School-Community Relations is Great PR And Then Some
George Pawlas, author of The Administrator's Guide to School-Community Relations, says every principal should carry a list of "six statements you can say with pride about your school." Pawlas offers that PR advice and much more in this EdWorld interview.

Evaluating In-School Suspension Programs
Monitoring in-school suspension programs can make them more effective, or even unnecessary, if school climate changes occur, according to education analyst Anne Wheelock. Schools need to monitor who is suspended and by whom.

PTA President Seeks Larger, More Diverse Membership
Attracting and keeping involved parents, and reaching out to underrepresented parent populations, are among the priorities for Linda Hodge, the National PTA's new president. Hodge brings experience from the local and national level.

"Married with (Many, Many) Children": Principal Partners Speak Out
When Pam and Roger Burton met during college, they could not have anticipated that both would end up working not only as educators, but as principals. Ed World chatted with the Burtons about the pluses and problems of being partners at work and home.

A Child's Plea Becomes an Adult's Crusade
Jodee Blanco's school career was not a series of joyous milestones, but a years-long sentence of misery. Blanco talks with Education World about her book, which details her harsh treatment at the hands of bullies, and her current efforts to help schools stop bullying.

The Essential 55: Rules for a Lifetime
Ron Clark, the author of The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child, discusses his classroom rules and the philosophy behind them

Class Rules Smooth Way for the Year
Rules in School, a book from the Northeast Foundation for Children, tells teachers how they can regain instructional time during the school year by helping students develop class rules and consequences at the beginning of the year.

Induction Programs Help Keep Better Teachers
Educator-author Annette Breaux talks about the Framework for Inducting, Retaining, and Supporting Teachers (FIRST), a new teacher induction program that has reduced her school system's teacher attrition rate by 80 percent.

A New Guide for New Teachers
I remember my first day teaching -- and the downhill slide that followed. Yvonne Bender explains how her New Teacher Handbook can save today's new teachers from the kind of year I had.

Motivating Teachers to Use Technology
Dr. Walter Tobin, interim superintendent of the Calhoun County, South Carolina, Public Schools, talks about ways of motivating teachers to use technology in the classroom more extensively and efficiently.

Effective Strategies for Staff Development: A Wire Side Chat With Angela Peery
In-service teacher training is a popular approach, but it might not always be the most effective way to nurture professional growth. Angela B. Peery shares thoughts about video, journals, study groups, and other effective professional development strategies.

Superintendent of the Year is a Ready Advocate
Superintendent of the Year Dr. Kenneth Dragseth plans to advocate for children, education needs.

Md. Asst. Principal is ASCDs First Outstanding Young Educator
Barely ten years into an education career, Patrick J. Bathras has gone from the classroom to the assistant principals office to the national spotlight as ASCDs first Outstanding Young Educator of the Year. Bathras recently sat for an Ed World e-interview.

Beyond the Bake Sale: A Guide to Phenomenal Fund-Raising
Looking to marshal your parent volunteers into an effective fund-raising team? Jean C. Joachims book, Beyond the Bake Sale, offers a manual for principals. Included: Advice on launching and maintaining effective fund-raising efforts.

Motivating Teachers: A Wire Side Chat with Todd Whitaker
"Outstanding principals know that if they have great teachers, they have a great school," Todd Whitaker, author of Motivating and Inspiring Teachers, told Education World. In this Wire Side Chat, Whitaker shares his tips for motivating teachers.

Reaching Out Tops New AASA Presidents Agenda
Dr. John Lawrence, the new AASA president, recently talked with Education World about reaching out to members, training new administrators, and monitoring national issues.

The Challenges of Staffing Low-Performing Schools
Dr. Paul D. Houston is the executive director of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). He discusses the problem of retaining high-quality teachers at low-performing schools in this week's Wire Side Chat.

Mentoring Programs That Work!
Karen Hessel has worked as a national trainer for an Educational Testing Service professional development program called Pathwise. She shares her thoughts about the value of mentoring in this week's Wire Side Chat.

WestEd Offers One-Stop Education Consulting
Fred Tempes is a director with WestEd, a regional educational laboratory for the West Coast. WestEd works with school systems to assess instruction methods and student performance, then helps with implementing an action plan.

Retired Air Force Officer Faces New Challenges as School Superintendent
John Fryer Jr. is superintendent of Duval County (Florida) Public Schools. Fryer talks about how his military training helps in running a school system.

Principal Primes Kids to Succeed
Principal Donald W. Salm told Education World he is impressed with the caring staff and community members of Beatrice Rafferty School. Salm talks about life on the reservation and his goals for the school's students.

Indian Island Principal Reflects On Native School's Goals, Challenges
Linda McLeod, principal of Indian Island School, reflects on the challenges reservation educators must overcome, and how those challenges are often similar to those at other rural public schools.

KIPP Principal Talks About Hard Work, Success, and Challenges
David Levin, the KIPP Academy Charter School principal, talks to Education World about how the KIPP philosophy of hard work helps students achieve. Levin explains that there can be no excuses, from either the students or the adults in charge of their learning.

Curriculum, Caring, and Crack Vials: A City Principal's Perspective
Crossroads School principal Ann Weiner, who has collected crack vials and fought with city government, offers her views about how structure, staff, and knowledge about every child can help disadvantaged students overcome challenges.

New PTA President Focuses on Parent Involvement, Diversity
Shirley Igo is president of the National PTA. She discusses how the organization plans to increase parent involvement in the schools.

When Size Matters: Making Big Schools Feel Small
Paul S. George is coauthor of Making Big Schools Feel Small: Multiage Grouping, Looping and Schools-Within-a-School. Educators have seen the fallout from big and anonymous schools -- kids don't flourish in those environments.

'Formative Leadership' Theory Views Principal as Leader of Leaders
Dr. Ruth Ash and Dr. Maurice Persall, of Samford University, have developed the Formative Leadership Theory. The theory supports the teacher as a school leader and the principal as the leader of leaders.

The Making of a Dynamic Department Head
Rodney LaBrecque is author of Effective Department and Team Leaders: A Practical Guide. He talks about how a department head can manage morale and conflict.

Principal-in-Residence Speaks Out on Key Issues
Carole Kennedy is the principal-in-residence at the Department of Education. She suggests solutions to problems that plague educators and articulates insights into the essential role principals play in schools.

The School Day: It's Not a Race; Let's Change the Pace!
Chip Wood is a teacher and author of Time to Teach, Time to Learn. he shares his thoughts about the frenetic pace of teaching and learning.