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When Dr. Kathryn Fishman-Weaver joined the administrative team at Mizzou Academy in 2015, she immediately recognized that our school had important lessons to offer in the field of education. “Lab schools are unique sites for innovation, learning, and creativity,” says Fishman-Weaver, who remembers “being deeply humbled to serve at our school.” Over the years, her “respect for our team and what we are venturing in education has only deepened.”
This new book release—the seventh by Fishman-Weaver since joining Mizzou Academy— builds on a framework she presented in her 2018 release, Wholehearted Teaching of Gifted Young Women. The updated values-based framework offers school leaders a compass for leading for and with courage, justice, learning, and connection. The book is held by Routledge Eye on Education, a leading international publisher of education titles. Routledge calls the book “a must-read,” noting that it is “refreshingly honest and relevant” and “will make you laugh, think, notice, and prioritize what matters most in schools—students and those who support them.”
Fishman-Weaver says that one of the things she loves most about this new book is “how often Mizzou Academy is the heartbeat of this text. The lessons I’ve learned teaching, learning, and leading with this team are the fabric of so many of the stories I get to share in these pages.” In a team chat, she wrote that she thinks of the book “as a celebration of the wholehearted work our school team engages in every day.”
Mizzou Academy Stories and Expertise
In addition to her work in public schools, the book also recounts stories of Fishman-Weaver’s on-site work in Mizzou Academy partner schools in Vietnam and Brazil. Countless Mizzou Academy stories, faculty, and staff are referenced or named directly in the text, and four Mizzou Academy stakeholders worked directly with Fishman-Weaver on chapter collaborations. Angie Hammons, our director of Curriculum Development and IT and Lisa DeCastro, our Elementary Coordinator, partnered with her on a chapter about inquiry-based learning. Karen Scales, our Educational Program Coordinator, partnered with her on a chapter on school change. Alumna student, Kaci Conley (2016 graduate) also partnered with her on a chapter on inclusion for students with disabilities.
Hammons reflects on the collaborative writing process as a model of the book’s essential themes and strategies. “Working with Kathryn on the chapter [“Support Learner-Led Projects”] was a meaningful opportunity to speak into the ideas on wholehearted school leadership. Her thoughtful and collaborative approach created space for rich conversation and shared insights. It was an amazing opportunity to explore a topic that I absolutely love.”
This manner of leveraging team strengths and passions is what wholehearted leadership looks like in practice at Mizzou Academy. In the chapter titled “Progress Is a Team Process,” Scales tells what Fishman-Weaver calls “one of our defining origin stories.” Scales recounts in this chapter the paradigm shift that allowed us to launch our first Advanced Placement course in 1999. Credentialing by the College Board for an online AP course at the time was a long and sometimes arduous process. It required transformative thinking born from student initiative, informed by counselors, and built on the imagination and persistence of teachers, curriculum writers, and instructional designers. It also required unshakeable administrative support. “Being open to change in that way and trusting in our people is what makes leadership at Mizzou Academy so special,” Scales shared. “Our team speaks often about what a rare gift it is to work within a school culture where every one of us feels valued, supported, and seen.” As Scales’s anecdote and so many others from the book showcase, school leaders like Fishman-Weaver who trust their students, teachers, and staff enough to say “yes” whenever possible are the ones who make groundbreaking achievements possible.
According to DeCastro, the book’s impact is a natural product of its author’s generous spirit. “When I reflect on nearly two decades of knowing Kathryn—as a teacher, leader, and friend—countless memories come to mind: painting murals with our students, celebrating the end of the school year with pedicures and sushi, adopting her family’s beloved tuna salad recipe, and reading cherished picture books together in Oakland, São Paulo, and over Zoom. Her latest book beautifully captures the essence of her leadership. It’s a testament to how she learns from others and inspires courage, justice, and connection within school communities.”
“And So We Grow”
“And so we grow” is one of Fishman-Weaver’s catchphrases shared often at Mizzou Academy. Our school has embraced it as more than just a truth about Mizzou Academy’s international expansion under her leadership or an affirmation of our growth mindset–though it certainly is those things, too. The expression captures Fishman-Weaver’s broader philosophy that we are all learners. In Part 2 of the book, “Leading for Learning Connection,” she explains that this kind of growth “refer[s] to things that [are] harder to measure, things like problem-solving, productive struggle, and courage.” In Wholehearted School Leadership, Fishman-Weaver guides school leaders through this important work of growing together in a format that is accessible, personable, and engaging.
“You can open it to any page and find inspiration without needing to read it cover to cover,” says DeCastro. “It’s a rich collection of real stories from diverse educational settings, reflecting Kathryn’s deep belief in the power of storytelling to connect us. The title couldn’t be more fitting: Kathryn truly leads with her whole heart. Her ability to show up in both joyful and challenging times, to listen deeply, and to build meaningful relationships with students and educators alike continues to inspire me in my own teaching journey and in how I engage with my school community.”
Relationships like these, says Routledge, “are the heart of great teaching, great leadership, and our greatest predictor of achievement. … This book provides a compelling vision for the complex and evolving landscape of schools.”
Praise for Wholehearted School Leadership
Wholehearted School Leadership is already making a splash in education publishing. Jill Dunlap Brown, Founding Partner and CEO of Columbia Academy for Learning and Enrichment (CALE) Education & Company, USA, calls the book “impeccable,” and Peter Stiepleman, author and host of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, agrees: “By embracing vulnerability and fostering a culture of empathy, trust, and connection, this book offers practical insights for creating student-centered environments while navigating challenges with grace and forgiveness. It’s an essential guide for leaders who prioritize relational, heart-driven, human-centered leadership.”
Ransford Pinto, Associate Director of Graduate Pedagogy, Princeton University, USA, describes the book as “an indispensable resource for school leaders seeking to inspire meaningful change and foster team connection. Blending personal stories with a values-based framework centered on courage, justice, learning, and connection, the book offers actionable strategies that align seamlessly with the school year. As both a transformative tool for professional growth and a guide for heart-centered leadership, it empowers educators to reshape schools with purpose and impact.”
“Wholehearted School Leadership doesn’t just talk about school leadership,” says Todd Whitaker, educator and author of 65 Books. “It also models it. The chapters are filled with relatable stories, practical strategies, and impactful exercises. Whether you’re a first-year principal or a veteran school leader, this book will impact how you lead your team, support your students, and think about school. Wholehearted School Leadership is a valuable addition to your professional library.”
Shortly after its release, Fishman-Weaver gave a virtual keynote on the book at Educafest, the largest educational conference in Venezuela. Next month, she is giving another keynote and workshop on select chapters for new gifted education teachers and coordinators across Missouri.
Wholehearted School Leadership, the latest book by our Executive Director, Dr. Kathryn Fishman-Weaver is now available in bookstores everywhere.
