Rally Round the Flagpole

When Donna Snively Hulsey found out in July 1989 that she'd be the first principal of a state-of-the-art elementary school, she teamed up with the community and got to work.

It didn't matter that the school in Jacksonville, Florida, would not open until the fall of 1990: Before the first steel girder of Alimacani Elementary School was erected, the community began to spread a positive image of the school.

Within seven years of opening, the school was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School and a National Safe and Drug-Free School, and accordingly was honored twice by the president of the United States at the White House.

Redbook magazine named Alimacani the top school in Florida for its "uncompromising commitment to excellence in school and community partnerships." Three Alimacani teachers were individually tapped as Duval Teacher of the Year, Florida Physical Education Teacher of the Year, and Florida Media Specialist of the Year.

Whether you're a parent, an educator wanting to fix problems at an existing school or establish a solid foundation at a new one, or a concerned citizen working on behalf of children, you'll find a blueprint for educational success in Rally Round the Flagpole.

Donna Snively Hulsey is an award-winning principal who has served America and its youth as a teacher, principal, and regional director in the Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Florida. She has also taught undergraduate and graduate level courses. She has two children, five grandchildren, and lives in Jacksonville with her husband.