Over 400 schools throughout the world have adopted Invitational Education to foster innovative thinking, sustained positive action, and the creation of socially and emotionally safe schools. As educators are now involved in an epic rethinking of what they do and how they do it, "Developing Inviting Schools" provides a dependable guide for improvement. Written by two of the creators of the Inviting Schools movement--Purkey and Novak--along with Joan Fretz, who works with public schools, this book updates and extends the construct of invitational learning to assist today's teachers and leaders. The authors present a simple but not simplistic framework that offers real-life responses to such challenges as faculty morale, school safety, conflict management, community involvement, student behavior, motivation, and school success. Use this resource to create, sustain, and enhance the social and emotional climate of your school. This book features: (1) A defensible theory of practice based on the community values of intentional care, respect, trust, and optimism; (2) A deep dive into the basic assumptions that guide life in schools; (3) Guidance for developing and maintaining positive school climate initiatives; (4) Practical examples of how Invitational Education works in real-life situations; and (5) A fresh and innovative approach to a positive social and emotional learning environment.