FCSA Recognizes Charter School Heroes for valiantly supporting & defending the movement in Florida
June 20-23, 2022 — Thousands of charter school educators, principals, board members, and advocates from around the country gathered in Washington, D.C. last week for the 2022 National Charter Schools Conference.
The FCSA team had several goals heading into the conference. First, reconnect with colleagues from Florida and around the country to talk about wins and challenges, and learn what’s working; second, meet with federal legislators to talk about issues concerning our schools; and lastly, celebrate the Charter School Heroes from the sunshine state.
Our time at the conference did not disappoint. We attended interesting breakout sessions, connected with advocates and school leaders from around the country, and met prospective Marketplace partners who are excited about serving charter schools in Florida.
We also attended meetings on Capitol Hill with members of Congress and staff to talk about Florida charter schools – from successfully pivoting during the pandemic to increased enrollment, graduation rates, and parental satisfaction. We also talked about CSP funding and the need for the continued support of quality public charter school programs. To learn more about our advocacy efforts and how you can be involved contact, Lynn@Flcharteralliance.org
The highlight of the 3-day conference was the FCSA reception sponsored by Building Tomorrow’s Schools. At the event, we recognized individuals who were nominated by their peers for going above and beyond the call of duty to support students and the charter school movement in Florida.
“Although it’s impossible to recognize every individual who is making a heroic effort to support charter school students, raise academic achievement, and strengthen the overall movement, we did want to honor a few who made some of the greatest impacts this year in our state,” said Lynn Norman-Teck, Executive Director, FCSA.
Meet the 2022 Charter School Heroes
Liliana Salazar, National ESE Director, Academica
Liliana Salazar is truly an ESE Dynamo! Her standing-room-only workshops at state and national conferences are a testament to her respected expertise. She is a tireless advocate for students and teachers, and a valuable resource for every charter school in Florida.
Enid Weisman, Mayor, City of Aventura, and Ronald J. Wasson, City Manager, City of Aventura
Dr. Judith Stein, FCSA board member, and Vera Hirsh with the Academy for Innovative Education accept the Charter School Hero award on behalf of their friend Enid Weisman. Fearless advocates for students, Mayor Weisman and Mr. Wasson — on behalf of the City of Aventura which runs two municipal charter schools — fought and won a legal battle against Miami-Dade County Public Schools to secure a portion of the voter-approved tax referendum dollars for all charters in the district.
We also recognized a few charter school heroes who quietly went above and beyond to make a big impact in the communities they serve: Sheila Bynes, Administrative Assistant; Eugenia Elijah, Support Facilitator; and April Ridford, Behavior Interventionist at Everglades Preparatory Academy.
The administrative support staff at Everglades Preparatory Academy in Palm Beach County were nominated for the Charter School Hero award for always taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to supporting their school community. From community outreach to subbing in a class, Sheila Bynes, Eugenia Elijah, and April Ridford, continually rose to the challenge.
Thank you to Adam Emerson (FLDOE), FCSA Board Members Dr. Judith Stein and Ignacio Zulueta, and all our friends, colleagues, and supporters who attended the Charter School Heroes celebration.
