See how one school district made Cultural Proficiency real—and how you can too! In spite of Brown vs. Board of Education, true integration and corresponding equality of educational opportunity is still far from reality in American schools. Opening Doors tells the story of Ventura Unified School District′s successful implementation of cultural proficiency, which opened long-closed doors for marginalized students and returned gains on every key success metric. Most importantly, it will empower you to do the same for your school or district. Resources include: A method for evaluating the impact of educational decisions on students′ access to learning A clear three-year implementation plan for making your school culturally proficient A content-rich companion website that includes templates and forms for implementing the book’s suggestions It is long past time to make cultural proficiency real by ensuring universally equal access to educational resources for all students. This book removes the remaining barriers to the achievement of this ideal. "This powerfully insightful and thought provoking book, takes us on a journey to culturally proficient actions." —Rosemary Papa, Professor Northern Arizona University "The book is full of compassion, conviction and hope—pure heart, pure corazón—in the quest to tackle inequality and the opportunity gap head on." —Gilberto Q. Conchas, Professor of Educational Policy and Social Context University of California, Irvine

Will You Open Your Heart and Home to Children in Need? As a teenager, Kristin Berry had heard all the horror stories surrounding foster care and adoption—abuse, neglect, rejection, anger, and misunderstandings. But instead of closing her heart, God opened it wide. This is Kristin’s honest, unvarnished story of some of her experiences as a foster parent of twenty-three children over the course of nine years. What she learned is that living in a foster home is like living with a revolving door. You never know who will arrive or who you will have to say goodbye to. Leaving the door open means there will be heartache and pain, but also adventure and unexpected joy. Kristin and her husband, Mike, have been through it all in their unique parenting journey. If you have ever wondered what it’s really like to be a foster parent, this book will help you gain a true understanding of the everyday trials and triumphs these moms and dads face. It will also inspire you to consider opening your door…and to leave it wide open.

2015 Silver Medal in the Living Now Book Awards (Children's Nonfiction) What do you think of when you see a door? Doors can lead to many places. An open door means welcome. An open door can mean an opportunity to learn something new, meet new friends, and try new activities. Each door opens to a part of you. Each door opens to all the possibilities of YOU In this unique and comforting book, young readers will walk through many metaphorical doors and explore all the different aspects that make up each of our lives: family, neighborhood, charity, friendship, education, creativity, sports, and nature. Open the Doors to You offers a gentle and playful way to expand a sense of self-awareness in children, building resilience, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Which door would you like to open first?

Eliminate Telephone terror and turn cold call to cash! Cold calling is a powerful, inexpensive and easy way to develop new contacts and expand resources. In today's market, generating new business requires planning and skill. For over 10 years, Wendy Weiss has been a marketing consultant specializing in cold calling and appointment setting.