Speakers
Board & Governance
As a charter school board member, you have a critical role in ensuring your school provides a high-quality and sustainable education for the students it serves. This workshop will empower you with the knowledge and tools to achieve this goal.
We'll delve into the key indicators that distinguish successful charter schools from those that struggle in the areas of leadership, governance, finance and operations, talent, culture, and instruction. By understanding these factors, you can proactively monitor your school's performance and make informed decisions.
Through insightful research and practical tools, you'll gain the confidence to guide your school toward long-term sustainability. Join us to strengthen your board's impact and empower your students.
Having worked in Colorado charter schools since 2004 as a teacher, coach and school leader, Kia brings League members an array of knowledge and real-world experience. Utilizing School Quality Reviews, professional development training, and customized coaching, she focuses on coordinating and providing training to charter school teachers and leaders in the areas of data and accountability, teacher effectiveness, and leadership practices. In addition, she partners with charter schools through multi-year contracts to develop and implement improvement strategies that ensure student achievement along with the growth and development of teachers and leaders.
Explains Kia, “As a teacher, I was grateful for the autonomy charter schools possess. It provided me the opportunity to meet the individual needs of my students in whichever way I saw fit. The trust given to teachers, who know their students best, helped me to feel empowered in teaching my students in the most effective way. When I was a school leader, I appreciated the fact that I could design our school based on the wants and needs of our community. We worked closely with parents who had a voice in how our school was run. Charter schools can be a true gathering place or hub for their community as staff and families all work together towards a common goal, improving the lives of their students.”
Prior to joining the League, Kia was a founding teacher at Imagine Charter School in Firestone where she worked for 10 years in a variety of roles, including elementary principal. She also created and ran her own business for several years, a character-based, after-school theater program, at various charter schools in Colorado. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Mercyhurst University and her Master’s Degree in education leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters, baking sweet treats and tackling DIY projects around the house.