Mapping Success in Alabama Education

In this enlightening conversation from the Federal Programs Conference in Montgomery, Bernard shares how he transitioned from a 15-year career spanning roles as teacher, middle school principal, high school administrator, Chief School Financial Officer, and Chief Academic Officer to his current position providing vital support to charter schools. After his formal retirement, Bernard's mentor Russell Rainey invited him to continue making an impact, and he couldn't resist the opportunity to support 8-10 charter schools functioning as Local Education Agencies (LEAs).

Spotlight 4 Success: Spotlight 4 Success

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to Spotlight for Success.
I am Devin Pintosi, your host.
We are here in Montgomery,alabama, at the Federal Programs
Conference.
We are excited to have with usBernard Mitchell.
Bernard is with us fromNewSchoolsForAlabamaorg and he's
going to speak with us abouthis educational journey.
Welcome, bernard, how you doing, oh, very, very well, yes and

(00:29):
uh, I'd so love to hear moreabout what you are doing here
with your organization here atthe federal programs for alabama
.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
I provide back office support for charter schools.
As the director of federalprograms I work with 8 to 10
LEAs that are charter schoolsOkay.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Wow, that's wonderful .
8 to 10 LEAs that are charters.
And how did you get involved inthat work?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
As my background.
I once worked with our CEO andCFO, russell Rainey, as a chief
finance officer.
He was my mentor and so, afterworking for several years, 15
years together, after retiring,he said, bernard, there's a
possibility somewhere.
Would you like to do that?
I said, well, somewhat retired,why not?

Speaker 1 (01:12):
There you go.
That's great, and so you're ina lot of the schools in the area
I am, I am like I said, abouteight to ten schools, lea,
supporting them with federalprograms and curriculum support.
Oh, that's great, and peoplecan find out about you through
your website.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
They can.
That's awesome.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
That's awesome.
Can you tell us about your workpreviously?
I understand you were inseveral administrative roles.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yes, I guess I'm a former, a former principal,
former teacher, matter of fact,former middle school principal.
So that's a little differentbetween being a high school
principal and middle schoolchildren.
Remember, you know, when yourchildren was in middle school?
Former CSFO and former chiefacademic officer as well.
So, working a few gamuts ofdifferent positions, oh that's
wonderful.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
I understand you've used American Book Company
materials before.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
I have.
I love the attention to detailthat American Book Company
provides the standards-basedsupport.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
I think it's an ideal situation to support any school
system.
That's wonderful, and did yourstudents see?

Speaker 3 (02:09):
score improvements.
Thank you for watchingSpotlight for Success.
I am Devin Pintosi, chiefOperating Officer of American
Book Company.
We are located here in ourheadquarters in Woodstock,
georgia.
All of our materials areprinted in USA.
We have course books, ebooksand online testing in grades K

(02:31):
through 12 in mathematics, ela,science and social studies.
These materials are alldesigned to help students
achieve higher scores on theirstate-specific high-stakes
assessments.
We guarantee score improvement.
You can get free samples of ourmaterials either in print or in

(02:53):
electronic formats atabck12.com.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
We look forward to hearing from you greatly and
again, I think many times whenyou have something that looks
like the actual assessment, youcan provide that type of support
all year.
It helps schools and studentsperform much better.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
Oh, that's wonderful, and can you tell us a bit about
your educational journey?
I understand previously youwent to school in Louisiana, is
that right?

Speaker 2 (03:18):
I did.
I went to high school inLouisiana and then, upon
matriculated from there, Istarted school here in Alabama,
and then, upon matriculatingfrom there, I started school
here in Alabama, and, for somereason or another, I could not
escape Alabama.
You've had good experienceshere then yeah, it's pretty good
experiences.
I've enjoyed living here.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
Oh, that's wonderful, and is there any special
moments that you'd like to sharewith the audience about
something that happened in theschools?

Speaker 2 (03:49):
And you're like this is why I got into my work here
as an educator.
Here's what I believe always iswhen you can show connections.
And when I remember as ateacher, a student asked me a
question, he asked me thisquestion in particular if a
positive times a positive is abigger positive, why isn't a
negative times, a negative abigger negative?
And he was looking atassociations and what I realized
then is that if you teach withassociations, then I will
remember it that moment orremember it forever.

(04:09):
So we show the why behind thewhat, and I think that's more
important than anything elsethat we're doing.
If we show children, students,parents, whoever it may be the
why, they remember the what.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
That's awesome.
That goes right into lifelonglearning.
Exactly the best way to retainand take those skills forward.
That's fantastic, wonderful.
Do you have anything you'd liketo share with the federal
program's audience here in?

Speaker 2 (04:34):
Alabama.
I just want them to know thatanything you're doing is a
continuous improvement process,realizing that today you may not
be there, but if you stick toeverything that you're doing
around the curriculum,instruction and assessment
relationship, you will get theresults that you really want for
children oh wonderful.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
Well, thank you very much, Bernard Mitchell with
NewSchoolsForAlabamaorg.
Thank you so much for joiningus today.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
Thank you as well.