The Hero Maker ─ How Superintendents Can Get Their School Boards to Do the Right Thing

In this book from bestselling author Todd Whitaker and Ryan Donlan, superintendents will learn how to help their school boards make smart, worthwhile decisions that they will deserve to brag about. The Hero Maker addresses the challenges of helping board members to make realistic changes that will truly benefit the school and have a lasting impact on the district. The book covers how to handle board meetings, how to communicate effectively during the year, and how to handle different board member personality types. Make your board members feel like heroes, and accomplish more of your goals for the district.

Dr. Todd Whitaker has been fortunate to be able to blend his passion with his career. Recognized as a leading motivational speaker in the field of education, his message about the importance of teaching has resonated with hundreds of thousands of educators around the world. Todd is a professor of educational leadership at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana, and he has spent his life pursuing his love of education by researching and studying effective teachers and principals. Prior to moving into higher education he was a math teacher and basketball coach in Missouri. Todd then served as a principal at the middle school, junior high, and high school levels. Todd received the President's Medal from Indiana State University (the university's highest award for faculty) in 2013. One of the nation’s leading authorities on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness, Todd has written many educational books including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Other titles include: Dealing With Difficult Teachers, Teaching Matters, Great Quotes for Great Educators, What Great Principals Do Differently, and Dealing With Difficult Parents.

Dr. Ryan Donlan is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and has served 20 years in K-12 education in both traditional school districts and charter schools, the majority of service as a Superintendent and Principal. He has experiences as a Board of Directors Vice-President and Treasurer, a State Department of Education's Chairperson for School Redesign, and as a Public Speaker and Community Advocate. A published author, Dr. Donlan has undergraduate and graduate degrees from three Michigan universities and has taught at both the K-12 and University Level. He studies Leadership Development, School Reimagination, Dropout Prevention, and Educational Wellness and frequently serves as an event speaker and trainer for organizations and groups looking for positive, measurable outcomes of success.