The School Connection: Parents, Teachers, and School Leaders Empowering Youth for Life Success

Drawing on more than 40 years of education experience, Sapp offers guidance to help caregivers develop a proactive role in their children’s education; she advises them to connect with schools; learn the rationale behind school rules, procedures, and policies; and navigate the educational system when the need arises. The final chapter describes activities aimed at boosting self-confidence, self-esteem, resiliency, and perseverance—all of which play a crucial role in academic success. While these activities are easy to employ, this section could be improved by grouping activities by recommended age and providing accommodations for students with disabilities. Much of Sapp’s advice, such as behaving in a professional manner and becoming familiar with the school’s handbook, will seem obvious to most readers. She often leaves readers searching for more details; for instance, she offers lists of questions without guidance on what to do with the answers and alludes to online resources without providing citations.