Grow Schools, formerly Charter School Capital, Author at Grow Schools

Charter School Capital will be hosting a webinar on COVID-19 Vaccines (and their impact on charter schools) Tuesday, November 10 at 9am PST (Noon EST) with Dr. Gregory Poland, M.D. FIDSA, MACP, FRCP.

You can register here

Dr. Poland is a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a distinguished investigator of the Mayo Clinic, director of the Mayo vaccine research group and editor-in-chief of the professional journal VACCINE.

Earlier this spring, we were honored to host a webinar with Dr. Poland, providing an assessment of the pandemic at that time with figures on morbidity, speed, and contagion as compared to other infectious diseases. With the aim to prepare charter school leaders for what would come soon after, in regards to school re-openings, social-distancing learning environments , and in many cases, virtual learning environments.

Now, over seven months later, we’re seeing the challenges of this “new normal” and, to a large extent, we’re all holding our breath and waiting for what may come next.

Recently, Dr. Poland spoke of the dangers of the “twindemic” – the combination of dangers from COVID-19 and influenza as temperatures drop toward winter.

All these things considered, we’re bringing back Dr. Poland to speak about the current state of the pandemic, focusing especially on vaccines.

In this new webinar, Dr. Poland will be clearing confusions as to the current anticipated vaccine timeline.

Even as vaccines become available, the questions abound. Will the vaccines have lasting effects? Lifetime immunity? Will they be effective in most cases? How fast-acting could we expect them to be?

And in terms of schools and the 2020-2021 school year, what potential impact could we expect these vaccines to have?

This is highly dependent on distribution pipelines, points of access, propensity of populations to seek out vaccination and reluctance of certain demographics to get vaccinated.

This webinar is important not only in the context of schools and students; the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us, causing disruption to all of us, causing heavy health effects to many, and causing fatalities in many communities.

Register now, and tune in Tuesday,November 10 at 9am PST (Noon EST) as Dr. Poland delves into these topics and sheds light on this most-timely topic.

Register here

Jen is a California native, nomad at heart, animal lover, and motorcyclist. Before being part of the Charter School Capital team, she spent a decade in the Non-Profit sector where she had the opportunity to travel internationally to connect with students and community partners.

As our Certified Salesforce Administrator, she is dedicated to streamlining productivity, strengthening culture, and empowering others to grow and lead. Now living in Portland, she continually improves her skills and fights for equity in the educational sphere.

How did you Meet Charter School Capital?

I was in California, looking to move to a place that would accept my German Shepherd and four cats. Seriously, it was almost impossible until I found spaces in Portland. I contacted my friend, hoping she’d want to move in with me, and there we were, two ladies and six pets moving into a house.

Looking for a job, I found Charter School Capital on LinkedIn and spent hours on its website, making sure it was the right fit. An ethical place, a good transition from the non-profit sector, and supported education. The following morning, I got the call from John Caughie (IT Manager). Since working here, I’ve entirely expanded and have been challenged daily with new learning curves and fun, exciting work.

How would you describe Charter School Capital and your position?

Charter School Capital provides charter schools with resources and services to grow. As an Organizational Systems Analyst, my job is to make doing that internal work more accessible on the processing and data front.

What’s something about you that might be surprising?

After university, I volunteered at my old high school to mentor sophomores on college planning. While the school prompted students to pick majors based on interest tests, I encouraged them to research LinkedIn for industries or job descriptions they thought compelling. I pushed them to think of the importance of a supportive network, be unafraid of looking into vocational or alternative education, and ask questions. Those conversations and connections made me realize my love for mentorship, and I hope to continue that.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Growing up, I was faced with living in a rough neighborhood on welfare with a disabled mom and no child support. My biggest goal growing up was to get my driver’s license and be financially independent, so I could experience freedom, have some security, and help support my mom. There wasn’t any specific aspiration, just a state of being.

What brings you joy?

A sense of wonder of the world. I can’t imagine a day without learning something new, taking in new pieces of information, or even just enjoying the wonders of life.

When did you learn about this line of work? What called you to it?

An immense joy I get from working in support of education is the long-term impact it has on the students and the broader community served. Being a database administrator in a platform with a robust knowledge-share community has prepared me to best provide for others’ needs in an efficient way.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

The things I love most in life: riding my motorcycle, my pets, nature, and travel.

What piece of advice would you give recent graduates?

As folks grow, take time to reflect on what you like and don’t like; then figure out why. Communicate what your needs are and be the best version of yourself. Overall, being self-aware, a strong communicator, and living with an intent to create social unity are the tools that will propel you forward.

Over the years, what wisdom have you learned?

Be Bold. Seek Truth. Explore.

From your position, how do you impact charter schools?

By providing strong technical solutions that ease processing or informational needs of Charter Schools collaborating with us. I do this by collecting CSC Client Portal User feedback, which enables us to see what features our constituents would best benefit from and what isn’t intuitive about our current platform. A good chunk of my role is optimizing CSC’s availability to data, which drives analysis that benefits our active clients and allows us to report to the movement on trends we may see that assist school administrators or parents in making informed decisions.

If you could create a new class subject, what would it be?

I have two. The first is Historiography; understanding history’s history is essential in comprehending the breadth of human interaction and motivation. Showing the connection of human life across cultures and time.

The second would be Adulting. Focusing on the best practices for personal finance, renting vs. buying, skill acquisition, taxes, investing, and the importance of building relationships. Stuff you’d figure out along the way but condensed in a consumable amount.

In your view, what does the world need more of? Less of?

We need more critical thinkers … and cats.
We need less people operating out of fear of judgment or change.

What do you hope to see for the Future of Charter Schools?

More harmony across the education sector in accepting Charter Schools for the disruptors they are; hopefully, that growth would then influence all curriculum and administrative practices.

What do you hope to see for the Future of Charter School Capital?

First, I hope we continue to work closely with partners by checking in with them, making sure they are heard, and finding solutions that best fit their needs. Second, I hope we maintain our spirit of innovation, going above and beyond expectations, and continuing to thrive.

Brian is a father, athlete, and Pacific Northwest Native. Throughout his life, he’s played kickball, soccer, ran for relay teams, and has climbed Mt. St. Helens four times! Always being drawn to the teamwork and community-building aspects of the game. After becoming a father and seeking the best education for his daughter, Brian’s interest in charter schools grew.
After beginning his public accounting career, Brian joined the Charter School Capital team and has been recording debits and credits for the past four and a half years and has never looked back.

How did you Meet CSC?

I previously worked in higher education institutions before hearing of the opportunity at Charter School Capital. I felt that the position provided an exciting option to work directly with schools at the forefront of improving our public education system. When I met with the team, they were down-to-earth, driven to provide best-in-class products and services, and dedicated in their pursuit of excellence. I knew that I would be challenged from day one and was excited about what I could bring to the team.

How would you describe Charter School Capital and your position?

I work on a team that provides financial services and products to the charter school system, bringing together investors and members of the charter school movement.

What’s something about you that might be surprising?

I’ve been riding my bike to work for the past 16 years. It started when I was tired of sitting in traffic and thought I’d try to ride to work for one week. As it turned out, I enjoyed it and have been riding ever since.

When did you learn about this line of work? What called you to it?

My parents were both in public education, so I heard about charter schools growing up. When the time came for my daughter to go to school, we had the option of enrolling her in a local public school or a charter school closely aligned with her learning style. We chose the charter path; like many parents, we were trying to find the best education for her, and we were very happy with our decision.

Over the years, what wisdom have you learned?

You are capable of much more than you realize, keep going!

What brings you joy?

I love learning new things, meeting new people, and building connections. As an accountant, part of my job is having insight into the behind the scenes of how a company operates. I find joy in being able to put pieces together, learning from others, and offering a helping hand.

What piece of advice would you give to recent graduates?

People are eager to help and offer resources to you. Don’t be afraid to reach out and connect with people who are in the industry. If you are willing to work hard, listen, and keep learning, you will make connections to help you achieve your goals.

From your position how do you impact charters?

We cultivate relationships with investors and schools to work together to help school leaders achieve their goals.

If you could create a New Class Subject, what would it be?

An outdoor, experience-based course that shows appreciation for team building, leadership, and the outdoors. A course that takes you out of your comfort zone and encourages you to adapt and overcome challenges as a team, something similar to what Outward Bound is doing.

In your view, what does the world need more of? Less of?

More education and compassion, less division.

What do you hope to see for the Future of Charter Schools?

My hope is that charter schools become an accepted part of the educational system and less politicized. As a parent, the education of my child, and all students is incredibly important. We should be investing more time and effort into these programs.

What do you hope to see for the Future of CSC?

My hope is that Charter School Capital continues to find innovative solutions to the challenges facing our education system.

The Dewey Awards are a tradition at Charter School Capital. This annual essay contest about one’s favorite teacher was created in 2017 by Stuart Ellis, our Founder and CEO.

Who Was Richard Dewey?

Stuart met his favorite teacher at eight years old. By eight, Stuart had already caught on that people would scold him whenever he did anything differently — whenever he “painted outside the lines.” Math — always a passion for Stuart — was an example. Apparently, there was ONE way to solve a math problem, and if eight-yr-old Stuart solved the problem, arriving at the correct answer, using unconventional processes, that was to be discouraged. Mr. Richard Dewey was different.

Mr. Dewey celebrated Stuart’s ability to do the arithmetic in his head — while also coaching him on the processes, for the time when the process would become more complicated.

“This is a treasure that you should hold forever!” wrote Mr. Dewey on Stuart’s first research paper (on California’s gray whales).

Richard Dewey made his students feel they had limitless potential. He took qualities Stuart had internalized as ‘bad’ and suggested they were great. Mr. Dewey made each kid feel ‘more than’ without making anyone feel ‘less than.’ He made them all feel they had limitless potential.

Fundamentally, Mr. Dewey made his students feel loved.

In a class of thirty-plus children, every child was seen. Mr. Dewey was a talented musician, and had managed to install a grand piano in his class. He would compose little rhyming songs about each kid – songs that Stuart remembers to this day.

Learn more about the Dewey Awards here.

A Class Reunion

In 2004, more than 30 members of Mr. Dewey’s class showed up for a thirty-year reunion. Sadly, Stuart arrived fifteen minutes after his former teacher had left, and the opportunity for a reconnection was missed. This prompted Stuart to write a Holiday card along with a letter, with details about his adult life and his family. In a heartwarming surprise, Mr. Dewey’s response included vivid recollections of Stuart as an eight-year-old, and all the things the teacher had noticed as potential in the student — things that had come to fruition in Stuart’s adult life.

Mr. Dewey’s letter was so uplifting it made Stuart cry. He was surprised how, at forty years of age, he could be so moved by this man’s words as he was as a child.

A Long-Awaited Reconnection

In 2017 Stuart got his chance to reconnect with his favorite teacher — who now asked Stuart to call him Rich. They met for three-and-a-half hours, and even that felt too short. Stuart tried to convey the deep impact his teacher had had in his life. They both cried.

Afterwards, Rich wrote Stuart expressing his own thoughts — how he had been reflecting, asking himself if he had had a significant positive impact on others throughout his life.

As the frequency of notes and calls grew, Rich and Stuart became good friends. The calls became a daily routine, and they were a joy for both men.

Mt. Dewey’s superpower was his vulnerability. He shared openly about his fears and challenges. He was courageous; he always put others ahead of himself.

Lessons in Life & Death

As Rich grew ill and faced his own mortality, his lesson to Stuart took on a deeper meaning — covering matters spiritual and philosophical.

In June 2019 Richard Dewey passed away. Stuart feels his presence still, and he is happy to see the Dewey Awards honor Rich’s memory.

A Passion to Help Educators

It was the influence of Mr. Dewey — along with other mentors – that led Stuart to devote his energies to the founding of Charter School Capital, with a mission to bolster and empower maverick educators, leaders in education. The whole purpose of our company is to support charter schools, help their growth and guarantee their survival.

Our Favorite Teachers

Most of us have had mentors, teachers in our lives who have inspired us to greatness. Teachers who saw in us potential we may not have even seen in ourselves. Teachers who push us to be the best we can be, to achieve all we can achieve.

The Dewey Awards are meant to celebrate such teachers.

We invite all charter school students to write in to our contest and tell us about your favorite teacher. We will select three winners, and each of these will receive a $1,000 charter school grant in the name of the school of your choice.

Learn more about the Dewey Awards here.

Lucy is a Mother, free spirit, and Charter School Capital’s first employee. Growing up in El Paso, Texas, with four sisters and two brothers, she grew up learning to follow where life took her and support the global community. Now, over a decade in the charter finance sphere, she reflects on how far Charter School Capital has come.

How did you meet Charter School Capital?

I’ve known Stuart (CEO of CSC) for 28 years; we met in the 90s at a firm where I was initially his Executive Assistant. We’ve always worked well together. I’m the sound, constructive side to his ever-changing, creative genius. After initially working together, we always stayed in contact. Any new project he started, I was there to help with the groundwork.
One day he called me and said, “Brad and I have this idea, it’s a passion project about schools. It’s never been done in the market before, so it’s something new, we’re going to try to see if it works. Are you up for moving to Portland to help us set up?” And I said, “Sure!” That’s what I always say to Stuart’s ideas. There I was, basically inventing the wheel for every part other than finance for Charter School Capital.

How would you describe CSC and your position?

Over the past decade, my position has shifted from the first employee to the office manager. I feel my role has always been the same. I am part of the base that built our platform and help maintain its shape. When I started, set up a system to collect information from the schools to create the receivables, setup the office, and start an HR Department for our new company. Now, I’ve morphed into the office management aspect of Charter School Capital. I take pride in my role, being a trusted asset that supports the team and vision of Charter School Capital.

What brings you joy?

My family brings me the most joy. I have a son and two grand-doggers, a pug named Sophie and a Boston-terrier named Charlie. They tend to keep me on my toes during the day.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Back in the 70s, I was a hippie, groovy child. I remember wanting to travel, help others, and go on the next adventure. Later on, I learned that my personality type is supporting others while being independent and free-spirited, I’ve always fit that mold.

Over the years, what wisdom have you learned?

I’ve always been a person who went where the wind took them. At one point, I took a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with my friends, and we loved it so much we decided to stay and move there. So I would say, live without regrets and pursue a life you want to live.

From your position, how do you impact charter schools?

From the beginning, I’ve been able to support schools that were operating in their church basements and help them into a building that allowed them to double their students. We found out early on that our efforts at Charter School Capital could go a long way. In the past, I would have close relationships with schools and their leaders, now I help the internal connections and functions of CSC to ensure our mission continues.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Feeling like I have a purpose in helping impact people’s lives, my faith, my family, and taking care of others. Family is a big deal to me; my four sisters and I Zoom call them every night. CSC has become part of my family; that’s why I’ve stayed since its birth.

What’s something about you that might be surprising?

Until recently, I’ve been riding a Harley motorcycle for the past ten years. When I first moved to Oregon to help setup Charter School Capital, I convinced my best friend Claire to move up here, and we got our Harleys together. Once Claire came up here, Stuart (CEO) agreed we should hire her, and she’s been working with us in various hats and positions. Stuart and Claire were the start of the “CSC Wamily” up here in Oregon ever since.

If you could create a New Class Subject, What would it be?

How to Support Yourself. Showing students the necessary skills in life like cooking easy meals, balancing a checkbook, and how to apply to jobs. Skills that don’t have an expiration date, and you can always rely back on upon.

In your view, what does the world need more of? Less of?

More kindness and acceptance.
Less hesitance.
If people treated others with kindness without asking anything in return, we would see a global impact. Kindness can make a difference in someone’s life, and act like a butterfly effect, encouraging others to act selflessly.

What do you hope to see for the Future of Charter Schools?

I hope to see more acceptance and understanding of charter schools. What I admire most about the charter community is their dedication and passion. They are in it because they love to teach and help others, not because there’s a paycheck. I wish that was understood on a grander scale.

What do you hope to see for the Future of CSC?

In those first months, I thought at best we would be able to sell Charter School Capital, and then we would follow more passion projects around education. Luckily, we never sold, and instead, we’ve seen a movement of finance groups following our model. We’ve been able to evolve, shift to serve the market, and grow. My hope is for CSC to continue to expand, find more ways to help schools, and fund different aspects surrounding education and community.

Dr. Ramona Bishop was just eight years old when the wave of school integration swept her up and deposited her in Commodore Sloat Elementary School. Unbeknownst to her, she had been selected, together with other high-grades students in her classroom. For Ramona, this was not a comfortable move. She had come from a highly-protective, nurturing family and a very supportive school environment into a hostile, unwelcoming new turf where she was seen as an interloper. This left a profound impression in Ramona – an impression that would later give her a purpose, and define her life’s work.

It was at that point that I realized there are children in our systems that are treated differently just by virtue of the zip code from where they live, or by virtue of the language that their parents speak, or by virtue of the country of their birth, or by virtue of the special abilities that they have, that there are ways that we treat people that cause them not to feel safe, not to feel comfortable in our own system.

And this is no one’s fault, it’s just the way things have been, because it’s very hard to do something that you’ve never seen done. So my whole career has been dedicated to showing people that young people, when you give them the opportunity, you give them quality teachers, quality instruction, they can do very much whatever they want to do in their lives.

A Guiding Purpose

Ramona decided she’d become an educator. And not just any educator – the kind of educator who loves her students, who believes in her students, who holds high expectations for her students. And who creates the kind of environment where students can rise to meet those high expectations. This set Ramona on a path that spanned many years as a public-school teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent, and finally to her own ambitious dream – a school of her own making.

I had to ensure I was leaving a legacy for all those young people whose lives I’ve touched over time – and a legacy for my own children. And what better way to create a sustainable legacy than to have your own school?

Once the vision for a charter school coalesced in Ramona’s mind, ELITE was born almost overnight. Ramona joined forces with two other remarkable leaders – Dr. Alana Shackelford and Bel Reyes – and they set things in motion. It was a bumpy road, but Ramona had experience with that. Soon they had the backing of their community, and enrollment got started at a whirlwind pace. As the leaders shared their vision with the families in the community, they found advocates and champions – people willing to amplify their signal. In Ramona’s view, this is essential to a school’s success – community members who are willing to advocate for the school at the Capitol, at the county board, in the local community.

Video – Watch Ramona describe her remarkable journey

An Ambitious Mission

The three charter school leaders defined an ambitious mission for their school. ELITE serves underserved youth – some formerly homeless, some who fell out of the school cycle due to pregnancies, some who work fulltime, or left school to work. And ELITE is true to its name – it offers a full Spanish-immersion program and a rigorous STEM program that includes coding and robotics.
The Spanish-immersion program stems from a deep respect for the local community, and the history of the city of Vallejo. But even further, an understanding that California is a historically Spanish-language region; a region that is distinctly bilingual. Graduating with those two languages gives ELITE Seniors a competitive edge in the marketplace, and also a better cultural grounding and connection to their place of origin.

The STEM program at ELITE

Bilingual graduates is a lofty goal – but ELITE’s leaders aim higher: They want students to graduate TRILINGUAL: English, Spanish and Coding. That’s where the STEM program comes in.

Deeply cognizant of the hiring requirements of the Amazons, the Facebooks, the Googles of today’s age, Ramona wants to prepare her students in such a way that they’ll be highly desirable candidates at any tech company. The school has a partnership with the University of California at Davis, and educators from the University are training ELITE’s teachers.

Our young people are digital natives, so they can very naturally learn how to code at those ages,” says Ramona. “They will be programmers and they’ll be able to just jump right in and go into those amazing jobs. If you’ve never visited one of those tech giants, when you go there, you’ll want to learn to do the technology just so you can participate in this beautiful environment that they’ve created for their workers.

That’s what we want for our young people. We want them to be able to go right in and plug in and be engineers and travel the world, and create, and live the lives that they’re destined to live, because they’re so bright.

It’s unusual for a charter school to open with over four hundred students. And when a school does that, the question is, will it be able to maintain its momentum. This question becomes ever so poignant in the face of a pandemic.

Distance Learning Plus

ELITE launched into its distance learning approach in May of 2020. It was a process of trial and error, and error, and error. Much was learned, and quickly. And a lot of the learning came through parent feedback. A key piece of advice here, for charter leaders: listening to parent feedback is key. By being able to incorporate parent feedback, being able to interpret it constructively and use it to advance the distance learning program to higher levels of quality, ELITE was able to truly meet the virtual learning challenge.

One of the learnings was the extent to which parents felt they were being forced to take on the role of teachers at home. This was especially challenging in the dual-immersion program, since many parents who selected the immersion program for their kids do not speak Spanish themselves. So teachers need to be VERY present, very participatory. ELITE teachers spend upwards of five hours per day with their students, engaging them in small learning groups.

Another learning is that Zoom is not the challenge, the level of engagement and competence of the teacher, combined with the quality of the teaching material, is the real key to success. ELITE also offers tutoring after the day is over, for those young people who need additional time. Yet another learning is that teachers need a lot of support themselves. Planning distance-learning classes can be grueling.

Add to this the technical proficiency needed to ensure everyone is connected, everyone is assessed and everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing. All these processes, as well as the management of asynchronous learning, is a lot of work for teachers.

Ramona is quick to emphasize that the Distance Learning Plus program at ELITE is not perfect – little imperfections creep in every day, and it leads to constant improvement.

Communication Is Key

At the end of the day, really, all of this is about relationships and communication. And the more we communicate, even when we’re having difficulty, our families have responded very well to that. Our school was built on parental leadership and we committed in our petition to continue to listen to and talk to parents.

At ELITE, Dr. Shackelford runs parent-input sessions every week, where parents can talk about any concerns, and offer suggestions. The school has also introduced parent leadership groups, with structured ways for providing input – sustainable, constructive input that bolsters the school’s educational plans beyond distance learning time. Ramona also makes herself available to parents via text – in fact her phone goes off several times during the interview.

Ramona is quick to recognize ELITE’s teachers. It is the teachers, she points out, who are doing the daily work to give these students and their families the very best, every single day. It is teachers looking for extra resources, finding out what each student needs, and finding ways to meet those needs. She also has words of praise for the secretaries, the classified staff, doing student intakes, receiving families, helping with internet connections, and ensuring all the critical components stay in place.

Education is transparent now, life never before. Parents can see into your classroom every single day. So they know exactly what is happening. And we’re getting a lot of positive feedback about the real commitment of our staff toward making sure that students are successful.

Video – Watch Ramona describe her remarkable journey

Growing In The Face of Deferrals (and Pandemic!)

ELITE opened strong, and continued to enroll. However, charter schools in California face the added challenge of deferrals – of not being compensated toward the new students. But they continued to do recruitment, continued to build relationships with families, and talk them through all the COVID-19 issues. And because of that, the school continues to grow. ELITE has over 480 students currently – a 20% year-over-year growth. For a charter school facing state deferrals AND a pandemic, that is truly remarkable.

The pandemic has affected families in many ways beyond the immediate health risks. The whole community is reeling from closed business and downsized jobs, and many families have been forced to relocate, to move in with relatives, to move out of California. ELITE works closely with the families who are staying in the community as they work through adjustments in housing and work situations.

Financial Planning

The beginning of any venture is always bumpy when it comes to finances. This becomes even more challenging when state funding is delayed.

I had identified through our budget team that we had a million-dollar problem, that throughout the year we were going to need about a million dollars in advance money to make sure that this school functioned. That’s what led me to meet with the Charter School Capital – your team understands how California funding works. When people ask me how I’ve been dealing with the deferrals, I tell them I’ve been meeting with our Charter School Capital team for the last over a year. And so our team and the Charter School Capital teams are connected. So when it came to the deferrals it wasn’t a question of whether – it was a question of how.

This partnership allowed Ramona to work through California deferrals without compromising the quality of education, without having to limit programs nor cut corners.

A Light in the Darkness

This year is proving historically challenging on many fronts. For Ramona, who experienced the effects of racism and divisiveness at the young age of eight, this makes her mission all the more important.

We have our young people starting at four years old, studying freedom and democracy. They are studying protesting. What does it look like to protest? Why do people protest? What happens at the end of the protest? Not about anyone’s political agenda, but about their own thoughts, dreams, ideas, histories, families.

For Ramona, this is a time of intense opportunity. Opportunity for innovation, for new paradigms. How can she be the best leader, at this time of trepidation? She knows there must always be a light in the darkness – and she sees it as her life’s purpose to keep that light on for her students.

Video – Watch Ramona describe her remarkable journey

Michelle is a California native who loves all things surrounding community, family, and the diversity that makes us unique. Born and raised in San Diego, she brings the sunshine anywhere she goes. Throughout her career timeline, she has managed to combine creativity and finance.

After almost seven years in banking, she wanted to develop a new skill set. Then, she discovered Charter School Capital, where she was able to work with communities and financial planning. Growing up with teachers in her family, she knew she wanted to give back to the educators that raised her someday. Now, after working with dozens of school leaders, community members, educators, and students, she has fulfilled that promise and continues to shine a light on accessible education.

How did you meet Charter School Capital?

After college, I made a huge change and decided to move from San Diego to Portland. In college, I started a small fashion business where I had my personal banker help me tremendously. I grew to admire them and pursued banking for six and a half years. In banking, I loved developing relationships with clients, connecting folks to resources, and the problem solving aspect of it.

After some time, I knew I wanted to create a larger impact through banking, so I started job hunting. On LinkedIn, I found Charter School Capital and scored an interview. For me, it was the perfect mix of finance, supporting education, and creating long lasting relationships.

How would you describe CSC and your position?

Charter School Capital is a national company that works with charter schools to meet their goals, problem solve through rough patches, and provide financial support.

As a senior account manager, I’ve been able to travel and work with charters and communities all across the United States for the past four years. Meeting numerous school leaders, educators, and students has allowed me to bridge connections, opportunities, and ultimately work firsthand with folks.

What brings you joy?

I love it when people are connected. Having people united in a grander scheme, whether for the magic of Disneyland, getting together to watch a Padres game, or connecting people to build community. The power of human connection is incredible to me.

When did you learn about this line of work? What called you to it?

Growing up, I had many teachers in my family, so I thought I was going to be a teacher for a long time. When I fell into business and finance, I knew the two had to come together at some point. Luckily, I fell into a job that had the perfect mix of both education and finance.

What has kept me here is making and building relationships with our clients and schools. I can meet these visionary leaders who work hard for their communities; whether it’s a school leader or back-office providers, there are so many people who are working to make a difference in the world. It’s their passion and stories that tend to drive me.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Initially, I wanted to be a teacher, but then I discovered my love for fashion. My maiden name is Parsons, so I thought, “Hey, I should go to Parson’s School of Design in New York and have a fashion empire, this is going to be great!” Then I thought I should go to business school if I want to own my own business. So I pursued a degree in finance at the University of San Diego, where I found there was a lot of creativity in finance.

Over the years, what wisdom have you learned?

Life will take you in all types of directions. By staying true to yourself, you will grow and shape into the person you were meant to become.

From your position, how do you impact charter schools?

As Senior Account Manager, I’ve had the chance to travel, explore, and meet numerous clients, schools, and students firsthand. We provide schools with financial resources, but we often make the most significant impact by being a source for knowledge, expertise, or another perspective in the room. When I meet with schools, I tend to be a soundboard and on-site problem solver to work through any difficulty they face.

One of my favorite parts is when I go to my schools that I work with and see the students. I think, “This is what we’re doing. This is why it all matters.” Those students get to experience a quality education surrounded by leaders who are motivated and inspiring.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

I’m grateful for the aspects of life, my husband, my family, the sunshine, the ability to go for a walk, living back home in California, and having a life that genuinely brings me joy.

What’s something about you that might be surprising?

I know three languages! Spanish, French, and English. I’m very passionate about being tri-lingual, traveling, and learning about different cultures. I had the chance to live and study in Paris for a short time; that experience helped shape who I am today.

If you could create a new class subject, what would it be?

“The Practical Basics of Life” where we would take a hands-on approach to the basics of personal finance, credit, and investing. Especially for those who are not pursuing a finance career, these necessary skills could help you throughout your life.

What piece of advice would you give to recent graduates?

Don’t give up! Sometimes your career path will take a turn, but do not let that discourage you. With hard work, authenticity, and kindness, people will be there to help you accomplish your goals.

In your view, what does the world need more of? Less of?

More compassion and understanding.

Less divisiveness.

What do you hope to see for the Future of Charter Schools?

I hope charter schools become less politicized and seen as models for accessible education. We get to a place where public and charter schools can learn from each other and potentially support another, highlighting each other’s strengths.

What do you hope to see for the Future of CSC?

Expanding, both in proximity and relationships. Having a school partner in every state within the US would be a dream. Ensuring charter schools all across the US were being supported. We would be able to interact with a more extensive array of community members. That would drive our mission home, for me.

Academia Avance has a remarkable history, marked by remarkable achievements. In its sixteen years of educating young minds, Academia Avance has had its charter renewed three times. The school lived through the perils and funding gaps of the Great Recession, has endured through many hardships and has now proven it can succeed even during a pandemic.

Most remarkably, over 74% of graduates at Academia Avance are admitted into universities.

At the heart of this remarkable school, is a remarkable leader: Ricardo Mireles.

Ricardo jokes that his path to education happened through osmosis — both of Ricardo’s parents were educators.

After many years of working at the Los Angeles Unified School District, Ricardo began to look into alternative approaches to education in order to better meet the needs of his community. But there was a moment – an “on the road to Damascus” moment – where Ricardo’s path crystallized.

Video – Watch Ricardo describe his remarkable journey

On The Road To Los Angeles

In April of 2004 Ricardo was driving back from his first Charter Conference. Having heard charter leaders speak, he felt energized, inspired, and ready for action. The message he heard echoed throughout the conference was that charter schools are not just an education movement – they’re a community-organizing movement, a community-improvement movement. That a school has an impact, not just on the students and families but on the whole community.

Ricardo thought of calling his high-school classmate Guillermo Gutierrez – now the President of that school – to pitch the idea of starting a charter school together. As fate would have it, it was Guillermo who called him that night, as Ricardo was driving down from Sacramento. That night, on that phone call, a school was born. Soon they put together a package, they found support in their community, a board came together, and they soon filed with the L.A. Unified School District.

The Three-Legged Stool

Ricardo attributes the remarkable success of Academia Avance to a philosophy he describes as the three-legged stool. The metaphor is that a three-legged stool falls without all three legs being solidly in place. For Academia Avance, the three legs are the students, the parents, and then the teachers and staff. The relationships between parents, students and educators are what makes a school thrive.

College-Bound

Nearly three quarters of the students at Academia Avance go onto higher education. Ricardo gets passionate when asked about this. He says it jars him to hear someone say ‘college isn’t for everybody.’ In Ricardo’s view, every kid deserves the opportunity to advance themselves at their own direction. In high school, adults are telling kids what to do. But in college, it’s the students who are choosing a career, picking their courses, and making decisions. Every kid deserves that opportunity. With over 3000 colleges and universities in this country, and all of them so different, there’s a school that is the right fit for any student. It’s our task as educators, says Ricardo, to help students find the college that’s right for them – the one where they’re going to succeed.

According to Ricardo, it is that dedication to help each student find their perfect fit, that makes all the difference.

“We’re fortunate that we’re in the best state of this country. We have the best universities. We have the Cal State system, we have the UC system, we have excellent private schools, and we’re able to then provide those different options for our kids to discover and find the one that fits them. And you know what? Everyone can find a school that is their perfect match.”

The state of California recently published their college-going rates per school, and Academia Avance placed at the top 10% of schools within the L.A. Unified District – that’s almost 200 public high schools.

Returning Alumni

Nothing brings Ricardo more joy than watching his alumni come back and celebrate their success with the teachers. These alumni often volunteer to go talk to the Seniors – to motivate them with proof of what’s possible.

The school’s history is now extensive enough that alumni are now reaching graduate levels, and are coming back with advanced degrees in education – eager to work as counselors and teachers.

An example of this is an alumna who got her undergraduate degree at Mount Saint Mary’s and is now pursuing a degree in Social Work at USC. She’s returned to Academia Avance to work as a counselor, and her experience in the school, combined with her life experience as a Latina from Highland Park, allows her to build strong connections with the students. The kids immediately trust her, they relate to her, they see themselves in her.

Another example Ricardo eagerly shares is a student who struggled in his academics at Academia Avance, and then got accepted at San Jose State and found that a challenge as well, especially in his first year. He did graduate, and he now shares his story in his work as a workplace education experience counselor, securing internships for the students. This young man can tell the students, “look, you can do this.”

A Charter Renewed Many Times

Academia Avance started in 2005. The school’s charter has been renewed three times.

The school started as a very small, niche, community-based, Latinx-focused effort. The process got harder in subsequent years – the charter renewal took three years, and only got approved on appeal through the county. That led to the biggest growth spurt for the school, with enrollment reaching nearly 500 students.

The goal for Academia Avance has remained consistent: to lead their students to higher education.. This became their biggest focal point during the second charter.

Interestingly, it was the school’s growth that became its strongest defense against the hard economic times of the Great Recession – with state deferrals and other financial pressures impinging upon the school, Academia Avance continued to thrive. The partnership with Charter School Capital was instrumental to the school’s survival through those difficult years.

The third charter came through an appeal to the state. In 2015, the school faced declining enrollment as a result of gentrification – which forced many Latinx families to relocate.

Currently, the school faces the pressures of the pandemic, the pivot to a virtual environment, and the necessity to act as an island of safety and comfort for the community.

Video – Watch Ricardo describe his remarkable journey

The Role of Relationships

The long term relationship Academia Avance has built with Charter School Capital has allowed the school to weather some of the toughest storms and continue to thrive. Ricardo praises Charter School Capital for looking beyond the immediate fiscal issues to see what’s really happening with the school, visiting with parents and making efforts to fully understand their issues.

Another aspect of the support Charter School Capital provides, Ricardo remarks, is the innovation. With the help of a technology partner, CSC has recently brought major improvements to air quality in the school – a critical issue during a pandemic caused by an airborne virus. Ricardo again speaks about trust – having good air quality improves the trust parents and staff have in the school.

The Importance of Trust

A moment that Ricardo still remembers from the Great Recession is a Thanksgiving memory. November is an especially hard time in the fiscal cycle of a school, Ricardo explains. Funds come in during July and August, but funds run lean by November. This particular Thanksgiving, Ricardo had to gather all the staff and have a very somber discussion – because the school did not have the funds to meet payroll for November.

The importance of building trust, and having honest and transparent communication, really hit home – while obviously no one was happy about the news, the teachers and staff were understanding and supportive as they received it. As the meeting ended and people were heading for the parking lot, one of the operating officers for the school was able to log in and see that new funding had arrived into the school’s account – a receivables sale from Charter School Capital. And they ran outside to tell the staff that payroll would be covered – and the teachers and staff were able to have a happy Thanksgiving.

“Avance Is Like Family”

The secret sauce, says Ricardo, is always trust. He hears teachers and parents say over and over, “Avance is like family.”

The community has trust in the school. In Ricardo’s view, you can’t just hold trust – you can’t put it in a bank. You have to use it to make things better. There is an accountability that comes with trust. One of the ways this has translated into action has been in fighting stigma. For those who have gone through COVID-19 and recovered, to be able to talk about it. For those infected, to know that they’re not going to be shunned. Mothers who felt they couldn’t tell anyone about their struggles, have a safe space to speak. Removing that sense of shame or secrecy has led to better morale, has increased engagement in medical testing, and has led to a deeper sense of community.

“This Isn’t About Reopening”

In regards to operating a school in the face of COVID-19, Ricardo makes an important distinction about phrasing. “This isn’t about reopening,” he says. “Our school has been open all summer. We’ve been providing food all summer, and working with staff all summer. This is about re-starting, and providing the resources for restarting.”

When it comes to re-starting classes, Ricardo references Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. What mattered the most, to him, was working with the families and ensuring everyone had access to medical testing. He worked with a local clinic to ensure his staff was tested, and he continues to make that a priority in his communications with the students’ families.

The agility of communication is an important factor as well. Academia Avance is continuously gaining new information about the health crisis, and the speed to which this can be disseminated to the students and their families is an essential part of keeping everyone safe.

Thriving Through Crisis

Reminiscing about the fiscal crisis his school faced during the Great Recession, Ricardo is quick to emphasize that while the crisis, nationwide, played out in 2008-2009, it hit schools hardest in the subsequent years.

We haven’t even gotten to that stage yet, this time. According to Ricardo, the real financial impact of the pandemic will be felt in the years to come. He wants charter leaders to understand, this is not like a storm. This is not about hunkering down and waiting for the storm to pass over. He earnestly believes this pandemic is forcing every school to adapt and change. In order to succeed in the new normal, school leaders need to adapt and prepare for the fiscal challenges yet to come.

Video – Watch Ricardo describe his remarkable journey

Claire is a California native with a love for nature, yoga, and the UK Royal Family.

Previously practicing corporate law, she found herself wanting to move to a field that was not only intrinsically motivating but focused on education. Over a decade ago, what started as a spontaneous weekend trip to Portland turned into a love affair with the city, and she stayed.

With her two cats, husband, and a novel in the works, she reflects on continually learning and fighting the good fight.

How did you Meet Charter School Capital?

After several years of working professionally in the corporate law field, I wanted to diverge from the pathway many of my peers took. A path of law school, sleepless nights, and working more than full-time at giant law firms. I really found myself feeling burned out and was looking for a fresh start.

After a quick visit to Portland, I decided to stay, soul search, and go back for my Masters. A few years later, after “beefing up” my resume and talking to recruiters, Ryann Johnson (Sr. Director of Underwriting) contacted me through LinkedIn. The Charter School Capital interview process was wonderful. I was delightfully surprised by my team’s thoughtfulness, consideration, and drive, which ultimately led to me rejecting multiple other offers as I went through the CSC interview process. I’ve now been part of the CSC Underwriting team for just over a year.

What keeps me going is our mission – that we care deeply about creating better educational opportunities. The way CSC is continually positively impacting the world of education makes me excited to go to work every morning.

How would you describe CSC and your position?

I’m a gatekeeper for the schools we want to support. CSC seriously wants good education models to survive and thrive because we care about the students. My team has the responsibility of vetting the schools that come to us for support. It is also my job to support and guide educators as they navigate the nuts and bolts of their corporate tasks and responsibilities, thus freeing them up to focus on educating their students. I love that we take such a holistic approach to the way we support our schools.

What’s something about you that might be surprising?

I love mythology and seeking the authentic self. Michael Mead states, “Each of us are born with this unique gift inside of ourselves.” He calls it “our genius,” and it’s the idea that each of us has this unique gift inside ourselves. The elders and the parents of a community have a responsibility to find that unique gift in each child and nurture it. That relates to creating a world of education where kids have all these great tools and can express their individual, authentic self under the elders’ guidance in their communities.

What brings you joy?

When I see the incredible power of the human spirit in action. Like when I see moms on the front-line of protests, defending children, or folks standing together in solidarity for a just cause. CSC is a place that encourages the power of the spirit and that their employees embrace our passions. I have the privilege of working somewhere that is at the forefront of the work to be compassionate in business and be emotionally tuned to the actions that we take.
I love being a part of an organization that cares and is actively supporting the charter movement for future generations. It makes me hopeful and passionate, especially during times of hardship.

When did you learn about this line of work? What called you to it?

My parents were educators and activists. I don’t remember a time when my parents weren’t having conversations about our education system. A big reason my parents picked my hometown of Sebastopol was that (at the time), the public schools in the town were consistently ranked number one in the State of California. I always knew our public-school system wasn’t perfect and that I was privileged to have the opportunities I got. As I grew older, I knew I didn’t want to be a teacher, but I did want to impact schools in some way. As I learned more about charter schools, I began to see a potential solution to some of the problems in the public school system, my parents would talk about.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer – I’ve written and journaled my whole life. Right now, I have a fantasy novel in the works, based on mythology.

From your position, how do you impact charter schools?

As an underwriter, it is my job to look for the problems in schools when we take them under our wing. My team helps set up a plan for the school so we can set up resources for the schools in the best way.

If you could create a new class subject, What would it be?

Albert Einstein said, “The intuitive mind is the sacred gift, and the rational mind is the faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” I would like to see coursework that encourages students to cultivate their intuition and inner wisdom – to listen to that little voice inside that always knows the truth.

In your view, what does the world need more of? Less of?

More women running things. Across all countries, cultures, and groups, you consistently see evidence that the more women you have running things, the more you have a diversity of thought, community-centric thinking, and equal representation.

Less patriarchy will lead to more balance.

What do you hope to see for the Future of Charter Schools?

I hope that Charter Schools continue to evolve as places where educational models can be reinvented and reimagined, where people are experimenting with new teaching methods, and making resources more available to larger populations.

What do you hope to see for the Future of CSC?

I hope to see the mission to expand and continue to grow. The idea that our company could even become large enough to impact schools and education globally is exciting.

By branching out, we can express diversity, encourage authentic self-expression, and look at our children as part of a global community. I get excited when we get to help schools with unique and diverse missions. For example, one school I work with is a Hindi and English language immersion school. Schools like that encourage rich conversations around community and education because they are involved in the global conversation.

This year’s school reopening has been – and continues to be – an unprecedented challenge for all schools. Reimagining school facilities to create safe spaces for presence learning, setting up cleaning stations, barriers and markers, temperature measuring protocols has added heavy burdens to already-overextended administration bodies. In setting up remote learning, so many schools had to consider, perhaps for the first time, the hardware and connectivity limitations of their students. Social inequalities bubbled up to the surface. And on top of all that, there’s been the challenge of organically preparing the students themselves to conduct themselves within social-distancing protocols.

It’s no wonder so many schools fell short.

Charter schools have performed well, and in many cases have been ahead of the curve – according to two new studies. These studies, one from the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools and the other one from Fordham Institute, found that many charter schools achieved remarkable success – pivoting quickly and efficiently to remote learning.

The schools in the Fordham report distributed tens of thousands of Chromebooks, set up internet hotspots, and were quick to offer a robust mix of live and recorded instruction, causing student engagement and morale to stay high in the face of this transition and the health crisis facing all of us.

The common denominators all center around caring for the student as a full human being.

The Five Keys To School Reopening Success

These five factors rose to the top as contributors to school success:

Meeting students’ nutritional, social and emotional needs;
Proactively distributing the needed technology to the students;
Quickly creating structure that approximates their old normal routines and maintaining grading practices;
Reaching out to families, and listening to families, on a frequent and ongoing basis;
Being team-oriented in all aspects of instruction, grounded on a common curriculum.

The studies also highlight areas for improvement – such as increased communication with families and parents of students with disabilities to discuss and clarify how the school can best fit their child’s needs. In some schools, the effort to integrate students with disabilities was well-executed, but parents and families were just not aware enough to fully take advantage of this.

It’s also worth mentioning that these studies are limited in their scope.

That said, both studies show that charter schools across the nation are rising to the challenge, and have been nimble and effective in creating a new paradigm where the students continue to blossom.

We are proud to serve charter schools and help them grow.

If your school is growing, or is facing funding challenges, we urge you to reach out to our team of advisors. We’re here to help.