ABSTRACT
Gareth agreed, and the deal was set into motion. Amanda went to Monique who suggested the book, A Taste of Blackberries, which is written on a low reading level but is still a high-interest story for young adolescents. As politicians, researchers, journalists, educators, and parents endlessly debate the causes and consequences of staggering school dropout rates, students like Gareth continue to fall through the cracks. Teaming enables multiple shepherds to keep the lambs from going astray. There are many parallels between the key practices recommended in High Schools That Work and the statements of students who were surveyed in The Silent Epidemic. Implementing strategies such as those recommended by High Schools That Work is difficult with a traditional mind-set. As an administrative team member, Amanda will depend on the daily embedded professional development to guide teachers through implementation of the school improvement plan.
