Riley Collins

An unflinching yet ultimately hopeful appraisal of the workplace factors that determine career risk and resilience among K–12 teachers, informed by the lessons of the COVID-19 crisis In Going the Distance, Lora Bartlett, Alisun Thompson, Judith Warren Little, and Riley Collins examine the professional conditions that support career commitment among K–12 educators--and the factors that threaten teacher retention. Drawing insight from the period of significant teacher turnover and burnout both during and beyond COVID-19 school shutdowns in the United States, the authors offer clear guidance for policies and practices that meet the needs of teachers and nourish a robust teaching workforce. The work presents vivid firsthand accounts of teaching during crisis that were captured as part of the Suddenly Distant Research Project, a longitudinal study of the experiences of seventy-five teachers in nine states over thirty months, from the school closures of spring 2020 through two full school years. The authors characterize the pandemic as a perspective-shifting experience that exposed existing structural problems and created new ones: a widespread sociopolitical framing of teaching as an occupation constrained by strict regulation and oversight, an overreliance on test-based accountability, a decline in public investment in education, and growing legislative constraints on what teachers could teach. Identifying contextual differences between teachers who left and those who persevered, the work calls for solutions--including increased teacher voice, collaborative workplace cultures, and reforming school accountability systems--that support teachers to pursue ambitious educational goals in ordinary times and equip them to respond rapidly and capably in times of crisis.

Dai had spent her entire life on the Triple-Deuce, a mining station deep inside the lawless edge of the galaxy called the Fringe. She was technically an adult, but couldn't figure out what she wanted to do with her life.Tak was from the prosperous Central Worlds. He was on the run-though he didn't know why-and was making his way through the Fringe, trying to avoid notice.When the Triple-Deuce comes under attack, Dai and Tak must work together to escape the Fringe and travel to the heart of the Central Worlds to unravel the mystery of who is chasing them and why.Can they find the truth before their pursuers find them?

Hope can be a double-edged sword.For over a year, Samsara Fleet's only goal has been surviving. While the Nasi remade the galaxy, they stayed out of sight, avoiding the enemy while building their fleet and gaining allies. They are finally ready to attack and recapture the worlds that fell to their enemy. When their first offensive uncovers a devastating surprise, they will need to change their strategy to win.Kal's elite scout team will be tasked with unlocking the secret to defeating the Nasi. He will need to overcome his depression and weariness from the war to uncover secrets hidden on the ice planet of Mariga. Nicole will have to overcome her guilt to become the leader that she knows she can be.What seems like a simple mission will become much more complex as Kal and Nicole discover how much their enemy has changed. The galaxy is fractured, but hope remains.

There is a thin line between friend and enemy in war. Earth was destroyed and Humanity left without hope. Samsara Fleet and a small group of skilled soldiers named the Skulls have restored a glimmer of that hope and have led the fight against their attackers. They've survived, but time is growing short. With each passing moment, the enemy grows stronger and their options dwindle. Brigadier General Kal Norman leads his small team to recover technology that could help change the tide of the conflict. But while retrieving this technology, they must survive a planetary civil war and infiltrate one of the most secure bases in the galaxy. Lieutenant Colonel Nicole Bergeron travels to the edges of space to seek out new allies in their fight. When she arrives, she finds that not everything is as it seems and has to use every asset at her disposal to get the help that Samsara Fleet so desperately needs. Kal and Nicole must be victorious to give Humanity a chance of winning this war. If they fail, then everything is lost.

The Samsara Fleet is the last force in the galaxy that can liberate Humanity.Kal Norman had survived. The Ukhel had sprung from nowhere, destroying entire systems and subjugating billions. Only a small fleet of Human and allied ships remained-the Samsara Fleet. It was time to strike back against this ruthless enemy. Kal will have to lead an elite group of soldiers on a mission to infiltrate one of the occupied planets.Nicole Bergeron had also survived. Although sometimes she wondered why. She had betrayed everyone she every cared about and had unwittingly helped the Ukhel. Every day, she wrestled with the guilt of what she had done. Now, Nicole would do anything to redeem herself.The enemy seeks to cement their victory, and Kal and Nicole must stop them before it is too late.

How do you win a war when you have already lost everything you cared about? Kal Norman had given up. After tragedy destroyed his life, he turned his back on everything he had known and wandered the galaxy, trying to run from a past he would rather forget. Now Humanity has been the victim of a devastating attack. Their enemy is a mystery-cunning, ruthless, and implacable. Their resources are few-with almost no ships or soldiers left to fight. Their chances are slim. Kal must accept his past and save himself in order to lead the fight to save Humanity.