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 Dustin Mitchell
How long have you been working in the charter school sector?
After working in a traditional public school district for 4 years, I have had the honor and privilege of having been with 3 different public charter schools over the course of the last 20+ years.
What book, experience, or resource has had the biggest impact on how you approach this work?
There is always somebody who says that what you are trying to do can’t be done. Sometimes, there are people who will even work against you. The Art of War has provided numerous tactics to overcome these obstacles and maintain a consistent focus on doing what is best for the kids under my care.
How do you create joy for your students?
The 3 R’s: relevancy, rigor, and rewards. Start by making everything that you share relevant to the scholars’ lives. All students can learn, but they each learn in different ways. Keep the rigor high and push all students to be the best that they can be. Always remember to encourage effort, but make sure that you reward progress.
Does your school have any strategies that your network uses to help support students’ racial identity development?
The most important strategy is to get to know the students and their families on a personal level. It gets harder to do as you get further removed from the classroom, but it is still the most important aspect of the job.
What are the biggest lessons you have learned from your school community?
If you want to be the best, you have to work the hardest.
What is the best piece of advice you have gotten in your career so far and why?
“Some days are better than others, but every day is a good one.” Remembering to stay positive and celebrate the small victories is important. Don’t look at anything as a problem, but as opportunities to improve instead. The growth mindset needs to be modeled for all.
About Dustin Mitchell
Dustin Mitchell joined Henry Johnson Charter School in 2018 as a Head of the School. In this role, Mr. Mitchell is responsible for helping everyone around him be better. This includes unifying efforts and aligning those efforts to the school’s mission.
Prior to joining Henry Johnson Charter School, Mr. Mitchell was a school leader for KIPP Tech Valley Charter School in Albany, New York. As a school leader, he was responsible for career development, hiring, and helping the school perform “Higher than expected to a meaningful degree” multiple times on annual SUNY Charter Schools Institute comparative performance review in ELA and mathematics.
Our Work with Henry Johnson Charter School
Henry Johnson Charter School is a high-performing charter school that has been a LISC partner since 2015. Henry Johnson Charter School’s mission is to ensure that all scholars reach the highest levels of scholastic achievement in an environment that instills character, virtue, and “habits of mind” that ensure success both within and outside the classroom: diligence, courage, respect, self-reliance, duty, and responsibility. Henry Johnson’s academic program was modeled on the very successful Milwaukee College Preparatory School, which follows some of the tenets of Marva Collins. Henry Johnson’s daily schedule includes three hours of ELA and 90 minutes of math daily; science, social studies, art, music, physical education and computer round out the program. In grades K-4, there are at least two adults in every classroom.
The LISC Charter School Financing Team provided a $6 million permanent loan to Henry Johnson Charter School of Albany, New York for the construction of a four-story 18,000 square foot addition to their original 12,000 square foot district school building, which currently enrolls over 400 students.
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School Leaders Who Inspire: Monique Daviss
School Leaders Who Inspire: James F. Waller
School Leaders Who Inspire: Denise Alexander
School Leaders Who Inspire: Traci Thibodeaux