At our new teacher and staff orientation each year, our new employees are asked to answer the question “What drew you to work at ANCS?” As we begin the new school year, I’d like to share my answer to that question with you and to introduce myself to those of you who might be new to the ANCS community.
In my first few years as a classroom teacher, I sought out a school in which to work where teaching and learning were guided not by the order of chapters in a textbook but by important and interesting questions and concepts, where students could show what they knew not only by answering questions on a test but also by what they could do–writing, creating, problem-solving, and performing. At the time, there just didn’t seem to be public schools in Atlanta that fit that description, so I found myself teaching in classrooms far from my hometown, in other states. Yet I always kept tabs on what was happening in schools back in Atlanta, and in so doing, in February 2003, I heard about a new charter school whose building had been ravaged by a fire. I found the school’s website and was impressed by what I read: teaching driven by students’ interests, a commitment to the arts and wellness, and a sense of community. And I emailed the school’s principal, Dr. Jackie Rosswurm, to see if there was a way I could donate money or help in the rebuilding efforts.
Four years later, having gotten a master’s degree in school leadership and continued to teach in Massachusetts, I came across a position listed on the jobs board on the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) website for a middle school principal for a two year old middle school in Atlanta, that, as it turns out had grown out of that same elementary school that had caught fire years before. I was drawn to the school because of its focus on the CES principles I’d come to see as critical to creating a great school. And in the end I was offered the job as principal.
Ten years later, I’m happy to still be here at our school—through a merger of the elementary and middle schools to form the single K-8 school now known as ANCS, being named Georgia “Charter School of the Year”, and beginning to share and collaborate with other area schools through our Center for Collaborative Learning. I now serve as ANCS’s executive director, a role in which I work closely with both our school’s governing board to identify the strategic direction of the school and with the campus principals and leadership team to make sure the structures and resources we need are in place to move in that direction.
If I haven’t yet met you, I invite you to join me on Sunday, August 13 from 3:30-5 PM at our elementary campus for an event I’m holding along with our governing board. Titled “ANCS 101: Growing from Acorn to Oak”, this event will give you a chance to learn more about ANCS’s history, what it means to be a charter school, and what’s needed to make our school the best place it can be for our students. Though this gathering is aimed at new families, current parents and guardians are also welcome to attend. Details are on our website and you can email Kim Kurtz (kkurtz@atlncs.org) from our staff with any questions or to RSVP.
My wife and I have a student at ANCS and we also live in Grant Park, so even if I don’t see you on August 13, I’m bound to see you at some point soon. Thanks to intown living, we have just one car, so you may see me walking, biking, or waiting for the MARTA bus to one campus or the other; if so, give a wave! And in addition to this blog that I update once each week, you can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
I know that many of the same principles and practices that drew me to ANCS as an educator likely attracted you to the school, and I’m glad you’ve chosen us for your student. Here’s to a great start to the 16th year for our school!