In this new supplement, the authors have identified four essential educational components that educators must process when addressing the issues of using technology within the educational setting. These emerging issues of cyber standards include (a) developing a compressive, site-based technology plan that focuses on the improvement of student learning (b) developing policies for cyber security that protects the school from potential liability and student endangerment (c) developing appropriate and factual communication strategies that support positive marketing of the school mission to the public and (d) how teachers can engage the use of technology for improving the teaching and learning process.

Public schools are now discovering that they cannot prepare students to succeed in tomorrow's world unless they reinvent themselves today. The schools that will thrive in the future are those schools that embrace reform and take control over their own destinies. In many cases throughout the nation, today's schools are not in control of their own destinies because of the loss of local control and the inability to initiate an open agenda for public engagement in the school renewal process. Despite this, policy makers (state agencies and legislators) continue to establish mandates for holding educators accountable for student improvement. Designed in non-collaborative environments, these mandates are based on high-end accountability policies that regulate school reform. However, rarely are these reform mandates based upon the wisdom of school effectiveness research. Additionally, the local school communities are not consulted about how the new regulations will influence the education of their particular school populations. Five years ago, during the course of our crystal ball gazing, we missed several important concepts when developing this manual. We did not recognize that policy development would have such an influence on school reform measures, nor did we fully understand the extent to which effective schools research could have on the impact of policy development. To support communities in building stronger schools and regaining ownership, this manual provides a guide for supporting effective school practices through polices and programs based upon effective school research.

The authors are very detailed and descriptive with the information needed to administer the daily task of leading an effective and successful school. It is a definite hands on resource that you will want to keep handy and review and use daily. The authors are very knowledgeable and have studied all angles of organizational procedures and implemented suggestions for different sites that may be modified to adjust to your situation. It is a book that a new principal would find quite useful in setting up a building that would run successfully from day one and effectively limit major crisis from ill thought out planning. The chapter on safety is, in this time of major concern, a vital guide to helping protect a school from later regrets of irresponsible behavior to the safety and concern of all within its confinds. I as an administrator of an elementary school found it very useful and highly recommend it to others as a very useful guide and resource to keep on hand when reviewing or changing procedures within your building.

OK, so I am biased because Milo Radulovich is my cousin, but speaking as an (amateur) historian, I can say this is book is excellently researched. Michael Ranville gives you not only an incredible story of the "little man in turbulent times" (which is an incredible way to learn history) but also places the chronology of the Radulovich story against other US & World events of the time, giving the book a depth and range that many stories written in this fashion lack. This book is also fascinating from the perspective of the immigrants and "third culture kids" who shaped (and continue to shape) the American vision. This book is a must-read if you teach or study American history 1945-Present professionally. I wish everyone could meet Milo Radulovich; his courage then AND now, and that of the entire family, shines.

Mr. Radulovich is an inspiration on the value of family honor and loyality in our society.

This is an awesome inspirational book! It's remarkable proof that one determined individual can make a difference and that "when you're right you have to stand up for yourself or you're dead". I plan on making sure my kids read and sharing with my friends.

This is a book that children love, not just adults! I bought this book for my niece because its beautiful illustrations and simple text appealed to me at a glimpse in the bookstore. Never would I have guessed that it would turn out to be my niece's favorite book! I gave it to her more than a year ago, when she was not quite four, and every time I have traveled to see her since, she has asked me to read it to her. Not just once, but multiple times in a row, and night after night. Her mother told me that she never tires of it. I think that says it all!

This delightfully fun book will resonate with anyone - young or old - who has had the joy of seeing a new perspective on life through the eyes of a friend. For me, this book was about my fiance' and me -- friends who are opposites in many ways, learning from each others' strengths. Read the book and I'll bet you will suddenly think about all the Henrys and Amys in your life! What a beautiful look at life this book is . . . What wonderful examples for all of us are its loveable characters - Henry and Amy.

Deep down inside, this book makes me feel warm and comfortable. I really enjoyed this book. I hope Stephen Michael King writes another book about Henry and Amy. Rebekah

Reading this book from cover to cover would be educational journey, but probably most readers will skip from place to place, as I did. Honestly, I found the 17th Century sermons, which make up a large part of the book, quite hard to follow, though I don't doubt there is much in them that will make the effort worthwhile, if I have need to look more closely.

There is doubtless something to delight and offend everyone in this volume. The editors have been fairly conscientious in taking selections from a variety of viewpoints. Liberals may get a bit more space in the 20th Century selection, but on the other hand, J. Gresham Machen's ringing defense of the historicity of the Gospels, History and Faith, is also included. (A work that could have been written as a reply to the Jesus Seminar of eight decades later. A very devastating reply.) I also found Henry Ward Beecher's pre-Civil War jeremiad against slavery stirring and of more than historical interest. (That, too, of course. He was the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, of Uncle Tom's Cabin fame.) Joseph Smith's rambling funeral oration was useful in a different way, giving positive evidence for my prior feeling that the man was a bit, shall we say, close to the edge.

Agree or disagree, readers of every viewpoint will find something of interest in this volume. It would be a most valuable reference tool for any class on American history, and, I think, belongs in every school library.

Author, Jesus and the Religions of Man d.marshall@sun.ac.jp

I bought this book with an interest in the literary form of the sermon and I was also interested in religion, although I may not call myself particularly religious. I was impressed with the degree of thought that the writers of these sermons gave to their subjects. If you are even slightly interested in exploring religion, this is a nice introduction in American religious thought. The Library of America does a superb job at producing a volume that will last many generations. A nice addition to any thinking man's library.

I wish there were more books like this one. Here, the libretto of an almost-forgotten opera is translated by a poet of the very first rank. The result is some very entertaining comic poetry.

This is the best verse play I've ever read. It is in fact a translation of an 18th century play by Carlo Goldoni done by -- W.H. Auden!

Pound's forays into the realm of the past, evinced by his interest in the Provencal trouvéres and the ancient Chinese and Japanese poets (whose works he rendered into English from notes made by the Sinologist Ernest Fenollosa) formed the basis of his early poetic enterprise. In terms of style, these early poems display a rarely paralleled originality, in combination with reserves of hermetic knowledge. This collection, which includes the translations (or paraphrases) of "Cathay", the impersonations of "Personae" and the renovations and improvisations of "Ripostes" and "Lustra" contains the best of Pound's poetry. It is not laden with the overlearnedness and pedantic eccentricity that make "The Cantos", (falsely called Pound's "masterpiece") such a brilliant failure, even by Pound's own admission. Moreover, they are possibly the most refreshing and original of Pound's works, displaying a remarkable novelty and a healthy erudition. Highly recommended.

"The Collected Early Poems of Ezra Pound" is mostly a book for people who had already read Personae - the 1926 edition of Pound's standard collection of his own minor poems - or are interested in the former career of Pound. These will be pleased to find the famous poems (e.g. "Redondillas") which they only knew by name and references, as well as famous books here collected for the first time (especially 1908's "A Lume Spento," "Canzoni" (1911), and the " Miscellaneous Poems," not previously collected). It's a fine edition with useful notes and reproducctions of all the original title pages.

When a friend gave me a copy of this book I almost didn't read it. I had never heard of LaMontagne or Snyder and was anxious to read the fourth Harry Potter book which I had just purchased the day before. He made me read the prologue and first couple of chapters, which I did. The book grabbed me from the very first page, and by the time Rodney and Aimee were pulled into the land of Daak I knew that Harry Potter would just have to wait. I was reading something much better.

From the moment they arrived in Daak until their last battle with the evil sorceress Haeron, I was engrossed. The story was action-packed and the characters some of the most believable I've read in a long time. I laughed out loud at the Ward and held my breath during the entire waterfall sequence. LaMontagne and Snyder made me feel emotions like few authors can. I hardly ever re-read a book, but I know I'll be picking this one up again.

I read a lot of books, but this is the best one I've read all year (and 2002 is a couple of weeks from being over). I know it's targeted age group is young adults, but older adults will love it too. King Fortis the Brave offers a terrific blend of fantasy and realism, introducing the reader to characters that are believable and magical situations that you will feel you are actually a part of. The writers do a terrific job of keeping you interested, and they make it very hard to put the book down. Even when you come to the end of a chapter, there is usually some twist that makes you want to keep reading. If I were a contestant on Survivor and could only bring one luxury item with me, that luxury item would be my copy of King Fortis the Brave.

I bought this book for my children, but found myself enjoying it as much, if not more, than they did. The authors made you feel for the characters from the very first paragraph, and by the time they reached the land of Daak, you really believed that you were there with them. The adventure was non-stop, the plot twists unexpected, and the ending exciting. I will be counting the days until Queen Aimee the Wise comes out to continue the Daak trilogy.

One of my greatest concerns, as a mother of two daughters, is that most of the young adult fantasy novels we've purchased recently have been very male oriented. Even books with female authors, like the Harry Potter series, tend to fall into this trap. With two male authors, I was worried that King Fortis would fit into that category as well, but I was surprised to find that there was an excellent balance between the two main characters, Aimee and Rodney. And Aimee isn't the only strong female character in this book. My daughters were particularly fond of Gillian of the Sisterhood of Airia and begged me to reread the chapter that introduced her several times.

King Fortis the Brave was an exciting adventure book with strong characters of both sexes that we found ourselves really rooting for throughout the story. It was Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings while still maintaining 100% originality. I highly recommend it!

I have fallen hard for this series! King is a master. His use of bits and pieces of "our" world provides a chilling touch. I know a lot of people did not like the "Wizard of Oz" touch, but I found it to add to the mystic that can only be Stephen King. He takes something that we are all familiar with, then twists it, gives it new dimension and makes it his own. I reread the first 3 books and then read this one all in a matter of 4 days. I can hardly wait for the next book! (although my family probably hopes it won't be out for a while yet) Please, Stephen, publish the next one! We're dying out here! Your writing is superb and makes me want to be a part of Roland's Ka-tet! Onward to the Dark Tower Mr. King! Onward! (very soon!)

From the moment I opened to the first page of "The Dark Tower Series", I was hypnotized and a willing prisoner of Kings fantasy. I loved each one, up until I reached the last page of "Wastelands". At this point I said something off-color and threw the book across the room. I couldn't believe that I would have to patiently wait for the next in the series. Well, it has been several years and many many books later, and my wish is finally being granted. The next book has been completed. During this frustrating time of waiting, my main concern was the Mr. Stephen King would suffer a horrible accident and die before he could complete the series. Not only would the world have lost a great author, but I would have gone insane from not knowing the conclusion of this magical series. My family can finally breathe a sigh of relief since I wont be a nervous reck over not being able to grasp this book in my impatient hands

Stephen King may not be the most profound writer of our time, but I believe this series of books will be the ones that he is remembered for. He takes us on a journy with the last Gunslinger, Roland of Gilead, who is in search for the Dark Tower. The Dark Tower is the center of time and space...mayber even a doorway to other worlds. Roland has plowed West across Mid-World in search for the Dark Tower, set on saving his dying land. Will Roland ever find the fabled Dark Tower? We all hope so as we journy with him and his ka-tet. Another great thing about this series is how King has started to tie in his other novels with Roland's world. This a must read for any King fan... and even the people that don't like King. JUST GET IT.

G Wayne Miller's amazing book the "King of Hearts" is a wonderful book that will captivate people from all walks of life.

For those of us who have been touched by Congenital Heart Defects and Heart Disease the book touches so many chords it is hard to describe.

Reading this book from a mothers perspective( my son had open heart surgery at seven months of age) truly gave me new insight into the brave and courageous pioneers of open heart surgery.

Surgeons of today can truly thank the pioneers such as Dr.Lillehei for his conviction to pursue the development of techniques that have been passed down through the years. Many of our children would not be alive today had it not been for his perserverance and determination.

King of hearts is a book each of us should read.....heart defects and heart disease touch so many lives and it is authors such as G. Wayne Miller who bring the history of heart surgery to the present day with such caring and understanding.

G. Wayne Miller encourages us to remember in our hearts the people whose lives were lost in the pursuit of the answers to the mystery of open heart surgery......the sons,daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers they all were someones loved ones.

Thank you for writing this book.........from the heart of a mother.

Being an adult patient with a congenital heart defect, I was looking for some kind of hope that surgery would be promising for me. After reading "King of Hearts" not only was I amazed at how far surgery had came and how much safer it is now than then. I could not put the book down for wanting to know more about the peoples lives that went through the surgeries and the young Dr.s that performed them. Looking at the faces of the people in the photo's in the book made me feel even more like a part of that history. But what astounded me most was the determination of Dr. Lillihei to continue with reasearch after all his set backs. I can honestly say that G. Wayne Miller has made what some would consider to be an educational history book so interesting that I wasn't able to put it down.

"King of Hearts" is an engaging adventure into the world of heart repair 50 years ago. Mr. Miller tells the story of Walt Lilihei, one of the pioneers of open-heart surgery, with spirit, accuracy and compassion. He is ever sensitive to both the goals that Dr. Lilihei had and the lives that were lost in the process. Instead of viewing these lives as just statistics, we see how they were people, loved and valued by their families, who had no alternative but to try surgery. Their deaths are respected and honored, as they went before the world knew what it knows now about open-heart surgery. But they were instrumental, as was Dr. Lilihei in teaching the world what it knows now about repairing the heart.

Although some stay away from biographies, "King of Hearts" stands alone. It is a fast-paced, exciting exploration of one man's search to radically alter the surgical options for heart disease. Once one picks up this book, it is difficult to put down. I confess to reading it straight through the moment I received it. The reader wants so very much for Dr. Lilihei to triumph, to find a way to save his patients. And Mr. Miller's style of writing is enough to keep any reader engaged. He writes with energy and with a no-nonsense portrayal of this great man. He skillfully avoids the overtly technical and instead writes for the layman reader, though I have no doubt that those in the medical field will also enjoy reading the story behind the facts they learned about Walt Lilihei.

I am reminded of Grisham and Turow in the reading of this text, yet Miller stands quite by himself as well, marking out an aggressive and fast-paced style of writing which tells both the facts and the emotions but never dips into pathos or excessive sentimentality.

As Mr. Miller points out, Lilihei was essentially as human as any of us. His faults and virtues are both explored in this excellent text. He is in essence the quintessential hero, and his story could easily be taken from the great Greek tragedies. As portrayed by Mr. Miller, Dr. Lilihei is man against nature, sometimes trapped by his own failings, and sometimes triumphant in his earnest attempt to better the human race.

And the fact that Dr. Lilihei succeeded in his efforts makes this book both triumphant and glorious. As with the modern day film "Rocky," one gets to cheer the accomplishments of someone who fought against the odds, while at the same time recognizing that these accomplishments were sometimes overshadowed by a questionable personal life.

"King of Hearts" stands as a contribution to the wonderful texts which tell of the indomitable human spirit, of the need for man to reach out and better man. It is as much a study of human nature as it is a retelling of the field of cardiology in the early days and the frustrations which doctors encountered when they had to let their patients die because no surgical options existed. This book surpasses a mere retelling or biography and instead becomes an example by which other biographies should be judged. In other hands, this subject might be dry and overly technical, but in Miller's telling it comes alive and teaches us all a little bit about ourselves and the human condition. Bravo to G. Wayne Miller for his extraordinary talent and for this extraordinary book!

I love Michael Bolton as a singer. And his writing skills are excellent as well. But I found this book difficult to follow for me, and even more so for my 6th grade students. However, the pictures were outstanding! David Jermann is very detailed in his illustrations....a definate plus for this book.

Wonderful bardic mastery here; as if the myth of King Arthur came alive again, yet its ending still expands into a living energy of our continuance - for here there is no wounded fisher king, but rather a continuance of love - father to son, brother to brother, man to man - without a doubt. As a female, I am reminded strongly of the "Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley, yet this tale is told from a male vantage point, who as of yet is only just beginning to discover that his lady love is real - as real as he. Complex yet so simply told, amazing mysteries of love unfolding from a point of ever-changing mysteries of all that we might yet now come to be.

The parallels of many Arthurian legends, and even a hint of "Avalon come true" are spoken here, within a form and style that must inspire the wee folk of our lives to live within its inspiration. I applaud this endeavor of artistry, and hope to see this lovely volume back in full publication again very soon.

Michaelette

http://michaelette.com

I really love Michael as a singer. I'm a fan of him since I started feeling sense of music. But I wasn't aware of his writing skills indeed. He has proved his writing skills after giving a great gift of the Secret of Lost Kingdom. The book is not infact just for childern there is something for every age, the morality, honor, truth and love. The heart touching and well illustrated story is really worth to be explored.