Many thanks, Mark, for the kind words.

For those who live, eat and breathe boarding schools on a regular basis, it is easy to forget how foreign such schooling is to the average American.

For 99% of the population who have never set foot on a campus, their view of the who, what and why of independent boarding has been framed by a handful of news reports, old movies or Harry Potter novels.

We know that the news reports typically report the infrequent bad news, old movies convey images of old money and elitism, and I’ve yet to see a boarding school with coursework in Divination or Defense Against the Dark Arts.

It has been a continual struggle for boarding schools to get out the right image… the true story: critical thinking, community action, diversity, and the like.

onBoarding Schools, hosted by AdmissionsQuest has been a wonderful eye into the world of boarding education.

We’ve been able to see student videos, learn about curricular advancements, see student accomplishments academically, artistically and athletically, discover new building projects, even follow along as students headed to Washington, DC and other locations, seeing, hearing and reading about the experience through their own expression. One can learn not only of new research into curriculum and program design, but see how schools implement theory into practice in creative and dramatic ways.

Anyone who has kept up with onBoarding Schools, as I have, has their view of boarding schools transformed. It has become THE running chronicle of what boarding education is… and where it’s heading.

It has played another role, I suspect, beyond helping the general public to a clearer view of boarding schools. It has become essential reading for those in schools: a place to learn of innovative programs, new courses, community outreach, character education initiatives, among other successes. Such sharing means that great ideas can be replicated as never before, assuring that great innovations reach more students and families.

onBoarding Schools has become essential reading for educational consultants. This group must stay up-to-date on advancements and developments on campuses from coast-to-coast. While campus visits are essential, one is likely to visit a school once every 4 to 5 years. Reading school viewbooks, websites and student publications allows for some insight, but nothing beats onBoarding Schools for timely, immediate, continuing updates about the best in school developments.

Reading this one might think I overstate the impact. After all, I started by noting that boarding schools directly impact fewer than 1% of the student population. But we also know that the influence of boarding schools is dramatic beyond enrollment numbers: they often have led the way in educational reforms and innovation and graduates play an outsize role in their contributions to government, business and service.

I wish continued success to onBoarding Schools, AQ and those who dedicate their lives to boarding schools, and look forward to reading this blog regularly… as I sit in Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade drinking my butterbeer.

About Mark Sklarow:
Mark Sklarow has served as Executive Director of the Independent Educational Consultants Association for 15 years. Previously he was director of an international/multi-cultural youth exchange organization, served as director of Presidential Classroom and was an independent day school teacher in Social Sciences and Dean of Students in Philadelphia.

But for high school students at many Canadian boarding schools, the unique programs that are offered at these schools, teach every student about the dedication and discipline that is required to complete such a task.

An example of this took place on the Sedbergh School’s campus during the weekend of February 12th and 13th.

The Canadian Ski Marathon (CSM) is a cross country skiing event, which covers a total of 160km (99.4194 miles) of cross country skiing over two days. That is the equivalent of skiing from New York City to Philadelphia over a weekend.

Joining approximately 7,000 other skiers, every Sedbergh student (many of which had never skied prior to coming to the school) took to the trails to push themselves to the limit and reach their maximum distance. Jahel, a grade 11 student from Angola was asked her views on the CSM and she said:

“The CSM eluded me from the very beginning. The thought of it terrified me. I had no idea what to expect. I just hoped that I was prepared enough. Once it started I realized that it wasn’t so bad. Having a ski buddy was great because I had someone to keep me going when I felt like giving up. The food at the end of the sections was great too. Seeing those red flags when I finally completed a section was one of the best feelings in the world.”

For her first time participating in the CSM, Jahel’s impressive 95.2km result is something that should be recognized, but what is also important is the preparation, dedication and practice that took her from a new cross country skier to completing almost 100kms. This is something that cannot be taught in the classroom, and as this is a mandatory event, all students get the opportunity to push themselves to their limit and learn these important values.

The CSM, and cross country skiing is very much a Sedbergh tradition, but many boarding schools across the country execute a variety of events and activities to prepare all of their students in much the same way.

Bishops College School hold’s has the oldest continually active Cadet programme in Canada. This compulsory program for all students provides immense dedication by all students and since it is primarily run by the Senior Cadets, progression through the ranks allows for exceptional opportunities for students to develop essential leadership skills.

A similar program is offered at King’s Edgehill School in Windsor, Nova Scotia, where a cadet corp of 330 cadets are organized into two Rifle companies and three Platoons each; a Band, a precision Drill Team, and a School Flag Party.

These programs take a great deal of regular preparation and training to run effectively and as a result, all students have the opportunity to grow as individuals outside of the classroom as well as in. Other examples include the rowing program at Brentwood College School, and the Hockey Program at Harrington College.

These are just a few examples of boarding school programs that in addition to high quality academic programs take “College/University Prep” outside of the classroom and challenge all students to participate, in order to develop essential life skills.

As discussed, it has been argued that it takes someone 10,000 hours to become an expert or to excel at something, and unfortunately your time in high school may not be long enough to reach that pinnacle.

Not every student is going to choose cross country skiing as their chosen path however; what these programs do is challenge every student and teach the skills that are necessary to reach that peak in whatever discipline they may choose.

About Cory Awde
Mr. Cory Awde, AdmissionsQuest’s first Canadian blogger. Mr. Awde is the Director of Marketing and Admissions at Sedbergh School, in Montebello, Quebec Canada. Before completing a MA in Communication at the University of Ottawa (MA, 2008), Cory held various roles within the recruitment and liaison office at his Alma Mater, Brock University (BSM, 2005).

With first round admission and financial aid letters due to arrive to families in the next few days, it’s time think about perspectives, plans, and responses depending on the offers you receive from schools.

It’s always best to have one’s ducks in a row and plan, or have a series of plans, based on all the outcomes.

Of course everyone wants to be accepted by their first choice school with a full-award financial aid package. Schools balance and spread their financial aid to the best of their abilities and that can mean that not every student can receive as much as they might need.

Over the years, we’ve written several admission decision and financial aid articles (along with a prep school admission ebook) that can help with your planning. These references can help families consider their options.

1. The Admission Process: Decision Time!
   
2. Accepted Student Re-Visit Days
   
3. Waitlisted at a Private School?
   
4. Tips for Students Accepted at a Private School

Program Chair, Dr. Susan Carrese describes the program this way:

“Globalization is a 21st century reality…At FVS we believe it is essential to embrace the world beyond our campus, our borders and our mindset. Our goal is to move beyond mere tolerance of diversity, to genuine engagement as school and world citizens.” (FVS Announces New Global Scholar Program, FVS)

The GSD program experience is something akin to a college major with students working through a course of study interconnected and bound by topics, themes and perspectives.

“…Requirements for the Global Diploma include taking several classes with a global component, an international immersion experience, active participation in a globally or culturally focused on-campus club, participation in community service projects that require direct encounters with individuals from other countries or cultures, attending global speaker and/or film events, and completing a capstone course that includes research, a leadership initiative and a presentation…” (FVS)

Affirming and demonstrating the school’s dedication to the GSD program, FVS Headmaster, Craig W. Larimer Jr. ’69 awarded Dr. Carrese with the Lewis Perry Jr. Chair for the Humanities. This endowed chair provides dedicated funds to program chairs.

Photo credit: _fLeMmA__

These videos are Saturday Night Live worthy.

Hodgin hits all the right notes and skewers the seriousness with which some of the more odd sports are presented and brings laughable absurdity to the non-stop stream of human interest stories that accompanies athletes throughout the games.

You will laugh out loud at this fictitious- but, ‘oh, so real’- presentation of Ribbon Dancing.

Ribbon: The Thin Red Line pt1

Ribbon: The Thin Red Line pt2

The question of how open to be is a sensitive one.

Some children who are already in private schools are often surrounded by other kids who are also applying. The chatter about who is applying where, what one’s scores were, and class rank can add pressure to what is already an anxious situation.

Other children are in schools where the majority of their peers are continuing on to public school, and their desire to go to an independent school is baffling at best and considered a sign of elitism at worst.

We encouraged our children to be open and honest about the schools they were considering but also to be sensitive to how they frame their desire to go to boarding school. We firmly believe the kids (and indeed all of us) end up in their right place.

A young public school friend of mine was recently told by a friend “I’m going to boarding school so I can be with other people like me.” Naturally my friend’s feelings were hurt. We encouraged our children to talk about finding the school that is the right fit for them, rather than suggest that one school is better than another. That said, parents and children need to be comfortable knowing that the school that is the right fit for them may not be the most prestigious or the one with the most social cache.

We live in New England, and our daughter attends a terrific, competitive school on the west coast. I was asked once if she was at a school for troubled teens because she is so far away and the questioner hadn’t heard of her school! This is a true story. As we were recently told at a college counseling event, “The bumper sticker on your car is not your grade as a parent.”

I believe it is our responsibility as parents to buffer our kids from the stress, particularly in these last weeks before the admission decisions are mailed. Our confidence that they will be in their right place and enthusiasm about revisiting schools will help our children deal with whatever the decisions are.

My reader’s next question was whether the parents’ collegiate academic credentials influenced an admissions decision.

My sense is that the competitive high schools are very successful in getting their students into the most competitive colleges based on the students own academic records and abilities. It seems that the applicant pools are so large and so talented that legacies no longer carry the weight they once did. I doubt whether where the parents went to college has any bearing on the admissions decisions.

In fact my guess is that with the economic downturn the greatest interest schools have in parents is whether they can pay the tuition and maybe give a generous annual fund contribution. Many schools that were once need blind have had to suspend that policy.

This is merely based on my own observation rather than any hard data. Despite the drop in endowments, many qualified students continue to receive generous financial aid packages from schools committed to attracting a talent and broad-based student body.

But the quick and easy assignment skips over some fundamental understandings and history.

In this classically hands-on exercise of progressive education, Midland School 9th graders build pinhole cameras and process their images.

They take their homemade cameras into the field to photograph their subjects- followed by processing and responding to their work.

The nature of the project leads to good deal of planning and thought from the students. Their written pieces about their results show flexibility, creativity, and understanding.

The students gain a fundamental and elemental understanding of photography from a practical, hands-on, creative exercise.

Photo credit: D.Hyuk

The article chronicles the rise and issues of 17 year old author Helene Hegemann whose first novel, “Axolotl Roadkill,” received the kind of overly enthusiastic reviews in Germany that sometimes greets young authors who seemingly provide insight into the adolescent zeitgeist of their day. Think Brett Easton Ellis’ Less Than Zero from 20+ years ago.

A best seller, “Axolotl Roadkill,” has just one problem. Large parts of it are plagiarized- and unapologetically.

When challenged on plagiarism, Ms. Hegmann presents a truly honest insight into the zeitgeist of her generation making a “We’re in new age. Things work differently now; the older generation doesn’t understand” defense.

Jurors named the work a finalist for the Leipzig Prize with one juror openly knowing about the plagiarism issues.

As the appropriated passages and authors have come to light, rather than apologize and recant, Ms. Hegemann argues the appropriation of others’ works as part of her own art and what she does.

Nicholas Kulish explains in his NYT article:

“…Although Ms. Hegemann has apologized for not being more open about her sources, she has also defended herself as the representative of a different generation, one that freely mixes and matches from the whirring flood of information across new and old media, to create something new. “There’s no such thing as originality anyway, just authenticity,” said Ms. Hegemann in a statement released by her publisher after the scandal broke…”(NYT)

Ms. Hegmann’s words betray her youth and missing perspective on several levels. Authenticity provides a weak defense, at best. Authenticity, is as much, or more, of a construct than originality. Authors construct authenticity through fictional voices daily.

A stronger, more viable concept, we see originality practiced and protected every day. Scholars, authors, film makers artists, scientists, and engineers produce original ideas every day. They own their ideas and, culturally and legally, we grant them exclusive rights to their creations from which they can earn income. In short, copyright and patent protection.

Present, or use, a thought process that’s not your own, and you must inform your audience. Passing someone else’s work off as your own- on the simplest level- makes you dishonest and unreliable. Appropriate some else’s ideas or material into a product from which you profit. That’s theft.

Ms. Hegemann’s defense seems to be built on “a rules don’t apply to me approach.”  She might be better served by acknowledging her sources and signing a royalty sharing agreement.

Royalties aren’t an issue in the classroom and around school. But copyright and attribution are daily concerns.

Ms. Hegemann’s situation presents a teachable moment. Using someone else’s idea or words in a paper can seem fuzzy to some students. Taking and using another’s work for profit, that can provide some clarity.

We recently came across an article by Mr. Henryk Hoffman, Latin and German teacher as well as the World Languages Department Chair at Perkiomen School.

Mr. Hoffman’s piece “Elmore Through the Eyes of a Polish Born WWA Member” was published in the February 2010 issue of Roundup Magazine- journal the Western Writers of America.

A congratulations to Mr. Hoffman on winning the Owen Wister Award, “Elmore Through the Eyes of a Polish Born WWA Member” chronicles the affects of Elmore’s writing and screen plays on the young movie goer and reader, quietly making the case for the quality and depth of Elmore’s work.

Elmore’s work led Hoffman into scholarship.

“…They [Leonard's crime books] are also unique in the way they include numerous cinematic references for more than just decorative purpo- ses. This tendency of Leonard’s—most obvious in such novels as Freaky De- aky, Killshot, Get Shorty, Out of Sight and Be Cool— became instrumental in my idea to write a book on movie references and allusions in American literature. I have researched a great deal of other writers and found some two hundred with similar inclinations, but Leonard is definitely unsurpassed in this respect and his entry in the project is by far the largest one.

Thus, humming nostalgically the tune from 3:10 to Yuma (which, in the unforgettable rendition by Frankie Laine, enhances the atmosphere of the original movie), I pay homage to the great writer of Western and crime fiction and congratulate him on the well-deserved Owen Wister Award. My selfish wish, on this occasion, is that some more of his brilliant Western works would find recognition by the current decision makers in Hollywood.”

Jesse Roberts, West Nottingham Academy, Director of Admission, talks about the opportunities and experiences that set WNA apart.

A small coed boarding school with 120 students, WNA makes relationships paramount- student-student and faculty-student.

WNA, offers the requisite strong academics with the school’s emphasis on relationships and interaction overlaying everything the school does.

“What sets us apart is the ability to really learn the skills that [students] are going to need in college…the people…relationships…time management…”

If one word encapsulates WNA’s approach, it’s participation- in class, in the dorm, on the field, and in the dining hall.

WNA students graduate with the skills necessary to engage in their collegiate environment. They know how to write and how to manage their lives.