This book chronicles the journey of seven schools serving students of poverty, English Language Learners (ELLs), and students of color, which were able to sustain school improvement for a decade on either state and/or national criteria that measure student performance outcomes. The book shares stories of these seven schools and demonstrates that it takes an entire school working together with their communities, adding to the social and cultural capital of their students and families, to create and nurture what we call a Learning Partnership for sustainable school improvement. The answers for how these schools sustained school improvement and are effective schools is evident from their school student metrics that validate the school’s ability to meet and sustain external mandates of high performance over time. The seven individual case stories illustrate that what matters most is what happens in the school itself. It is the internal culture of caring and respecting each other and working from an additive perspective of valuing students for their unique gifts and abilities, rather than exclusively focusing on increasing test scores that makes these school stories unique. This is not about heroic leadership but leadership spread out and shared among professionals working together to achieve common goals around shared values and beliefs. This book is about using resources in ways that value human capital as the greatest asset in the school to ensure that educators feel a sense of commitment, connection, and passion for their work together with students, their families, and their communities that enable them to excel together. We offer readers seven cases that demonstrate there is no cookie cutter approach to having an effective school. Rather, there is a theory-in-practice that grounds the Learning Partnership depicted as a tree within a sustainable school improvement culture. This sustainable culture connects shared leadership and accountability, resourcefulness, a humanistic philosophy, additive schooling and results in an organization synergy that sustains organizational and collective efficacy for achieving results in these schools that other educators in schools with similar demographics are often unable to sustain or attain.

Sorea, a sword-for-hire, is desperately trying to survive in a man's world. With the brutal murder of her family, and the kidnapping of her nieces, she and her devoted partner Daryn struggle to find a way to defeat the evil Sorceress responsible: one whose power is so strong her enemies can do little to stop her. The stakes are higher than just the lives of a few children, however, as the Sorceress Valina readies a spell that will render all women barren. The two mercenaries face difficult choices as they seek to locate a mysterious weapon, the only thing capable of destroying both the Sorceress and the evil dominion she rules. However, unknown to Valina, trouble brews inside her empire and her eventual downfall may well come from within her own ranks.

The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction: Volume One is a comprehensive writer's guide for the amateur to semi-pro writer on the genre of science fiction. The book begins with a warning for new science fiction writers about the pitfalls and clich(r)s that often plague a first science fiction story. It finishes with practical information on how to present, sell and promote a finished novel and what to prepare for once the writer has achieved success. Topics range from alien creation to world building, fan fiction and space travel. EPPIE 2007: Finalist (non-fiction category) Contributors include Michele Acker, Jeanne Allen, Piers Anthony, Milena Benini, Orson Scott Card, Carol Hightshoe, Ian Irvine, Dave A. Law, Wil Mccarthy, Michael Mcrae, Tina Morgan, Bob Nailor, Darin Park, Kim Richards, Simon Rose, And Bud Sparhawk.

Dateline: Early 21st Century Vindictive Killer from the Future On the Loose! In the middle of the 21st century, felon Michael Spinner is given the chance of a lifetime-he can redeem his future by traveling back in time to kill the man who ruined his life. Meanwhile, at the start of the 21st century, homicide detective Jennifer Castle is stymied by an impossible case. Several people-including a pregnant woman and her unborn child-have been killed by a weapon that simply doesn't exist. As the bodies pile up around her, Jennifer finds herself caught in a battle of wits with an elusive killer from the future who seems determined to destroy her career, her lovelife, her family-even her very existence...

What would a mother do to find her kidnapped son? Sandi Rose is used to being in control. When her thirteen year old son Neal is kidnapped, she uses her skills as an investigative reporter to try to find him...until police ban her from the case after she's caught breaking into a suspect's home. A week later Neal escapes. And the kidnappers vanish. Seven months pass... It should be over now, but it isn't. Neal is still tormented by nightmares and the police are no closer to finding the people who held and tortured him. When an innocent misunderstanding makes Sandi think her son has been kidnapped again, she realizes they can't continue on like this. Unless they want to spend the rest of their lives in fear, the kidnappers have to be caught. Since the police no longer seem to care, she is forced to solve the case herself. But someone will do anything to keep her from discovering the truth behind the kidnapping, even commit under. Now, falsely accused of the suspicious death of two co-workers and unable to prove her innocence. Sandi is caught up in a situation she can no longer control. What she eventually uncovers will shatter everything she's ever believed about her family and friends and will force Neal to make a decision that may well ruin both their lives.

Focused on the particular needs of superintendents of districts of fewer than ten thousand students, the chapters teach students critical frameworks for thinking through and addressing the problems and practices superintendents encounter daily, allowing them to form a detailed and practical understanding of administration and leadership.

The authors use case studies to examine how school leaders balance the conflicting demands of accountability laws while preparing students for success in a rapidly changing global environment. They find a connection between changing conceptions of power, quality-like work cultures in the work force, and student success.