Undoing the Damage: Repairing a Broken School District is a book that portrays the struggles of public education in the US by telling the story of a small urban public school district facing closure by the states Department of Education based on its academic and financial performance. During the first part of the book, the author narrates his memoir as one of the main protagonists of a remarkable adventure where a school district full of minorities and economically disadvantaged students battled against the state educational system, the local politics, and its own culture in order to survive and remain open. The second part of the book discusses eight research-based lessons taken from the initial story one can use to repair a broken school district and/or create highly functional organizations.

"Portays the struggles of public education in the U.S. by telling the story of a small urban public school district facing closure by the state's Department of Education based on its academic and financial performance...The second part of the book discusses eight research-based lessons taken from the initial story one can use to repair a broken school district and/or create highly functional organizations"--Page [4] of cover

Always Look 3 Stoplights Ahead: 9 Principles for Establishing Successful Schools portrays the remarkable journey of an immigrant from Hungary who, after facing the death of his parents, along with a terrible economic depression in Europe, migrates to America, seeking a better life. Gustav’s journey is guided by nine research-based educational leadership principles learned from both his mentors and his experiences on the path. This man’s story is marked by love, struggles, learning curves, dreams, leaps of faith, an incredible desire to become an effective educator, and most importantly, the motto to always look three stoplights ahead.

The premise of this book is further substantiated because increased value has been placed upon involving parents and other family members, as well as other primary caregivers, as critical partners in the process of education in recent decades. Although the list of research-based and mandated strategies and programs is nearly endless throughout the United States of America, a few concrete examples that demonstrate the importance of these parental involvement efforts are presented here.