Today is publication day for Our School: The Inspiring Story of Two Teachers, One Big Idea, and the School That Beat the Odds. It’s been five years since I decided to write a book about the creation of a charter school. I remember using Thanksgiving vacation to think about whether to leave the San Jose Mercury News and what to do if I quit. I drew up a plan that has worked so far — except for the part about finishing the book in one year.
I must take time from my busy day of book pumping to visit a few book stores and see if it’s on the shelves. Maybe then I’ll believe that I really did it.
My copies arrived yesterday evening (sometime around 6 p.m., 11/28/05)!!
I have been anxiously awaiting my copy’s arrival. It was dropped off today and I immediately tore into it. I got teary-eyed while reading the first chapter. I could picture the scenes clearly and hear Greg’s voice in my mind. Though I’m now in my fourth year of working at DCP, I have always felt like it was “my” school. The level of ownership that those involved with DCP feel toward it is one of the many reasons for its success. Thank you for writing about our school.
Congratulations, Joanne! I just got my copy tonight. I’m too busy to read it right now, but I ended up reading from random through it anyway, and can’t wait to actually absorb it all from start to finish.
“We need warriors,” Lippman said (p. 187). I think this is going to be my kind of war story. Nonviolent yet full of struggles - and victories.