wants to determine how well your child can express herself in her writing. Many schools will split this part of the application into a series of questions. The Madeira School application, for example, asks her to answer five questions in Part 2. By the way, the candidate must complete Part 2 of Madeira's application. This is very important. The school wants to hear what your child has to say. Not what her uncle or father has to say. One thing you must never do, no matter how tempted, is to use the services of an essay-writing company such as EssayEdge. Most of the time, it isn't possible anyway because the two places where an essay is required are on the SSAT test itself and during the interview at the school. So, put that thought out of your mind right now. The school wants to hear what your child thinks, it wants to see

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