Fairly frequently I get calls or emails expressing concern about certain carpool behaviors, particularly letting children ride in laps, lean out windows, or stand through sunroofs while driving through the parking lot or parents talking on cell phones. Judging frm the number and vehemence of the complaints I receive, lots of people see it as extremely dangerous and distracting (see excerpts below from two recent emails). On the other hand, a great many people clearly have no problem with these behaviors because so many people engage in them.
How should this be addressed, if at all? Can/should the school really be responsible for what is essentially a parental decision and judgment? On the other hand, can we really look the other way if we consider a behavior dangerous? Of course, some behaviors we see appear more dangerous than others. Cell phone use is controversial everywhere, but not necessarily illegal. Personally, I’m not sure it’s necessarily dangerous to let children stand with their heads out the sunroof in a parking lot when you are driving less than 10 mph, but leaning way out a window looks riskier to me. If so, what can or should the school do about it? Who gets to decide? If we take a position, how would we enforce it? Even if you don’t think it’s necessarily dangerous, should we take into consideration that it bothers so many people?
Below are just two examples of complaints I receive. I’d love to hear some dialogue from people on this issue.
“I would like to get you opinion about a situation I have been observing every day at the drop-out in the mornings. I see every day young kids either riding in the front seat of the car, standing up through the sun-roof window or, what is worst, riding on the parent’s lap while pretending they are driving. I am talking about young children (4-6 years old). My daughter… has [begun] questioning why those kids are riding that way and today, she wanted to do the same, and naturally, started to cry when I refused to let her ride in that fashion. I believe those behaviors do not set a good example for other kids and, definitely, do not have a place at a great school with an outstanding reputation as is EDS. Is there any way to address this issue? I would love to hear your thought on this matter.”
“I witnessed something early this morning that made my stomach ache and my blood boil…I looked out into the parking lot [and a car] wheeled through the line with two small children standing up in the car seat with their upper torsos hanging out of the sunroof! They were waving at the student patrols as they passed through the parking lot. Needless to say, this is an accident waiting to happen. There were adults walking through the lot. Suppose the driver had to make an abrupt stop? The image of these two children being thrown through the car roof and the image of these children hitting their faces and breaking their teeth or noses came to mind. Does the school need to address this issue with the parents?”
What do you think?
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Change...
The changing of the seasons always reminds me of the rhythm of life’s changes. It reminds me that perhaps the most important preparation for life we can provide our students is the preparation for dealing with constant and often unpredictable change. The blessings and challenges of life move to and fro in our lives to a rhythm whose music we sometimes hear, but more often we turn a deaf ear.
This seems a good time to remind ourselves of what our children need (as do we) in order to best cope with change. It is best summarized in oft-used aphorisms about “roots and wings.” In our case I suppose the roots we help grow are faith, love, truth, beauty, family, and knowledge of the laws of the world. We help them build strong wings when we nurture their dreams, teach them the skills of self-directed learning and cooperation, and help them see beyond themselves and their wants.
Whether your child is three, in the 8th grade, or somewhere in between, there is much change coming. Some you can anticipate, such as learning to read or tie a shoe, experiencing their last EDS soccer or volleyball game or final chapel. Some changes can never be predicted. The important thing is to be prepared.
Below are a few thoughts from others throughout the ages who have contemplated the presence of change as a constant in our lives. I’d love for you to comment on your favorite one.
Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant. -Anthony D’angelo
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. - Author unknown, commonly misattributed to Charles Darwin
While we flatter ourselves that things remain the same, they are changing under our very eyes from year to year, from day to day. -Charlotte Perkins Gilman
In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists. -Eric Hoffer
The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become. -Charles Dubois
Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death. -Anais Nin
The future has a way of arriving unannounced. -George Will
“Nothing” is carved in granite. – Sculpture on Ned Murray’s office bookshelf
Change is inevitable, except from vending machines. - Unknown
Henri Bergson: To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.
James Baldwin: For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.
John Dewey (father of American education): The aim of education is to enable individuals to continue their education ... (and) the object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth. Now this idea cannot be applied to all the members of a society except where intercourse of man with man is mutual, and except where there is adequate provision for the reconstruction of social habits and institutions by means of wide stimulation arising from equitably distributed interests. And this means a democratic society.
John F. Kennedy: Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
Katherine butler Hathaway: A person needs at intervals to separate from family and companions and go to new places. One must go without familiars in order to be open to influences, to change.
Leo Tolstoy: Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
M. Scott Peck: The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in one solitary and even humble individual - for it is in the solitary mind and soul of the individual that the battle between good and evil is waged and ultimately won or lost.
Mary Antin, 1912: We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later; and the birth and growth of the spirit, in those who are attentive to their own inner life, are slow and exceedingly painful. Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ours elves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth.
Nelson Mandela: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Ovid: All things change; nothing perishes.
Ralph Waldo Emerson: Life is a progress, and not a station.
Thomas Hardy: Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.
Unknown: Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
W.E.B. Du Bois: He who rejects change is the architect of decay.
The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson
It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. ~W. Edwards Deming
When you are through changing, you are through. ~Bruce Barton
Life is its own journey, presupposes its own change and movement, and one tries to arrest them at one's eternal peril. ~Laurens van der Post
I put a dollar in one of those change machines. Nothing changed. ~George Carlin
What you have become is the price you paid to get what you used to want. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights. ~Pauline R. Kezer
God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me. ~Author Unknown
Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are. ~Bertold Brecht
This seems a good time to remind ourselves of what our children need (as do we) in order to best cope with change. It is best summarized in oft-used aphorisms about “roots and wings.” In our case I suppose the roots we help grow are faith, love, truth, beauty, family, and knowledge of the laws of the world. We help them build strong wings when we nurture their dreams, teach them the skills of self-directed learning and cooperation, and help them see beyond themselves and their wants.
Whether your child is three, in the 8th grade, or somewhere in between, there is much change coming. Some you can anticipate, such as learning to read or tie a shoe, experiencing their last EDS soccer or volleyball game or final chapel. Some changes can never be predicted. The important thing is to be prepared.
Below are a few thoughts from others throughout the ages who have contemplated the presence of change as a constant in our lives. I’d love for you to comment on your favorite one.
Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant. -Anthony D’angelo
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. - Author unknown, commonly misattributed to Charles Darwin
While we flatter ourselves that things remain the same, they are changing under our very eyes from year to year, from day to day. -Charlotte Perkins Gilman
In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists. -Eric Hoffer
The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become. -Charles Dubois
Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death. -Anais Nin
The future has a way of arriving unannounced. -George Will
“Nothing” is carved in granite. – Sculpture on Ned Murray’s office bookshelf
Change is inevitable, except from vending machines. - Unknown
Henri Bergson: To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.
James Baldwin: For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.
John Dewey (father of American education): The aim of education is to enable individuals to continue their education ... (and) the object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth. Now this idea cannot be applied to all the members of a society except where intercourse of man with man is mutual, and except where there is adequate provision for the reconstruction of social habits and institutions by means of wide stimulation arising from equitably distributed interests. And this means a democratic society.
John F. Kennedy: Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
Katherine butler Hathaway: A person needs at intervals to separate from family and companions and go to new places. One must go without familiars in order to be open to influences, to change.
Leo Tolstoy: Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
M. Scott Peck: The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in one solitary and even humble individual - for it is in the solitary mind and soul of the individual that the battle between good and evil is waged and ultimately won or lost.
Mary Antin, 1912: We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later; and the birth and growth of the spirit, in those who are attentive to their own inner life, are slow and exceedingly painful. Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ours elves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth.
Nelson Mandela: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Ovid: All things change; nothing perishes.
Ralph Waldo Emerson: Life is a progress, and not a station.
Thomas Hardy: Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.
Unknown: Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
W.E.B. Du Bois: He who rejects change is the architect of decay.
The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson
It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. ~W. Edwards Deming
When you are through changing, you are through. ~Bruce Barton
Life is its own journey, presupposes its own change and movement, and one tries to arrest them at one's eternal peril. ~Laurens van der Post
I put a dollar in one of those change machines. Nothing changed. ~George Carlin
What you have become is the price you paid to get what you used to want. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights. ~Pauline R. Kezer
God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me. ~Author Unknown
Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are. ~Bertold Brecht
Saturday, October 4, 2008
THE SCHOOL'S FINANCIAL SITUATION
A reader of my blog recently sent this question, "Just a thought to consider as you blog - some parents may wonder where does EDS stand financially in today's environment?"
Great question and I appreciate the suggestion. Here is my short response. If any of you are interested in more detail or further explication, please send your questions. I'll do my best to respond.
Where does EDS stand financially in today's environment? There are two categories of response for this question -- 1) how are our operating funds doing and 2) how are our investments (endowment) doing?
OPERATING: We are in a healthy, positive position. Like most independent schools, because we collect the majority of our tuition at the beginning of the year, we generally have a positive cash flow situation. By the end of our fiscal year (June 30) this becomes largely depleted, as we pay salaries, utilities, etc., even after we have stopped collecting tuition revenue for the year. However, for at least the past five years, we have still finished the year in a positive cash position. This means that we have not had to borrow money against future earnings to pay bills the way many businesses do. Therefore, the current credit crunch has not directly affected our operations. We expect this will be the case for the current fiscal year, as well. We have also finally paid off the last building fund, so we are not carrying any debt of any kind.
For your information, the school finances are overseen by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees. The Finance Committee is composed of the Board Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer, the Rector, and the Headmaster as an ex-officio member. This group meets monthly with the business manager to review in great detail the financial reports of the school, including a monthly balance sheet and budget update. The Treasurer then reports to the full Board of Trustees ten times per year. In addition, the school secures an annual audit from an independent accounting firm. We continue to receive a clean bill of health from that audit.
For the past several months, the Finance Committee has explored various options for protecting our cash and putting it to work. I'll keep you posted as that develops.
2) ENDOWMENT INVESTMENTS:
The EDS endowment is invested in a variety of vehicles with several different management firms. This is overseen for the school by the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees according to Policies and Guidelines approved by the Board and in accordance with NAIS Principles of Good Practice (National Association of Independent Schools: www.nais.org). According to the EDS Endowment Fund Policies and Guidelines, the Board can utilize 4.5% of the 3-year trailing average of the value of the fund. This is about average for private school endowments and, over time, should allow for the funds to generate good support while still growing. The trailing average mechanism helps minimize the peaks and valleys of investment earnings over time. Our overall investment strategy is fairly conservative, with a healthy balance of various kinds of equities, bonds, and cash. The investment committee meets at least three times per year to review performance, policies, and procedures.
Obviously our endowment has suffered from recent declines in the market. However, remember that the endowment is a long term investment strategy. We expect that our conservative and diversified approach over time will yield steady positive results.
If you are interested in further explication or greater detail of any of these issues, please feel free to contact me.
Great question and I appreciate the suggestion. Here is my short response. If any of you are interested in more detail or further explication, please send your questions. I'll do my best to respond.
Where does EDS stand financially in today's environment? There are two categories of response for this question -- 1) how are our operating funds doing and 2) how are our investments (endowment) doing?
OPERATING: We are in a healthy, positive position. Like most independent schools, because we collect the majority of our tuition at the beginning of the year, we generally have a positive cash flow situation. By the end of our fiscal year (June 30) this becomes largely depleted, as we pay salaries, utilities, etc., even after we have stopped collecting tuition revenue for the year. However, for at least the past five years, we have still finished the year in a positive cash position. This means that we have not had to borrow money against future earnings to pay bills the way many businesses do. Therefore, the current credit crunch has not directly affected our operations. We expect this will be the case for the current fiscal year, as well. We have also finally paid off the last building fund, so we are not carrying any debt of any kind.
For your information, the school finances are overseen by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees. The Finance Committee is composed of the Board Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer, the Rector, and the Headmaster as an ex-officio member. This group meets monthly with the business manager to review in great detail the financial reports of the school, including a monthly balance sheet and budget update. The Treasurer then reports to the full Board of Trustees ten times per year. In addition, the school secures an annual audit from an independent accounting firm. We continue to receive a clean bill of health from that audit.
For the past several months, the Finance Committee has explored various options for protecting our cash and putting it to work. I'll keep you posted as that develops.
2) ENDOWMENT INVESTMENTS:
The EDS endowment is invested in a variety of vehicles with several different management firms. This is overseen for the school by the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees according to Policies and Guidelines approved by the Board and in accordance with NAIS Principles of Good Practice (National Association of Independent Schools: www.nais.org). According to the EDS Endowment Fund Policies and Guidelines, the Board can utilize 4.5% of the 3-year trailing average of the value of the fund. This is about average for private school endowments and, over time, should allow for the funds to generate good support while still growing. The trailing average mechanism helps minimize the peaks and valleys of investment earnings over time. Our overall investment strategy is fairly conservative, with a healthy balance of various kinds of equities, bonds, and cash. The investment committee meets at least three times per year to review performance, policies, and procedures.
Obviously our endowment has suffered from recent declines in the market. However, remember that the endowment is a long term investment strategy. We expect that our conservative and diversified approach over time will yield steady positive results.
If you are interested in further explication or greater detail of any of these issues, please feel free to contact me.
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