Author: Charter School Capital

This virtual event offers tons of value to anyone involved in the charter school movement. There will be tracks appealing to any role in education, from remote learning to equity and inclusion, from leveraging ESSER funds to facility financing, from teacher recruitment to board succession.

The conference kicks off Monday, June 21st, with a session on culturally responsive teaching, a session on building and sustaining community, and an intriguing panel challenging the one-teacher-one-classroom model of schooling.

There’s also a panel aimed at closing the education gap affecting middle-schoolers due to COVID-19 and a great breakout session on seizing the opportunities digital teaching has shown us during the pandemic.

We’ll be engaging in a spirited conversation about charter school facility financing at 8:00 am-8:45 am on Monday.

Also, on Monday morning, there’ll be a breakout session on the ways schools can foster a sense of belonging in students and ways to prioritize students with disabilities. Other breakouts will focus on student engagement and on the future of online learning.

All of this before 9:00 am!

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Charter School Capital sessions:

Tuesday, June 21 at 1:00 am ET
The Secret Sauce: Charter School Enrollment Marketing
Tuesday, June 22 at 10:00 am ET
Help is Here: Putting COVID-Relief Funds to Work
Tuesday, June 22 at 3:30 pm ET
Facilities Financing + No-Cost Bond Alternative
Wednesday, June 23 at 12:00 pm ET
The Secret Sauce: Charter School Facilities Financing

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At 9:00 am, Dr. Priscilla Chan will deliver the opening keynote, focusing on student and teacher needs post-COVID-19.

Throughout Monday, several exciting panels and breakouts will follow, from the role of Black institutions in the charter school movement to solutions for reaching homeless students. In addition, there will be a breakout session on teaching computer science and an intriguing panel called ‘Moral Courage: The No-Shaming Approach to Antiracism and Inclusion.’

On Monday afternoon, a breakout on charter schools as true community anchors has our attention. We at Charter School Capital have long believed in the role of charter schools as hubs of stability and support for families.

Also on Monday afternoon, there will be a showing of the film ‘Girl Rising‘ – featuring powerful stories about courageous girls around the world.

On Tuesday, there will be a panel on learning loss prevention, a breakout on opening a new charter, tackling COVID-related depression in kids, a panel on LGBTQ+ students and allies, a breakout on charter school marketing, and a great panel called “Not Going Back to Normal.”

Additionally, Kairos Academies will lead a panel on personalized learning, two panels on Social-Emotional Learning, a panel on raising money for your school, and a breakout on enrollment marketing.

Dr. Miguel Cardona is scheduled to speak on Tuesday at 11:00 am. His speech is titled ‘Celebrating Educator Excellence.’

On Tuesday afternoon there will be a session on parent engagement, a breakout for startup charter schools, a breakout on online tutoring, a celebration on 30 years of charter schools. 

These are just some of the exciting sessions we’re looking forward to attending. The 2021 National Conference promises to be an information-packed event with something for everyone. We hope to see you there!

Visit Our Booth at NCSC21

Inspirational Teachers - Mr. Adam Fleischer
Since 2017, Charter School Capital has held an annual essay contest celebrating exceptional teachers. We call it the Dewey Awards, in celebration of Mr. Richard Dewey – a teacher who provided exceptional mentorship to our founder and CEO Stuart Ellis. Every year we get a brilliant selection of stories written by students from charter schools all over the nation. This year’s winners are featured here. But each of these stories is worth sharing.
This week we bring you two stories, both honoring the same teacher: Mr. Adam Fleischer of Kihei Charter School. One was written by McKade Fasel and one by Felix Daniel Velasquez.

Sent by McKade Fasel

Mr. Adam is a High school humanities (ELA and Democracy) teacher. Mr. Adam has inspired me so much in life. He has inspired me to do my best in life. He has an extremely charismatic personality that just can’t be replicated by other teachers. All of my peers and I love him. He knows how to be serious and fun at the same time. If there is anybody you want to see happy it is him. He is so cool.

He was the first teacher in our entire school to use Discord. One of the reasons why he is so cool is because he gives us opportunities to do extra credit. Because of this, I have a 107 in his class which is an A+. This just proves that he wants to see us succeed. He changed who I am. Before being in his class, I used to have C+ and B-’s for grades. Now, I have 100s in ELA. This is because he makes the work super easy to pass. I am really thankful for how much effort he has put into us.

A few years ago, he used to work as an EA (educational assistant). An EA is someone who goes around making sure the teachers have a little bit of help when teaching the kids. EA’s have to love working with kids and Mr. Adam did that so well. EA’s usually do simple jobs like Recces monitor (interacting and engaging with the kids while they play). Mr. Adam Impressed those above him so well, they put him in the ranks of a teacher. Speaking of ranking, our school has a rather unofficial ranking system. It goes like this: EA, Teacher, Principal, and then at the very top is the Head of the school. The reason why we have a head of school above the Principal is because our school is a K-12 school. There are three divisions: Elementary (K-5), Middle (6-8), and High (9-12). Even though it sounds big, Our school has about 1,500 students. That is to give you perspective on just how many teachers there are.

Sent by Felix Daniel Velasquez

In the beginning, this school proved to be a challenge, but I could not have gotten the opportunities to find my future without my teachers. In this unsuspecting, gnarling situation, these people helped me learn the aspects of how to process information and how to move on with life. I believe a multitude of teachers and educators have helped me during these times as my life could not have changed without their help. My teachers have opened the door of knowledge for subjects like current events, technological knowledge, coronavirus, and most importantly 21st-century skills.

At the beginning of the school year, my educators opened the gate for opportunities that are occurring in our generation. These opportunities are known as current events. I used current events in Humanities (Language Arts and History), and Biology. One instance of my knowledge of current events is the California Apple Fire that was raging in August. The fire has since been put out long ago, but at the time was a cause for concern. It was caused at a local gas station by a car engine and since then burned around 25,000 acres. This assignment was for Mr. Adam Fleischer. Another instance of current events being acknowledged was when I wrote the final essay for the book The Hate You Give. To sum it up, this book’s theme is based on police brutality and racism. Similar real-life instances like the George Floyd and Breanna Taylor incidents correlate with the theme in The Hate You Give, all involving police brutality and their actions not being held accountable towards them.

Our essay was to state our opinions on the book and how the main idea of the book relates to real-life instances. The final instance of this topic being displayed is the current event assignments/presentation for biology class. The current events were based on scientific studies or theories that were published in the year 2020. For example, one of my most recent current events was based on CRISPR, a gene-editing tool that is still in the works. It states how an engineer could make a faster, more efficient way of COVID testing. The engineer, Doudna, tested COVID-19 with SARS-CoV-2. The results were nearly identical at around 93% and reported a minuscule value of false positives. This assignment was for Mrs. Wilson. Therefore, these educators have changed my life by opening the door to current events that prepare me for what’s cooking in the outside world. Another topic that caught my attention was technical knowledge.

During this unprecedented time, many schools decided to go virtual rather than in-person education. Because of this, students across the nation would have to learn how to use computers and other devices associated with zoom conferencing and google classroom. Mr. Hazlet was essentially an aid support because he introduced multiple technological tools such as chrome extensions and PIXLR. He has also taught students that are new to zoom on how the video conferencing software operated. Since most of the work in the Kihei Charter is now on Google Classroom, the most important aspect my educators have taught my classmates and I was the mechanics of Google Classroom. I turn in a plethora of assignments using google classroom and especially my digital portfolio which was created on a site known as Weebly, where I also made an educational website based on the Scoville scale. Numerous other programs like Google Docs, Slides, Sheets and Jamboards were also important tools that came in handy when it comes to virtual assignments.

All things considered, educators from Kihei Charter School have changed my life because they have provided me with the assets necessary to learn during this dangerous time.

Today, one of the well-known events unfolding during this time is the coronavirus pandemic. When it all began, schools closed, businesses shut down and filed for bankruptcy and the unemployment rate reached an all-time high. The whole world entered a state of fear and paranoia. In biology class, we are talking about genetics which is now further simplified to the molecular structures essential to all life as we know it. During this outbreak, it is highly encouraged that you are educated about the coronavirus. Coronavirus mainly spreads through the air via airborne droplets as it binds to a receptor in your cells with a substance called DPP4 to release its RNA into your body’s cells. This then causes the cell to create more copies of the virus. Therefore, it is very important to stay safe at this time which also means to protect yourself from the virus by avoiding contact with those who are infected and to avoid large gatherings. Part of staying safe also includes staying healthy as my health teacher Coach Jerry assigned material via Acellus on how to stay healthy and fit and avoid drug abuse.

Mrs. Wilson has also assigned a multitude of assignments so we can understand this topic better such as the upcoming coronavirus project and current event assignments particularly focused on coronavirus. Taking everything into consideration, teachers I could trust from my school have changed my life by providing me with some information on the coronavirus and most importantly, how to stay safe. The most important aspect is 21st-century skills as there is a whole wide world full of possibilities and you can only expect the unexpected. To get us ready for what we will face in our long-term careers and goals are the 21st-century skills, the algorithm of Kihei Charter School.

These skills are essential to school and long term careers because it is most commonly referred to in careers like in the medical field. For instance, one skill requires a student to keep track of their learning needs and to have goals. This is important because the student would know to be prepared for the outside world. Another way I used the 21st-century skills will be in a plethora of projects such as the model congress bill project and the coronavirus project for biology.

These assignments also conform to Interpersonal skills as these projects require peer evaluation in order to move forward. For example, I have reviewed other student’s work samples with details such as being less vague on their topics. This comes to show you how important it is to have the ability to acknowledge and use 21st-century skills to your advantage. Taking everything into consideration, educators from my school have made it possible for me to adapt to this school because they provided the tools and practice for what’s kicking on my bucket list. I believe that teachers were important during this unprecedented time because they catered to my needs for the future. With the help of numerous educators at Kihei Charter School, my new knowledge had an impact on my daily life as a whole. For instance, because of the new technology being applied to the overall schoolwork, I have adapted and learned how to use technology to my advantage in this gnarling situation. This conforms to one of the 21st-century skills, Information Skills. Speaking of which, the educators have also provided the materials necessary for future development. An example of this would be the digital portfolio I used for a student-led conference. Based on the information provided by my educators, I have made a final decision on who helped me out the most to help me succeed and prepare for the future.

Taking everything into consideration, I believe Mr. Hazlet was the most helpful of all my educators because he provided the materials needed to not only do assignments virtually but to also help plan for my future by providing me with the basics to create a portfolio.

Inspirational Teachers: Mrs. Dunn - Lahaina Intermediate School
Since 2017, Charter School Capital has held an annual essay contest celebrating exceptional teachers. We call it the Dewey Awards, in celebration of Mr. Richard Dewey – a teacher who provided exceptional mentorship to our founder and CEO Stuart Ellis. Every year, we get a brilliant selection of stories written by students from charter schools all over the nation. This year’s winners are featured here. But each of these stories is worth sharing.
This week, we bring you a story written by Tara Zamani about Mrs. Krystal Dunn of Lahaina Intermediate School.

Mrs. Dunn - Lahaina Intermediate SchoolI never liked math and deep down believed I could never be good at this subject. I was always reluctant to take math classes. When I transferred to a new school in eighth grade, I was placed into the honors algebra class. I was very behind academically in algebra because I hadn’t taken pre-algebra the previous year. I was nervous but my biggest problem was that I had low self-esteem about my math skills. I requested the textbook my peers had completed the previous year from my teacher, Mrs. Dunn. I disciplined myself and with the help of my mom, I was able to complete the whole textbook within two weeks.

Mrs. Dunn was impressed with my work and started helping me grow. I quickly became fond of Mrs. Dunn’s kind soul and started spending most of my free time in her classroom. Mrs. Dunn would push me to try harder to succeed. I could feel that she believed in me.

Toward the end of the second quarter of school, Mrs. Dunn started a math club. For the first time, I was excited about doing math and taking it as an extracurricular activity. She had turned a class I dreaded, into a place I wanted to spend all my time in. Math club was difficult but as the president, I pushed myself to work hard. Through her math programs, I was able to surpass many of my classmates who I was struggling to keep up with at the beginning of the semester. I was even acknowledged as algebra student of the year at eighth-grade graduation.

Mrs. Dunn’s class showed me that I have the ability to work hard and dedicate myself to my academics. I am very fortunate to have had such a lovely teacher who believed in my abilities. I hope I can meet more people like her on my journey of life.

Tara Zamani
Inspirational Teachers - Marc Del Rossi
Since 2017, Charter School Capital has held an annual essay contest celebrating exceptional teachers. We call it the Dewey Awards, in celebration of Mr. Richard Dewey – a teacher who provided exceptional mentorship to our founder and CEO Stuart Ellis. Every year, we get a brilliant selection of stories written by students from charter schools all over the nation. This year’s winners are featured here. But each of these stories is worth sharing.
This week, we bring you a story written by Bevin Theodore, from The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. The piece is about his teacher Mr. Marc Del Rossi, at Voorhees Middle School.

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It has been said that people fear public speaking more than death. Combine that fear with an introverted nature and a hearty dose of middle school awkwardness, and you get a clear picture of my eighth-grade self. I rarely even raised my hand in class, so I would have done anything to avoid standing in front of a room and expounding on a topic.

For years, I successfully stayed out of the spotlight, content to let my more gregarious peers command the podium. And then I walked into Marc Del Rossi’s language arts classroom. As he eagerly talked about the public speaking opportunities we would have in his course, I sank in my chair, hoping perhaps he would overlook me when doling out speech assignments.

I would love to say I became comfortable with public speaking that year. In actuality, it never got easier for me. Sweaty palms, rapid heartbeat, and shaking voice were the hallmarks of my speaking attempts. I was terrified, and I hated every minute of it. But as I moved through high school and college and ventured into the working world, I realized Mr. Del Rossi had planted a seed. I did not enjoy public speaking, but I could hear his words in the back of my mind any time I found myself in front of a room. I was acutely aware of my posture, the power of eye contact, and the importance of pausing to gather my thoughts to avoid peppering my speech with filler words.

As I recalled those lessons I was not prepared to learn at the age of 13, I gained confidence and found my voice. I started saying yes to opportunities to speak at work and in the community. The fear of public speaking never fully abates, but I have found ways to turn it into positive energy. More than 25 years after I left Mr. Del Rossi’s classroom, I am an active member of a local Toastmasters chapter, a true testament to the inspiration he shared in his classroom.

AB 1316 Fails to Pass the State Assembly

Last week AB 1316 was placed on the inactive file by the author on the Assembly Floor. Being placed on the inactive file means the measure will not move forward this year. The bill faced a Friday legislative deadline, the house of origin deadline. By June 4th all Assembly bills needed to be voted out of the Assembly and all Senate bills needed to be voted out of the Senate.

AB 1316 was an anti-charter school measure carried by Assembly member Patrick O’Donnell, the Chair of the Assembly’s Education Committee. In addition to numerous anti-charter school provisions, the measure would have also changed independent study law in the state and imposed new auditing standards on all schools. It was opposed by every charter school organization in the state as well as hundreds of charter schools. Mr. O’Donnell claimed the measure was about accountability but he drafted the measure without input from administrators, teachers, parents or students. We have seen him do this before with prior charter school legislation and will see it again from him in the future.

As AB 1316 moved from the Assembly Appropriations Committee to the Assembly Floor the level of opposition ramped up and legislative offices were swamped with calls, emails and letters raising serious concerns about the bill. The administration also amended their education trailer bill to extend the current moratorium on non-classroom based charter schools for three more years. This was a clear sign from the administration that they did not want to see AB 1316 reach the Governor’s desk.

These factors ultimately led to Mr. O’Donnell not being able to get 41 of his colleagues to vote for his bill on the Assembly Floor.

Though the moratorium was extended, defeating AB 1316 was a major victory for education reform advocates. It follows a victory from 2020 when the charter community came together to stop AB 2990 on the Floor of the Assembly and represents what we can accomplish with our collective voices.

Since 2021 is the first year of the two-year legislative cycle Mr. O’Donnell will have the month of January 2022 to move the bill to the State Senate. Under legislative rules all measures that failed the house of origin deadline will have that opportunity to move onto the other house. We will ask you to stay vigilant and will keep you posted on new education developments in the future.

Mary Dillon - Portfolio Asset Manager, Charter School Capital
Before coming onboard at Charter School Capital, Mary Dillon spent many years in commercial and industrial real estate in her home country of Ireland and the United States. Mary combines her academic background in accounting and business management and her many years in real estate in her current Portfolio Asset Manager position at CSC.

Growing up, Mary wanted to be a teacher. In Ireland, a high grade in advanced Gaelic is a strict requirement for educators. Mary was fluent in German, French, and English but wasn’t drawn to Gaelic. Her Gaelic became a barrier to becoming a teacher.

In college, Mary chose to pursue Accounting and Finance, eventually earning both a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a master’s degree in Finance.

After graduating, she decided she did not want to be an Accountant. Instead, she chose to work in real estate. She got a job with one of the biggest real estate companies in Dublin. And for the last twenty years, her career continued to focus on commercial and industrial real estate.

In Mary’s view, it was the right choice. She loved how relationship-driven her work was and how it allowed her to use her analytical skills to help clients. For over a decade, Mary worked in real estate brokering, acquisitions, dispositions. During the recession in 2009, she transitioned to the Asset Management side, where her accounting background allowed her to shine.

In 2009, Mary’s family faced a significant life change. Her husband had to relocate to the United States for work, and the whole family made the move.

Mary got a real estate license in the U.S., which was not easy. She had to learn new procedures and approaches, along with memorizing new laws. However, Mary found herself working with institutional clients who owned property worldwide, such as CBRE. And in this context, she brought a welcomed global perspective to her work.

In 2016, Mary found herself at another crossroads. She was working long hours with two kids in school and a husband whose work demanded a lot of travel. Mary was ready for a change.

A recruiter brought her an opportunity at Charter School Capital, and she thought, “I don’t know anything about charter schools! But you know what, I’ve moved my whole family across the ocean when I didn’t know one person in America. I learned to drive on the other side of the road and all the ins and outs of real estate in America. I can learn this.”

Two months later, she started working at Charter School Capital, and four years on, she still finds joy and fulfillment in her work.

“What I love about Charter School Capital is that your ideas are all welcomed, that your ideas are heard. That you can suggest a new way of doing things and it will be received. I’ve been in big companies where this is the one way to do it, the one way it’s always been. I love that you can suggest better ways, more efficient ways to do things, and your voice is heard.”

Mary echoes many other employees in talking about the things that make CSC so unique. The diverse viewpoints and personalities in the company, the way everyone rolls up their sleeves to get things done. The way work is recognized.

“One of the key things I value the most is that there is a mission behind everything we do. I’m not clocking in to make rich people more affluent, and I’m clocking in to make schools more successful. Ultimately, we help create good learning environments for over 1.5 million students.”

Mary Dillon and Family

As a portfolio asset manager, Mary oversees the company’s facilities – the real estate. She manages the tenant relationships, and it’s her job to ensure the tenants are happy, rents are paid, and that the buildings are well maintained.

It’s part of Mary’s job to have honest, candid conversations with the school leaders. If a school is struggling with enrollment, that means the school may get in trouble down the line. Before they get behind on their rent, it’s up to Mary to get them the help they may need to correct course and improve the situation.

As schools coped with the pandemic in the past few months, Mary has found relationships have gotten stronger. She formed close bonds with her clients as human beings. While on the one hand, the COVID-19 crisis has kept us all isolated (Mary used to visit schools a lot – she hasn’t seen schools physically in eighteen months). On the other hand, she talks on Zoom with her clients all the time. As schools experienced hardships, many have reached out to Mary, asking, “What do we do now?” It has been rewarding to be able to help.

In working with educators, Mary finds that most are amazing idealists, have a compassionate side, and know so much about education. In terms of business knowledge, there’s a range.

Some school leaders bring business acumen, and some are less knowledgeable about the consequences of a burst pipe or about deadlines to pay taxes. And in almost every case, they tend to be intensely focused on their educational goals and the day-to-day of school management, and it’s harder to get them to focus on logistical aspects of their school building. And this is an area where Mary feels the partnership with Charter School Capital leads to success. By keeping our focus on the school’s financial sustainability, we help safeguard their mission.

“In our organization, we have experts in school management, we have finance experts, and we have strong expertise in real estate. I have a strong background in asset management, and I understand this unique niche. I’m also a mom with two teenagers in school. I can tell you that we, as a company, take the time to understand the schools. And we put schools first.”

Inspirational Teachers - Mrs. Clack
Since 2017, Charter School Capital has held an annual essay contest celebrating exceptional teachers. We call it the Dewey Awards, in celebration of Mr. Richard Dewey – a teacher who provided exceptional mentorship to our founder and CEO Stuart Ellis. Every year, we get a brilliant selection of stories written by students from charter schools all over the nation. This year’s winners are featured here. But each of these stories is worth sharing.
This week we bring you a story written by Devon Clausell, celebrating Mr. Clack and all the teachers of Genesee STEM Academy.

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The teacher that made a difference in my life was all of my teachers. They told me that I should always be one step ahead than everyone. They taught my class about life and school at the same time. Told us the hardships, work, college, and getting a job. They mentioned life is not a game it shouldn’t be played as one. They said we should follow our dreams make it realistically possible and don’t let anyone say “you can’t”, because we can.

Anything is possible when you put the work, time, and effort into it. Grind while you’re young so you can do whatever you want once you reach 30+. I believe them, they want us to peruse our goal regardless of what anyone thinks. It gives me the motivation to keep going, to keep moving forward no matter what.

All of my past teachers taught me a valuable lesson about life. I did not choose one teacher specifically, because all of my teachers played a part to help me.

My teachers really changed my mindset over the years. It has helped me mature as a person quicker than others.

Inspirational Teachers - Mrs. Brown

Since 2017, Charter School Capital has held an annual essay contest celebrating exceptional teachers. We call it the Dewey Awards, in celebration of Mr. Richard Dewey – a teacher who provided exceptional mentorship to our founder and CEO Stuart Ellis. Every year, we get a brilliant selection of stories written by students from charter schools all over the nation. This year’s winners are featured here. But each of these stories is worth sharing.
This week, we bring you a story written by Sejal Darsi that celebrates Ms. Brown of Queen City STEM School.

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Hello, My name is Sejal Darsi and I am in the 3rd grade at Queen City Stem School in Charlotte, North Carolina. I would like to tell about my teacher Ms. Brown.

I love having Ms. Brown as my teacher this year. This is because I can understand her teaching easily. My teacher answers all of my questions and she is patient. She has encouraged me to work hard to achieve my goals. She is very helpful to all the students who may not know something. She explains everything in detail so that I and all other students are motivated to complete all the tasks in the class. Now, I am going to tell how Ms. Brown changed me.

Inspirational Teachers - Mrs. Brown with her student, Sejal Darsi
Mrs. Brown with her student, Sejal Darsi

Ms. Brown gave me a hard problem in math. I solved it fast and I checked after I submitted my answer, but it was incorrect. I learned from my teacher that I always have to check back and look over my work before I submit my final answer. We also have this “Fun Friday” concept in my class. Fun Friday is a reward for the students who participate and complete their homework and tasks on time. One Friday I did not complete my assignment and I missed the fun Friday. My teacher explained and asked me to complete the homework first. My teacher encourages me to complete my assignments on time because I am supposed but it is also nice to get rewarded.

From that day I make sure that I am checking daily and trying to complete all assignments on time. One more thing I learned from my teacher is that I have to share my knowledge with other students who need help in the class. I loved to be a leader in the class, so I participate actively.

My teacher’s words always motivate me to help my friends and family.

My family is from India and my parents used to tell me below Shloka (Poetic form used in Sanskrit language) about the teacher.

Guru Brahma (Teacher represents Lord Brahma – Lord Brahma is creator of the universe)
Guru Vishnu (Teacher represents Lord Vishnu – Lord Vishnu is preserver)
Guru Devo Maheswaraha (Teacher represents Lord Shiva – Lord Shiva is evil destroyer)
Guru Sakshaath para Brahma ( We have to see the Lord in our Teacher) Tasmaishri Guravenamaha (I bow to that true teacher)

Sloka Meaning: The Teacher is the living representative of the supreme being. He/she gives me knowledge and destroys ignorance.
I salute such a true teacher. I would like to thank her for teaching me in 3rd grade.

I really want Ms. Brown to be my teacher for upcoming grades and because I want to learn more things from her. I love her so much. I am really happy for getting this opportunity and grateful for submitting my story about my teacher.

Inspirational Teachers - Ashleigh Lanzone
Since 2017, Charter School Capital has held an annual essay contest celebrating exceptional teachers. We call it the Dewey Awards, in celebration of Mr. Richard Dewey – a teacher who provided exceptional mentorship to our founder and CEO Stuart Ellis. Every year, we get a brilliant selection of stories written by students from charter schools all over the nation. This year’s winners are featured here. But each of these stories is worth sharing.
This week we bring you a story written by Christopher Harley about Ms. Ashleigh Lanzone of Monroe Charter Academy in Monroe, NC.

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Pamela Smith: Hi, my name is Pamela Smith and this is my grandson, Christopher Harley. Christopher, can you give us a little background about you?
Christopher Harley: Yeah, so like she said, I’m Christopher Harley. I’m nine years old. I like to be called Chris and I go to Monroe Charter Academy in Monroe, North Carolina.

PS: Well, Christopher goes to Monroe Charter in North Carolina, and there was a teacher that he is smitten with, fond of, takes a lot of liking to. Her name is Ms. Lanzone. And we have decided to break Ms. Lanzone’s name down and give an example for each letter. Ms. Lanzone’s name is spelled L-A-N-Z-O-N-E. The first letter of her name is loving. The second letter is attention. The third letter is nice. The fourth letter is Zelle . The fifth is outgoing. The six is noble and the seventh is excellent. Christopher, I now leave it up to you.
CH: Okay. So L is loving. She is loving and loyal because she shows up every day to help teach me, even if she is sick, sad, or has a meeting.

Inspirational Teachers - Ashleigh LanzonePS:  The next letter.
CH: A, she shows me attention when I need extra help with my homework.

PS:  The next one.
CH: The next one is nice. She is nice because she never raises her voice at me.

PS:  The next one is Zelle.
CH: She encourages me when I need help.

PS: Next one is outgoing.
CH: She is friendly. She makes learning fun.

PS: The next one is noble.
CH: She is one of a kind.

PS: And last but not least…
CH: She listens well to everything.

PS: I say. And that one is excellent. And she is, she is an excellent teacher. Ms. Lanzone could have done anything else, but she chose to teach children. And that says a lot about her. I mean, she is beautiful inside and out. And for her to decide to become an educator and not pursue any other career because it’s very obvious she could have, but we are just so thankful and grateful that she is a teacher. And that she is Christopher’s teacher.

Thank you, Ms. Lanzone, from the bottom of our hearts. May God bless you.

Inspirational Teachers - Ms. Harpal
Since 2017, Charter School Capital has held an annual essay contest celebrating exceptional teachers. We call it the Dewey Awards, in celebration of Mr. Richard Dewey – a teacher who provided exceptional mentorship to Stuart Ellis, our founder and CEO. Every year we get a brilliant selection of stories written by students from charter schools all over the nation. We chose three stories as winners of this year’s context. But each of these stories is worth sharing.
This week we bring you a story sent in by Aida Reynoso, celebrating Ms. Harpal of Maria L. Varisco Rogers Charter School.

Growing up, I have always been a student that did not enjoy reading at all because I feel like books have too many words and pages in them. I would often find books I thought I was interested in just by reading the summary on the back, but then I would see that the book had 400 pages in it. I would feel anxious because of the number of words on each page, and I still feel like this as a college student but it does not worry me as much anymore.

Aida Reynoso
Aida Reynoso

My 5th-6th grade English, writing, and history teacher, Ms. Harpal, changed the way I felt about reading long books by using audiobooks in her class, making it easier for me to be able to read and enjoy books without feeling overwhelmed because the book had 400 pages. Ms. Harpal was one of my favorite teachers growing up and the first English teacher I had that really had such a positive impact on me. She would often reward her students with food for their great work, and one time I remember writing a parody to Oh Captain, My Captain by Walt Whitman and renaming it Oh Cookie, My Cookie. It was a poem about me eating a cookie and it traveling down my digestive system.

From that point on, Ms. Harpal noticed that there was something special about the way I wrote, and she never let my hard work go unnoticed. She was the first teacher who really noticed my writing abilities, and I am thankful for her commitment and hard work. I know she may have had more downs than ups in her role as a teacher, but if she hadn’t stuck with it, I would have never had the opportunity to be her student and receive significant enjoyment and knowledge from everything that she has educated me on.

The experience in HER classroom became one of the key reasons I really enjoyed going to school. She would make learning fun with music every day, and she always had an interesting story to tell in class. Ms. Harpal has been there for me and other students in a way that parents, family, and friends could not have been, and she has encouraged me to become the best student I can be, even now. I still use audiobooks till this day, and without them, I would never be able to read a 400-page book.

Ms. Harpal showed me not only how to become a better writer, but also how to succeed in life. Not only did she give me the right guidance to do well in the classes she has taught, but she prepared me to learn about Phillis Wheatley, Nikki Giovanni, Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, and all of these other famous poets I remember learning about in her class when I was 10-12 years old, that I am now relearning as a college student in my English classes. She has had such a significant impact on my entire life, and I could not have been more appreciative of knowing her. I hope I can also have the same effect on my students one day when I am an English teacher myself.