To improve outcomes for students in a high school alternative-education program, Jamel Adkins-Sharif knew he needed tap parents' knowledge and support. Doing this, he says, has required ramping up communication, repurposing parent-engagement events, and being honest about the fluid and often inconclusive nature of working with struggling learners.

When Deborah Peterson reluctantly accepted the principalship of Roosevelt High School in Portland, Oregon, a high-poverty school no other qualified applicants would touch that her supervisor assigned to her, books for new principals were no help. The books suggested actions like crafting a school vision and developing professional learning…

Like many relatively affluent suburban schools, James E. Daly Elementary in Montgomery County, Maryland, has seen a rapid increase in its Hispanic and bilingual student populations. Many of the school's English language learners come from low-income, immigrant families. Zimmerman-Orozco, the school's assistant principal, describes the strategies…

In Harper v. Poway Community Unified School District, the Ninth Circuit Court ruled that a student could not wear a T-shirt to school bearing a statement that homosexual behavior is shameful. The court did not use the usual rationale, that such speech could disrupt school activities, but instead relied on the notion that such statements could…

Describes several ways that schools can use the tragic events of September 11 to teach students life-enhancing lessons. (PKP)

When parents and staff at Winter Park Elementary School in Wilmington, North Carolina, realized that some children could not afford school activities, such as purchasing ice cream on Fridays, they decided to level the economic playing field. The school began eliminating all practices that required students to spend money to participate. Students…

Describes an Indiana elementary school's first family day, in which over 200 parents participated in a full day of activities (discussions, films, singing, dancing) with their children. This rewarding experiment will pave the way for future attempts to celebrate the family and strengthen school pride. (MLH)

To create genuine teaching/learning environments, educators must use "pragmatic idealism" to balance disparate educational elements. A newly transformed Virginia middle school welcomes students at school entrances, has eliminated bells and tracking, uses a team teaching approach, holds numerous award assemblies, and incorporates plenty…