September 2024 – Florida – The Florida Charter School Alliance welcomes the newest School Leaders Fellows, Cohort 4 / Class of 2025. The Selection Committee based acceptance into this program on strong professional recommendations and a sincere desire to increase professional capacity for school leadership. Twenty-four applicants with various leadership experiences were selected from across the state. The Class of 2025 School Leaders Fellows are:
Kelly Adams, River City Science Academy Southeast
Sheenah Adams, Language & Literacy Academy For Learning
Marisa Anderson, Innovation Charter School
Andrea Barrios, Miami Community Charter Schools
Aileen Bellow, True North Academy
Joann Burgess, Innovation Charter School
Fabrice Clerger, Palm Beach Preparatory Charter Academy
Neavita Daly, BridgePrep Academy of Osceola
Stephanie Davis, River City Science Academy Intracoastal
Abby Ferguson, The Chiles Academy
Kristian Gellibert, Next Academy K-8
Kristen Gellibert, Next Academy K-8
Robyn Gary, Choices In Learning Elementary Charter School
Graysen Harrell, Patel Academy
Melissa Ramos-Mattia, River City Science Academy Southeast
Danny Mullins, Independence Classical Academy
Cotura Perry, Language & Literacy Academy for Learning
Myrberline Pigne, BridgePrep Academy of Osceola
Kenyatta Pollock, Becoming Collegiate Academy
Zanetta Robinson, St. Petersburg Collegiate High School – St. Petersburg / Gibbs
Melissa Rosario, Chambers High School
Viviana Salamo, Main Street High
Stephen Starr, Sandra Marie Curtis High School (NorthStar)
Caitlyn Uzzi, True North Academy
With this cohort’s graduation in March 2025, the program reaches 60 Fellowship graduates — far exceeding the initial expectation from the Florida Department of Education to graduate a minimum of 20 Fellows during the 5-year grant project. Using a grant from the Florida Department of Education, FCSA designed this tuition-free School Leaders Fellowship to support and train individuals working at a public charter school in operation for 5 years or less who are passionate about education and interested in leading a high-quality school in a high-need area.
The School Leaders Fellowship’s Cohort 4 will meet monthly – once in person and five times virtually over six months, October 2024 – March 2025, including session #2 which will be held during the Florida Charter School Conference, in November 2024. Sessions will provide Fellows with an overview of the Florida charter school movement and will cover a full range of topics essential to school leaders including Charter School Law, Parent and Community Engagement, District Relations, Charter School Operations, and School Finances. Experienced charter school leaders are also invited as guest speakers to share best practices with Fellows and promote an atmosphere of collaboration, mentorship, and continuous improvement through shared best practices.