High school improvement is possible with visionary leadership and common goals. Ayer (Massachusetts) High School is a small, comprehensive school that has restructured itself to meet 21st century needs. Revolutionary changes have occurred in instructional improvement, core curriculum, technology education, class size, graduation requirements,…

The evolution of an award-winning Total Quality Management (TQM) program for administrative and academic staff development at Oregon State University is chronicled. Special attention is given to application of TQM for faculty and corporate interaction, instructional improvement, and curriculum development. Special challenges for implementation of…

Proposes a new transitional budget model to help make libraries adept at and comfortable with change during the transition to an increasingly electronic knowledge environment, emphasizing staff education and training, new service opportunities, user responsiveness, teamwork, fiscal empowerment, and more effective management systems. (Contains nine…

This study identified common themes that school principals experienced in managing school work culture change. Interviews with principals who completed Managing Productive Schools training established six independent work culture dimensions and three kinds of effects. The paper uses the nine quality areas as a model for reporting the common…

The Little Lake (California) School District's process for selecting principals includes various elements: an application, a writing exercise, a portfolio presentation, a staff-development presentation, a traditional interview, and a final interview with the superintendent. The process allows candidates to showcase their achievements and…

Suggests ways child care directors can support staff in their professional and personal development and still maintain a solvent operation. Suggestions include conducting an all-agency training audit, creating a training accountability chain within the agency, providing information about and expectations for training and its outcomes, and…

A study investigated practices of two teachers regarding communication intervention for students who are congenitally deaf-blind, prior to and following an in-service program with follow-up coaching. After instruction on the communication intervention model, teachers were able to plan and implement communication interventions addressing students'…

Creating meaningful learning opportunities for school leaders (principals, teachers, peer professionals, and community members) is a central goal of educational staff developers. Describes results of one prototype collaborative effort to design and use multimedia cases to invigorate school leaders' organizational thinking and learning. (Author/AEF)

A Wisconsin Girl Scout camp integrated The Healthy Kids Challenge into its program. The camp evaluated policies related to meals, snacks, physical activities, team building, and self-esteem. Staff inservice training resulted in healthier meals on the same budget and developed ownership of the program. Campers and families had opportunities to…

Argues that effective staff development for teachers should be tied to the daily classroom life and grounded in the concerns and questions of teachers. Discusses a theory of pedagogy that advocates teaching for understanding and a model of staff development based on practical knowledge and critical reflections. (SLD)

Discusses mentoring among elementary school teachers based on experiences with a curriculum project that, while involving three classes in all subject areas, focused on mathematics. Topics include teacher's feelings of isolation; student involvement; student journals; and traditional staff development activities and mentoring. (LRW)

Examines factors that contribute to the development of an organizational culture. Discusses the vision/mission; training; technology, equipment and supplies; and decor/appearance. Describes how one library created a staff-friendly environment through increasing communication between departments and cross-training to provide interdepartmental…

This article is designed to help public libraries provide support for people with mental retardation through the implementation of "Guidelines for Library Services for People with Mental Retardation", developed by the American Library Association. Topics include needs assessment; staff training; adaptive technology; resource formats,…

Discusses the need to train urban school counselors and psychologists to address the needs of culturally, linguistically, urban, and ethnically diverse (CLUE) students, proposing a major CLUE philosophy training program to be incorporated into the existing degree sequence. Notes major competencies needed for multicultural training and presents key…

Reviews comparative study of early childhood education policy and services in 12 countries produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Discusses seven major cross-national issues and key elements of successful early childhood education policies. Draws implications for the United States. (Contains 11 references.) (PKP)