Entrepreneurial Leadership

Entrepreneurial Leadership is written for K-12 educational leaders who understand their critically important role as motivators, influencers, and entrepreneurs. These are leaders who have a mindset for pursuing opportunities that positively impact their organizations. They know that they need to go beyond their own institutions to see and seize opportunities that will bring resources and services to their schools to help their students achieve. This book helps them to develop and use their entrepreneurial skills to cultivate partnerships with businesses, community organizations and individuals, and colleges/universities. General and specific guidelines are provided to initiate, develop, implement, evaluate, and sustain partnerships. Such partnerships can be with individuals, groups, institutions, organizations, and corporations at the local, regional, statewide, and national levels. Policies, procedures, and practices for effective negotiations within school systems and with potential partners are included throughout the book to promote enriched opportunities and noteworthy successes.

This book explores an important, real-life skill that all principals should possess in their toolkit.  Partnerships with outside agencies boost programs that schools can offer their students. In turn, students are provided with a rich, more advanced educational experience.  Furthermore, forming partnerships empowers all stakeholders to have a community-based mindset. This is a must read for any sitting or aspiring school leader., Dr. Wepner and Dr. Gomez provide an excellent road map for educational leaders to develop strong community, business, college and university partnerships to support the challenges facing K-12 schools.  Wepner and Gomez offer specific examples and guidelines to help leaders tap into their entrepreneurial spirit to create innovative partnerships to improve schools through increased funding, resources and help, leading to more opportunities for students and the community at large.

Shelley B. Wepner is Dean and Professor of Education in the School of Education of Manhattanville College, Purchase, New York. She has over 150 publications focused primarily on partnership connections between K-12 education and higher education and leadership skills for effectively supporting teacher education and literacy development.Diane W. Gómez is Associate Professor of Second Languages (ESOL, Bilingual and World Languages) and Chairperson for the Department of Educational Leadership and Special Subjects in the School of Education at Manhattanville College, Purchase, New York. Her research and publications focus on leadership, professional development schools, and full-service community schools.