Table of Contents
Principals are Like Baseball Managers 1
THE FIRST INNING : •The Asbestos Challenge 7 •What Do We Do Now? 11
THE SECOND INNING: •Lining Up Before School 17 •The Custodian 20 •He Wasn’t Much Help! 23 •A Third Grade Teacher 26 •Hiring Gambles Pay Off 29 •No PTA or Parent’s Club! 32 •Family Literacy Night 35 •There is a Gun in our Garage! 38 •Time for a Change 43 •The New Play Structure 48
THE THIRD INNING: •Spider Webs 53 •Project Read Volunteers 56 •Class Meetings 58 •The Counseling Enriched Class 61 •Misperception 65 •Student Success Assemblies 69 •Was It Really Vandalism? 72 •Construction 75 •My Daughter Was Sexually Assaulted! 80 •Spirit Days 84
THE FOURTH INNING: •The Parent Volunteer Coordinator 89 •I Didn’t See the Orange Tip! 93 •Surprise on the Trail 97 •Science Night and the Garbage Bag Hug 100 •The Intervention Specialist 103 •Early Morning Attendance Visit 106 •Pig Noises in First Grade! 110 •It’s Difficult to be Brave 113 •The Cupcake Committee 118•Uncovered 121 •Let’s Play Candyland! 125
THE FIFTH INNING: •An Unusual Hiring 131 •The Robinson School District 136 •First Day on the Job 138 •Maintenance Issue 143 •Devastation 147
THE SIXTH INNING: •The Classroom Box 153 •A Tough Decision 157 •False Alarm Embarrassment 162 •Non-Re-elects Are Never Easy 165 •PTA Embezzlement 172 •The Strike 178 •Different Perspectives 183 •NAACP Complaint! 187 •Black Student Achievement Committee 191 •Popcorn Fire Drill 195
THE SEVENTH INNING: •Report to CPS! 201 •Read Across America 205 •Was it Really a Knife? 209 •Homeless in Fifth Grade 214 •Reading Recovery 219 •Preparing for Outdoor Ed Camp 223 •The Parking Lot Fight 226 •Sexual Harassment 230 •The Boo Boo Kit 234 •Why Didn’t He Tell Us? 237
THE EIGHTH INNING: •Unpredictable 245 •The Lockdown 249 •Maybe It’s Time to Retire 254 •Surprise From Behind 257 •Dress Code for Parents? 261 •A Student is Missing! 265 •Jumping to Conclusions 268 •Feeling Safe 272 •Our Reward 275 •The Revolving Door of Superintendents 279
THE NINTH INNING: •The Reading First Giant 285 •Final Word 289
From the Author 293
Acknowledgments 295
Glossary 297
