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

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Ryan Donlan (Indiana State University, USA) Todd Whitaker (Indiana State University, USA)

The Hero Maker

How Superintendents Can Get Their School Boards to Do the Right Thing

Ryan Donlan (Indiana State University, USA), Todd Whitaker (Indiana State University, USA)

$384.95 $307.90

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Routledge
30 September 2025

Organisation & management of education

Learn how to turn your school board members into heroes by helping them make smart, worthwhile decisions they will deserve to brag about. In this much-needed book, Ryan Donlan and Todd Whitaker offer practical strategies to help superintendents develop better working relationships with their boards.

You’ll discover how to:

reconnect board members to the real purpose of education, despite their personal agendas work with your board more effectively during meetings and at times in between guide board members into more productive roles when they overreach beyond policymaking connect and communicate with board members regardless of personal disposition

Each chapter contains hero-making tips to help you get started. In addition, this timely second edition features a new chapter on navigating the superintendent–board president relationship. With this practical book, you’ll be able to overcome the challenges of the superintendent–board relationship so that your board can make better decisions for those who matter most—the students.

By: Ryan Donlan (Indiana State University USA), Todd Whitaker (Indiana State University, USA)
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: 2nd edition
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
Weight: 453g
ISBN: 9781041012108
ISBN 10: 1041012101
Pages: 122
Publication Date: 30 September 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

1. The Hero Maker 2. Constituencies 3. The Board of Education 4. The Superintendent as the Shield 5. The Care and Feeding of Board Members 6. Board Meetings 7. Between Board Meetings 8. The Superintendent/Board President Relationship 9. Advancing, by Retreating 10. Board Personalities: Doors and the Dance of Drama 11. Starting Undefeated 12. The Tour of Duty

Ryan Donlan is a Professor of Educational Leadership at Indiana State University and specializes in school leadership, governance, and team performance, with books for board members, superintendents, principals, assistant principals, and teachers, including Uncommon Sense for New Teachers: A Good Beginning is Half the Work. Todd Whitaker is a Research Professor at the University of Missouri. He is a leading presenter in the field of education and has written 65 books, including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently.