Educational Dealer June 2023

Creating Safe Spaces for Kids to Play and Learn

I’m Already Gone

by Kevin Fahy

The first time I attended a school supply industry convention, I was struck by how different it was from the other industries to which I had been exposed. Much of the difference, it seemed to me, could be traced back to the fact that most of the businesses were privately owned.

Seeing as you work in the industry yourself, there is a good chance that you work for a familyowned company. If not, you surely do business with some, and I don’t need to tell you that there are advantages and disadvantages to such arrangements. They do share one feature, however, that you may not have considered.

They have the tendency to disregard customary standards in terms of age-appropriate employment. In other words, they fill positions with people who would be considered too young or too old in corporate America.

Is that a bad thing? Well, it can be, yes. Seasoned employees may resent taking orders from teenagers, for example, or middle managers may not strive for advancement because their path is blocked by some old coot who will only leave feet first.

That’s assuming, of course, that older family members want to work at the company, which is not always the case. Sometimes older individuals

don’t want to work there or anywhere else.

Look at what’s going on in France, for example. Since January, huge, often violent crowds have taken to the streets of Paris to protest President Emanuel Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. Apparently, a good many French citizens feel entitled to retire young with a full pension, in spite of the fact that people are living decades longer than they used to and the system is rapidly running out of cash.

In case you’re wondering, the nation with the lowest retirement age is Sri Lanka, at 55, and there are several others in the upper 50s. It’s also worth noting that to get the pension in France at age 62, a person must work for 43 years and make the scheduled contributions. At 67, everyone gets it without conditions.

The U.S., of course, complicates the whole process as much as possible, having created a sliding scale based on the age at which benefits start and what contributions were made at what time. To make matters more confusing, the whole deal is different depending on what year you were born. For most people, full retirement is somewhere around 66, but you get a higher monthly

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Nowadays, most companies, large and small, allow workers to stay on the job indefinitely, and it is not uncommon to see people in their 70s and even 80s soldiering on.

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payout if you wait until 70 to take it, adding an element of gambling to the whole endeavor.

In America, though, we have as many problems caused by people who refuse to retire as we do with people who want to retire too soon. Many years ago, it was typical for large companies to have mandatory retirement dates, most often at age 65, but those rules are mostly gone now, along with the defined benefit pensions that went along with them.

Nowadays, most companies, large and small, allow workers to stay on the job indefinitely, and it is not uncommon to see people in their 70s and even 80s soldiering on. For the most part I think that’s a good thing, so long as people find the work rewarding and are able to fulfill their responsibilities. There are clearly places, however, where some limitations need to be established.

Take the U.S. Senate, for instance. Right now, the institution is trying to figure out what to do about Senator Diane Feinstein of California, 89, who has been suffering from diminished capacity for several years. She often forgets the names of her own staff and colleagues, falls asleep at meetings and loses the thread of conversations.

For a couple of months this spring, the senator was out with shingles, missing dozens of votes and closely divided committee meetings. Other lawmakers can pressure her to resign, but they cannot force her to do so, and a number of those lawmakers are no spring chickens themselves.

In a way, the situation at the Supreme Court is worse, because appointments are for life and voters have no say in the matter. Theoretically, a justice can be impeached and removed for misconduct, but he or she would have to do something a lot more egregious than growing old for that to be even remotely possible.

Then there’s the executive branch. Irrespective of politics, we can’t talk about age in the workplace without acknowledging the elephant in the room. We currently have an 80-year-old individual entrusted with the most powerful and demanding job on earth. If that seems a little precarious, hold on, it could get more so. At the moment, it appears that the presidential election of 2024 could represent a choice between a 78-year-old and an 82-year-old, both of whom have sometimes struggled to put together a coherent sentence. If we’re okay with that, we can’t very well argue that someone like, say, a high school principal, is past his expiration date at 65. What about an airline pilot? A brain surgeon?

I’ll grant you that those are particularly demanding professions, but lives can also depend on teachers, nurses, police officers, bus drivers, firefighters, ministers, judges, construction workers, farmers and on and on. How old is too old for any of them, and who gets to determine it?

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Some fields do have age requirements, but for most it’s a matter of “knowing when to quit.” That’s a heavily laden phrase to me, calling to mind images of some of my favorite athletes who simply stayed too long at the dance. It’s sad to remember Willie Mays stumbling in the outfield, or Muhammed Ali absorbing punches he would have deftly dodged in his youth.

Being a Buffalo Bills fan, I was never too fond of Tom Brady, but nevertheless I was relieved for his sake when he finally gave it up for good. It’s not healthy for anybody to get body-slammed by a 300-pound lineman, but for someone his age it seemed almost suicidal.

By now you must be convinced that I am some sort of raving ageist who wants to herd the elderly onto a lifeboat and give it a good shove. I can assure you that is not true.

As I wrote this column I turned 70 years old, so I am officially one of those old coots who is taking up space, blocking others from advancement and clinging to 20th century technology. I am also a major stockholder, so it is virtually impossible to get rid of me.

In light of all that, I decided to retire from the day-to-day business of the company I co-founded with the late Tom Williams 40 years ago. I am proud of the business we created, and confident that I am leaving it in capable hands.

I will still keep an office here for the foreseeable future, and hope to do some occasional work for the company. Among the tasks I would like to retain is the writing of this column, which I have contributed on a continuous basis since 1984.

Unless, that is, you think I’m too old.

You can e-mail Kevin at kfahy@fwpi.com.

MESH Together

How we can support mental health

by Victoria Ritter

Students of all ages have much more than education on their minds – from keeping up in social circles and dealing with family issues to their appearance and bullying. They faced a major upheaval when schools across the country shut down in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects continue today with increased levels of depression, anxiety and stress. The mental health of students correlates to how they perform in schools.

According to a survey conducted by

EdWeek Research Center in Winter 2021, more than 70 percent of students reported having more problems in school than the year prior, including low grades, incomplete schoolwork and feeling tired or too sad to focus in class. One acronym that is gaining traction in the educational world is MESH, or “mental, emotional and social health.” The concept brings together ideas from social emotional learning (SEL) and mental health and provides a platform to talk about both aspects together. By discussing MESH topics, parents and educators can help a child avoid risky behaviors formed from mental stress, navigate strong emotions and foster quality relationships that set

them on a path to success.

Promoting emotional wellbeing in children can start before they enter the classroom with the use of toys and games. “A lot of toys can have an emotional element to their play pattern and help children develop their emotional literacy and promote wellbeing and positive mental health,” stated Dr. Amanda Gummer, a child development expert in the U.K. She went on to explain how different types of toys can support MESH. Stuffed animals can provide companionship and be used to role play. Puzzles and games promote cognitive development and teamwork. Arts and craft supplies allow children to express

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Simplifying Back to School

their emotions in a creative way. Sensory and fidget toys can help manage stress and develop mindfulness. Toy retailers that promote MESH may attract customers who are searching for ways to support their child’s emotional health. “By offering a selection of toys that promote emotional wellbeing, retailers can establish themselves as a trusted resource for parents who want to make informed decisions about the toys they purchase,” Dr. Gummer said. “Retailers can promote wellbeing toys within their stores and become a resource for their community.”

Schools can help promote MESH through transforming their educational spaces into more positive environments. Claire Latané, a landscape architecture and environmental design professor at Cal Poly Pomona, offered a few tips to EdWeek.

Take advantage of natural ventilation, sunlight and views of nature through windows.

A 2014 study by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine reported that those with work environments that had windows tended to engage in more physical activity and had a longer sleep duration.

Amanda Gummer

Provide access to nature with outdoor spaces.

Exposure to nature is linked to improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and upticks in empathy and cooperation, according to the American Psychological Association.

Create cozy common areas and quiet zones.

Educators don’t have to remodel a whole building, just decorate the room with curtains, soft lighting and comfortable seating. Establishing quiet time has several health benefits such as calms racing thoughts, stimulates brain growth and creativity and encourages mindfulness, according to Healthline.

In April, AASA–the School Superintendents Association and The Jed Foundation announced the District Comprehensive Approach, which aims to provide school districts across the country with a framework of best practices, support and guidance about how to best support students’ mental health. The initiative focuses on themes including developing life skills, promoting social connectedness, encouraging help-seeking behaviors, improving recognition of signs of distress, access to mental health care, establishing crisis management procedures and promoting the importance of keeping lethal and dangerous items away from children.

“By addressing mental health disparities in our school communities, we can help change the lives of countless students and, as a result, improve the future of our country’s public education system–and our entire nation,” said AASA Executive Director David Schuler in a statement.

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Be Safe, But Not Scared

by Victoria Ritter

Schools are meant to be a safe and engaging environment for students and teachers. With the rising number of school shootings, districts are seeking to increase security. However, while these precautions are meant to keep students physically safe, there are unintended consequences on kids’ mental health.

A common school safety practice is lockdown drills. Some districts invest in “hardening” schools by adding surveillance technology, employing school research officers and fortifying entry points. Companies, including Screenflex, manufacture ballistic barriers that can double as whiteboards and bulletin boards.

Claire Marie, a school emergency management expert in northern Oregon, works with law enforcement agencies and schools to address safety in multiple methods. A common vulnerability she’s seen is easy access – doors that are propped open or unlocked and large, open windows. “If school (staff) could walk around the building and check that all their doors latch and

lock properly, that would be a massive step in school safety and security,” Marie said.

While hardening schools can help keep kids physically safe, the practice may have a detrimental impact on their mental and emotional health. Staff and students in schools that have multiple security measures report experiencing higher levels of fear and anxiety, according to a Spring 2019 study by Bryan Warnick and Ryan Kapa of The Ohio State University. Other effects of hardening schools noted in the study include decreased interest in parents’ willingness to volunteer, lower student participation in extracurricular activities and less student trust in teachers and administrators.

The practice of hardening schools can be balanced with “softening” educational spaces. This approach incorporates practices such as providing more mental health counselors at schools, teaching students social-emotional competencies,

Marie

avoiding exclusionary discipline measures and supporting the mental wellbeing of students.

Marie seeks to transform people “from bystanders to upstanders,” encouraging them to report any changes in behavior or concerning statements from a student. By addressing the issue, teachers and administrators can get the student the help they need, only resorting to punitive measures when there are no other options. “We ensure everyone is safe, we assess the whole situation and work on how we can get this kid off the pathway to violence,” Claire stated. “They are only on that path to violence because they are suffering and they need help and more support.”

When it comes to practicing lockdown drills, Marie suggests adults normalize the procedure and implement a strengths-based approach. “We teach kids to be safe in so many ways from a point that they can understand,” Marie said. “You can ask kids about what safety drills they do in school and then you can add just one more way that they can be safe.” A strengths-based approach to lockdowns focuses on what students can do to get through the process, not drawing attention to why it’s happening. If a kid has strong feelings such as fear or anxiety, adults can help by recognizing those feelings, allowing the student to voice those emotions and redirect to a more positive mentality. “It does not matter to our kids why they’re in lockdown,” Marie said. “What matters is that they are empowered to keep themselves safe while there’s something going on.”

Marie encourages parents to advocate for schools and seek state-funded support for safety and emergency management. “School staff are working multiple positions, especially rural schools. They didn’t go to school to be emergency managers or safety experts, but with all of the education that they carry out, they’re also responsible for keeping our kids safe. We need to support them in doing that.”

In April, Marie published “Sammy the Sasquatch,” a picture book that teachers and parents can use as a resource to talk about lockdowns. The first four pages offer advice on how adults can have safety conversations with kids while the story itself normalizes lockdown drills and trusting authority figures while outlining the process step by step. “All feelings are valid, but ‘Sammy’ doesn’t show kids crying or cowering in fear,” Marie said. “If kids haven’t been introduced to a lockdown before, there’s no reason we should present them with a concept of fear associated with lockdowns.”

Claire

Advantus Corp., a consumer company, announced its Charles Leonard, 1.

Leonard is a leading school, office and art second-generation offers more than that are used daily. It a distributor of pencil sharpeners and stationary specialties. In recent years, it developed its Creative Arts line which helps children enjoy the creative process.

“It’s time to turn over the reins to a company that can carry our name forward with pride,” said David Hirsch, president of Charles Leonard, Inc. “This acquisition is a perfect match and we are thrilled to be able to continue our commitment to providing a broad range of creative, quality products to our customers.”

Advantus owns more than 600,000 square feet of domestic manufacturing and warehousing space. It manufactures and distributes 5,500 items that range from office supplies and craft and hobby products to home and office organization and recreation goods. Advantus has more than 100 manufacturing and distribution partners around the world. The company has acquired more than 20 companies which serve multiple markets.

“Advantus’ strategy has always been growth and continuous improvement,” said Kevin Carpenter, President of Advantus Corp., in a press release. “The acquisition of Charles Leonard keeps us on our growth path and enhances our competitive position.”

Whitney Brothers, a children’s furniture brand, introduced its new Live Edge Furniture Collection. The new line features tables and seating for early learning environments that are inspired by the popularity of live edge wide plank furniture. Furniture with a live edge reveals the history of a tree and can help teach children about its growth lines, seasonal patterns and stress points. Knots, twists and other natural imperfections in the wood add rich visual interest that tells a story about the tree and celebrates its unique character. The items compliment Whitney Brothers’ award-winning Nature View Collection, which encompasses 71 furniture pieces. “Our Live Edge collection is absolutely on-trend in the furniture market and broadens the scope of our biophilic Nature View Collection,” said Mike Jablonski, president of Whitney Brothers. “The motif transforms ordinary classroom furniture pieces into important contributors to the appeal of a young child’s learning environment.”

Early next year, the North East Toy Show (NETS) will become the Northeast region’s first specialty toy show of the year. The show is set to take place February 11-13, 2024 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA.

The show is organized by Trade Show Ventures’ Christine and Alan Blumberg. Lea Culliton, former president of HABA USA and chairman of the ABC Kids Expo, will serve as

the show’s executive director. The show will accommodate more than 300 vendor booths, and feature a game hall. Social events include a Super Bowl Watch Party on Sunday at the Basketball Hall of Fame and a Game Night on Monday at the event center.

NETS’ main focus is on manufacturers and retailers in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Upstate New York regions. “The Northeast is the largest territory with the most volume of specialty toy stores,” Culliton said. “It’s huge that they can go in their own backyard instead of having to travel across the country.”

Registration for NEST is open to vendors. Registration for attendees is expected to open in late summer. For more information and to register for NETS, visit netoyshow.com.

EDspaces will host its 2023 show November 7-9 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. alongside the Campus Safety Conference

East. The two events will offer an expanded Campus Safety Pavillion and additional educational content on safety and security. The goal is to help address the rising issues facing today’s schools, helping them prepare for, prevent, and mitigate security and safety incidents.

The Campus Safety Conference showcases leading security practices for students and staff, new safety technologies, keynote presentations and small discussion groups.

“The co-location of these two events opens the door to more resources for school and college administrators, campus security executives, law enforcement and emergency management professionals, as well as delivers new insights to architects and distributors in the education design market,” read a March 31 Facebook post by EDspaces.

Learn more at campussafetyconference.com/csc-at-edspaces.

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innovations in the furniture and equipment category

1. Flash Furniture’s dynamic assortment of early education classroom essentials and activity furniture is designed to be fit, fluid and flow with the day’s activities. bbcatalog.flashfurniture.com

2. With the Biplane Reading and Play Cube from Wood Designs, your kid’s imagination will take off! It has a reading spot, a functional bookshelf and a soft foam cushion for comfort while reading. wooddesigns.com/992015

3. The fully mobile teacher desk from Academia Furniture features a separate podium and workstation which connect magnetically, enabling left or right-handed use. It has locked file drawers and cabinet, a pencil drawer and locking casters. academiafurniture.com

4. Deluxe Sectional Cubbie-Tray Mobile Unit from Jonti-Craft makes any area organized. Includes 12 open shelves and 10 included clear Cubbie-Trays. jonti-craft.com

5. Re-Write Max by Kent Displays Boogie E-Writers is a mess-free reusable kids writing tablet. It’s been proven to improve classroom participation. Just tap to erase. myboogieboard.com/products/re-write-max-kids-writing-tablet

6. Shatterproof Storage from Certwood embodies safety, quality and longevity, three key factors for any piece of furniture in a classroom environment. Shatterproof Storage will exceed the safety standards and outperform the competition. certwoodusa.com

7. ErgoErgo is proudly made in the USA and is the safest and most robust active seating for the classroom. We were made to move! ergoergo.com

8. Dry Erase Dot Decals from C-Line Products create an instant learning space. Easy to apply, reposition and remove. Great for centers and individual learning. Write on and wipe off. customerservice@c-line.com 800-323-6084

9. Wiggle Wobble Rock & Twist by Bouncy Band allows excess energy to be expelled, helping to calm kids by meeting their sensory needs. Fun movements stimulate the visual, vestibular and proprioceptive senses. bouncyband.com

10. Premium Corrugated Plastic Dry Erase Marquee Easel from Flipside Products is a sturdy and lightweight solution for displaying announcements, menus and messages. Easy to transport and folds flat for storage. orders@flipsideproducts.com 513-679-5919

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innovations in the furniture and equipment category

11. The NTERSECT Seating Series from USA Capitol is now in Freedom Blue. Featuring a one-piece, blush-resistant shell and textured surface, it is durable and easy to clean. Also available in black, navy and graphite. usacapitol.com

12. Mechanical locks from Zephyr Lock provide sophisticated push button options designed for both shared and personal use. It’s ideal for shared-use settings such as locker rooms and schools. zephyrlock.com

13. Watch + FOB Accessory from Time Timer is the award-winning visual timer, on-the-go. It can be worn on the wrist or attached to a lanyard or backpack with the new fob accessory. timetimerwholesale.com/watch

14. The Accu-Glide One-Man Squeegee Unit from AWT World Trade is an inexpensive, high-quality solution for screen printing limited editions and short runs. Pair it with a Rack-It Heavy-Duty Drying and Storage Rack. awt-gpi.com/product2.htm

15. Art display boards from Screenflex roll on wheels and are easy to move into place. No assembly required. Set up in a variety of configurations to create the best in art fair design. dealersf.com

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My First Lift & Learn Dinosaurs from The Learning Journey explores the Jurassic world with this chunky eight-piece puzzle full of dinosaurs! Encourage fine-motor development and problemsolving skills to get ready for school. tlji.com

Get Up & Dance: Songs and Stories That Rock from Greg & Steve Productions encourages reading with songs. Great for social-emotional development and gross motor skills. gregandsteve.com

Math Activators from Didax can be used as a discussion starter to help students master key concepts and explain their thinking. It can even inspire “aha” moments. didaxdealer.com

Removable bulletin board tape from Miller Studio is quick and easy to apply. It securely holds trim, borders, cut-outs and art to most clean, smooth surfaces around the classroom. magicmounts.com 330-339-1100, treiter@ miller-studio.com

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The First-Ever Prescription-Strength Video Game That’s Approved by the FDA

Could video games help cure cognitive dysfunction? Some doctors think so, reports research firm/creative consultancy Wunderman Thompson. Its recent newsletter reported that digital therapeutic company Akili Interactive, in partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is evaluating a video game as a treatment for COVID-19 patients experiencing brain fog.

The game, Akili Interactive’s EndeavorRX, was originally designed to treat ADHD in children. In June 2020 it made history as the first ever prescriptionstrength video game approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). After following the recommended dosage of 25 minutes of play per day, five days per week for one month, one in three kids treated “no longer had a measurable attention deficit on at least one measure of objective attention,” Akili shared. In April, The New York Times said that VR could be “your new physical therapist.” As Wunderman Thompson pointed out, the article discusses XRHealth, which launched the first VR telehealth clinic offering VR therapy to patients in 2020.

VR has a variety of proven benefits. It can help lower blood pressure, treat eating disorders and obesity, combat anxiety, treat PTSD and ease the pain of childbirth. VR has “an uncanny ability to diminish pain, steady nerves and boost mental health – all without drugs and their unwanted side effects,” wrote author Brennan Spiegel, in the book VRx: How

Virtual Therapeutics Will Revolutionize Medicine. Spiegel is the director of one of the largest therapeutic VR programs in the world at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Council Examines Weather Emergency Impact on Students with Disabilities

Severe weather events including droughts, fires, flooding and tropical and winter storms caused an estimated $18 billion in damage and 474 direct or indirect fatalities in 2022.

A new report by the National Council on Disability revealed that students with disabilities may be disproportionately affected by severe weather because of ongoing special educator shortages, resource-heavy individualized educational services, and underfunded federal mandates for education services, reported K-12 Dive.

During emergency response and evacuation, students with disabilities encounter challenges that can cause longterm harm to their mental and physical health and academic outcomes. Then afterwards, barriers such as the inability to access student records and underfunding of education programs can further hamper their progress. When schools re-open it’s often difficult to provide the needed staffing, services and assistive technology required for students’ individualized education programs. The cause can be traced to displaced employees and destroyed and damaged equipment. While the federal government provides funding for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the report noted that there was a $23.58 billion shortfall in 2021, according to the National Education Association.

To help schools better serve students with disabilities in the event of severe weather, the National Council on Disability made several recommendations for Congress and the Education Department.

• Congress should enact legislation to help recruit and retain special educators.

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• The Education Department should conduct a study assessing the impact of extreme weather on students with and without disabilities.

• Congress should provide funding to the Education Department to develop information technology standards for students’ electronic records, including IEPs. After standards are set, the department should provide technical assistance to school districts in using the technology to prevent delays in student services.

• Congress should require the Education Department to track and report on post-disaster compensatory services in storm recovery areas. That information could be used to develop recovery best practices.

Fired Principal Visits “David”

With open arms, Italy welcomed Hope Carrasquilla, the former school principal from Florida who was fired after a lesson on Michelangelo’s statue, “David” – complete with a picture – was taught to sixth-grade students at her school.

Carrasquilla was personally invited to Florence by Cecilie Hollberg, the director of Florence’s Accademia Galleria, where the Renaissance artwork is housed. The mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, also expressed interest in having Carrasquilla visit, adding that whoever teaches such art deserves respect.

“David was magnificent in person,” she told NPR. “All students should study the Renaissance, not only the art but the history as well.”

Each year, the art history class at Tallahassee Classical School in Leon County, FL, includes the sculpture as part

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of a lesson on the Renaissance period. Parents receive an email in advance to notify them of the lesson.

This year, the school’s administration forgot to send it. Three parents complained, Carrasquilla told NPR: two said they wished they had been notified about the lesson beforehand and one was upset about the nudity, equating it to pornographic material, reported NPR.

Carrasquilla took full responsibility and parents received an apology from the school. Even so, she was presented with the option to resign or be terminated without cause by the schoolboard chair.

“The fallout at Tallahassee Classical comes at a time when control of school curricula is increasingly contested across the country,” added NPR.

Following Carrasquilla’s resignation, a spokesperson for Florida’s Department of Education said the state agrees that David has “artistic and historical value.”

“Florida encourages instruction on the classics and classical art, and would not prohibit its use in instruction,” he told flvoicenews.com.

Emotional Wellness Playbook Launched During Mental Health Awareness Month

Eighty-nine percent of parents believe that their child’s mental health is more important than their child’s academic achievement, according to The Genius of Play, a movement spearheaded by The Toy Association. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the Genius of Play launched a brand-new “Emotional Wellness Playbook.”

Developed in collaboration with Talia Filippelli, a leading mental health expert and Certified Holistic Health Coach, the Playbook offers play-based activities to help kids ages 3 and up develop emotional intelligence and learn to express their feelings in a healthy way while having fun. “Research has shown that children with a high emotional intelligence earn better grades, stay in school longer, and make healthier choices overall,” said Anna Yudina, senior director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association. “Play is one of the best ways to teach kids just about anything. Boosting their emotional skills is no exception.”

According to Filippelli, “Play and toys are some of the most effective tools to help kids develop the emotional intelligence they will need to successfully navigate the world as they grow up. What’s more, play provides positive emotions and relaxation both kids and adults need to promote emotional wellbeing.”

The Genius of Play’s mission is centered on helping families raise healthy and happy kids through play. Teaching kids how to recognize, express, and manage their emotions is a big part of

that. This new playbook offers families and educators a tool to help children learn and practice emotional skills in ways that are fun and reduce stress.

Declines Threaten the Economic Future of College Towns

College closures and the declining enrollment can have major ramifications for cities and towns that rely on the vast economic benefits that higher education provides.

Enrollment at colleges and universities throughout the U.S. has dropped significantly in recent years, a trend worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Higher Education Dive. According to Clive Belfield, a professor at Queens College in New York City, enrollment could continue to drop five to ten percent a year in the near future.

The reasons are varied, he said. Not only is the U.S. experiencing a declining college-aged population, rising college costs, student loan debt and an attractive labor market have turned some prospective students away from higher ed.

College leaders, too, have been challenged financially, as they grapple with stagnant state funding and pressures to lower tuition. Since 2016, more than 90 colleges and universities in 34

states have announced or finalized mergers or closures, reported Higher Ed Dive.

Colleges are “primary economic engines” and a major part of the rural economy, said Matthew Wagner, chief program officer at Main Street America, a group that aims to improve the economic viability of downtowns. A vibrant student enrollment is intrinsically linked to the success of businesses in college towns, said Wagner.

Belfield said that the decline in student enrollment throughout the U.S. has been a slow wave, said Belfield. While first-year student enrollment is low, fourth-year student enrollment has remained steady, he said. As a result, the economic impact fueled by the enrollment decline will also be slow.

Major metro areas like Boston, Washington, D.C. and Chicago are magnets for college students, and are not going to be impacted the same as college towns, Belfield said.

Online learning is also changing the geographic economics, he added. “It’s going to take a few years before the wave goes through the college town and really starts closing down amenities. What do you need a campus eatery and a whole downtown for if students are all online?”

Catching Up with the Vending Machine Trend

Knickknacks, gadgets, locally made art and even pregnancy tests are just some of the things you can find in the Pocket Box, a series of creative vending machines that have popped up around Bellingham, WA in the past year.

Pocket Box Founder Kari Graczyk told the Cascadia Daily News that her vending machines are inspired by a growing “creative vending” movement. The idea is already popular in major metropolitan areas that include Austin, TX and Portland, OR.

Graczyk sources items from local artists, businesses and her own thrift shop. Most items are priced from $5 to $20.

The Se Vende vending machine in artistically offbeat Marfa, TX, is a must-see recommended by travel experts. Open 24 hours, the machine’s unique product mix changes often and includes everything from practical necessities (glitter sunscreen and moist towelettes) to original artwork by local artists.

Selectivend, a 90-year-old vending machine manufacturer headquartered in Des Moines, IA, offers a school supply vending machine that’s become popular on college campuses. It features five flex trays that adjust in both space and height to accommodate a customizable product mix that can range from pens to mousepads. The machine is built in the U.S. and is equipped with electronic controls, an electronic coin changer and bill acceptor.

How to Keep Talented Employees

In a new report about employee retention, Bruce Tulgan, a writer specializing in management training and generational diversity in the workforce, recommends ways businesses can “future-proof their staffing.” Here’s his list.

Staff the work, not the jobs

• Build and maintain a powerful core group.

• Build a large, fluid talent pool.

• Figure out more ways to get the work done.

• Treat staffing like supply chain management.

• Commit to constant high-potential identification, leadership development and succession planning.

Train for every mission, and develop high potentials

• Get people on-board and up-to-speed quickly.

• Keep people learning, growing and improving.

• Turn training into heavily supported employee self-building.

• Commit to constant needs assessments, individual learning plans and teaching/coaching/mentoring.

• Reinvent knowledge work: “Everything is knowledge work if you are actively trying to get better at what you are doing.”

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Encouraging students to ask questions to deepen their understanding

Helping students learn from their mistakes through constructive feedback

Embrace the new pay-for-performance

• Create a real link between pay and performance.

• Get people excited about earning more of what they need and want.

• Figure out how many ways you can reward people for performance and leverage more resources to use as rewards.

• Transform pay-for-performance into a new kind of “piecework” – reducing long-term fixed rewards and increasing short-term contingent rewards.

• Commit to constant goal and incentive-setting, scorekeeping and cashing out in micro rewards.

• Reinvent compensation: “If you want to earn more today, this week, this month, then here’s what you need to do today, this week, this month.”

Build as many career paths as you have people

• Leverage at least some dream job factors for anybody you hope to employ.

• Transform long-term employment into an on-and-off, non-exclusive arrangement with regular career planning tied into your staffing strategy.

• Reinvent the “organization employee”: “Nobody quits a dream job.”

In the whitepaper, entitled “Winning the Talent Wars: Staffing and Retention for the Post-Pandemic Workforce,” Tulgan predicts that the supply-and-demand curve for employees will remain unforgiving for employers for the foreseeable future.

For instance, for jobs that require technical training and certification, whether through a professional degree or an apprenticeship to a skilled tradesperson, the pipeline is not keeping up with market needs, he said. For service jobs that do not require training and certification, there are shortages of candidates with the soft skills necessary for optimum performance.

What’s more, organizations with significant “age bubbles” (those born before 1965) will begin to feel the loss of its oldest, most experienced employees as they retire. Those retirees take with them the skill, knowledge, wisdom, institutional memory and relationships developed during their tenures.

By 2024, individuals born in 1988 and later will comprise greater than 37 percent of the North American workforce, with similar figures for most of Europe and Japan, and even higher percentages in most of Latin America, Africa and Asia. Organizations with high percentages of young workers will face an increasingly transactional workforce, not hesitating to request greater flexibility and other concessions in their working arrangements.

“With all the fluctuations in the economy in this era of uncertainty, one business truth is not going to change: Talent is the number-one asset of every organization in every industry,” stated Tulgan, the author of several books including the best-seller “It’s Okay to Be the Boss,” and “Not Everyone Gets a Trophy,” and “The Art of Being Indispensable at Work.”

“In good times and bad alike, leaders must get more work out of fewer

people, and that means the best people are always in great demand,” he concluded. “Nearly all projections indicate that, despite ups and downs in the unemployment rate, the supply of skilled talent will be outpaced by demand for the foreseeable future. That’s why the talent wars are not going to end.”

KI Furnishes Ideal Classrooms for Three Teachers

In March, school-furniture manufacturer KI announced the winners of its inaugural classroom furniture giveaway for K-12 teachers. The recipients are Dylan Zuccarello of Lawton Chiles Elementary School in Tampa, FL; Hattie Llewellyn of New Berlin High School in New Berlin, IL; and Marisa Rinkel of Norco Elementary School in Norco, CA. Entrants used KI’s Classroom Planner tool to design their ideal learning space. For his fifth grade math and science classroom, Zuccarello designed an open layout and flexible seating to prioritize student comfort and social interaction.

For her high school specialeducation classroom, Llewellyn’s goal was to provide support to students with diverse cognitive and physical abilities. Adaptability and variety help the space adjust to students’ physical, mental and emotional needs.

For her fourth grade gifted and talented classroom, Rinkel’s design balances beauty and creativity with safety and function. Its multicolored mobile furniture solutions spark a passion for learning in students while allowing them to move around safely. KI is an employee-owned company headquartered in Green Bay, WI. It operates sales offices and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe.

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From Toys to Tools

10 Questions with Bouncyband

For a kid, sitting at a desk for several hours a day can be difficult, as they may feel the urge to move and fidget. With the arrival of Bouncybands, students could move their lower bodies while seated at their desks. Like a duck swimming on a pond, their feet could move as much as they needed while their upper body remained still and attentive.

Scott Ertl created the first Bouncyband in 2014 to help students move while they sat at their desks. Four years later, business partners Jeffrey Elsner and Steve Wampold bought the Connecticut-based company. Wampold is the founder of BigMouth Inc., which manufactured signature pool floats; Elsner was the vice president of international sales and development before the company was sold to Private Equity. They discovered Bouncybands at Staff Development for Educators’ (SDE) 2018 conference in Las Vegas show where teachers were expounding on the product’s

benefits in the classroom; Bouncybands continues to exhibit at EDspaces. “Steve and I wanted to get into a business where we could use our innovative skills to create new products,” Elsner said. “We found an industry in Bouncyband where we could give back.”

The company has expanded its product base from the original Bouncyband to include more than 75 products, with about 10 new items being released each year. Within a year of buying Bouncyband, Wampold designed the brand’s Wiggle Wobble Chair Feet. Other items include Balance Balls, Wiggle Seats and Fidget Sticks. It has expanded to include sensory items such as weighted blankets, dark dens and the Peapod, an inflatable canoe-shaped sitting space.

“We’re best known for innovation and quality,” Elsner stated. “This industry is really quite new and we have expanded on the initial concepts of

different types of sensory products and have developed different kinds of lines.”

Elsner, vice president of Bouncyband, discusses the importance of fidget devices and sensory tools and what makes Bouncyband products unique.

How’s business?

Business is exploding. We’re up about 40 percent this year and we were up about 35 percent last year. We’ve been growing every year and quite significantly. The demand, the awareness of this type of product has been growing tremendously as well. It’s been very encouraging and rewarding to see, because so many kids are being helped by the product.

What sets Bouncyband apart from other fidget band manufacturers?

We have many proprietary items and patented styles. We put a lot of thought and development into the products, which are quite unique on the market. If you have an elastic band on classroom chairs and you step on it, it’s going to go to the floor eventually – sooner rather than later. We have patented pipes that slide onto the legs of chairs so our bands will never go to the ground. The other thing with other bands is that they make noise, which is distracting. Our bands are made from very thick rubber so you don’t have any sound. Bouncybands are also very strong and last for years.

We offer a wide selection of Bleacher Boards in an assortment of finishes and dimensions.

We use B & B grade Southern Yellow Pine for our bleacher boards. Each board can be custom cut and finished to your specifications.

The #1 Manufacturer of Gym Bleacher Boards in North America

Left: Steve Wampold

Right: Jeffrey Elsner

AN IMPECCABLE IMPRESSION

How are your products designed –what kind of fidgeting do they allow?

It extends the arms, legs, and torso. expends energy. Each child discover which to expend most appealing effective for The other is the calming with things like the Peapods, weighted lap pads and sensory dens. There are so many distractions in the world, kids suffer from sensory overload. With our sensory dens, a child can go to a quiet place and either just sit with a lamp and read so they’re not distracted by the other kids or just calm down a bit.

How do Bouncyband products harness energy or stress and help improve students’ productivity?

An independent Clemson University study concluded that Bouncyband helped kids focus approximately 10 percent more. The whole movement regarding movement, so to speak, figured out that kids should not be sitting still while working, as they have all this pent-up energy. Fidgeting is good for them. It helps them get out that energy, loosen themselves up and focus more. It has a very calming aspect to it.

What is your most popular product? What is the draw to it?

Our most popular item is the original Bouncyband, which we sell for elementary and middle school chairs

desks. We universal sits on that has see the and they get the Initially, thought it intended individuals with needs, but find out is whole class

Bouncyband also produces sensory products including Peapods, fidget toys and dark dens. How do sensory experiences affect learning?

After getting into the sensory field, we found that deep pressure has a very calming effect on most kids. The idea is that calming the kids and allowing them to get rid of this excess energy is very beneficial to learning. For example, a weighted blanket makes you feel good, comfortable and secure, and therefore you can focus. The Peapod’s sides squeeze the kids in a way that makes them happy to be sitting there. It enables kids to work to their potential. Plus, it calms the classroom; if one child is calm, the child next to them is not going to be distracted and is going to be able to focus better.

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If you could design a fidget toy for kids, what would it look like?

We’ve learned that different people look for different fidget products for their needs. We’re constantly looking for ideas for innovative products. I’d come up with some ideas about what we need to do and talk with my partner, Steve Wampold, and let him figure it out. He’s very clever and inventive.

How have you seen fidget toys evolve over the past few years? What features have become popular?

The first time I became aware of these toys was with the fidget spinners. They were fun for a little while, but lost their novelty. The toys developed into tools to help you expel excess energy. The things that we produce are not novelties. It’s a proven scientific fact that Bouncyband helps kids focus, which, in my opinion, is something that will never go away.

What other markets do you serve, apart from the educational sphere?

Schools have been our initial and primary focus. Now it’s expanding to the home because these same kids who are fidgeting in school are fidgeting while they’re trying to do homework or sitting down to dinner with the family.

What are you most proud of about working at Bouncyband?

The most fulfilling part is the stories I hear. I often hear teachers say they bought Bouncybands for the classroom because the kids love them and it’s helpful. We also have parents of kids with special needs write to us about how much the child loves it. It’s really moving to hear those comments.

Portable Walls Add Flexibility!

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birchwood color so it could blend in with any setting, from public schools to private daycare facilities; the target age range is from toddler through second grade. While different locations have various uses for the furniture, several of Bright Beginnings’ activity tables are adjustable and come in several shapes. “Flexibility is key,” noted Manzione. “Our goal was to develop a modular line of product that is customizable to fit a variety of classroom needs, not matter the size, while offering the flexibility to change up the space as needed.”

Although Bright Beginnings is in its infancy, its products are quickly expanding beyond the classroom. The line is currently used in churches, car dealerships and gyms where there are play areas. One of the most unique places that utilize Bright Beginnings furniture is a cruise line, Manzione said. “When you think of education, you don’t instinctively think of all of the different places that kids play. It’s not just about learning the curriculum, but it’s very immersive.”

Flash Furniture will exhibit at this year’s EDspaces and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) events.

With the advent of Bright Beginnings, Flash Furniture partnered with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit that is dedicated to fighting deforestation. For every wooden Basic Beginnings product sold, One Tree Planted will plant a tree. Manzione expects the partnership will result in 5,000 to 10,000 trees planted this year. “It’s really important to us, as a company, to give back to our environment and to our community,” she said. “We were really excited to spearhead that with our Bright Beginnings line.”

New and interesting products

Popular items in the Bright Beginnings product line include the chairs and STEAM train. The chairs, which come in three height sizes, have rubber non-slip foot caps on the bottom to prevent potential slips and marks on the floors.

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The STEAM peg board lets educators create a unique learning tool with accessories including pulleys, gears and more.

Educational Dealer Magazine Welcomes

Four New Advertisers

Flash Furniture

An industry leader for over 20 years, Flash Furniture specializes in early education, residential and commercial furnishings in a variety of styles with prices that won’t break the bank. Its selection includes wooden and plush chairs, adjustable activity tables, storage units, STEAM walls and activities and more, with art furniture and dramatic play collections coming soon. Several items come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ideal for different types of learning spaces. To learn more, visit flashfurniture.com.

Kent Displays

With the launch of its Boogie Board brand in 2009, Kent Displays created the first reusable writing tablet using liquid crystal technology. Today, Boogie Board has expanded its products, appealing to kids and adults alike. It has sold millions of reusable writing and creativity products in 40 countries. Popular products include the Jot Writing Tablet, Magic Sketch Kids Drawing Kit, Jot Kids Writing Tablet and Scribble n’ Play Kids Drawing Tablet.

For more information, visit myboogieboard.com.

Order Out of Chaos

Founder Leslie Josel launched Order Out of Chaos in 2004 after her son was diagnosed with ADHD. Its mission is to provide hands-on education to parents and students that can help them develop the learning and life skills necessary for success. The business started out offering guidance and coaching sessions and expanded to include educational products in 2012. Popular items include academic planners, workbooks, accessories and Josel’s three award-winning books. To learn more, visit orderoochaos.com.

Red Chair Press, LLC

Established in 2009, Red Chair Press is dedicated to publishing book series that engage young readers and provide strong role models. Its titles are available in several languages and are read by children across the globe. Its brands and imprints appeal to 3-year-olds to grade 9 and include fiction and non-fiction titles. Hardcovers and audiobooks are available for schools and libraries. Its Core Content Library is designed to enhance and support core curriculum content instruction.

For more information, visit redchairpress.com.

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The second bestselling product is the STEAM train, a creative wall mount that holds up to five activity boards. Unlike sensory walls, these STEAM walls are adaptable and focus more on academic topics. “The STEAM train is a truly innovative piece that the market hasn’t seen from other vendors,” Manzione stated.

The train is sold alongside other STEAM accessories including a peg system and board system, both of which are available in freestanding and wall mount options. The peg system features accessories that can be used in conjunction with the wall, from gears chains and pulleys, working drills and tools and more. The board system allows Bright Beginnings’ various puzzle-style boards to be interchangeable. It offers hands-on learning boards including weather, emotions, hygiene, counting, color

mixing, butterfly lifecycles and mazes.

“Nothing is stationary,” Manzione said. “One can go from learning the science of levers, gears, pulleys and gravity to art. It’s a transitional piece.”

While Flash Furniture produces a new product on a weekly basis, Bright Beginnings will launch a new product twice a year, according to Manzione. The newest product in the early education line will be centered around the creative play space, which is expected to premiere in the next couple months. It will feature a variety

of mobile art easels, storage carts with locking caster wheels and solutions for creative supplies. The second product slated for 2023 will be dramatic play furniture.

Flash Furniture is headquartered in Canton, GA and has four warehouses stationed in California, Georgia, Mississippi and Ohio. For more information about its products, including its Bright Beginnings early education line, visit flashfurniture.com.

One of the most popular items, the STEAM train can be customized with hands-on activity boards.

Flexibility is K E Y

Flash Furniture’s Bright Beginnings furniture line features activity tables, plush and wooden chairs and interactive pieces – all designed for early education spaces.

Flash Furniture expands into educational sphere

Flash Furniture is known for supplying furniture that combines form, function and style for commercial and residential customers. Now its venturing into a new territory: early education.

Fourteen-year-old Sean Belnick and his step-father, Gary Glazer, started Flash Furniture – originally known as BizChair – in 2001. The company grew exponentially over the past 22 years and is now owned and operated by Ubique Group. This March, Flash Furniture launched its newest line, Bright Beginnings, which is geared toward early education settings.

Bright Beginnings features customizable and modular pieces for educators and administrators that range from activity tables, soft and wooden chairs, storage containers and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) walls. “When we created

Bright Beginnings, we listened to the voices of educators who had concerns about a truly commercial-grade early education line,” said Tiffany Manzione, senior director of product and innovation with parent company Ubique Group. “It’s a one-stop shop for flexibility for teachers.”

As the early education products are commercial-grade, they have undergone various trials for durability and strength. An example test included removing marks from crayons, markers and dry erase markers off of the surfaces. Manzione said, “We sell in a variety of commercial markets and we hold our quality to a very high standard that passes commercial grade testing.”

Creative uses

The furniture’s aesthetic design was kept classic and clean with a light