Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids
A Step-by-Step Process that Empowers Frustrated Parents to Innovate Education
About the book
Written by three-time micro-school founder Dr. Maureen O’Shaughnessy, Creating Micro-Schools for Our Colorful Mismatched Kids: A Step-by-Step Process that Empowers Frustrated Parents to Create a Micro-School for Our Unique Children will guide you through this process. If you are a parent or educator, Part One will resonate as you hear your story echoed in the description of our broken system, diverse and colorful kids, and hope through tribes of caring adults creating micro-schools. Part Two tells you in detail the seven steps you need to open a transformative micro-school in less than a year. Part Three tells you how the author has done these steps herself in her Seattle micro-school. Worksheets are provided to help you create your Action Plan and start your micro-school.
The next seven years of school will pass for our tweens and teens. Wishing these years to be positive is not enough. Don’t miss the opportunity to make them the best possible. Read this book. Get your tribe activated. Join the Micro-School Coalition. Open your micro-school and be a part of the micro-school community that is transforming education for our youth!
Advanced praise
for Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids
“Maureen is one of the great pioneers of the growing microschool movement. Her excellent book is based on real-world experience building a top-notch microschool from the ground up. As someone who’s seen so many founders struggle to get their microschools off the ground, I can’t recommend this book highly enough to avoid their mistakes!”
— Tory Gattis
Founder of Microschool Revolution and the Journey of Heroes app to help families discover and co-create learning adventures for kids
“Maureen has taken the proverbial bull by the horns in creating a relevant, viable, and effective solution for every student, every parent, every teacher – everyone who is sick and tired of the one size fits all, traditional, factory-model school system. Her creative and tenacious spirit lives in the success of every student in her school. I am going to insist that my entire faculty and Board of Trustees must read this book – it is that compelling and brilliant! A blueprint for creating 21st century schools.”
— Dr. Jorge O. Nelson
Director of Balboa Academy, Panama City, Panama
“In telling the story of LEADPrep, Maureen O’Shaughnessy makes the clear case and provides a how-to guide for micro-schools. But it’s much more than that. She issues a clear challenge and call for all schools to imagine how much more they could be.”
— Mark Crotty
Executive Director, Northwest Association of Independent Schools
“Maureen has been incredible to work with! I have been consulting with her during my endeavors to form STRIDE. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable, but is kind, passionate, and encouraging. I am amazed and inspired by all she has accomplished with her own successful micro-school, LEADPrep, and how she desires to help others be successful, too.”
— Whitney Sapp
Founder of STRIDE Christian Academy
About the author
Maureen O’Shaughnessy, EdD, is a career school innovator with over 30 years of transforming learning in schools to better serve all students. She is the founding director of Leadership Preparatory Academy, a progressive micro-school in Washington State. With a master’s degree in educational administration and a doctorate degree in educational leadership, she has an extensive understanding of the components needed to transform the education system.
Dr. O’Shaughnessy has served as head of school and principal internationally in countries such as Kuwait, Hungary, and Ecuador. Weaving in a strong emphasis on service and leadership at each school, she has been a change agent across the globe. Dr. O’Shaughnessy has dedicated her career to promoting compassionate, innovative, and responsive learning models so that all students can thrive. She is happily married and has two wonderful adult daughters–Jadrian and Giana–who are muses and teachers along her journey.