Great Leaders = Great Schools

In this episode of Great Leaders, Great Schools, host Dana Vignale welcomes Jeff Skowronek, Executive Director of Pepin Academies, to discuss how this innovative charter school network empowers students with learning disabilities to thrive. Jeff shares his philosophy of "making the box bigger"—leveraging education, therapeutic services, and inclusive practices to meet students where they are and unlock their full potential.

Learn h...

Ann Eisenberg is a founder and executive director of Palm Beach School for Autism. Ann is fiercely committed to providing an innovative education and behavioral support to individuals with ASD.

Palm Beach School for Autism was founded in 2003 by a group of parents who were seeking a better education for their children with autism.  The founders of the school wanted a program that would provide individualized education and therapy t...

In 2011, Galileo School for Gifted Learning opened its first campus. The school's model brings gifted learning practices to all of its students to provide them with opportunities to engage fully in their education. Galileo is currently two campuses in Orlando and Sanford, serving almost 1, 400 students in grades K through 8.

Michelle Nunez, Principal and CEO, took the helm shortly after and has committed to providing innovativ...

Live at the 2024 Impact Summit and Awards we are diving deep into the inspiring journey of Dr. Dogan Tozoglu, the visionary behind River City Science Academies. Known affectionately as Dr. T, he shares his unique path from a newcomer evaluating programs in Leon County to founding a network of top-performing charter schools in Duval County. This episode explores the relentless perseverance, strategic partnerships, and community enga...

In 2000, Suzanne Legg, founder and CEO opened the Dayspring Academy, the first charter school in Pasco County and remains the highest-performing school in the Tampa Bay area. Dayspring's growth story is nothing short of impressive, now accommodating over 1,200 students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade across five campuses. Their latest venture, Dayspring Angeline, is slated to open its doors in August 2024, welcoming an init...

In 2022, Cameron Frazier, founder and principal, opened Becoming Collegiate Academy in Jacksonville, Florida -- the first charter school in the state that mirrors the experience of Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) by providing a supportive, nurturing, and self-empowering environment needed for students to develop and affirm their cultural and academic identities.

Learn how Cameron leads with love creating...

Academy for Innovative Education is the first District-managed charter school in the country. With less than two months to open on three campuses, Mrs. Vera Hirsh, the founding principal and now Head of School made the impossible possible through her wise leadership that supports growth in all of her staff. Thirteen years later, Academy for Innovative Education now serves almost 1,000 in grades K-12 in Miami Springs, Florida.

Tune...

" We often assume that the size of the solution has to match the size of the problem, and that's not true. Sometimes very small changes can have cascading effects in a complex environment. And suddenly so many things that look like they are larger and more intransigent and more nebulous suddenly fall into place." -- Doug Lemov Dana Vignale hosts Doug Lemov on this very special episode of Great Leaders = Great Schools...

"Don't lower your expectations depending on where you're serving or who you're serving. Your results can yield just as high expectations as if you were serving students in a Title I school or serving students in West Pembroke Pines." -- Dr. Daniel Sandberg

Dr. Daniel Sandberg is the Superintendent for Franklin Academy Charter Schools, a premier network of seven charter schools serving almost 9,000 student...

" If it is about students first, then I know that we're on the right track. And so for me, I think it's trust your gut." -- Ms. Sherry Watts

Ms. Sherry Watts is the very proud principal at Minneola Charter School, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Orlando, Florida. Founded in 2004 as a conversion charter school, Minneola Charter School now serves 1,750 students from Pre-kindergarten to 8th Grade.

What is he...

Carlos Gonzalez is the founding principal and now Director of Schools of HIVE Preparatory, where the mission is to create a Highly Inquisitive Versatile Education that will facilitate a student-centered, adaptable learning environment.

Opened in 2009 with 132 students in grades K-5, HIVE has now grown to  841 in grades K-8. Serving  students who are 94% minority and 73% on Free and Reduced Lunch,  HIVE has impressively earned an A...

"They're my babies and I am their champion, and I'm their biggest cheerleader. And I just wanna find other cheerleaders for them." -- Dr. Tamara Moodie

Dr. Tamara Moodie is the founding principal and executive director who saw a need to provide the highest-quality education and social services to families of children with Autism regardless of income level. What is her secret to success? be a champion; be a cheerle...

Downtown Doral Charter Elementary Schools and Upper School are two of the most sought after schools in South Florida and two of the highest performing in the entire state. Serving almost 2700 students in PK3- Grade 12. DDCS offers fully bi-lingual programs in Spanish, French or Portuguese. Jeannette Acevedo-Isenberg is the founding head of school who brought a developers dream to a reality. What's the secret to her success? Put...