It is with absolute excitement and humility that I want to share with you that my latest book, and first solo book in over a decade, “Forward, Together: Moving Schools from Conflict to Community in Contentious Times,” is now available for pre-order on Amazon.
I am as nervous as I am excited about this release because I know it addresses a significant problem not only in education but around the world: the way we seem to be working against each other rather than working together to build something incredible.
But the book wasn’t inspired by the problem so much as by the possible solutions.
I share the entire story in the book, but I was tagged in a post on a July 2025 morning by a teacher who was proud of something that happened in his district and wanted to share it with me. I didn’t know what I was about to watch, but after seeing students and the superintendent invite the entire community to build something incredible together, shared by a teacher who was beaming with pride, an idea popped into my head that had not existed even five minutes earlier. Two weeks later, the first draft was complete, and I knew I had something I was proud to share with the world.
And as much as I say this is a solo book, many of the failures I share are mine, not others’. But the successes are from so many communities that inspired the solution, rather than being focused on the problem. I tried to acknowledge that in the opening dedication:
After completing the first draft, I thought about who could help introduce the book and also let me know if I was on the right track. Brainstorming a few names, I contacted the incredible Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket, a current school principal and one of the most remarkable leaders I have encountered in education, for the way she lifts so many others. I reached out to her, and I asked her to consider writing the foreword, but ONLY if she felt comfortable with what I had written. She read the book immediately, and the foreword was done approximately three days after I asked. I was so elated not only that she is part of the book, but also by how she set the tone. Here is a portion of what she wrote in the foreword:
“At the heart of this book is a deep belief in community. A special kind of community that makes schools not just places where students go but spaces where families feel welcomed, cultures are celebrated, and everyone plays a role in creating something meaningful. That kind of community doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when school leaders are intentional about inviting others in, sharing ownership, and building a culture rooted in respect and belonging.
Why should every educator read this book?
Because it reveals the truth about the beauty, complexities, and possibilities of school leadership. It will challenge you to reexamine how you show up, how you lead through hard things, and how you measure your impact. In the process, it will help you remember why this work still matters—maybe now more than ever.”
Dr. Rachel Edho-Eket
The exceptional quality Rachel has as a leader is that she doesn’t just say “Yes,” but she says it with an enthusiasm that made me more excited about the book after she read it than I was before. She was the perfect person to write the opening for “Forward, Together,” because she embodies the type of leader many, including me, aspire to become.
One of the most essential reasons I wanted to write this book is because of my own school experience as a child. Growing up in the small town of Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada, I was reminded of the impact the school and the people had on me, which is central to the ideas shared in the book.
School wasn’t central to the community; it was the community.
My family knew how important education was, and they worked hand-in-hand with the school to ensure I had every opportunity to find success during and after my time in school. That should be the standard we aspire to.
And although this is my first “solo” book in over a decade, it only came to fruition because of the stories and inspiration from so many educators who are creating a standard we should aspire to.
In fact, even when making the book, I had my mind set on a specific cover, but when I reached out to my own education community, they inspired me to choose and redesign something else. Ultimately, without their support, I would have probably made a worse decision. I love that even though the cover might not be everyone’s favorite, it will always remind me of how a massive group of educators took their time to not only support me and provide me with meaningful feedback, but also put me in a situation where I could find success. That process, weirdly enough, reminded me of my teachers as a child—people who guided me toward finding my own success.
Ultimately, this was the cover, co-designed with my community.
I have had to pause for a few minutes while writing to stare at the cover. I do really love it, but the story behind how it was created will always matter to me more. To feel that I have built a community that pushes me and has me back is the ultimate that any person in education should have behind them. I will always be grateful to the literal hundreds of people who helped me to pick that cover.
When thinking about the audience for this book, it was less about their position and more about their hopes.
It is not for the people who are obsessed with winning arguments or those looking for a quick fix to complex problems.
This book was written for people who want to move their schools and communities forward and find shared solutions that make a positive impact not only for and with the students they serve, but also for and with their communities.
As I shared in the book, “Growing your community means recognizing that although we may disagree, when we work together, we can still find a pathway forward.”
I know I am probably not supposed to do this, but the last line in the book is the following:
“May every child and adult have that same blessing of a community working together to bring people together to create something amazing.”
I don’t mind sharing the final sentence because for the majority of educators I know, that is the same goal that they have. In the book, I share ideas and stories, through both successes and failures, on how to get there, but ultimately, you, along with your community, are the ones who create the solutions.
If one story from an educator could inspire me to write a book, imagine what thousands could do for our schools, and ultimately, the world.
