Orlando, FL – The Florida Charter School Alliance hosted an inspiring leadership session that featured expert presentations and interactive sessions aimed at enhancing leadership skills and promoting effective team collaboration among the School Leaders Fellowship/Cohort 4. Held during the Florida Charter School Conference + School Choice Summit, the workshop featured two accomplished charter school leaders. Mater Brighton Lakes Principal Carmen Cangemi and Somerset Academy Miramar Principal Alex Prieto shared invaluable best practices during the session, offering attendees new insights into effective leadership strategies. The Fellows were captivated by their presentations and invaluable insights on Student Learning and Continuous School Improvement (Florida Leadership Standard 4), Cultivating a Supportive and Rigorous Learning Environment (Florida Leadership Standart 5), and practical advice and solutions to challenges in today’s rapidly changing educational environment.
Cangemi, has led two high-performing charter schools — Pinecrest Academy South (Miami-Dade) and Mater Brighton Lakes (Osceole) — as well as been an Assistant Principal at the award-winning Mater Academy Middle High Charter (Miami-Dade). During her presentation, she used the book The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon to initiate a discussion and activity. The main message of the book is that people can choose their attitude and outlook in any situation, and in building school culture, the entire team must be focused on the same school improvement goals to achieve student success. Under Ms Prieto’s leadership, Somerset Academy Miramar K-8, a Title 1 school, has earned two National Blue Ribbon of Excellence awards and continually ranks among the best schools in Broward County. During her presentation, she incorporated multiple brainstorming activities related to driving student growth and success. She stated “rigor is not about making things hard for the sake of being hard. It’s about finding the right balance between challenging and frustrating students so they can grow and succeed.”
Most importantly, the Fellows heard from and connected with respected and highly-coveted leadership trainers with years of charter school operations and classroom experience. Throughout the workshop, Cangemi and Prieto focused on fostering a positive school culture, creating systems for success, and supporting professional growth within organizations. Participants were encouraged to reflect on their own leadership styles and engage in hands-on group activities designed to deepen their understanding of these principles. Interactive activities provided an opportunity for the Fellows to apply the session concepts — working collaboratively to discuss real-world challenges and develop actionable plans. The session was met with enthusiasm, and attendees left equipped with new tools and strategies to enhance their leadership effectiveness as they move through the Fellowship program.
“We are honored to have had Principal Cangemi and Principal Prieto join us as presenters. Their expertise and passion for leadership and determination to help their students succeed made a significant impact on the Fellows,” said Lynn Norman-Teck, Executive Director of the FCSA. “The hands-on group activities also helped solidify Florida Leadership Standards concepts and provided an opportunity for networking and collaboration among peers. This is a critical aspect of the Fellowship. The Fellows are encouraged to develop a network of colleagues, both new and veteran principals, they can reach out to for guidance and support.”
The School Leaders Fellowship was created by FCSA to support leadership development in Florida and funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Education. and will continue to offer resources and training opportunities for individuals seeking to grow as leaders in their fields. With the graduation of Cohort 4 Fellows this spring, the FCSA’s School Leaders Fellowship will have graduated 60 future charter school leaders. Several graduates have been assigned to charter school leadership positions.
About the School Leaders Fellowship: Florida Charter School Alliance is thrilled to announce the creation of the School Leaders Fellowship in partnership with the Florida Department of Education through a U.S. Department of Education’s CSP grant. The program is developing a robust pipeline of strong, effective, and visionary charter school leaders. This tuition-free program was designed specifically for individuals working at a public charter school in operation for five years or less and who are passionate about education and interested in leading a high-quality school in a high-need area.