This past year has been tumultuous, especially for educators. Across the country, school leaders have had to juggle navigating a global pandemic and our nation’s racial reckoning. They’ve transitioned to virtual teaching and learning, created space to discuss police brutality and systemic racism in their schools, and addressed the physical, social, and emotional needs of their students and families. In light of all, they have persevered through. Our School Leaders Who Inspire Series is intended to celebrate and highlight the prominent and impactful educators we have the pleasure of working with.
Over the course of this series, we will share interviews with school leaders about their motivations to lead and teach, their biggest lessons, influences, and best advice. You will learn more about their contributions to the public school system and how they have worked to provide their students with a high quality and equitable education.
Our Conversation with Dr. Vasthi R. Acosta
How long have you been working in the charter school sector?
I have been working in the charter school sector for 14 years.
What motivated you to do this work?
I was motivated to do this work after homeschooling my two children because the local school was not meeting their needs.There were no charter schools at the time, so when I found the charter school sector, I found a home where students were really learning and thriving. There existed the nimbleness to respond to student’s needs. It has been invigorating work.
What book, experience, or resource has had the biggest impact on how you approach this work?
Any book by Brené Brown. Her work has helped me in my leadership, mentoring, and personal growth.
What are the biggest lessons you have learned from your school community?
The biggest lessons I have learned from my school community are the following two:
- You must never assume you know the hardships a person may be dealing with, so extend grace always.
- That we are always both learning and teaching at the same time. With everything we do someone is learning something about us and we are advertently or inadvertently teaching.
How many Hispanic or Latino teachers or professors have you had over the course of your own education and how has this impacted your educational experience?
I didn’t have a Latino teacher until I was in graduate school, Bank Street College of Education. She became my mentor. I have four degrees and she was my one and only Latino teacher in all of that education.
How many African American teachers or professors have you had over the course of your own education and how has this impacted your educational experience?
Luckily, I have had several African American teachers throughout my education even in high school. Including, high school guidance counselor, who made it possible for me to graduate early at the age of 16 and get a scholarship to Fordham University.
How many female teachers or professors have you had over the course of your own education and how has this impacted your educational experience?
I have been blessed to have many female teachers and professors over the course of my own education. Most notably my dissertation sponsor was of Asian American Pacific Islander ethnicity and helped me achieve my Doctorate in Education.
What strategies or best practices does your school use to help support your students’ racial identity development?
Amber Charter Schools has multiple strategies and practices we use to help support our student’s racial identity development. Most important is to have a staff that reflects their racial identity, 70% of Amber’s staff identifies as persons of color. In addition, the curriculum celebrates their racial identity through lessons, books, stories, and activities. Finally, but also important, students are given the space and freedom to bring their authentic self to the classroom and share with their classmates the beauty of who they are.
What can lenders do to more effectively support schools and school leaders?
Lenders can continue to educate themselves on the needs of schools and their leaders, learn about what makes schools effective and support those schools that are. Do not leave behind the schools that are struggling because the additional support might be just what they need to turn the corner and become successful.
What is the best piece of advice you have gotten in your career so far and why?
“It’s not about you”. This piece of advice has helped me to look beyond my own assumptions and perspective and try to understand what motivates the other person. It pushes me to think from the other’s perspective and this brings a new view on any situation. It can often even bring solutions and help solve problems effectively without personal bias.
About Dr. Vasthi R. Acosta
Dr. Vasthi Reyes Acosta has been the Executive Director of Amber Charter Schools since 2014. She began her career at Amber Charter Schools as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and in 2008 she was appointed Head of School/Principal.
Prior to working with charter schools, Dr. Acosta has worked in the NYC Department of Education as an assistant principal, consultant and teacher. She was a college professor at Hostos Community College in the Early Childhood Education Department, a curriculum developer, and a teacher trainer at Teachers College. She is the founding convener of the Latino Charter Leaders Roundtable.
Dr. Acosta is a graduate of Columbia University’s Teachers College where she was awarded both a Doctor of Education and Master of Arts degrees. She also holds a Master of Science degree from Bank Street College of Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University.
Our Work with Amber Charter Schools
Amber Charter Schools is a high-performing charter school that has been a LISC partner since 2004 and a Spark Opportunity grantee in 2019. The school was founded in 2000 by the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans, and became the first Latino-led public charter school in New York City. Since its inception, the school has served predominantly Hispanic and/or Latino students opening a second school in Washington Heights and now a third school in Inwood.
Amber Charter School’s mission is to provide their students with an academically rigorous and well-rounded education, along with strong character development, that will enable them to prosper in future endeavors. Amber Charter Schools offers an academically rigorous common core curriculum focused on literacy, math, science and social studies. The school also offers a dual language program, teaching in Spanish as a second language from grades K-5. Amber Charter School students have outperformed local traditional district school peers and the state on state exams for English and Math for the past three years.
The LISC Charter School Financing Team provided a $1 million subordinate loan to support the renovation of a 68,000 square foot building in Inwood, Manhattan to serve 923 students in grades K-8.