"Provides administrators with unique and doable ideas to get the school year off to an excellent start! Once again, Diane Hodges has compiled initiatives from schools all over the country into a valuable resource tool. Thank you!" -- Pauline F. Anderson, Principal
"A plethora of fun and exciting activities sure to bring a smile to even the grumpiest staff member's face." -- Kathy Finnerty, Curriculum Specialist
"True to form, Hodges once again provides administrators with superb ways to support and encourage a wonderful, nurturing culture in our buildings. The beginning of the year is the perfect time to have fun and focus as you welcome staff back and greet new staff members. Though these activities are fun, their underlying purpose is important, one of collaboration, respect, trust, and getting to know one another. Throughout the year, this book offers numerous opportunities for faculties of all sizes to interact with one another. For new and experienced administrators, this book is a treasure chest of ideas just waiting for you to use!" -- Tess W. Blumenthal, Principal
"Great ideas for energizing veteran staff and welcoming new members of the team. As the year progresses, it is important to keep staff focused and encouraged. Hodges includes activities that can be used throughout the school year. Our district has experienced a high rate of teacher turnover the past two years, and helping the staff bond as a team is critical for the success of our students. This book provides a wide range of activities that will fit the budget of any school district and help teachers rekindle the excitement that is needed to make a school year the best one yet!" -- Alease Copelin, Counselor
"This book has examples of what school administrators and the staff can do to keep our own attitudes positive, so we can do the same for our students and their families. I will also adapt some ideas for use in my classroom and post the quotes for discussion with my students." -- Margaret Dacko, Seventh-Grade Science Teacher
"Hodges shares such practical and innovative ideas for making 'fun' of the hard work we do! Her ideas will be used with our administrative council to motivate and reward them for what they do, and to model how they can take these ideas back to their own staff. I'll be buying this book for each of them as a back-to-school gift for their professional libraries!" -- Julie Germann, Assistant Superintendent
"In my extremely busy schedule, I sometimes struggle with creative ideas during the year to help motivate and encourage my teachers. Hodges has given me so many, all I have to do is look! Thank you!" -- Lori Graham, Principal
"Getting a very large staff to work as a team can be a daunting task. Hodges' book is filled with unique ideas that make what sometimes seems an impossible task effortless. Her ideas promote cooperation, collaboration, and FUN. Improving the climate of the school is paramount to cooperation among staff members and, more important, to the success of the students. This is a must-read!" -- Sandy Hamke, Teacher
"In my 25 years experience, I have found that a positive school climate goes a long way in creating synergy in the school community. Schools will experience new energy if they incorporate the ideas and offerings in this book." -- Robin Harvel, School Health and Wellness Coordinator
"Our job as instructional leaders is to inspire, energize, excite, and guide our staff on the path to student success. When a staff has fun, they can do amazing things and gain confidence. When I received this book, I was immediately excited about what I could start doing right away to set the tone for a great school year. This book will stay out on my desk for quick reference as I choose to celebrate daily the successes of my students and staff. Thank you for pulling together a great tool to inspire those who lead so they can in turn inspire others!" -- Elaine Hassemer, Principal
"Wow! Once again, Hodges has inspired me! Her words in the first chapter really struck a chord with me. What a wake-up call to not only like what I do, but show appreciation to those who go above and beyond for this school. The ideas are refreshing and have stimulated me to put together a calendar of FUNdraisers for the entire school year!" -- Karen Koehn, Guidance Counselor
"I have been using Diane Hodges' ideas for four years now, and every one has been a hit. Keep those great ideas coming!" -- Mary Laigle, Assistant Principal
"I love Diane Hodges' books! I own them all and use them regularly! Great ideas for motivating school personnel." -- Vicki Lewis, Principal
"What I love about Hodges' books is that they have ideas for every situation and every budget. Best of all, the ideas can be modified to work with any occasion." -- Deb Macklin, Secretary
"Teachers, faculty, and staff members work inordinately hard for a simple does of appreciation. Diane Hodges sets forth a multitude of dynamic, refreshing, and investigative ideas that really allow you to get to know your team members. The book is packed with straightforward, immediate, useful initiatives that are perfect for letting your staff members know that you appreciate them on a regular basis. This is an easy, quick-read book that you will not want to be without!" -- Jim Moeder, Principal
"I have all of Diane Hodges' books and refer to them every day for ideas and quotes. The books provide a wealth of information." -- Karen R. Peterson, Principal
"Hodges highlights the importance of cultivating a positive school staff climate. In this age of high-stakes testing and increased accountability, administrators need to accentuate the positive to their staff whenever they have a chance. This book offers many fun and easy suggestions to praise, laugh, and celebrate as a staff together. I enjoyed reading this book for ideas that I could use immediately with my staff. The book also confirmed to me that my efforts toward yearly themes, notes of praise, and little positives that I try to offer my staff each day matter and should continue. You will enjoy this book!" -- Mike Pinto, Principal
"Hodges' books are always filled with wonderful ideas to use with the school staff. The books are an easy read and a great reference to keep on my office shelves. I go to them regularly when we are celebrating a holiday, special event, or when the teachers just need a little boost. Her suggestions have helped draw my staff closer as we laugh and celebrate together." -- Debbie Sanders, Principal
"Inspires teachers and administrators to 'have a great day' through Hodges' collection of positive thoughts on how to have fun in the workplace! The book shares a wealth of creative ideas that all educators can share immediately with their faculty, staff, and parents. It will make new and aspiring principals better administrators." -- Jean Smith, Professional Development Director
"There are so many good ideas that it is hard to name just one or two as the best. I've used several, and every time I read this book, I find about ten more that I plan to put into action. Thanks for the great ideas that make work fun!" -- Doris Waddell, Principal
"Hodges gives fresh, fun, and staff-friendly ideas to improve collaboration and school culture. This book goes hand in hand with one of Fullan's six secrets of change: love your employees. I love and use all of Hodges' books!" -- Mary Wiedeman, Principal
"Wow, these ideas are the best yet. What I like best is that these ideas all come from real school experiences. Positive reinforcement and fun activities have made all the difference in the world with my staff." -- Janet Word, Principal
"As with her other wonderful books, Hodges has written an astounding resource with brilliant ideas for welcoming back staff and activities to bring cohesiveness to our staffs. I have used her ideas in the past and my staff loved each one! I am thrilled to be planning a new year where I can incorporate some of these fresh new ideas! I am pumped just from reading them and am anxious to put them into action!" -- Karen Wood, Elementary Principal
"Thank you for collecting such wonderful team-building activities and putting them all in one resource." -- Dana Oatley, Director of Early Childhood Education and Title Programs
"A wonderful resource for team building, climate uplifting, and fun-filled, goal-oriented ideas and activities for school families! I couldn't help making notes to myself along the margins of each page as I thought about each idea and how it might fit with our school. This is a great tool for supporting teamwork and collaboration as we focus on accomplishing our goals together" -- Mary Nardo, Principal
"My staff has so enjoyed the different activities and fun celebrations that I have religiously used over the past two years from Looking Forward to MORE Monday Mornings that they know I care deeply for them. Again, Hodges has created yet another success to help all of us enjoy our work more!" -- Ann R. Tilton, Principal
"While inundated with administrivia and other tasks that seem to consume those of us in the trenches, on my desk will be this endearing, uplifting tome Hodges has put together! The numerous activities, ideas, and templates are easy to replicate and share with our staffs. The good things that abound in our classrooms will now be extended throughout the school, hallways and offices not excluded. This should be required summer reading for administrators, seasoned and neophyte, young and old. Two thumbs up from this educator!" -- Jill Clark, Assistant Principal
"Hodges' book condenses great ideas into a useable package an new principal would appreciate! These ideas make maintaining a fun and positive climate in the school easy!" -- Amy Moyer, Principal/Director of Federal Programs
