Fearless Conversations Leaders Have to Have: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Really Help Kids

To meet the needs of today’s learners, fearless leadership is required to continually lead and support the adults who work with these learners. Many leaders lack the essential skill sets required to move stakeholders toward progress.  A challenging problem for too many leaders is how, what to, and when to collaborate well with stakeholders.  Remaining politically correct, being careful not to offend, and concentrating on getting promotions or retaining a position can often cloud the focus required to strengthen a leader’s effectiveness. 

This book hits at the very core of the academic, behavioral, and social/emotional needs of students, and would help many instructional leaders to establish a foundation from which to guide their schools to greater success, as well as teaching administrators to rely on and empower master teachers to lead the way.

Dr. Irving C. Jones, Sr., a native son of New York City’s South Bronx, spent thirty-two years in public education.  Dr. Jones received his Bachelors of Arts degree from William Penn College, Masters of Education Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Virginia, and his doctoral degree in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. 

Moving through the ranks from an English teacher to a high school principal, Dr. Jones has initiated a variety of mentorship programs for both students and teachers, and developed partnerships between private industry, community colleges, universities and the high school. Dr. Jones has been recognized as a leader on topics of educational leadership. Over the last twenty years, Dr. Jones has presented at International, national, state and local conferences on topics including: minority student achievement; dropout prevention; interdisciplinary instruction in the secondary school; supervision of instruction; teaching strategies that engage active learning; career pathways; creating collaborative teaching and learning environments in schools; students transitioning from alternative placements; the transition of 9^th graders into high school; and leadership in an age of accountability. 

Dr. Jones was selected as the 2002 Outstanding High School Principal for Virginia.  In October of 2002 Dr. Jones was named the 2003 NASSP/MetLife National Principal of the Year.  Additionally, for his dedication to education in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2003 he was awarded the Virginia Lottery’s Excellence in Education Award. His hobbies include singing in his church choir, martial arts, reading, crossword puzzles, and swimming.  He is married to his high school sweetheart Jeannette and they have one son, twenty four-year-old Irving Jr.

Vera J. Blake, president of VJ Blake and Associates, Inc. is currently an international consultant who is working as a leadership coach and professional developer for instructional improvement.  Her work has included capacity-building coaching and consulting for school improvement in schools and districts nationwide, the US Virgin Islands, Istanbul, and the Middle East. This capacity-building work included coaching school leaders; designing curriculum, instructional improvement seminars, and workshops; and working as an advisor to primary decision-makers at the school and district levels. She has extensive experience in integrating technology in curriculum design and student engagement strategies. 

In addition, she served as adjunct professor at George Mason University, Virginia Tech and the University of the District of Columbia.  As a retired high school and middle school principal from Fairfax County, Virginia, with a Master’s degree from the University of Virginia and an Ed. D. from Vanderbilt University, she was Virginia Middle School Principal of the Year, Fairfax County Principal of the Year, and Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leader.  She was a contributing author to the book, Transforming Ourselves, Transforming Schools:  Middle School Change, co-authored articles, Middle School Partnerships:  The More, the Better, Addressing Diversity Through Partnership, and authored several online articles: Building, Strengthening, and Focusing Faculty Stakeholders; Building Consensus for School Change; Teachers Can Close the Achievement Gap; and Flexibility as the Cornerstone to School Management.