Written by an award winning superintendent and a successful educator and business person, this book is about courage, heart, brains and home - four assets that are essential to effective education. Educational leaders must have the courage to do the right thing, open their hearts to care for others, use their brains to continuously improve, and promote caring and nurturing homes. A School District’s Journey to Excellence shows educators how to become adept at employing these four assets along with appropriate practices to successfully educate public school children. The authors help superintendents, school leaders, school boards, and their constituencies understand the importance of implementing new methods and illustrate how to facilitate: increased student achievement; progressive instructional leadership; better use of precious resources; and strong school-community and school-business relationships. Readers will find a realistic perspective on the best practices that work inside schools and how school boards and the greater community can best collaborate with school leaders to serve our children. Filled with sound educational and business practices, rich examples, cases, and data, this book will become a critical how-to manual to foster productive school change.