June 2024 — The start of the summer break is a critical time for anyone working in the K12 arena. It is time to reflect, recharge, and prepare for the next school year. For many educators and administrators – including the School Leaders Fellowship graduates – it’s a time of transition.
“The goal of the School Leaders Fellowship is to encourage charter schools to identify and develop talent from within their ranks and recommend them to our program to receive training to be future school leaders,” said Lynn Norman-Teck, Executive Director of the Florida Charter School Alliance. The Cohort 3/Class of 2024 Fellows graduated in March 2024 bringing the total of Fellowship graduates to 40 in just three years — exceeding the program’s initial goal of 20 Fellows in 5 years. Many within Cohort 3 class will take on leadership positions at the start of the 24-25 school year:
Rayscene Kirkland, PLC Lead for the Deans of Academics and Assistant Principals. In her new role, Ms. Kirkland will support the Deans and Assistant Principals at all six North Star Academies Schools in Florida.
Eileen Maytin, Director of Instruction for BridgePrep Academy schools. Before this, Maytin was the school’s Assistant Principal. In her new role, Ms. Maytin will be supporting all the charter schools within the BridgePrep Academy network. “I was promoted to Director of Instruction for BridgePrep Academy! I am honored to work with our Instructional Support Team to bring our school to new heights. I am so grateful to the Alliance for all the support and guidance I received and the addition of meeting such amazing people.”
Jeffery Russell, Director of Academics / Principal, Independence Classical. Earlier in the school year, Mr. Russell had taken on increased administrative responsibilities in preparation for the Dean of Students position.
Alexandra Plaza Torres, M. Ed., Principal of Main Street High School (Edison Learning). “I’ve been appointed as the Principal of Main Street High School, my current school…My principal is transitioning to one of our other schools in Palm Beach County.”
Before completing the program, several Cohort 3 Fellows moved into new positions: Shavonna C. Daniels was named Principal in Residence, BridgePrep Academy of St. Cloud; Angel Holsey was named Assistant Principal, S.A. Hull Elementary; Lianna Knight was named Principal, Global Leadership Academy Arts (opening August 2024); and Tiffani Hannah Powell accepted a new position as 6th grade ELA, SLAM Palm Beach.
Funded by a Florida Department of Education CSP grant, the program partners with key veteran principals and charter school operations experts to deliver research-based curriculum, best practices, and state standards content to engage, empower, and cultivate the next generation of exceptional charter school leaders. The Federal Charter Schools Program Grant (CSP) is the nation’s only source of dedicated federal funding to support the creation, expansion, and replication of public charter schools.
In the three years since the program’s inception, 40 Fellows have completed the program—far exceeding our initial goal of 20 graduates in five years. School Leaders Fellowship graduates are working in a variety of charter schools in Florida. Those schools run the gamut of the school choice movement—from small independent schools to dropout prevention programs.
The application period will open for Cohort 4/Class of 2025 will open in the fall of 2024. Click here to sign up to receive application information.