Community Schools

Belonging brings out the best in everyone. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, community organizer, or leader of any sort, your group is unlikely to thrive if the individuals don’t feel welcomed, included, and valued for who they are. The good news is that you can use design to create feelings of inclusion in your organization: rituals that bring people together, spaces that promote calm, roles that create a sense of responsibility, systems that make people feel respected, and more.

Over the past decade, children’s mental health challenges have reached epidemic levels—stress, anxiety, childhood depression, and suicide are at unprecedented high rates. Amid high-stakes pressure for kids to succeed, parents and teachers have never needed a road map to healthy child development more urgently. And as psychologist and educator Doug Bolton explains in this eye-opening guide, underlying our modern-day stresses is an even more pervasive problem: We’re relying on practices that are not in line with what science tells us about how to truly motivate children and help them thrive.

The Art of Coaching Teams is the manual you never received when you signed on to lead a team. Being a great teacher is one thing, but leading a team, or team development, is an entirely different dynamic. Your successes are public, but so are your failures-and there's no specific rubric or curriculum to give you direction. Team development is an art form, and this book is your how-to guide to doing it effectively. You'll learn the administrative tasks that keep your team on track.

Ten years ago, Bell Hooks astonished readers/listeners with Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. Now comes Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope - a powerful, visionary work that will enrich our teaching and our lives. Combining critical thinking about education with autobiographical narratives, hooks invites listeners to extend the discourse of race, gender, class and nationality beyond the classroom into everyday situations of learning. Bell Hooks writes candidly about her own experiences.

Most educators want to cultivate an antibias and antiracist classroom and school community, but they often struggle with where and how to get started. Liz helps us set ourselves up for success and prepare for the mistakes we’ll make along the way.

Extraordinary Learning for All delivers a hopeful, humane, realistic, and compelling portrait for how we must reinvent schooling for a new century, drawing on the voices and experiences of real school communities who are on that journey and illuminating the specific actions that school and system leaders can take to spark these journeys in their communities.

299 Days: The Community, the third book in the 299 Days series, reunites Grant Matson with his family after his wife, children, and in-laws accept that the only way to survive the Collapse is to flee the comfort of their suburban lives and join him at his isolated cabin in the woods. With riots becoming more violent, power outages more widespread, and the military crumbling, Grant and others throughout Washington State realize they must organize if they want to endure.

Here are only a few of the new friends you'll meet in TEENAGE CHRISTIAN: ASHLEY wins a songwriting contest and backstage passes to meet her favorite rock star, but discovers there's only one true Rock worthy of her love. MELISSA dreads attending a new high school, but learns that unknown roads are often mapped out by God. NICOLE and her best friend must spend Valentine's Day at a nursing home where both encounter real love when they least expect it. WHITNEY suffers from insomnia, but a heavenly cure brings sweet dreams. JESSICA feels like she's missing out on Halloween fun, then learns ...

For those who declare that Sunday school doesn't work anymore, here is a book that can revitalize this often neglected ministry. Steve Parr encourages churches to re-energize traditional Sunday school by making it intentionally evangelistic, using proven methods and strategies already implemented in hundreds of growing churches. He guides churches through the process of analyzing their present programs and moving in a new direction to fulfill the Great Commission.

One day, third-grade teacher Kyle Schwartz asked her students to fill in the blank in this sentence: "I wish my teacher knew _____." The results astounded her. Some answers were humorous; others were heartbreaking; all were profoundly moving and enlightening. The results opened her eyes to the need for educators to understand the unique realities their students face in order to create an open, safe, and supportive place in the classroom. When Schwartz shared her experience online, #IWishMyTeacherKnew became an immediate worldwide viral phenomenon.

On the surface, Riverview High School looks like the post-racial ideal. Serving an enviably affluent, diverse, and liberal district, the school is well-funded, its teachers are well-trained, and many of its students are high achieving. Yet Riverview has not escaped the same unrelenting question that plagues schools throughout America: why is it that even when all of the circumstances seem right, black and Latino students continue to lag behind their peers?

In Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools, Ron Ritchhart, author of Making Thinking Visible, explains how creating a culture of thinking is more important to learning than any particular curriculum, and he outlines how any school or teacher can accomplish this by leveraging eight cultural forces: expectations, language, time, modeling, opportunities, routines, interactions, and environment.

Learn about community helpers at school.

In 16-year-old Mike Hernandez's life, only one thing is clear: Gay is not okay. His family's life revolves around the church, a church run by the vocally intolerant Pastor Myers, so Mike has resolved to spend his life in the closet. His only escape - besides the occasional, anonymous gay make-out session - is his art. He pours his complicated emotions into risque drawings he keeps in a secret sketchbook. A sketchbook he carries everywhere. When his sketchbook goes missing in the middle of Sunday school, Mike is sure his life is over.

In 1978, when Jamiyla was two years old, her mother, Ummi, quit her job, converted to Islam with her husband, and moved into an exclusive Muslim society in Brooklyn. Once inside the Community, the family was separated by its powerful and charismatic leader, Dwight York, who was hiding behind the name Imam Isa. Instead of the devotional refuge they’d imagined, the Community was a nightmare of controlled abuse and unspeakable secrets. Forty years later, Jamiyla was ready to excavate and understand a past buried in bad dreams, disturbing memories, and inexplicable rage.

Discover the transformative power of community with "Building Community," your essential guide to creating a robust support network for your family. This comprehensive eBook dives deep into the myriad resources and opportunities available right in your own backyard, offering practical strategies and actionable insights to enhance your family's well-being and connectivity. Start your journey with an introduction to Family Support Networks, where you'll learn the significance of community, identify your family's unique needs, and uncover the myriad benefits a strong support network can offer....

FREE BONUS READ ALONG VIDEO ACCESS AT THE END OF THE BOOK Dive into the heartwarming and inspiring world of Carl, a young and enthusiastic salesman who dreams big and aims high. "Carl's Competition: The Youngest Salesman Survived" is a beautifully illustrated children's book that brings to life the virtues of positivity, perseverance, hard work, and the joy of pursuing what you love. What Readers Will Learn: The Power of Positivity: Understand how maintaining a positive outlook can transform challenges into opportunities and foster a resilient mindset. Perseverance Pays Off: Discover the ...

A Story of Love, Memory, & the School That Shaped a TownIn the heart of a small, close-knit town stands Jane’s School, a beacon of tradition and a treasure trove of memories for generations. For decades, John Anderson has walked its halls as both teacher and principal, steadfastly nurturing young minds and cherishing the bonds forged within its walls. As the vibrant hues of autumn give way to the relentless march of progress, John finds himself at a pivotal crossroads. His journey unfolds through moments of joy and heartbreak—his first steps as a young teacher, the unforgettable meeting...

In 2021 Madison Central High School’s baseball team was named by Baseball America the High School Baseball Team of the Year. Mississippi State University won the Men’s College World Series and were crowned the 2021 NCAA Division I National Baseball Champions. Pearl River Community College won the 2022 National Junior College Athletic Association Division II College World Series. Ole Miss capped off a 13-month run in June of 2022 by winning the Men’s College World series and another baseball championship for the state of Mississippi. This book includes brief historical information ...

Join Imani, Tommy, and Maya on a day of discovery filled with valuable life lessons, sound effects, and childhood wonder! In this delightful addition to the beloved "What Shall We Do Today?" children's book series, three curious friends embark on an adventure celebrating three special holidays that fall on the same day. Perfect for elementary school readers ages 6-9, this engaging story combines entertainment with educational content that parents and teachers will appreciate. When Maya arrives with an exciting flyer announcing a triple celebration in their town, the children's day ...