At last we have a book that provides practical day-to-day advice for administrators to consider when establishing a learning community. Daresh helps school leaders both understand the importance of their personal values about shared leadership and appreciate how individuals within the school district and community are essential to building a shared learning community. The wealth of examples and school-based scenarios illustrate how these ideas translate into practice. A wonderful resource for a book study for teachers and principals. Bruce Barnett Professor University of Texas at San Antonio Daresh continues his legacy of bridging scholarship and practice within a context of strengthening school cultures by supporting positive interactions between all the people who interact within and around them. As usual his tone is friendly and approachable and his points to ponder are both practical and compelling. Aspiring new and experienced principals will benefit from the structured opportunity afforded by this book to reflect on their own values and how these values shape their leadership. Mary Beth Cunat Assistant Principal Burley School Chicago NY Raise student achievement by building a community of ALL stakeholdersboth within and around your school Written for both new and experienced principals this resource provides a blueprint for building visionary learning communities that improve student learning not only by shaping the internal school communityfaculty and staffbut also by creating a partnership with the external communitydistrict educators families community organizations and service agencies. Reflecting contemporary research and the authors' extensive work with principals the book includes scenarios that illustrate the work of real principals in elementary middle and secondary schools. Administrators will find invaluable assistance from Practical Tips that offer strategies for implementation Points for Practice that highlight critical concepts and Points to Ponder that promote reader reflection. Each chapter encourages school leaders to consider what community building means for their own schools and provides guidance for: Building a vision based on your personal and professional valuesShaping a school culture that supports teamworkHonoring school staff members at all levelsExamining and understanding the external environmentDrawing effectively on community support servicesCollaborating with district staff Improve Learning by Building Community helps principals bring together all stakeholders to create the kind of schools that can ensure success for every student. . Language: English