Nov-Dec 2013 by Ahren Hoffman

November/December 2013

FOR PEOPLE WHO SELL TO TEACHERS, PARENTS AND SCHOOLS

You Never Know What You’ll Find at Children’s World A store in Sarasota sells everything from school uniforms to pogo sticks

Teacher Created Resources has some exciting news—for you!

We have acquired the decorative and handwriting product lines from Frog Street Press. We will use these beautiful products to launch our new “Signature Line.”

What’s in it for you? 1) An introductory special offer that runs through November 30, 2013. 2) Ready-to-use store displays featuring Signature Line products. Call your sales rep or the ofﬁce for details.

888.441.4826

Fax

800.525.1254

Web

www.tcrdealer.com

THE ISSUE Take Advantage of Extra Savings!

Patriot Games

Receive an extra 3% OFF ONE order of $50 net or more placed between November 1 and November 15, 2013.

by Kevin Fahy

hen listening to the ceaseless political debate going on in our country, I often hear people invoke the founding fathers (or founders, if you prefer the gender nonspecific form) to support their own positions. It’s a bit of a stretch to imagine that a modern day political hack really understands the thinking of a group of 18th-century revolutionaries, and it also presupposes that those men would agree with each other. That seems unlikely. The men who gathered in Philadelphia in 1776 could barely agree on anything, including the critical question of whether or not to separate from Great Britain. They were distinguished citizens from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions, including doctors, lawyers, farmers, clergymen, craftsmen, merchants and soldiers. Although each felt that the colonies had been abused by the mother country, they differed, often bitterly, over what should be done about it. In order to vote on the question of independence, the Continental Congress assigned a committee to create a document that would state the case for it. The committee included such prominent delegates as Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, but they selected 33-year-old Thomas Jefferson to write their treatise. Within a few days he produced the Declaration of Independence, but it was not the one you see on display at the National Archives. The committee made a few changes to Jefferson’s rough draft and presented a more polished version to the congress, but it was still far from done. The congress had decided that a vote on independence must be unani-

(Mark your order “EDS13” to take advantage of this special offer.) mous, because a colony couldn’t be expected to join a new nation against the will of its delegation. In order to get everybody on board, the committee agreed to strike or rewrite no fewer than 39 passages in the document, including one that would have profound repercussions. Although he was a slave owner himself, Jefferson had included a paragraph that strongly condemned the slave trade, and the institution of slavery itself. The other four members of the committee were all Northerners and essentially opposed to slavery, but there was no way the delegations from southern states would agree to such language. Jefferson reluctantly sacrificed the entire paragraph in exchange for their votes. Historians sometimes refer to that deal as the original sin that this country was born with. I agree, and I think that many of the men in that room felt the same way, and knew that there would inevitably come a terrible day of reckoning. That day would arrive within “four score and seven” years, as Lincoln put it, at the cost of nearly a million lives. Even the carnage of the Civil War, however, could not wipe the slate clean. The practice of slavery was ended, but the legacy of hatred and injustice has remained with us for another century-and-a-half without remission. So my question is, “Did the founders do the right thing?” Their reasoning at the time was that the founding of the nation took precedence, and the problem of slavery would have to be solved later. (continued on page 8)

McDONALD PUBLISHING CO. 567 Hanley Industrial Ct. St. Louis, MO 63144-1901 800-722-8080 FAX 314-781-7480

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 3

November/December 2013

Publisher J. KEVIN FAHY kfahy@fwpi.com

Volume 38, No. 5

FOR PEOPLE WHO SELL TO TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS

Editorial Director TINA MANZER tmanzer@fwpi.com

EducationalDealerMagazine.com • ShopSchoolSupplies.com

Senior Editor BRADLEY G. GORDNER Production Manager MARK STASH mstash@fwpi.com Assistant Editor ALYSSA LAFARO alyssa@fwpi.com Senior Graphic Artist JENNIFER SRMACK jsrmack@fwpi.com Graphic Artist LINDSEY WILLIAMSON lindsey@fwpi.com Director of Sales and Marketing TIM BRADEN tbraden@fwpi.com Advertising Sales DARLENE ROBERTS darlene@fwpi.com

Happy Hollidays From uniforms to educational supplies and toys, Children’s World in Sarasota, Florida, looks forward to a busy giftselling season

Shoes and Their Views: A Marketing Lesson Ellen Metrick explains the value of “Show & Tell” to sell products

Your Games Section is a Growing Profit Center Essential Components of a Successful Social Media Strategy

Circulation TRICIA McKENNA trish@fwpi.com

EdSpaces 32

New Name Reflects the New Face of the Old School Equipment Show What to expect from the sessions at the newly branded EdSpaces Show

33 34

Advertising Production Manager CHRISTIE McCONNELL christie@fwpi.com

Visit Our Advertisers

Educational Dealer is published by Fahy-Williams Publishing, Inc. President: J. Kevin Fahy; Vice President: Tim Braden.

2013 Closing Dates Ed Expo/CAMEX ............Jan. 3 Show Issue Spring Issue................Mar. 14 Back-to-School Issue ......May 9

Cool and Hot

Buyers’ Guide Issue ........July 3

Innovations in the furniture and equipment category

Fall Issue with..............Sept. 3 EdSpaces Show Preview

New Products

15 16 31

Word for Word For Parents, Teachers and Students Educational and Fun (continued on page 6)

4 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

P.O. Box 1080 Geneva, NY 14456 Phone: 800-344-0559 Fax: 315-789-4263 www.EducationalDealerMagazine.com Back issues may be obtained by sending $8.00 (per copy) to Fahy-Williams Publishing, Inc. Copyright © 2013 by Fahy-Williams Publishing, Inc.

WHAT AYEARI We want to say a very big "thank you" to all of our retail partners. You helped make 2013 a truly successful year for Carson-Dellosa Publishing. 2013 highlights include:

(continued from page 4)

A Tale of Two Retailers As your store heads into the holidays, make sure you’re taking customers from the winter of darkness to the season of light

Retailers Recommend Fabulous Products Resources for early learning, teenage classroom décor and more

THE COLUMNS 3

THE DEPARTMENTS 42

Industry News Art Materials World and CHA co-locate, Ed Expo 2014’s new programs, and more

Eye on Education A tablet-versus-textbook debate, increased school security and more

The Issue Patriot Games by Kevin Fahy

52 54

Business Notes Millennials prefer to shop in-store, how to be a better problem solver and more

Index of Advertisers

Endcap Pull Up a Chair See the Marco Group at EdSpaces By Alyssa LaFaro

6 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

Quality Furnishings for Today’s Classrooms

With our

“72-Hour Quick Ship” program, you won’t be waiting long to set up your entire classroom! Visit us at www.marcogroupinc.com and become a partner.

Marco Group provides a complete solution to your band, music, and classroom storage needs. We are committed to delivering high quality products that offer style and functionality at a value for our customers.

Visit us online at www.marcogroupinc.com or call 888.627.2601

Come visit us at booth #842

THE ISSUE (continued from page 3)

In 1837, John Adams’ son, John Quincy Adams, offered the following defense of the founding fathers. “No charge of insincerity or hypocrisy can be fairly laid to their charge. Never from their lips was heard one syllable of attempt to justify the institution of slavery. They universally considered it as a reproach fastened upon them by the unnatural step-mother country and they saw that before the principles of the Declaration of Independence slavery, in common with every mode of oppression, was destined sooner or later to be banished from the earth.” I think that they got it right, notwithstanding all the catastrophic events that followed. Their actions established a precedent and a tradition which have survived to the present day, namely that the well-being of the nation comes first, and everything else is a matter of compromise. Had they failed to form the United States, it would not have put them any closer to ending slavery, but would in fact take the process out of the public’s control. That’s the key. No matter how serious the problems are, they can be addressed within the framework created by the founders. You might say that the Civil War was the exception that proved the rule. Of course, we have the advantage of hindsight. The aftereffects from the American Revolution have had centuries to play out, and we have had the benefit of several thousand historians having parsed just about every phrase the founding fathers ever uttered. It’s a lot more difficult to make judgments about current events. Nevertheless, I’m going to make a couple. First I want to make it clear that I’m not a member of either political party, nor would I ever be. It’s not simply because I’m not a joiner, although that’s true as well, but I have deep disagreements with both and don’t even think a two-party system is such a good idea. (That one did not come from the founders, by the way.) Let’s start with the Republicans. They readily acknowledge that a govern8 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

ment shutdown, or, God forbid, a govern ment default on its debt obligations, could do severe harm to the nation as a whole, and yet they try to use such things as bargaining chips. That does not qualify as putting the welfare of the nation first. If there is a law you don't like, and

There's still time to order January 2014 catalogs!

there is much not to like about the Af fordable Care Act, the Constitution pro vides a means to change it. It doesn't envisage a scenario where Congress chooses which laws it will fund and which it will not.

Y9urName Printed Here Educ

Your Name

The Democrats are no better. "Oba

ational Materials Catalog 2014

print�2ri!:'!��

macare" is the first major social pro gram in our history to pass through

Educatlona

olllin,u

2014

www.voumamejlf"

Congress without a single vote from the opposition party. Had the leadership in cluded a single Republican initiative, like putting a cap on medical malprac tice awards, it could have been at least nominally bipartisan (not to mention actually addressing affordability). They didn't compromise because they didn't have to in order to pass the bill, but that misses the point. Landmark legislation needs to be bipartisan for the same reason that the Continental Con gress required a unanimous vote on the issue of independence. I don't know about you, but one of the reasons I started my own business was that I wanted to call my own shots. It's not my job to compromise, but it is the job of our representatives in Con

•

gress, and I'm tired of them not doing it. I'm tired of them damaging the economy every time things finally start to get a lit tle better, and, perhaps most of all, I'm

Your Name Printed Here

tired of them posturing for the media in stead of working in a conference room. I won't presume to tell you what the founders would think of our situation, but I sure would hate to be the one who had to explain it to them.

.creativecatalogs.com

www You cane-mail Kevinatkfahy@fwpi.com.

November/December 2013

ShopSchoolSupplies.com 9

Happy

Hollidays Cynthia, Tim and daughter Faith

The biggest season of the year has just ended at Tim and Cynthia Holliday’s multi-faceted store in Sarasota, Florida. Right now they’re rearranging their shelves for what they hope will be an equally busy gift-selling season.

by Alyssa LaFaro

“We are so much more than school uniforms,” says Tim Holliday. He and his wife Cynthia own Children’s World and Children’s World Uniform Supply, which, last year, was runnerup for the title of “National Small Independent Business of the Year.” Although the school uniform business is busy in Florida, the addition of toys to their mix has helped the store grow. Today, the operation consists of school uniforms, Boy Scout uniforms and supplies, toys, educational resources and a U.S. Post Office. “School uniforms are probably 40 percent of our business, maybe a little higher,” says Tim. “I would say toys are 20 to 25 percent, about even with our Boy Scout uniform business and the rest of the oddball stuff we do here. But the lion’s share comes from schools. Some are really small – one that I talked to this morning had 45 students. Another one that I’m visiting on Monday has 1,000 kids. We average 300 kids per school, and we work with 30 schools, so we outfit a lot of kids.” The market consists mostly of private and charter schools. Public schools look less for uniforms and more for clothes that conform to their

dress codes. For public schools, cheapest is best, and as Tim says, “Our school uniforms are not the cheapest items in the world, but boy, are they the best.” He and his wife bought the business in 2001, when Children’s World Uniform served eight schools. “I think they got a big boost during Bill Clinton’s administration. He talked about the power of the uniform to prevent bullying and gang issues. We get inquiries all the time from private and public school folks who are considering uniform programs, so the op-

10 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

portunities continue to grow. “When the economy dips, schools close up and go out of business because parents can’t afford the tuition,” Tim continues. “Even the more established schools experience enrollment drops of, like, 25 percent. It can be a rocky ride for us, but most of the schools we serve are solid. It’s rare that one of them says ‘We are not going to do uniforms anymore.’ They may change the uniform, but they don’t get rid of it.” (continued on page 12)

Tim Holliday offers this advice for

Working with Your Wife Keep work at work “You have to set up some limits on when and where you will stop with work and go on with your daily life. We are proud of how we make a living, but we feel it is important to have boundaries. We are very careful about talking too much about work around our daughter, for example, primarily because we don’t want her to ever feel like work always comes first.”

Take a vacation “When we go away, we try not to have any contact with the store,” explains Tim. “Of course, that takes a talented staff that you can trust to run things while you’re gone. We are lucky to have that – it’s something we’ve worked hard to maintain. That time away is a great way to recharge yourself and your relationship, which of course will ultimately help your business by keeping you fresh and alive.”

“Divide and conquer” “A big challenge facing families who work in business together is determining who does what. From a day-today work standpoint, it is important to have clear responsibilities for each person. It’s really not that different from having clear responsibilities for another employee who isn’t your spouse. “While we certainly didn’t have it this way at first, the two of us have found a good balance with what we take care of individually so our tasks do not overlap. It’s important to our staff – we don’t want them to have to guess which one of us they should talk to. “I think if we both tried to manage everything together, we would drive each other nuts! The ‘divide and conquer’ way we run our business makes it run smoothly, and helps our relationship in and out of the work environment.” November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 11

Bring in the toys Twelve years ago, when the Hollidays took over, the toy business was very small. “It was enough so that if a family came in, and Johnny was a good boy trying on his uniforms, he would walk out with a toy reward purchased here by his parents,” says Tim. Once the uniform-buying season was over, the store would close, usually the day after Thanksgiving. But with all those families and kids coming in, expanding the toy section was a no-brainer. Like the uniforms, the toys at Children’s World “are good quality stuff,” Tim notes. “We’re not about the cheap toys you

The details The store: 5,000 square feet of selling space, 1,000 square feet for embroidery and printing, and another 1,000 for offices, the backroom and storage for a total of 7,000 square feet split among two floors. The staff: Year-round, there are 10 staff members present in the store – four are fulltime (not including Tim or Cynthia), and the rest range from high school students who work a few hours each day to folks who work 30 hours each week. “We hire extra for backto-school and the fourth quarter to have about twice as many people working here during those seasons.” The town: Sarasota’s age demographic has changed drastically since Tim moved there 30 years ago. “I remember the snowbird season with more retirees from Thanksgiving to Easter. “While we still have that, it’s not like it used to be. I am sure the average age here has decreased by 10 years.” (The median age of residents in Sarasota was 44.5 years in 2012, according to citydata.com.)

12 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

find at Wal-Mart.” Six years ago, the store moved from a 2,400-square-foot space in downtown Sarasota to a two-story, 7,000-square-foot standalone building off of a major highway. The Hollidays attended ASTRA’s Marketplace one year, and “used it as a foundation for going forward,” notes Tim. Today, within 1,500 square feet dedicated to toys, the largest category is arts and crafts, but there are also dolls, construction toys, games and puzzles, items for pretend play, books, outdoor and science toys, impulse items and candy. Tim recently became a member of ASTRA’s board of directors.

The customers: “Mom and dad are our core,” says Tim. “We certainly have students who come in on their own, as well as grandparents who spoil their grandchildren, but parents are a key part of our business.” The owners: Before Children’s World, Cynthia worked as a nail technician and Tim managed the small business finance department at a local bank. When the bank closed, he became the CFO for a company owned by one of his former bank customers. “I knew I wanted something with more flavor,” he says about his experience pre-Children’s World. The most effective social media: Facebook, e-mail newsletters and community calendars. “Facebook is strictly for the fun stuff,” he says, like how many days are left until Christmas. The twice-amonth newsletters the store sends to its customers focus on the schedule of play days and other event promotion. “We post our events on about 25 different community calendars.” The hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Sunday.

Everything parents and grandparents need Within the last two years, Tim and Cynthia brought in more educational materials, including electronic flashcards, DVDs, Carson-Dellosa workbooks and more games. “We always had games and activities that had educational components to them, but we didn’t have true education products,” explains Tim. “I expect it will be an area of continued growth for us, but more for families to use at home than for teachers to use in the classroom. Parents are our core customers, whether they’re buying a uniform, science project, birthday or Christmas present.” The store has come a long way

since its founding in 1964, when the original owner focused on baby products like cribs and cradles, and eventually children’s fashions. The location has contributed greatly to the change. It’s just off an exit on I-75, the road that connects the entire west coast of Florida. Children’s World has its own ample lot parking there, and “getting out and getting in is good,” says Tim. “We are much closer to where the majority of people live, compared to the old downtown location,” he continues. “We’ve seen the positive effect it’s had on our school customers and Kids complete projects on Saturday play days.

Furniture Solutions for All Learning Environments

A/V Furniture | Literature Organizers | Teachers Desks Computer Labs | Library Furniture | Reception Areas &ODVVURRP 6WRUDJH _ $GPLQLVWUDWLYH 2IÀFHV

3843 West 43rd Street, Chicago, IL 60632 1.800.621.8846 | www.marvelgroup.com

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 13

The Second-Biggest Season While school uniform sales make the month of August “absolutely bananas,” Tim Holliday would love it if toys had the same effect on November and December. “Toys represent the biggest opportunity for growth for us,” he told us recently. “I definitely consider Children’s World a specialty toy store now.” As such, it does the kinds of things that you would expect a specialty toy store to do. They offer free gift wrapping and host at least one in-store play day every other Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., each month except August. “Many of the activities are craft related, although right after school let out we held a summer Olympic event with outdoorsy fun stuff like pogo sticks,” Tim said. To invite the community to one of its more interesting play days, the advertisement read: ‘Come in to have your kids’ picture taken for free with someone or something special.’ Two llamas were in the store that

day, and according to Tim, “They were great with the customers and posing for pictures. Everyone in the community talked about it afterward because it was so unexpected.” In November for holiday shoppers, Children’s World holds a private, afterhours sale for parents, complete with refreshments. The goal is to show what the store is all about. “Every day someone comes in and exclaims, ‘Oh my God, I had no idea you had all these toys!’” said Tim. The only advertising he does is toy related; school business is done one-on-one with each school. The website childrensworlduniform.com is geared toward the uniform market, but Facebook posts and twicemonthly e-newsletters “are for the fun stuff,” Tim told us. “We’ll post something that may be more informative than product specific, but the purpose is ‘Hey, we got this really cool toy in, check out this little video.’ Short, goofy videos are really effective.”

14 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

parent toy buyers. We made it easy for people to drive an hour north or an hour south to come to our play days and shop.” About three years ago, the Hollidays put a 400-square-foot U.S. Post Office in the back of the store. “That was really cool for many reasons, but the biggest is that it attracts a different clientele, one that may not have come into the store otherwise,” he explains. “Many of them are retirees with grandchildren, and the post office has been a great way to introduce them to our business. “We offer the ultimate shopping experience,” Tim adds. “Customers can come in, find the perfect toy, get it gift-wrapped for free and then mail it out immediately. They don’t even have to leave the building.”

new Scholastic’s Alphabet, Phonics, Sight Word and Word Family Trees improve students’ reading, writing and spelling skills, meeting the expectations of Common Core State Standards. The 50-plus practice pages in each book help kids master the letters A to Z, key phonics, word families and top sight words. 888-724-1872

TCR’s series Nonfiction Writing for the Common Core gives a clear explanation of the writing standards, and features dozens of lessons to provide everything from objective and vocabulary to IWB options, ELL tips and assessment plans. tcrdealer.com

Fold & Read: Nonfiction delivers ready-touse nonfiction reading practice supporting Common Core reading standards. Each integrates science and social studies, and contains 32 reading passages. themailbox.com

WORD for WORD The Teaching the Common Core – Reading Standards for Literature series features engaging, student-friendly activities that address every standard. The author focuses on Common Core Reading Standards for Literature for each primary grade level. essentialdealer.com

The Reading Strategies Teaching Poster Set teaches strategies students can use before, during and after reading to improve their comprehension and uncover the meanings of unknown words. Includes four posters, four reproducible activity sheets and a teacher’s guide. mcdonaldpublishing.com

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 15

new Combination Class Record and Lesson Plan Books accommodate four, six or eight periods. It’s printed in green ink on quality white paper and bound in a durable, deep green cover with semi-concealed wire binding. Contains a two-year calendar, yearly schedule of school events, seating charts and memorandum sheets. hubbardcompany.com

The Skybrush offers superior erasing for both whiteboards and blackboards. It’s great for classrooms, conference rooms and training facilities. skyboarderaser.com

FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS and STUDENTS

This lunchbox collection combines functionality with trend. It incorporates coated linen and a clean, modern feel with a palette of retro-inspired designs. Features a leak-proof, insulated insert for easy cleaning and to help avoid staining from spills. soyoung.ca

The Large Print Royal Blue E-Z Grader measures 10 by 5 inches. Score as many as 70 questions, with up to 30 incorrect. ezgrader.com

The art styling of the Musgrave Pencil’s

Soho Tweeters assortment features unusual, colorful birds of a feather with No. 2 writing appeal. Get ‘em by the gross! 800-736-2450

Dr. Seuss ABC book, brings bold bright colors and a touch of encouragement into the classroom. Available to ship in January, only from Eureka. eurekaschool.com

These Sign Language Flash Cards from Your Precious Hands are twosided, full-color cards created by artist Gladys Anderson. The set includes individual letters and numbers, and are only $20 per set. 330-814-5948

The Common Core Connections series provides teachers with the diagnostic tests to help determine individualized instruction needs for students K-5. Focused, comprehensive practice pages and self-assessments guide students to reflection and exploration for deeper learning. carson-dellosa.com

Teachers eliminate classroom stress with the new Time Timer PLUS. This innovative, awardwinning time management tool makes classrooms more efficient, productive and fun. Durable and easy-to-use, teachers use it for activity transitions, testing and classroom management. timetimer.com

November/December 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ShopSchoolSupplies.com 17

Math & Language Manipulatives

tres

Shoes and Their Views

add

Standard & Polyhedral Dice 5

4 16

10 12 14

Timers ~ Spinners ~ Pawns & Chips

Tel: 1-800-899-0711 Fax: 617-482-3423 www.KOPLOWGAMES.com

A Marketing Lesson

by Ellen Metrick

Some of you may remember primary school when you took a break from instruction for “Show & Tell.” If you were like me, you probably looked forward to it. My classmates and I took turns presenting an object that, for the person doing the telling, was especially interesting or significant. Often at first glance, they did not appear to be exciting or unique. If, however, the presentation was passionate, and the presenter’s enthusiasm for it was infectious, things started to get interesting. For a classroom assignment one time, my kids were required to bring in one (only one!) of their shoes. Their task was to write a story about it from the shoe’s perspective, then present it to the class. I was in the audience on the day of the presentations, and discovered that old beat up shoes have miles of memories tied to their laces. There was a cleat that had seen better days … spent winning the city’s softball championship. A gym shoe was celebrated – worn the day the rock wall was finally summited. A dance slipper had pirouetted on a stage as the wearer performed Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet. The “tell” part of each presentation granted a glimpse of the greatness of those boring old shoes. The excit-

ing adventure stories they told left a lasting impression. We’re all kids at heart, especially those of us who have careers centered on teaching, toys and play. Don’t forget those early lessons, especially when you put together your catalogs and promotions for the fourth quarter. Make sure you “Show & Tell” your customers why you admire the products you select to present to them. Pass along your passion. As you think about and select the specific items you’ll promote, many of you retailers will go through a process that is probably, by now, second nature. You can quickly judge a product on the basis of what you know, what you feel and what you see it can contribute to the lives of those lucky kids who get to use it. Some of you can also identify toys or teaching aids that have the potential to help kids who have special learning needs, or items that can help them reach a developmental milestone or advance a skill. Maybe a product inspires creativity. Perhaps another is a great social connector, a reason for kids to interact with each other. Still others can be sensory delights to feel, explore or interact with. Certain toys can push a kid to improve her memory, or help another learn his times (continued on page 20)

18 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

tables. Whatever you identify as the key value of a product, communicate it to your potential customers and weave it into your catalog or promotions. Steve Jobs preached, “A lot of times people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” Your promotions are all about “showing them.”

Here are few of my tips to help you “Show & Tell” well. Before you promote a product, identify exactly why you like it. Those reasons are what you should include in your advertisements, newsletters and e-mails, and on your website and social media sites.

Help Parents of Children with by Tina Manzer Special Needs Choose Great Christmas Gifts by Tina Manzer

• Pawns • Arrow Spinners • Dice • Counting Cubes • Polyhedral Dice • Mini Chips • Sand Timers • Checkers And Much More!

Free Brochure & Samples www.gameparts.net 1-800-980-0403

Lekotek’s AblePlay toy rating system provides comprehensive information on toys for children with special needs. It was designed for parents, special educators, therapists and others, but it’s also a great tool for retailers like you. When you need to recommend products that are fun, skillbuilding and developmentally appropriate at the same time, visit ableplay.org. You’ll find ratings of products from 1 to 5 according to how it meets and/or develops the cognitive, sensory, communication, physical and social/emotional abilities of a child. You can search for products by disability, product, age and manufacturer to find, for instance, a fun arts and crafts kit to help a 5-year-old boy with ADD focus on step-by-step directions; or a fidget toy for a teenager with autism who gets anxious on long car rides. Keep it in mind during the holiday shopping season; AblePlay can help you help parents find gifts that are as cool as “the other” kids’, but can be enjoyed by their child who has disabilities. Each rating features a comprehensive evaluation of the benefits of each toy, including developmental skills that it works on, creative ways to play with it, and how the product can be adapted to broaden its use and benefits. When I visited ableplay.org in early October, it showcased the top 10 new products reviewed. Among them were Tangle Therapy from Tangle Creations, the Exer-Rider from Mason Corp., the Rainy Day Therapist kit from Playaway Toy Company, Wedgits Building Blocks from ImagAbility, Strider Bikes and three games from Bananagrams.

20 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

Check to see if the product you like has received awards or recognition. Include the award seals and ratings in your marketing to “show” the value of the product and “tell” the consumer it has been reviewed by experts.

Feature images of the product in action with captions. Studies show that text receives higher readership scores when it appears as a photo caption.

Go to trade shows and watch every product demonstration you can so that you can demonstrate it yourself. Consider it grown-up Show & Tell. At Lekotek, we recently reviewed Zoomer, the new robotic dog from Spin Master. Our entire staff played with this bionic pooch and watched his technological tail wag. Research backs up the effectiveness of Show & Tell. Studies show people remember only 10 percent of what they hear and 30 percent of what they read, but almost 80 percent of what they see and do.

I’d like to think that my firstgrade teacher would happy today if she knew I was still using the lessons she taught me, although in a slightly different context. Thank you Sister Loretta for helping me figure out that Show & Tell is the way to sell. Ellen Metrick is the director of industry relations and partnerships for the nonprofit National Lekotek Center, a leading authority on toys and play for children with disabilities. Visit ableplay.org for a list of toys that help children of all abilities benefit from play experiences. For more information, e-mail Ellen at emetrick@lekotek.org.

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 21

Your Game Section is a Growing Profit Center by Tina Manzer

The popularity of playing games continues to grow and everyone’s joining in, from teenagers to teachers. Here’s why.

“In a day and age where Apple is selling two billion apps a month, companies peddling games for our increasingly elusive awayfrom-keyboard time are still holding their own,” posted blogger Eamon Levesque on Ranker, a web platform that harvests opinions on issues like the 10 worst movies of all time or the best current car buys. In May, Levesque cited the board- and card-game-based revenue of Hasbro to prove his point – $1.19 billion dollars over the course of the last fiscal year, a 2 percent gain over the previous year. The company accredited the growth to three products – Magic: The Gathering, Twister and Battleship. While classics like these have remained must-haves in many homes, people of all ages are making room for new games on their playroom shelves. Why? “Because games are

getting better,” noted British game journalist Quintin Smith. “For the past 10 years board game sales have been going up every single year between 10 and 20 percent.” A “game renaissance” Fun and enriching new games are the result of two game cultures coming together, European and American, noted an article this August in the Deseret News (Salt Lake City). Reporter Cory Carlson explained that “Eurogames,” famous for their creative and dynamic game mechanics, had boring themes; while “Ameritrash” games, with wonderful themes and beautiful components, had disappointing game play. About 10 years ago, when the European import Settlers of Catan (Mayfair Games) became popular in the U.S., American designers

“Games and the Common Core: Two Movements That Need Each Other” That was the headline of an article that appeared in April on Edutopia, the website of the George Lucas Educational Foundation. In the story, the foundation’s Executive Director Milton Chen recalled his reaction to two different panel discussions he attended. One was on implementing the Common Core; the other on “how games offer an exciting new frontier for student learning and engagement.” “I was struck by how neither community of experts mentioned the other, and how these two ‘movements’ urgently need to work together. They need each other,” he wrote. “Twenty-first century implementation of the Common Core State Standards should strive for a much higher level of student engagement and choice. The best learning games can help accomplish this, whether it’s learning about proteins through FoldIt [an online puzzle video game], algebra with multi-platform Dragon Box,

22 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

programming and game design via Gamestar Mechanic [a game and online game community], or science, health and social studies with BrainPop [an animated educational site for kids].” Granted, this is the high-tech George Lucas foundation, not the 19th-century game pioneer Milton Bradley foundation, thus the emphasis on computer games. But you can still understand Chen’s points. “If the Holy Grail of every educational reform, including the Common Core, is to raise a nation of readers, especially in this age when entire libraries are now at our students’ fingertips, isn’t the path to a love of reading illuminated by giving students more choice over what they read and when they read it?” For more about game-based learning, visit edutopia.org.

took a closer look at Eurogames and adopted some of their more exciting play features. The result is a new wave of great games being made by independent companies, like Gryphon Games’ The Road to Canterbury inspired by Chaucer’s long poem; and Days of Wonder’s Ticket to Ride, in which players strategize how to build the best railway route. The new games not only attract traditional gamers who identify with roleplaying, miniatures and deck-building, but also families, wrote Carlson. He quoted Kalinda Patton, from independent game company Z-man Games, who said, “Games like Carcassonne, Agricola and Pandemic are very popular with families because they introduce them to a different kind of gaming. Avid

gamers are still an important part of the industry, because they are always searching for games that have something that they’ve never seen before.” Bringing people together For hundreds of years, playing games together was a popular way for people of all ages to socialize. But when computers, digital video and apps entered our lives, it enabled (and encouraged) us to play solo. Experts who spotted the growing trend found it troubling. People are not meant to play/live/be alone. The tide may be turning. Last year on Thanksgiving Day, The Los Angeles Times featured an article called “Board games return to popularity.” Game manufacturer Nathan McNair, from Pandasaurus

Games, said that after playing The Settlers of Catan on Xbox, he’d rather play the physical game. “I think we’ve all been burned out by the digital age,” he said. “I still like video games and I’m on my cell phone constantly, but I think people are looking for a way to hang out with friends and have a more social experience.” Indeed. About six months later Match.com, the world’s largest dating website, partnered with board game manufacturers to kick off a series of Game Night Mashups designed to bring singles together. “We’re excited to help our members connect over some of the best board games around, from well-known titles to the industry’s newest hidden gems,” said Luke Zaientz, the company’s vice president of events.”

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 23

Surprise – it’s a teaching tool Award-winning County Fair from J. Bell-Jones was created in 2008 for the “county fair” market, but teachers discovered that it’s an effective tool to develop reading and math skills. The setting is a fair, and players roll the die, accumulate ribbons and points, and spend money on treats, event tickets and tractors as they race around the board. See the ad on page 53.

The games from WCA Games That Teach add to and supplement curriculum, including Common Core. All of them are in easy-tolearn, familiar game formats, similar to Monopoly, Bingo, dominoes and more. “They are reasonably priced educational games that really teach,” said Company President Mark Carlson. See the ad on page 20.

Participating companies included Bananagrams, Buffalo Games, Endless Games, Blue Orange Games, Spontuneous Games, Wiggity Bang Games and Marbles the Brain Store. The mashups take place in cities around the country, at bars and restaurants where game tables are set up in advance, complete with easy-to-understand instructions. Facilitators from Match.com lead singles through the event in which players rotate from table to table between rounds. “Single people are the lifeblood of the party game category,” said Brian Turtle from Endless Games, one of the game partners. “Match.com helped us to reach this important market by connecting us to singles ranging from 20-somethings to boomers and beyond.” 24 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

TCRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digging Up Sight Words game for grades 1 and 2 helps children learn more than 260 sight words. Each player draws a sentence card, reads it aloud, and then chooses a sight word to complete the sentence. With a correct answer, the player collects the number of bones indicated on the card and moves ahead. The most bones wins! For more products from Teacher Created Resources, see the ad on page 2.

Present games as teaching tools In 2008, when the economic crisis hit, the number of families playing board games spiked. The increase was due, in part, to people staying home and seeking low-cost entertainment, but the numbers have continued to rise, even as the economy improved. That may be because of the benefits games offer. One mom, Alicia Sanders, says playing board games with her three sons helps teach patience, moral responsibility and good sportsmanship. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a good way to spend time together. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose,â&#x20AC;? she told atyourlibrary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We never let the kids win. Sometimes they get frustrated when they are losing, and they try to bend the rules â&#x20AC;&#x201C; i.e. cheat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so we always stop playing when that happens. Okay to lose. Not okay to cheat.â&#x20AC;? Lessons like that help kids succeed in school. Games also teach kids about following rules and directions, team spirit and taking turns. They allow children to experience routines, which encourages good behavior and makes them feel safe. They also help players get to know each other better,

CRYSTALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW INTERACTIVE PROGRAMS!

FEATURING ELEMENTS OF ART AND PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN t *EFBM GPS XIPMF DMBTT PS GPS DFOUFSFE MFBSOJOH t 4UBOEBSET BMJHOFE EJHJUBM DPOUFOU GPS HSBEFT VQ t %FTJHOFE UP UFBDI &MFNFOUT PG "SU 1SJODJQMFT PG %FTJHO GPS "-- UFBDIFST t *OUFSBDUJWF MFTTPO QMBOT XJUI WJEFP FYBNQMFT QSJOUBCMF XPSLTIFFUT

New 6TF XJUI any PC or MAC computer any XIJUFCPBSE PS any QSPKFDUPS

0WFS TDSFFOT JO FBDI QSPHSBN Order from CrystalProductions t (MFOWJFX *- t t XXX DSZTUBMQSPEVDUJPOT DPN November/December 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ShopSchoolSupplies.com 25

The popularity of Eureka’s Candy Land, Monopoly and Scrabble licensed products for the classroom reflect the fun, popularity and teaching power of board games. These favorite, classic Hasbro games provide imagery enjoyed by teachers and students alike. See the ad on page 19.

and learn the importance of eye contact and conversation. For older children, games teach problem-solving skills, making plans and sticking to them, and developing effective strategies. More literal lessons are taught by a game’s content. There are games that teach and reinforce math skills, and others that focus on spelling, reading and writing. As you know, using games in the classroom is a time-honored technique for making learning fun. “Well-designed games can motivate students to actively engage in meaningful and challenging tasks, and through this process, to learn content and sharpen critical-thinking and problem-solving skills,” says the U.S. Department of Education. It lists five key features of games – whether they are traditional or electronic – that make them effective for increasing classroom learning. 1. Exciting narratives and videogame-quality graphics that motivate and engage students 2. Challenging discovery based tasks 3. Adaptive supports that adjust and support individual learners 4. Formative assessment 26 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

5. Competition and rewards Snake Oil, a new game from Out of the Box Publishing, was designed as a party game, but teachers say it has more scholarly benefits. “Inventors” take two word cards from their hand and use them to make a product (“humor elixir” for example) that they have to pitch to a “customer.” The process promotes creativity, innovation, oral presentation skills, improvisation skills, vocabulary building and more, say educators. School game nights are a win/win/win Game Nights for students and their families are a great way for retailers to generate game sales and introduce parents to their products and services. They’re an effective fundraiser for schools, and a way for parents to experience skill-building fun that they can recreate at home.

Legend has it that the fun Farkel dice game from Legendary Games originated in Texas, where early settlers carved dice out of hardened black farkleberries (or huckleberries or sparkleberries). A favorite of teachers, the game has been commercially marketed for almost 20 years by Legendary Games, based in Witchita, Kansas. See the ad on page 28.

my inspiration

Discover a world full of ideas. Creativity always pursues new paths: keep up to date and explore original ideas for your product range. At Creativeworld, the most important trade fair for hobby, craft and artist supplies, you can ﬁnd out about the latest creative materials and techniques at close hand. You can also enjoy a colorful programme of supporting events including talks, special presentations and prize-winning design projects. Book your ticket and be inspired! January 25 – 28, 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany creativeworld.messefrankfurt.com info@usa.messefrankfurt.com Tel. 770.984.8016

Are You Ready for the s 7HFKQRORJ\ 6WRUDJH s &ROODERUDWLYH )XUQLWXUH s 0RELOH 6ROXWLRQV s 0XOWL )XQFWLRQDO 6SDFHV s 67(0 )RFXVHG 5RRPV

st century

Classrooom? Stop by WB Manufacturing’s booth # 711 at the December 2013 EdSpaces show. www.wibenchmfg.com

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 27

For dice, timers, spinners and game production, see the ads on page 18, 20 and 53.

The Reading Game teaches children new words by turning rote learning into a fast-paced memory game. After they read each beautifully illustrated storybook – six books in all, each written using only 30 words that are organized into groups of five – children play the simple word-matching game to commit the new words to memory. There’s a winner every few seconds. See the ad on page 24.

28 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

“We show up with educational games that families can play together, or that kids can play with other kids,” says the website of Island School & Art, with four stores based on Long Island. The 30-year-old teacher resource chain is one of many stores across the country that partners with schools to coordinate game nights. The school may choose the games to be played, or Island chooses them based on the school’s criteria. The selection often includes subjects the kids are learning in the classroom. Customized events, like a reading game night or math game night, can also be provided. Island promotes the event using fliers that are then posted in the schools, sent home with the students, and used as bag stuffers in its stores. The schools provide the venue and volunteers, and parents make refreshments. Island School & Art staffers teach the games to the volunteers, set up the games and clean up the library, cafeteria or gym after the event. The games may or may not be sold at the game night depending on the school. “Island School & Art would be happy to

donate to any PTA either a portion of the proceeds from the evening’s sales, or simply a straight monetary donation for use of the tables,” says the website. “We also can distribute coupons to the parents that they can use for future purchases at any of our locations. For each coupon redeemed from the family game night, Island gives 10 percent of the sale to the PTA.” School game nights have become so popular that instructions on planning them are offered on Wikki How. Here are some helpful tips. 1. Decide on a date and time with teachers, administrators and officers of the parent-teacher organization. 2. Choose games that are: a. right for the age group of the students; b. easy to learn and quick to play; c. fun and have an educational component; d. familiar, along with some that are new. 3. Announce the event to the public several weeks in advance. Use social media, newsletters, and the website of your store and the school system. 4. With a list of the games, decide on the floor plan for the gym or cafeteria. Determine how much space you will need for each game. A Bingo area needs more chairs than, say, a section for Scrabble. 5. Assign a volunteer – someone from your store, a parent or a teacher – to clarify the rules for the games and to usher players to new stations. Most game nights use a round-robin format where players rotate through game tables after a certain amount of time. 6. Plan refreshments that can be set up ahead of time.

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 29

Essential Components of a

Successful Social Media Strategy by Tina Manzer

Using social media to get your message across clearly and quickly to busy parents and educators – especially during your big selling seasons – is a necessary evil. If you’re like most small businesses, your strategy for using social media – and fitting it in with the rest of the marketing you do – leaves much to be desired. Without a plan, warns author Neal Schaffer, companies don’t understand what they’re trying to achieve, how to achieve it, or even if their social media program is providing a good return on investment. In Schaffer’s new book, Maximize Your Social, he explains how to create a strategic social media framework, leverage opportunities that each social media channel offers, and implement a data-driven approach to monitor the success or failure of a social media program. Here, he recommends eight essential components.

Branding While most businesses have standardized the way they use their name and logo across channels, social media brings in another dimension – voice. “It’s okay to be less formal on social media channels. Just make sure your updates, statuses, comments, etc. ‘speak’ with a unified voice. In your plan, designate who represents the voice of your company.

Content Social media is all about conversation, and content provides the medium to help you engage in conversation. Creating content that is truly resourceful and shareable can have a positive long-term impact on your company’s social media presence. Presentations, infographics, memes and discussions (such as in a LinkedIn

Group) are types of content that should be considered.

Curation If you talk only about your business in social media, no one will listen. But when you curate content that is of interest to your followers – and promote that content together with your own – “social media accounts begin to breathe new life,” Shaffer notes. “Retailers might share more photos or videos of what customers are doing with their products, or resourceful information to nudge people into realizing they need what you sell. “Crowdsourcing content is a great way to curate, especially if it’s tweets from your fans about your product,” he adds.

Channels There are more than 50 social networks with more than 10 million members. You can’t, and shouldn’t, have a presence on every one of them. Right now, Google+, Pinterest and Instagram are very popular.

Frequency Post strategically, not constantly. No two social networks are alike, and with limited resources, you need to decide how much time to spend on each platform, and what you’ll be doing there. “This will help you maximize your ROI for time and resources spent,” says Schaffer.

Engagement While most companies do well at proactively engaging with their own content – posting both new content and conversations, and sharing content and information from others – proactively engaging with new social media users and reactively engaging with those who

30 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

comment or respond to your updates is equally important. “Try to look at your company’s social media profiles from the perspective of an outside observer,” suggests Schaffer. “Ask, ‘Would I follow us?’ And remember: Engagement is a tactic to help you achieve your objective to expand your brand, attract new customers and grow your company, but it is not the object itself.”

Listening Interact meaningfully with customers. From complaints to questions to (yes!) praise, consumers (67 percent of them) are using social media to convey thoughts, opinions and queries. If you have a golden opportunity, don’t blow it – a recent study showed that 71 percent of customers who complained via Twitter were not contacted by the company. “You need to have a listening and responding strategy in place,” he confirms.

Campaign Regularly introduce new ways to engage customers. It doesn’t mean speaking to or at customers; it means speaking with them. “Create and implement new campaigns on a regular basis around revolving themes that are aligned with promotional or seasonal events, for instance,” says Schaffer. “Surveys, quizzes, polls, product giveaways and crowdsourcing (of photos, videos and other content) are all good examples of campaign types.” Neal Schaffer has been named a Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencer two years in a row. For more information about his book, visit maximizeyoursocial.com.

new EDUCATIONAL and FUN

Budget your pocket money and experience the joys of a summer fair in The County Fair Game. Visit “Education Hall,” the blacksmith shop, goats, a puppet show and more. Enjoyed by teachers, agricultural associations, grandparents, parents, teens and youth. jbelljones.com

Quarry Books’ Paint Lab is packed with WCA Games that Teach now offers new games, new box sizes and a new look designed to make merchandizing easy and effective. Games will be larger, easier to display, take up less room and feature new graphics. wiebe-carlson.com

unique and experimental techniques and ideas in painting. This hands-on book is organized into 52 units. Labs can be worked on in any order, so flip around to learn a new mixed-media technique or be inspired by a particular painting theme or application. qbookshop.com

American Educational Products’ Chalk and Chuckles features 12 games for the early childhood and elementary levels, teaching children social and emotional interactions, focus, quick thinking, brain teasers, memory and more. amep.com

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Scary, Scary Halloween (by Eve Bunting with pictures by Jan Brett) is available with a CD that includes optional page-turn signals and spooky sound effects. hmhco.com November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 31

New Name Reflects the New Face of the Old School Equipment Show by Alyssa LaFaro

This year for the first time, NSSEA’s “School Equipment Show” will be presented as “EdSpaces.” The new name reflects “the significant expansion in scope of the trade event that began in 1996 for manufacturers and distributors, but has since grown to represent the entire marketplace for innovative learning environments,” explains the association. While it remains a trade show where NSSEA dealers can find new furniture and equipment products for schools, EdSpaces is also the one annual event where key education project decision-makers, architects and designers can meet to discuss trends and how they affect today’s learning spaces. Conference keynotes showcase innovative design solutions The show kicks off with a general session sponsored by one of EdSpaces’ key partners, The American Institute of Architects (AIA). The topic, “Combining Youth and Design to Build the Future,” will be presented by Alex Gilliam, founder of Public Workshop, an organization that helps individuals, schools and communities achieve great

NSSEA’s EdSpaces 2013 Wednesday, December 4 through Friday, December 6 Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center San Antonio, Texas ed-spaces.com

things through design. His keynote is designed to show that, by engaging young people in positively influencing their schools and communities, civic innovation and broader social change can be stimulated. Another general session, “The Power of Green Spaces in Education,” will be presented Thursday morning by teacher/administrator Stephen Ritz. Ritz is founder of The Green Bronx Machine, an organization that teaches children about growing produce in green spaces in New York City. The American Architectural Foundation (AAF) will launch its new “Design for Learning” program during the closing keynote on Friday. It’s initiative is to develop, advance and promote innovative modes of teaching and learning through architecture and design. In addition, school officials who teamed up with architects and designers during EdSpaces will present the solutions they came up with to meet the challenges of their schools’ learning environments. A full schedule of breakout sessions organized into tracks – technology, facility design, health and safety, learning styles and business – feature speakers from the show’s five Knowledge Partners: • AIA’s Committee on Architecture for Education, • the Council of Educational Facility Planners International,

• USGBC’s Center for Green Schools, • InfoComm and • The International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Educational sessions show their colors: green, green and green With the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council as a sponsoring partner for this year’s EdSpaces, many of the event’s sessions on Wednesday, December 4, focus on the green school movement. Leann Andrew of Green Futures Lab will present “Using Green Spaces as a Learning Tool.” The Center for Green Schools will present case studies that show the different standards and classifications for green products in a “Navigating the World of Sustainable Products” session. On Thursday, “New Resources of Energy and Its Impact on Schools,” will be presented by Chris O’Brien from the Office of Sustainability at American University. He will showcase schools that utilize solar, wind or thermal energy within their building’s energy systems. Later, Julie Rose and James Wike from Nature Explore will discuss the ways outdoor learning spaces give students a deeper appreciation of nature.

With approximately 150 exhibitors displaying the latest educational equipment, fixtures and furniture, NSSEA’s EdSpaces is a great place for dealers in the industry to source innovative products, add new categories to their inventory, navigate the changing marketplace, and network with other distributors and suppliers.

32 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

What’s new with

Visit our advertisers at EdSpaces, and tell them you saw their ad here. Angeles booth 811

The Children’s Factory booth 114

See ad on page 55

See ad on page 43

Carpets for Kids booth 501

Ed Spaces Special: Get listed on our website. Please stop by our booth #501 to find out more.

See ad on page 11

Jonti-Craft booth 120 See ad on page 40

Coming 2014

Clean-Ups® Hand Cleaning Pads

Mahar Manufacturing booth 508

t 20% more pads than the original t $POUBJOT BOUJCBDUFSJBM JOHSFEJFOUT t *ODMVEFT NPJTUVSJ[FST t .JME GPSNVMB OP OFFE UP SJOTF IBOET t 3FGSFTIJOH MJHIU GSBHSBODF

See ad on page 6

Marco Group booth 842

Marvel Group booth 247

See ad on page 7

See ad on page 13

Media Technologies booth 802

Available Now

Both products will be shown at the upcoming 2014 Ed Expo

Safeco booth 236 See ad on page 33

See ad on page 24

Welcome Wiggles and Invite Giggles ™

Steffy Wood Products booth 620

Steven Tot Mate booth 514

See ad on page 47

See ad on page 48

Wisconsin Bench booth 711 See ad on page 27

Wood Design booth 320

RUNTZ & ZENERGY

™

The unique design of the Runtz and Zenergy Ball Chairs promote movement to help engage the body and mind of kids of all ages. d ers an s Teach r o t a r t nis admi . d de inclu

See ad on page 50

Innovation Awards Celebrate Product Design The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) will announce the winners of its first-ever EdSpaces Innovation Awards that recognize outstanding product design. “The EdSpaces Innovation Awards will celebrate groundbreaking product introductions and encourage new ideas and techniques in the design and furnishing

of education interior spaces,” notes Jim McGarry. Cheryl Durst, IIDA executive vice president and CEO, says the awards “further our mission of advocating for exceptional design and revealing new design talent in the learning environment.” The winners will be announced at the general session on Wednesday, December 4, at 8 a.m.

Please visit us at EdSpaces Booth #236.

safcoproducts.com

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 33

cool & hot

innovations in the furniture and equipment category

Transition’s units from Media Technologies The Collaborative Learning Workstation from Wisconsin Bench features a lazy Susan for easy access of supplies. It reduces prep time and time transporting supplies to the work area. Includes either a phenolic top or high-pressure laminate top with a Lotz Armor Edge. wibenchmfg.com

are track-mounted to hang above the floor. No tools are required to add or rearrange shelves. Reconfigure as needs change by adding doors, drawers, sliding marker boards and more. mediatechnologies.com

Jonti-Craft’s Komfy Sofa Set is the perfect spot for children to get lost in their favorite books. The espresso-colored cushions are extra durable, adding style to any space. Purchase in four-piece and two-piece sets, or individually. jonti-craft.com

Marco Group’s Series Stack Chair and Series Activity Tables have been a classroom necessity for 40-plus years. Supported by a 72-Hour Quick-Ship Program, Marco Group offers consistent, timely delivery of chairs and tables, even during the busy summer months. marcogroupinc.com The

Benchmark Presentation Cart from Marvel Group, with an optional swivel shelf and adjustable tilt shelf, supports all presentation equipment. marvelgroup.com

34 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

Jonti-Craft’s Prism Maple line is perfect for Montessori spaces and educators who prefer an all-natural look. With top-of-theline features and an outstanding warranty, you can’t go wrong. jonti-craft.com

The gate on the Safety The ConciérgeTechnology Cart has expandable work areas and multiple storage spaces; a decorative vented steel back with adjustable concealed hinges and locking mechanism; a high-pressure laminate work surface; and side panels available in thermally-fused laminate, high pressure-laminate or veneer. mediatechnologies.com

Access Gate Window Crib from L.A. Baby swings down out of the way to allow easy access to baby, and also reduces the risk of back strain. Heavy duty, double-wide casters provide great maneuverability when moving the crib from room to room, even over elevator gaps. lababyco.com

This child-sized Double Top Locker from Mahar Manufacturing comes with one hook in each of its 10 sections for coats, sweaters and backpacks. It has separate storage compartments above that are perfect for shoes, hats and lunches. All units are proudly made 100 percent in the USA. mahar.net

Angeles’ Durable Value Tables are now available in square or round brightly colored Royal Blue and Candy Apple Red. Safe, rounded edges with protective boots help prevent sliding and reduce noise. Features seven table heights, easy assembly and a five-year warranty. angelesstore.com

The height-adjustable AlphaBetter Desk from Safco allows students to stand and keep moving with its innovative, patented Swinging Pendulum Footrest Bar. Standing and movement can help keep students focused throughout the school day, and burns more calories than sitting. safcoproducts.com

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 35

A Tale of Two Retailers As your store heads into the holidays, make sure you’re taking customers from the winter of darkness to the season of light. by Tina Manzer

“Specialty retailers don’t need a lot of money for marketing and advertising,” said Pam Danziger of marketing consultancy Unity Marketing. “They need to focus on marketing more effectively, and putting the power of word-ofmouth marketing to work to tell the story of their stores.” In a keynote address in October at the 11th Annual Gift & Home Trade Association Conference, Danziger told the audience of gift industry executives that specialty independent retailers can stare down the challenging business environment by using smart marketing, connecting with customers, and delivering a truly exceptional shopping experience in their stores. To illustrate, Danziger shared the story of two independent retailers located in West Reading, Pennsylvania. The five-block main-street district there is packed with independent specialty retailers, and boasts a thriving dining community. West Reading draws upon a strong base of highly affluent customers from an adjacent neighborhood, and is within walking distance of the area’s largest employer, the Reading Hospital and Medical Center. “From all appearances, West Reading is a great place to locate a specialty retail store,” she said. “But on September 21, Allegro Arts & Custom Framing announced it was closing. They blamed all the usual suspects for the store’s failure, including declining foot traffic, rising operating costs, and the fact that, as the owner states,

‘Framing is not something you need, and when a husband or a wife gets laid off, they aren’t thinking of getting something framed.’ Basically, this failed retailer put the blame on factors completely beyond his control. “But right down the street and facing the exact same business challenges is a little shop named Hello Bluebird. Just like Allegro, most of the stuff that Hello Bluebird sells ‘nobody needs,’ but it’s different in that it sells more than just ‘things,’ it delivers an experience to the customers.” Danziger explained: “What captured my attention is that Hello Bluebird hosts wine walks to visit the restaurants on the street. In Pennsylvania, no retail store can sell wine, so the wine walks are offered simply as a way to attract customers and get them talking. As an independent specialty retailer, Hello Bluebird’s owner Alex McCarty has imprinted her personality on the store and the things she sells. She uses Facebook and Pinterest to share her vision, and then builds displays that not only tell a story for customers, but also invite them to become part of that story by picking something up and buying it. “Allegro failed because it was just in the business of selling products, while Hello Bluebird delivers customer experiences through the things it sells,” she concluded. “In today’s retailing market, success is not about the merchandise, i.e. what you sell. It’s about the merchandising or how you sell it. Calling yours

36 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

a gift store, framing shop, home furnishings store, kitchen store or clothing store isn’t good enough today. That tells only what you sell, not what you can do for the customer. “Retailers need to classify and position their stores around the special, unique experiences they deliver to the customer. Retailers need to go beyond the ‘things’ to the customer experience and back it up by personal values,” Danziger said. She pointed to a Berks County specialty store for pets, Godfrey’s Welcome to Dogdom. Its website states: “Godfrey’s is truly a celebration of dogs in our lives. We live and believe in a happy canine lifestyle, where dogs are truly members of the family. We embrace our responsibility to care for their minds, bodies and spirits in the absolute best way possible.”

Unity Marketing recently announced that the results of its newest study are available. “A Declaration of Independents: A State of the Independent Specialty Retail Market” offers research-based solutions to retailer challenges. Its results identify specialty retailers’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; and offers take-action steps to help them and their partners be more successful, invest wisely in marketing and advertising, and be more creative in putting Internet tools to work. For more information, visit unitymarketingonline.com.

.com

America’s choice for stock educational displays! Largest collection of LCD stands & mounts in the country!

Versatile Displays Classroom Easels

QuickClip Frames

Banner Stands & Promotional Flags

Adjustable Styles

Coin Collectors & Donation Boxes

Directory Signs

Announcement Boards

1000’s

of Displays in Stock!

Multimedia Stations

Countertop Sign Frames

Outdoor A-Frames Window Mounting Frames Literature Displays

www.displays2go.com Top Selling Display Towers

A division of George Patton Associates, Inc. 55 Broad Common Road, Bristol, RI 02809 Tel: 1-800-572-2194

QueuePole Crowd Control Stanchions

RETAILERS RECOMMEND

Fabulous Products

fatbraintoys.com

by Alyssa LaFaro

romanoffproducts.com

carsondellosa.com

tottalk.com

ashleyusa.com

Frank Hughes from Chalk N More in Fredericksburg, Virginia “We have a play area in the front of our store where small shoppers can play with our products. It’s not uncommon for children to find something they like there, and then ask their mom to buy it, like Squigz from Fat Brain Toys (1). They come in eight different shapes, can stick to each other and were named ‘Best in Play’ by Parenting Magazine.” Julia Yescas from Bennett’s Educational Materials in Santa Barbara, California “The best-sellers for us this back-toschool season were common core products.

The Complete Common Core State Standards Kit from CarsonDellosa (2) is unique to what we carry, and sold well. It features a set of sentence strip-size cards to display the new common core standards, as well as ‘I Can’ statements for math and language arts. “Tot Talk Learning Mats (3) are another great item. These placemats feature engaging illustrations, are very good quality and have an excellent range of themes, from ABCs and 123s to sea life, maps, rocks and minerals, and more. “Romanoff Utility Caddies (4) are great for organizing art supplies and more. They have a handle to make trav-

38 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

eling easy, and are just the right size for storing on shelves.” Tina O’Block from O’Block Books Early Childhood Teaching Supplies and Education Materials in Irwin, Pennsylvania “Students can write and illustrate their own books using the 11- by 8.5inch White Hardcover Blank Book from Ashley Productions (5). “Preschool Progress Reports from Hayes School Publishing (6) provide a detailed list of achievements for the preschool year in various curriculum areas. They help parents appreciate the progress their children have made.

moonproducts.com

6 stikkiworks.com

hayespub.com

7 tcrdealer.com

gallopade.com

10 8 booksellers.penguin.com

“How to Manage Your Early Childhood Classroom (PreK-K) from Teacher Created Resources (7) gives teachers the tools and information needed to begin their preschool year on a positive note, and to keep it running effectively from the first day until summer vacation. Provided within these pages are ideas for planning, organizing a classroom, handling behavior, and setting up schedules and conferences. It also offers ways to deal with health and safety issues, inclusion of children with special needs, and several ideas for an end-of-the-year program. Teachers tell us this is a great

resource book, and helps students meet the standards required of them.” Carol Madison from Stone’s Education Superstore in Raleigh, North Carolina “Although book sales seemed to drop during the back-to-school season, our best-selling book, Penguin Distributors’ The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt (8), still continued to sell. It’s a New York Times number-one best-seller.” Tricia Hein from The Learning Curve in Morgantown, West Virginia “One of our most popular products

has been Art Gripper by Stikki Works (9). It is double-sided tape that does not damage walls or papers, and is removable. “Gallopade’s Common Core Lessons & Activities (10) have received a very positive response from teachers. Each one focuses on a different math or history topic, and includes lessons and activities that adhere to common core standards and help students better understand the topics. “The mustache pencils from Moon Products (11) have been a hit. Each wooden pencil features its own uniquely shaped mustache on the side.”

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 39

everestwholesale.com

eurekaschool.com

Karen Smith from Educational and Fun in Reading, Pennsylvania “Eureka’s new sports team cutouts and banners (12), as well as its Monopoly and Scrabble Mini Bulletin Board Sets (13) fly off the shelves. Both are good décor options for teachers who have older students in their classrooms. “We continue to do well with the Five Crowns card game from Everest (14). It is similar to rummy, and people say it is really easy to learn and moves fast. We have customers who buy three or four games at a time to give to their friends. They play it so much that they wear out the deck and come back

Visit us at www.jonti-craft.com/ iRise to select the perfect iRise™ for you

Put learning within a comfortable reach! Children can easily reach all areas of interactive white boards Sturdy handrails provide easy access and support Industry guidelines provide ergonomic support and top-notch safety Durable to last and ﬂexible by design

www.jonti-craft.com 40 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

sales@jonti-craft.com

800.543.4149

poof-slinky.com

eeboo.com

17 recommend them for children who have tactile and sensory needs.”

us.asmodee.com

to buy another one. “Pop Tubes from Poof Slinky (15) have done well consistently over the years. They are plastic, bendable tubes kids can pull apart and push back together. When they come apart, they make a silly, loud popping noise that kids love. We

Jen Zimmerman from Launching Success Learning Store in Bellingham, Washington “Customers like the challenge of the Timeline: Invention game from Asmodee (16), which involves guessing the invention dates for famous items throughout history. Both kids and adults can play, which is a plus. “Tell Me a Story cards from eeBoo (17) are beautifully illustrated cards that encourage creative storytelling. There are a variety of themes to choose from, including robots and the circus. Parents, teachers and kids love them.”

NEW!

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 41

BUSINESS NOTES Another new website offers resources to students and teachers LearnBIG.com, “a website designed to help learners of all ages easily access thousands of online educational resources in one central location,” launched in September. The community-reviewed site lets users search and filter content for Pre-K, K through 12, college and lifelong learning by subject, level, platform and popularity, explains an article from Yahoo! Finance. The free educational content is available in a variety of forms, from tablet games to smartphone apps to instructional videos. The site’s “Career Paths” helps guide high school and college students, as well as people in the midst of a career change, toward an end career goal with a set of skills and expertise. Teachers can utilize LearnBIG.com in transforming its content into enrichment materials for students who need extra help after school.

Millennials enjoy an in-store experience Eighty million people in the U.S. are Millennials between the ages of 18 and 35. Based on a recent survey of 1,251 of them by the Urban Land Institute (ULI), half prefer shopping in stores, not online. “We spend so much time on computers that we like to get out to the stores,” said 30-year-old shopper Melissa Johnson in an interview with The Baltimore Sun. Another study, this one from Missouri ad agency Barkley, shows that 40 percent of Millenials between the ages of 25 to 34 are already parents. If you want them to visit your learning resource store, invite them in using the social media platforms that they are so savvy in. ULI provides another bit of advice on merchandising to this age group: change your displays often. “This is a stimulus-oriented generation and they’re used to change, noted Maureen McAvey, ULI’s senior resident fellow for retail. Generation Y shoppers also want to hold products in their hands, desire instant gratification and read reviews for products from fellow shoppers. 42 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

A little less “no,” a little more “How about this?” In a recent article from Inc.com, writer Jeff Haden used an incident that took place at a local bike shop to illustrate this point to retailers: Making a sale (and getting a customer for life) is as simple as solving a problem. Here’s his story involving a broken bicycle. “Can you fix it?” I pleaded. “Sure,” the mechanic replied. “When do you need it?” “Tomorrow!” I said. His eyes narrowed. “Hmm. Let me look at our schedule.” As he walked to a computer he said, “Why do you need it tomorrow?” “I’m riding a 105-mile event tomorrow,” I said. “I could ride my other bike, but between all the climbing and the gravel roads I’d really rather not.” “No doubt,” he said. “You definitely need something light, but also with a little give.” Then he looked up from the computer. “I’m sorry, but we can’t get it done today.” I grimaced. “But,” he quickly continued, “we have a Domane we’re using for test rides, and it’s the right frame size for you. It’s super light, but is also designed for endurance and comfort. You could rent it for the day if you want.” And I did. Problem solved. Based on that experience Jeff is recommending these three tips for retailers. Don’t be so fast with a “no.” “The key to making an alternative suggestion work for a customer is to avoid immediately sharing what is not available,” writes Haden. “Spend a little time, since the customer has no idea how long it actually takes to

process their request. Use that time to focus on the customer’s actual interests, not just their stated request. Try to determine what’s really going on, and how flexible they might be.”

Don’t try to explain your way out of a high-effort situation. “The average person at the average company wastes way too much of a customer’s time and mental energy explaining why the customer can’t have what he wants,” he explains. “While doing so might seem logical, typically it comes across to the customer as defensive or combative: ‘All you’re doing is justifying why you can’t give me what I want. How does that help me?’” Don’t take the customer’s request quite so literally. “In many cases, the product or service a customer requests and his actual issue may be very different. When you understand the full context, a different need may emerge.” Haden just needed the right bike to get through the 105-miler, not necessarily his bike. “The percentage of situations when alternative positioning could work definitely makes it worth trying – if you give your employees that latitude (and training) to address customer issues, that is. To make it work, you must allow your employees to tailor the resolution to the customer and the needs and outcomes that individual hopes to receive.”

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 43

INDUSTRY NEWS Teacher Created Resources has acquired the decorative and handwriting product lines of Texas-based publishing company Frog Street Press, known for its “couture line” of classroom decorations. The acquisition launches Teacher Created Resources’ new Signature Line of upscale products for use by teachers and parents. Among Frog Street’s best sellers are Double-Sided Borders, Create & Decorate packages, Pop-Outs with Pizzazz, Sassy Font Letters and Smart Start handwriting products. Effective immediately, orders for these and other Frog Street decorative products will be fulfilled from Teacher Created Resources’ distribution center in Westminster, California. “A publisher for more than 20 years, Frog Street has built a significant presence in the marketplace,” said Darin

Smith, president of Teacher Created Resources. “We will build upon their success and seamlessly place their products in our existing markets. “The similarities between our companies make it a natural fit and give us a great opportunity to expand our offerings to teachers and parents,” he added. “We’ve been in this business for 35-plus years, and it’s always exciting to be able to offer new products to our customers.” Stephanie Brown, who led Frog Street’s marketing efforts in the educational retail industry, has joined the TCR sales and marketing team. With two decades of experience in the industry, Brown has established strong relationships with many store owners. Ron Chase, CEO of Frog Street stated, “Since the launch of the Frog

NSSEA has added two new programs to its Ed Expo trade show, scheduled for March 8 through 11, 2014, in Dallas. The Mystery Shopper Program is designed to encourage conversations between dealers and exhibitors, particularly companies new to Ed Expo. Participating dealers will be assigned to visit up to 20 exhibitors, and then complete a questionnaire about their experience with the exhibit’s personnel, the products, and how likely they are to purchase their items in the future. Each Mystery Shopper will receive a $100 American Express Gift Card when their completed questionnaires are returned. As part of the Teacher Trendsetter Program, a select, clearly identified group of teachers will be invited to explore the Ed Expo exhibit hall during designated hours on Sunday, March 9. The products they select will be showcased to help

Street Pre-K curriculum in 2011, we’ve been on a journey that has transformed us into a content company focused on creating the very best early childhood curriculum. The sale of our decorative and handwriting product lines enables us to move toward our goal of developing more content that will support early childhood teachers and help assure the success of children ages 0 through 8.” Teacher Created Resources is a leading publisher of supplementary educational materials for use at school and at home by students at the preschool, elementary and middle-school levels. It distributes those products through retail stores and websites around the world. For more information, visit tcrdealer.com.

(continued on page 46)

ALL SURFACE. SUPERIOR ERASING. Whiteboard & Blackboard Eraser! Classrooms, Conference Rooms, Training Facilities

Now partnered with P R O D U C T S , I NC.

Learn more:

w w w. s k y b o a r d e r a s e r . c o m 610. 364.3200

44 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

January 10th - 14th, 2014!* Anaheim, CA

Join Your Creative Community! Creating Our Future starts with investing in your ‘now’! The Craft & Hobby Association’s Annual Conference & Trade Show will provide you with the industry’s most valuable tools to unleash your business’s potential and maximize your future success! Here are some NEW highlights you will experience: NEW - Buyer Lounge & Concierge NEW - Door-buster Deals NEW - Opening Reception NEW - International Programs & Events NEW - Inspirational Sessions NEW - Education right on the Show Floor NEW - New Products Program NEW - Foundation Gala & Silent Auction $QG PXFK PRUH WR KHOS \RXU EXVLQHVV VXFFHHG

Have fun discovering new products, connecting with a global audience, and getting inspired and educated!

Badge Registration Opens

October 1, 2013

Education Program Registration Opens

November 5, 2013

www.craftandhobby.org/chashow or call 201.835.1200 *Education begins January, 10th, Marketplace opens January 11th, 2014.

INDUSTRY NEWS

buyers understand what the product trends and hot products will be for the next school year. Ed Expo and CAMEX will colocate in 2014, providing attendees and exhibitors the chance to find new business partners and expand the ROI of their Ed Expo participation. The new combined show will feature 23 hours of exhibits, an increase of five hours over Ed Expo 2013 to allow attendees plenty of time to visit exhibits.

The Craft & Hobby Association announced in July that it will co-locate with NAMTA’s Art Materials World next year in Pittsburgh, April 30 through May 2. NAMTA Executive Director Reggie Hall said: “We are very excited at the prospect of these two well-respected associations working more closely to deliver greater benefits and value to their members, exhibitors and conference attendees. “Our associations, our members and our industries overall continue to face a wide range of challenges,” he added. “This partnership will address those challenges to benefit everyone involved.” Both CHA and NAMTA exhibitors will occupy the exhibition space, and the two associations will collaborate on an expanded series of program sessions.

Tell our advertisers that you saw their products in Educational Dealer

THE MAGAZINE FOR PEOPLE WHO SELL TO TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS

46 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

The 11th Annual ABC Kids Expo for the juvenile products industry was held in Las Vegas in October. The four-day event featured more than 900 exhibitors and 3,500 booths. Making its debut this year was the show’s Invention Connection Showcase featuring new products still in their prototype stage or ready for production. Also new to the show were international pavilions introducing new products from Great Britain and China. To make the nearly 1 million square feet of exhibit space easily navigable for buyers, products were organized into the following four categories. • New Products • Naturally Kids, a juried showcase

that features environmentally friendly products • Modern Child focuses on innovative, contemporary design and high functionality across a number of product categories • Maternity Square, a live runway show featuring maternity clothing and lingerie, personal care and beauty products, and diaper bags, nursing products, slings and covers Both Modern Child and Maternity Square featured a record number of exhibitors this year, reports All Baby & Child Corporation (ABC), the trade show’s producer. The goal of ABC is to promote the continued growth and prosperity of independent retailers and manufacturers in the juvenile products industry. In addi-

tion to ABC Expo, the company also produces the annual ABC Spring Educational Conference and Trade Show, which in 2014 will take place May 20 through 22 in Orlando.

American Educational Products now has exclusive USA distribution rights to the Chalk and Chuckles line of games. The company will bring 12 games to the market in December with more scheduled for introduction in 2014. For more information, contact Katie Dugan at kdugan@amep.com

RingStix Lite from System Enterprises has been honored with a 2013 Best Toys for Kids award by the American Spe-

cialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA). “ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids list is chosen by a community of neighborhood toy storeowners who care deeply about quality toys,” said Kathleen McHugh, association president. “RingStix Lite is a simple, skillbased toy that gets kids of every age outside having fun,” says Steven Mueller of System Enterprises. “We keep hearing about invented games using RingStix that include variations of capture the flag, a disc golf game and a competitive adaptation of lacrosse.” Each RingStix Lite comes with a ring and four stix. It’s great for phys ed at school, or on the beach and in the yard. For more information, visit ringstix.com

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 47

Imagine. Create.

EYE ON EDUCATION

One drawing at a time.

Sharpen your artis tic skills through 46 daily exercises in this 6-week co urse.

Tablets or textbooks? Joel Klein, current CEO of Amplify – the education division of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation – wants to see his company’s custom-built Android tablet in every child’s hand in schools. The former chancellor of New York City’s Department of Education was recently quoted by The New York Times, as saying, “K through 12 isn’t working, and we have to change the way we do it.”

Available at your favorite book or craft store.

www.QuarryBooks.com

w w w.craf tside.t ypepad.com

He believes that tablets, especially the curriculum-based versions from Amplify, will create a more individualized experience for the student. “You can have some [students] who are really moving ahead quickly, some in the middle and some who are lagging behind. And what a tablet enables the teacher to do is customize the learning experience,” Klein told National Public Radio. Other benefits, says Klein, include the fact that a child can continue to learn even when home sick, the teacher can give more feedback both in and out of the classroom, and of course, the hope of increased test scores. But where would the money come from to attain these tablets? According to Klein, the country spends $7 to $8 billion a year on textbooks, and that money should refocus on tablets. “The things that work, the things that teachers embrace, the things that engage kids, those are the things we ought to focus on,” he told NPR. “And I think technology can do it … it will enable us to do things more effectively, more efficiently, and in the end, be better for kids and teachers.”

School security gets a makeover Open the large, yellow school survival and rescue kit from HABCO Industries, and you will find pepper spray, a smoke grenade, a 13-foot window ladder, a hatchet-like tool that can both shatter windows and work as a doorstop, and an 800,00048 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

volt stun gun. Schools across the nation are considering adding kits like this to their classrooms as a result of the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, earlier this year. “There must be one product or practice that we’re missing because these incidents continue to happen despite our own proven strategies post-Columbine and our best practices,” said Ken Trump, president of the National School Safety and Security Services in Cleveland and advisor to the Connecticut Sandy Hook Advisory Council, in the Hartford Courant. “People feel that they must be missing something.” Along with HABCO Industries’ new survival kit, companies have produced bulletproof backpacks and whiteboards. Schools have added armed security, additional electronic security, more cameras, new locks and panic buttons to their buildings. The state of Connecticut plans to add $21 million worth of security upgrades to its schools. “There is no product on the market for active-shooter or disaster situations,” said HABCO Chief Executive Brian Montanari. “Unfortunately, it’s a product of where we are as a society today: Terror exists out there, and there are situations that you need to prepare for.”

YMCAs focus on early learning The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has given the YMCA of the USA a $1 million grant to expand the Early Learning Readiness Program for Informal Family, Friend and Neighbor Caregivers. This pilot program provides caregivers with the “program elements, support and tools needed to enhance their role in children’s cognitive and emotional development.” Nineteen YMCAs nationwide will be supported by the grant. This opportunity will help transform the developmental years of the 10 million children the Y works with annually by giving them the access they may not otherwise have to early learning programs. Y-USA President Neil Nicoll hopes it will prepare these children for later successes in school and life. “Starting at birth, we must build the strongest pathways possible for educators, schools, communities and families,” said Huilan Krenn, program officer of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, in a press release. “Effective teachers, even those who are informal, impact children for a lifetime. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation fully supports quality education for young children and equitable opportunity for caregivers.”

November/December 2013 — ShopSchoolSupplies.com 49

EYE ON EDUCATION

Are newer teachers more engaged? A recent study from Gallup showed that U.S. teachers for grades K through 12 with less than one year of experience are the most engaged at work (35.1 percent). Engagement drops down to 30.9 percent for those who have been teaching for one to three years, and then to 27.9 percent for those with three to five years of experience. More than 7,265 teachers with various experience levels were analyzed. “This pattern of engagement dropping with more years on the job is similar in other occupation groups,” reports the study. “However, the measurable decline in engagement by years of experience is smaller for those in other types of jobs. This is partly because new workers in non-teaching jobs have lower engagement to begin with than do new teachers.” Gallup’s State of the American Workplace Report categorized employees as engaged, not engaged or actively disengaged. Engaged workers are deeply involved and enthusiastic, and regularly contribute to their organization; not engaged are simply satisfied with work, but not connected to it emotionally; and actively disengaged employees “jeopardize the performance of their teams.” Overall, the report showed that only 30 percent of American employees are engaged at work.

50 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

More Value, More Opportunity, More Fun—

Ed Expo 2014! March 8–11 in Dallas, Texas in conjunction with CAMEX · World’s largest showcase of products for students and teachers from Pre-K through Higher Ed.

· Over 1,000 exhibitors, meaning more products and

more choices—spanning more than 6 football fields.

· Business sessions to fit the needs of the educational dealer.

· Show specials designed to save you money. · Unlimited opportunities for fun while making long-lasting connections with industry peers.

· New revenue streams to attract and keep good customers. AND Making Learning Fun

Your Marketplace for Lifelong Learning Learn more at www.EdExpo.com

Tell our advertisers that you saw their products in Educational Dealer magazine Company

Page

Website

Company

Angeles Corporation

angelesstore.com

The Mailbox Books

theeducationcenter.com

Carpets For Kids

carpetsforkids.com

Marco Group Inc.

marcogroupinc.com

Carson-Dellosa

carsondellosa.com

Marvel

marvelgroup.com

CHA - Craft & Hobby Assn

craftandhobby.org

McDonald Publishing

mcdonaldpublishing.com

Childbrite by Manta-Ray Inc.

childbrite.com

Mediatechnologies/Silver St

ssimediatechnologies.com

The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Factory

childrensfactory.com

Musgrave Pencil Co.

pencils.net

Creative Catalog Concepts

creativecatalogs.com

National Artcraft Co.

nationalartcraft.com

Creativeworld Int.

usa.messefrankfurt.com

NSSEA

NSSEA.org

Crystal Productions

crystalproductions.com

Ozark River Portable Sinks

ozarkriver.com

Datum Filing Systems Inc.

datumfiling.com

Paper Magic Group/Eureka

papermagic.com

DeLano/EPI Printing Inc.

epiinc.com

Quayside Publishing Group

rockpub.com

Displays2Go

displays2go.com

The Reading Game

thereadinggame.com

The Original E-Z Grader

ezgrader.com

SAFCO Products

safcoproducts.com

Educators Resource

erdealer.com

Scene-A-Rama/Woodland Scenics 23

woodlandscenics.com

Essential Learning Products

essentialdealer.com

Sky Board Eraser

skyboarderaser.com

Fairfield Marketing

fairfieldmarketing.com

Steffy Wood Products Inc.

steffywood.com

GameParts

Gameparts.net

Stevens Tot-Mate

stevensind.com

Guidecraft USA

guidecraft.com

Teacher Created Resources

teachercreated.com

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

hmhbooks.com

Time Timer

timetimer.com

J. Bell-Jones LLC/ The County Fair Game

jbelljones.com

Treetop Publishing

barebooks.com

Ward Products/The Hubbard Co.

hubbardcompany.com

Jonti-Craft Inc.

jonti-craft.com

WCA - Games That Teach

wiebe-carlson.com

Koplow Games Inc.

koplowgames.com

WhisperPhone

whisperphones.com

L.A. Baby

lababyco.com

Wisconsin Bench

wibenchmfg.com

Lee Products Company

leeproducts.com

Wood Designs

wooddesigns.org

Legendary Games

pocketfarkel.com

Your Precious Hands

yourprecioushands.com

Mahar Manufacturing

mahar.net

52 EducationalDealerMagazine.com â&#x20AC;&#x201D; November/December 2013

Page

Website

ENDCAP (continued from page 54)

COMPLETE BOARD & CARD GAME PRODUCTION

We are a manufacturer not a jobber! * 0' /#0 6 * 5 -,$5 6 "-/$ #0 6 -** 1$# /#0 /#$/ 2*%(**+$,1 6 /$'-20(,& 6 2 *(15 ./-#2"1 -+.$1(1(3$ ./("(,& 6 --# 0$/3("$ 6 05 1- 4-/) 4(1' 5404 Wayne Rd., Battle Creek, MI 49037 6

$!0(1$ 444 #$* ,-0$/3("$ "-+ 6 + (* (,%- #$* ,-0$/3("$ "-+

A Marco Group employee adds edge banding to an activity table.

sales side was important. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been in the business and knows the business. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an invaluable asset to us. What other markets do you serve? MS: The company originated as a wood supplier to Sunbeam Corporation in Neosho, Missouri. Over the years, it expanded into a variety of categories including office seating, furniture, and components for some prominent furniture brands. Will we see anything new from Marco Group at EdSpaces? MS: Yes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got several new products. Look for some new table designs that are even more flexible, and get a sneak peek at our new seating design. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exciting stuff. What do you want dealers to know about Marco Group? MS: First, we are a company that values each and every customer. We want them to be confident selling the Marco brand â&#x20AC;&#x201C; confident that the end user will be happy with the quality and service that stands behind it. Second, all our K-12 furniture comes with that 72Hour Quick-Ship option. Your customers will get their order delivered on time. Third, that everything is manufactured here in Missouri under the Marco Group brand. We have the logistical advantage of being in the middle of the U.S., and we are can ship from here in Missouri or from our warehouse in California. Last but not least, we are a company thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to do business with.

FOR PEOPLE WHO SELL TO TEACHERS, PARENTS AND SCHOOLS

Keep up to date on the latest trends. Sign up for our monthly product e-newsletter EducationalDealerMagazine.com November/December 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ShopSchoolSupplies.com 53

ENDCAP

Marco Group’s stack chair, a best-seller, comes in seven colors and five seat heights.

Pull Up A Chair

by Alyssa LaFaro

n 2011, Marco Group, a 16-year-old manufacturer of a wide array of wood products, took a good hard look at the school market and the furniture schools need. By 2012, it was exhibiting band and music-room storage at EdSpaces. In a few weeks, Marco Group will be exhibiting there again, “but our booth will be much bigger than last year’s,” says Sales Manager Mike Stauffer. That’s because, in addition to bandroom storage, the company also offers mobile case goods and furniture for K12 classrooms. If you’re at the show, stop by booth #842. In the meantime, read on to find out what Marco Group has to offer dealers who sell furniture and equipment to schools. Why did you choose to enter the school furniture arena? Mike Stauffer: Marco Group has 90,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse operations in Missouri, and 25,000 square feet of warehouse space in Compton, California. We are always looking for opportunities to diversify our manufacturing. We knew we had the capability to give schools the versatile and durable furniture that they needed at a value price, thanks to our state-of-the-art machinery. We can create high-quality seat-

ing quickly, for example, and we knew dealers in the school market need quick turnaround. We also have color capability – our stack chairs come in a variety of colors and we know that’s key to making a classroom fun. Our line of K-12 classroom furniture is our bestseller. Our stack chair comes in seven colors and five seat heights. Our activity tables are offered in 12 different shapes and sizes. Both the chairs and the tables are supported by Marco Group’s 72-Hour Quick Ship Program. What makes Marco Group different from other companies that manufacture stack chairs? MS: Being different is more than just having different products. Marco is a small, family owned/ family-run business, so we’re very flexible and can turn on a dime. We’ve been a supplier to major retailers for years, building our business on quality products and ontime deliveries. Dealers and distributors in the school market can expect the same from us. What other products do you make for the school market? MS: We started out with band storage. After we built some cabinets for our local high school, the band director’s

54 EducationalDealerMagazine.com — November/December 2013

feedback was so positive that we decided to develop it as a product line. Called Band-Stor, it comes in a variety of cabinet sizes in a selection of appealing colors. Last year at EdSpaces, the one thing we heard over and over again was, “Your band storage is built like a tank.” We take great pride in that, and go the extra mile to make sure all our products our durable and long-lasting. The market for band storage is not big, but it’s unique. No two bands are the same, so we’re very flexible when we work with the directors to make sure we give them what they need. Richard Davidson, company founder, is a former band member, so he’s passionate about making our products the best available for this niche. We also offer mobile case goods that meet the needs of schools looking for more flexibility. The cabinets give the appearance of being built-in, but because they’re on casters they can be moved to configure and reconfigure classrooms easily and quickly. How’s business? MS: We continue to expand further into the school furniture market, but manufacturing product is just half the battle. Having Sidney Youngblood join us on the (continued on page 53)

The Innovation Continues CHOOSE FROM 3 COLORS QB - Ocean Blue

Angeles® Sensory Tables Arrange in a Circle for Community Play!

GN - Teal Green

WW - Wedgewood

Angeles® SpaceLine® Cots Stack Your Cots and Turn Them into an Activity Center

New

Angels Rest® Cot Quilts The Perfect Napping Solution that Fits Angeles® Cots

Angeles® Value Stack™ Chairs & Value Tables Durable Tables and Chairs Designed with Kids in Mind!

See our website at www.AngelesStore.com Call for More Information at 1-800-346-6313 Contact Your Friendly Sales Repesentative Tim Lynch tlynch@AngelesStore.com or Michelle Vondera mvondera@AngelesStore.com