Gardening in the Minefield—A Survival Guide for School Administrators

Schmidt (Director of Pupil Services, Santa Monica-Malibu School District) offers advice on the day-to-day reality of acting as a school principal. From navigating the politics of the school system to managing paperwork, she discusses a variety of facets of the principal's job, including motivating staff, delegating duties, evaluating employees, relating to the public, and maintaining sanity. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

LAUREL SCHMIDT has worked for thirty years in education, as a teacher, principal, consultant, lecturer, professional development specialist, and writer. She is the Director of Pupil Services for the Santa Monica-Malibu School District and an adjunct professor at Antioch University's Graduate School of Education. She is the author of Seven Times Smarter: 50 Activities, Games, and Projects to Develop the Seven Intelligences in Your Child (Three River Press, 2001). You can email Laurel at schmidtl@smmusd.org.