Praise from Educators
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for the student voices in Sent to the Principal


Sent to the Principal captures the essence of what Breaking Ranks II means by personalization. Giving students voice so that they can have an impact on their schooling and be engaged in the school community is an integral part of the school reform process. This book will help principals as they work to change large impersonal schools.
— John R. Nori, Director, Instructional Leadership Resources,
National Association of Secondary School Principals

This book should be read by every high school principal in the country. The book eloquently uses the words of students in a powerful way that no one can ignore. And it provides important guidance for school leaders to engage the student voice in the daunting task of creating the student-centered high schools that our society desperately needs. It will provide tremendous grist for the important conversations that need to take place to transform our high schools so that all students can earn a world class education.
— Joseph DiMartino, Director, Secondary School Redesign,
Education Alliance, Brown University

I couldn't put this book down. I found the dialogues fascinating, the voices of kids authentic, and the "brain conversations" of the principals very real. The book reminds us that principals are successful when they listen to the voices of kids-but also when they put in place forums where those voices could be heard by many more. It gently leads the school leader to change his or her personal style of leading, but also encourages institutionalized responses.
—Robert McCarthy, 30-year principal and mentor,
Colorado Small Schools Initiative

Listening to students has often been painful or debilitating for school leaders, and always complicated and challenging. Sent to the Principal helps us to trust our common sense that strong relationships and academic challenge are not irreconcilable. As we go about creating more personalized and supportive environments on which to build high achievement for students, Kathleen Cushman provides both a vision and a tool for us to use.
— Larry Myatt, Office of High School Renewal, Boston;
Co-Director, Greater Boston Principal Residency Network at Northeastern University

These suggestions from students gave me lots of new ideas for how we think about both teacher evaluation and professional development. And I will also include some of their great concrete ideas in my own evaluation process.
— Linda Nathan, head, Boston Arts Academy,
mentor principal in the Aspiring Principal Program, Boston

Through the ears, eyes, voices, tastes and hands of students, Sent to the Principal gives us student insights that are frank, honest, simply delivered and valuable for changing schools. This is a great book not only to read but to use in your school to develop real partnerships and allies with students in making schools into living learning communities. I hope we are listening. I hope we take the experiences and advice here seriously and involve students in all aspects of the running and organizing of schools.
— Elliot Washor, Ed.D., Co-director, Big Picture Company

When kids are finally given a voice, it's always amazing to me how on target their perceptions of schools are!
— Bob Mackin, Director,
America's Choice High Schools

 

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Click here to download a PDF of early excerpts.

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“The village life Kambi ya Simba's youth document is at once ordinary and surprising, entrepreneurial and backward. Its dreams  are both wide and narrow, its times both good and bad.”
– www.allafrica.com

 

 

“Using curiosity as their credentials, the teenagers—who are recent immigrants and still learning English—took tape recorders and digital cameras to document the lives of their neighbors, friends, and even family members.”
– Stephen Wolgast, NewsPhotographer

 

 

"The scientific components are as good as any I've seen, while the poems and personal reflections on nature, science and place help to bring the San Diego Bay area alive. Taken together, they capture the essence of not just a region, but of the deep connections between nature, science and humanity..."
– Thomas Hayden,
US News & World Report

 

 

“First in the Family is PERFECT for our student population! I couldn’t imagine anything more useful or inspiring or informative.”
–   Lynne Marie Bruce,
Golden Gate HS

 

 

“This book is a bible for college preparatory services! There is really nothing else like this out there--there are tons of reports, but nothing else with faces, names, and the emotional resonance of First in theFamily.”
– Emily Steinberg,
Admission Control

 

 

“Sent to the Principal captures the essence of what Breaking Ranks II
means by personalization. Giving students voice so that they can have an impact on their schooling and be engaged in the school community is an integral part of the school reform process.”
– John Nori,
National Assoc. of Secondary School Principals

 

 

“Read every word of What We Can’t Tell You, as I did, and you’ll get to know these articulate teens by name. Consult it often, and you’ll become an accomplished and empathetic mentor.”
– Cathi Dunn MacRae,
Voices of Youth Advocates

 

 

“Hip Deep is a glory of refreshing, honest voices! Here is a collection to wipe the sorrowful spin of news from our eyes and ears, to remind us there is truth out there somewhere, and it's young as well as timeless.”
– Naomi Shihab Nye,
Poet, Essayist, Teacher