In The News

As I watch educational leaders across the country grapple with the challenges of the school closures, my mind goes back to Louisiana. I lived in Louisiana during hurricanes Katrina and Gustav. Those events were contained to smaller geographic areas and affected fewer
people, and yet similarities abound between them and the current situation.

As executive vice president and superintendent of schools for ACCEL Schools, I’ve had the challenge and opportunity of guiding nine historically underperforming schools — a portfolio we’ve dubbed our “turnaround schools” — as they re-envisioned how they serve their students and not only got back on track but in some cases became top performers in their cities.

Discussion on how educators can best leverage all the traditional learning methods and utilize tools from the digital workbench to enhance learning opportunities for all students.

Discussion on how educators can best leverage all the traditional learning methods and utilize tools from the digital workbench to enhance learning opportunities for all students.

Discussion on how educators can best leverage all the traditional learning methods and utilize tools from the digital workbench to enhance learning opportunities for all students.

“The level of creativity, flexibility and commitment over these last several weeks are unparalleled. However, we also want to acknowledge how much we miss our students and families right now. It’s hard to imagine that we won’t be able to see our CPS kids the rest of the year.

Kathrine Nero from “Coffee Break with Kathrine” discusses with Emily Campbell and Mark Comanducci how a local learning channel can assist school districts who are working remotely for their lessons.

I oversee a portfolio of nine turnaround schools, all of which had an overall rating of F when ACCEL Schools first took them over two years ago. This means that, on average, fewer than 30 percent of students were proficient.

It’s an all too familiar scene; you get home from work, sit down to eat dinner, and the flood gates open. Your significant other (spouse, partner, friend, or the family pet) gets bombarded with all the challenges, headaches, and frustrations that come with you being a school leader.

In 2015, the educational landscape in Ohio shifted with the creation of ACCEL Schools (ACCEL). Unlike many educational organizations managing and overseeing charter schools – often called community schools in Ohio – ACCEL did not start with one school and then slowly grow.