Читать книгу Transforming School Culture - Anthony Muhammad - Страница 5

Acknowledgments

The acknowledgments for this book could easily be as long as the text. I have been so abundantly blessed, and there are so many people who have helped me grow in my short time here on this earth. First and foremost, I must give praise and all of the credit for anything worthwhile to Almighty God, the creator of all things. He has guided every step I have ever taken and every thought that I have ever produced, and to Him all praise is due.

It is with a heavy heart that I dedicate this book to my mentor and friend, Dr. Richard DuFour, who passed away on February 8, 2017. No one has ever had more influence on me professionally, and very few have influenced me more personally. I was blessed to spend fifteen years witnessing your brilliance and your example. I promise to make you proud and to be a living witness of your influence.

I must acknowledge and thank the love and influence of my grandmother, Emma Roberson-Alexander (Madear), who passed away in 2013. Special thanks to Anna Nelson, my mother, nurturer, and friend. A special, special thanks goes to my beautiful wife, Dronda. I appreciate you showing me the other side of life and for all of your patience, love, and support. Carmen, thanks for giving me the four greatest gifts that a man could ever receive. Rashad, Larry, Jamilah, Shaheed, Ayanna, and Logan, the sun rises and sets on you. There is nothing that I would not do for you. Do not be afraid to take on the world and become what God created you to be. Angie, Lee, Donald, Brandon, and Derek (RIP), thanks for supporting your big brother. Cookie, Wendy, Billie, Peter, Birdie, Ricky, and Lori, thanks for supporting your nephew. Thanks to the entire Harper, Crawford, and Nelson families for your support and love. Thanks to the Gilliam/Hale family for accepting me into your family and giving me love and support. Finally, I would like to give special acknowledgement to my hometown of Flint, Michigan, the greatest place in the world for a young man to grow up. It breaks my heart to see the people and the city that I love suffering because of a lead-poisoned water crisis that they did not create. Every human being deserves to drink and consume clean water, and my hometown is being denied that right. I ask everyone who reads this book to join in the fight for justice for Flint! Wherever life takes me, I will be a Flintstone for life!

From a professional standpoint, I would like to thank the following powerful influences. Again, thank you, Mom, for being a great teacher and a great educational role model. I would like to express special appreciation to Becky DuFour and Robert Eaker; thank you for your guidance and willingness to share your wisdom with me. I would like to thank Luis Cruz, Mike Mattos, Ken Williams, and Sharroky Hollie for being my powerful contemporaries. I would like to express appreciation to Jeff Jones, Donald “Stubby” McLean (former director of Solution Tree Canada), and the entire Solution Tree staff.

Solution Tree Press would like to thank the following reviewers:

Nicole Airgood

Principal

Eastwood Elementary School

Sturgis, Michigan

Doug Crowley

Assistant Principal

DeForest Area High School

DeForest, Wisconsin

Abbey Duggins

Assistant Principal

Saluda High School

Saluda, South Carolina

Louis Lim

Vice Principal

Bayview Secondary School

Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

Ryan Rismiller

Assistant Principal

Harding High School

Marion, Ohio