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Preventing Teen Suicide
An essential guide for boarding school communities on preventing teen suicide. This comprehensive article explores warning signs, prevention strategies, and actionable steps for parents, teachers, administrators, and students to create a supportive environment and save young lives. Teen suicide is the 3rd largest killer of young adults between the ages of 15-24. You and I can prevent it.

Preventing Teen Suicide

Teen suicide is preventable. Boarding school communities have both the opportunity and responsibility to create an environment in which students feel supported, understood, and empowered to seek help. Recent research shows that school-based prevention programs are making a measurable difference - students at schools with comprehensive prevention programs are 25% less likely to attempt suicide, 13% less likely to make a suicide plan, and 10% less likely to have suicidal thoughts

Understanding the Current Landscape

Every year, there are reports of high school students taking their own lives.

  • Suicide casts a terrible pall over any school community. It just seems so pointless, so senseless.
  • I fonlymembers of the community acted on the signals the young person was most likely sending, that suicide could have been prevented.
  • The academic work in boarding school is heavy.
  • The pressures to succeed, get into the best college, and not let parents and others down, combined with the reality of adolescent uncertainties, can create a climate for depression.
  • Depression can lead to suicide.

However, suicide is preventable.

Warning Signs and Risk Factors

Suicide is the 3rd largest killer of young adults between the ages of 15-24. But teen suicide is preventable. Know the warning signs.

The following information from Kids Health tells you what to look for.

"Suicide among teens often happens after a stressful life event, such as problems at school, a breakup

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Is Your Skill Set Still On Release 3.0?

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Is Your Skill Set Still On Release 3.0?
A comprehensive guide for teachers to assess and upgrade their professional skill sets, exploring why continuous professional development is crucial in today's educational landscape. The article discusses the importance of keeping teaching credentials current, creating modern presentation materials, and maintaining updated professional documentation

Is Your Skill Set Still on Release 3.0?

Remember when having a SmartBoard in your classroom made you cutting-edge? When PowerPoint presentations were revolutionary? If these memories feel recent, your professional toolkit might need a significant upgrade. And that's what we aim to show you how to do.

Don't forget that I know what you are dealing with. I've taught English, History, Music, Latin, and Computers. So, I totally understand what you are up against time-wise and everything else-wise.

Old & New Teaching Styles

The Education Evolution

Teaching excellence in 2025 demands a radically different skill set than just five years ago, as this video illustrates. While your core teaching abilities remain valuable, the wrapper around them needs constant refreshing. Consider this: students entering your classroom today have never known a world without AI assistants, voice commands, or instant global connectivity.

Your Professional Upgrade ChecklistCredentials and Certifications

  • When did you last update your teaching credentials?
  • Have you earned micro-credentials in emerging educational technologies?
  • Are your digital literacy certifications current?

Presentation Materials

Gone are the days of static slideshows. Modern educators need:

  • Interactive presentation tools that enable real-time student participation
  • Hybrid-ready materials that work both in-person and virtually
  • Accessibility-compliant content that serves diverse learning needs

Documentation for Success

Your professional portfolio should showcase:

  • Video samples of your teaching
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A To Z Of Boarding Schools

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A To Z Of Boarding Schools
Get the inside scoop on boarding school life with our A-to-Z guide. From academics and athletics to social life and student support, we'll cover all aspects of boarding schools to help you make informed decisions. Whether you're a parent or student, this guide is your key to unlocking the secrets of boarding school life.

A To Z Of Boarding Schools

The world of boarding schools can be daunting for parents and students alike. With so many options available, it's essential to have a comprehensive guide to navigate the complexities of boarding school life. In this article, we'll take you through an A-to-Z guide of boarding schools, covering everything from academics to extracurricular activities.

A - Applying to boarding school

Applying to most boarding schools has become easier in the last 10-15 years. That's because you can apply online at most schools. When schools don't have online applications, they usually have all the application forms and information you need online for you to download.

B - Be aware that diversity is part of boarding schools' DNA in the 21st century.

Yes, back in the 1950s and 1960s, you might have been able to say that boarding schools were elitist. At least, that was the general public's perception. Of course, the media reinforced this perception. However, in the 21st century, boarding schools have made diversity and tolerance the center of their mission and philosophy, as most schools seek to prepare their students for life and work in a global community.

C - Competitive schools

Many parents have grand ideas about which boarding schools they want their children to attend. As a result, they focus on the top 10 schools, which receive ten times as many applicants for whom they have places. Having one

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Boarding School Employment: Common Questions And Answers

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Boarding School Employment: Common Questions And Answers
Want a change of pace? Frustrated and overwhelmed by your present teaching position? How about teaching in a boarding school? We answer some of your questions here.

Employment: Common Questions And Answers

Thinking about teaching in a boarding school? Got some questions? In this fictional conversation, a job seeker and I chat about looking for employment in a private school.

Credentials

Q. Do I need a teaching certificate to teach in a private school?

A. Not necessarily. It depends on the school. Some schools will employ you without a teaching certificate with the understanding that you become certified within a stated time frame, typically a year. Job advertisements are usually clear about requirements.

Q. Do I need an education degree to teach in a private school?

A. Most private schools value degrees in a subject more than an education degree. For example, if you are presenting yourself as an English teacher, the school will look for a bachelor's degree with a major in American or English Language and Literature. The teaching skills and methodology that you could learn if you did an education degree will be useful; however, most private schools will require you to teach in their own proprietary way. After all, that's why parents are sending their children to boarding school. They value the curriculum and how it's taught.

Q. Do I need to have a master's degree or a doctorate?

A. Your resume will stand out from the competition when you offer a master's or terminal degree. Once again, schools understand that a highly-credentialed faculty is a powerful asset when it comes to marketing what they do. If you have started work

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The Gifted Student

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The Gifted Student
Your child is gifted. Congratulations! It's an awesome responsibility to parent a gifted child. So, what about high school? Check out boarding schools. They offer a rich array of resources and experience for teaching gifted children.

The Gifted Student

Oxford Languages defines gifted as "having exceptional talent or natural ability." You've been aware for a long time that your child is gifted. She reads several grade levels above her grade and is passionate about robotics. She socializes well, and is liked by her teachers and classmates. The problem is that your local public school doesn't have the resources to stretch her and allow her to achieve her full potential. So, you are looking at boarding schools as an option for expanding her intellectual horizons.

Signs of Giftedness in Children Include:

  • an extreme need for constant mental stimulation
  • an ability to learn and process complex information rapidly
  • a need to explore subjects in surprising depth
  • an insatiable curiosity, as demonstrated by endless questions and inquiries
  • ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers
  • surprising emotional depth and sensitivity at a young age
  • enthusiastic about unique interests and topics
  • quirky or mature sense of humor
  • creative problem solving and imaginative expression
  • absorbs information quickly with few repetitions needed
  • self-aware, socially aware, and aware of global issues

Source: Davidson Institute

So, I can tell you as a parent of two gifted daughters, boarding school is an excellent option. We lived in rural Litchfield County, Connecticut. The local regional school system was very good but had limited resources. There was no internet in those days. So, we encouraged reading lots of books and added enrichment activities. But, again, we soon exhausted those scarce resources. Boarding school ended up being

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