Charter School Leadership: Elements for School Success

by Cameron Curry

Overview

Leadership is a critical piece of managing a high performing public charter school. Understanding the issues and the challenges faced daily by school leaders takes on a significant role when creating, managing, and sustaining high expectations and performance. With limited resources available on this industry specific topic, Cameron Curry has created a user-friendly guide to help emerging or seasoned school leaders focus on five key elements for school success.

Based on his 14 years of managing three high impact public charter schools, the author has utilized these principles and witnessed firsthand the benefits they bring to students, parents, and his school colleagues. Understanding the importance of your school’s mission and creating a great school culture are just part of a leader’s responsibility. The elements of embracing parent
involvement, becoming an effective communicator, and learning how to maximize the potential of all school employees, creates a further understanding of what it takes to be an effective charter school leader.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475803273
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	04/16/2013
Pages:	102
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Cameron Curry has been an entrepreneur, business operator, school creator, and community advocate for public school options and innovation since 1999, and has found much reward working in the charter school movement. As a husband of 21 years, and parent of three teenagers, Cameron understands the challenges families face in selecting a great school, and used that perspective in being a part of the creation of three high impact charter schools.

Table of Contents

Preface: What I have learned from leading great public charter schools Introduction: Breaking down the elements of effective charter school leadership Elements: 1.Culture Club What is culture and why it is important? Essential culture proof points. 2.Mission Magic What is mission and why it is important? Essential mission proof points. 3.Parent Power Parents as Volunteer, Leader, Promoter, Teacher, Fundraiser, and Advocate. 4.Communication Connections What communication is needed in a school setting and why it is important? Essential communication proof points. 5.People & Praise: Encouragement Works What is the value of encouragement and why it is important to your team and organization? Essential encouragement proof points. 6.So You Want to Be A Charter School Leader! Putting it all into practice Recommended Reading About the Author

What People are Saying About This

Carol Lloyd

Charter School Leadership: Elements of School Success is an indispensable guide to understanding the recipe for success in any school — be it Montessori charter, traditional public, or even a private boarding school. Curry gathers together the best practices discovered in the past 20 years of charter school experimentation and illuminates them with his own deep understanding of the field. These are not easy principles to implement but Curry makes their value so clear there can be no arguing with their necessity. He even gets the essential and multifarious power of parent engagement! I wish every principal could read it before their first day on the job.

Eric Premack

Written by one of California’s most successful charter school leaders, this engaging and accessible book is chock-full of practical leadership tips and practices for both new and veteran charter school leaders.

Editorial Reviews

Cameron Curry has taken his 14 years of leading three high performing public charter schools and has laid out his proven practices for school success. This needed resource is a valuable addition to helping improve the leadership landscape of public education. With the growth and success of charter schools nationally, Charter School Leadership: Elements for School Success is a guide for seasoned leaders or those wanting to start and manage their own successful schools.

Nina Rees

With fourteen years’ experience in charter school development and leadership, Cameron Curry knows what it takes to create, grow, and sustain a successful public charter school. Charter School Leadership is a much-needed guide for educational leaders in this growing area. Its basic formula for charter school success is similar to my long-time recipe for success in business: Service-oriented leaders (administrators) create a motivating environment for their people (faculty and staff) who are then empowered to take care of their customers (students and parents). Read this inspiring book, and let it move you to serve your charter school students, parents, and community at a higher level!

Ken Blanchard

Written at a key moment of explosive growth in charter schools, Cameron Curry's book offers a range of concrete suggestions and practical advice that would be of great value to both aspiring charter school principals as well as seasoned leaders ready to take their organizations onto higher levels of success. If you are ready to expand your personal impact as a leader within the charter school movement, I highly encourage you to read this book.

Jed Wallace

Written by one of California’s most successful charter school leaders, this engaging and accessible book is chock-full of practical leadership tips and practices for both new and veteran charter school leaders.

Eric Premack

Charter School Leadership: Elements of School Success is an indispensable guide to understanding the recipe for success in any school — be it Montessori charter, traditional public, or even a private boarding school. Curry gathers together the best practices discovered in the past 20 years of charter school experimentation and illuminates them with his own deep understanding of the field. These are not easy principles to implement but Curry makes their value so clear there can be no arguing with their necessity. He even gets the essential and multifarious power of parent engagement! I wish every principal could read it before their first day on the job.

Carol Lloyd