In preparing this book, we engaged in the very kind of collaboration that fuels the theory and practice of community schools. Many colleagues across the country served as thought partners, providing useful ideas, offering critical analyses, and giving consistent encouragement.
We are grateful to several veteran community school partners who reviewed drafts of our text along the way, helping us hone our arguments and address gaps in our thinking. This group included Cory Bowman, Abe Fernandez, Atelia Melaville, Bill Potapchuk, Kwesi Rollins, Sara Sneed, and Henry Taylor. They helped us understand the importance of having “critical friends” who are willing to walk the journey with you, every step of the way.
The centerpiece of our book, the six case studies of successful K-12 community school initiatives, encompassed extensive interviews conducted by David Goodman with key informants at the sites. We thank the following colleagues for their willingness to share their time and expertise, provide information and photographs, and review case study drafts:
Albuquerque: Ellen Bernstein; Marco Harris; Wayne Johnson; Maria Marques; Serge Martinez; Monique Mills; Jose Muñoz; Eugene Saavedra; Danette Townsend; and Maria Valqui.
Cincinnati: Pat Stewart Adams; Annie Bogenschutz; Pam Bowers; Bill Burwinkle; Marilyn Crumpton; Patti Gleason; Adelyn Hall; Tiffany Hamm; Darlene Kamine; Jamie Luggan; Dan Myer; Amy Randolph; Harriet Russell; Jim Schiff; Susan Shelton; Steve Stanley; and Kimmi Thomas.
Florida: Kelly Astro; David Bundy; Pastor Gregory B. Clayton; Amy Ellis; Nancy Ellis; Ann Fivie; Michael Frumkin; Michelle Gayle; Donnie Hale, Jr.; Rocky Hanna; Kay Hutchison; Heather McClellen; Tim Only; Robert Palmer; Anicia Robinson; Christopher Stone; Michael Strayhorn; Curtesa Vanderpool; Daniel Van Durme; Alyson Watson; and Jarvis Wheeler.
Los Angeles: Debbie Bailey; Leyda Garcia; Samantha Hill; Karen Hunter Quartz; Rosa Jimenez; Queena Kim; Octavio Pescador; and Angela Whitfield.
New York City: Karen Alford; Natasha Capers; Richard Carranza; Chris Caruso; Fiorella Guevara; Ben Honoroff; Sarah Jonas; Frances Lucerna; and Terrence Winston.
Oakland: Rany Ath; Andrea Bustamante; Kyla Johnson Trammel; David Kakishiba; Sarah Klevan; Milbrey McLaughlin; Pamela Moy; Jorge Ruiz De Velasco; Justine Santos; Curtiss Sarikey; Tony Smith; and Junious Williams.
Four private foundations underwrote the development and publication of The Community Schools Revolution: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Ford Foundation, Stuart Foundation, and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Their support allowed us to make copies of the book freely available to policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in both printed and digital forms.
The well-named Collaborative Communications Group provided important technical support in moving our book from a type-written manuscript to a colorful and user-friendly publication. Their expertise around design, copy-editing, printing, and dissemination proved invaluable to our team as we approached the finish line.
Finally, we want to thank the ever-growing network of community school colleagues across the country who have shared their enthusiasm about our book as well as their wisdom about the practice of community schools. We hope they find that wisdom captured in our text as we reflect on the collective experience of building a field and, we believe, starting a revolution.