Life & Work with Michelle Flowers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Flowers.

Hi Michelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Michelle Flowers, an unapologetic education advocate for children and families in underserved communities. I migrated from my homeland of Jamaica, West Indies at the age of nine years old with my mother and two younger siblings to Brooklyn, New York in search of access to better educational and life opportunities. The experience of being in the New York City public school system has greatly influenced this great call to service for me in this capacity of my work.

After relocating two years ago to Georgia from New York City, I began my pursuit to find an opportunity that will allow me to be a champion for students in underserved communities working to advance equity and inspire students to lead transformative lives of choice and impact. As I have done in my previous work in high-performing charter schools, I wanted to support charter organizations in Georgia that matched my professional aspirations and philosophical beliefs about education. I began to learn early on that there was a sluggish approach to radicalizing teaching and learning and developing teachers and leaders rapidly, which are the driving forces in increasing student achievement. It appeared to me there was a persistent fear to make radical choices about curriculum and instruction and student culture to advance student gains. Like a broken a record, the thought of ‘We cannot continue to do what we have always done if our schools are failing’ would circle in my mind incessantly as I would advocate for shifts in mindsets as it relates to student achievement and closing the achievement gap in an equitable way.

My service has come full circle as I was a former Mentor Teacher, Dean of Students, Founding Elementary School Principal, Assistant Principal for a turnaround Atlanta Public School, Director of Teaching and Learning and now a founder petitioning for a uniquely designed community co-designed college preparatory charter school built on the promise that we will reverse the achievement gap for minority students by providing high performing school choice for our scholars and families pre-k through grade 12. I am determined to launch a charter school that is profoundly aligned to an educational philosophy and social-emotional learning approach that will reverse the opportunity gap and level the playing field for economically disadvantaged students. High-quality schools have the power to elevate and transform communities.

As an educator and administrator for over 15 years working in high performing college-preparatory charter schools in underserved neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York and Atlanta, Georgia, I believe we have an incredible opportunity to be who or what inspired us for our scholars, so they too can one day stand in their life’s purpose. I have provided and will continue to provide quality development for leaders and teachers as well as outstanding educational choices to families, scholars and the communities we hope to serve. Passion is drive, vitality and vigor and Excelsior Village academies is passionate about partnering with parents and the community members to design a tuition-free, public charter school providing the educational experience local families desire. Our EVA “Village” will be the best we can be for the scholars we’ll serve in all the years to come.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has certainly not been easy because change is HARD! Founding this community co-designed school with a grassroots approach does have its fair share of challenges from networking in a pandemic, mothering three school-aged children, funding, resources and shifting mindsets. The work to expand equity in education and advancing the agenda for creating better school choices for children that has been historically underserved by making profound shifts across the scope of teaching and learning can be a tough reflection and naming the brutal facts can upset and offend. I believe it is important to be critically reflective when we are not meeting the bar for educational excellence and pushing urgently to unlock what is possible for children, no matter their zip codes or socio-economic background–this is a non-negotiable! I have been fortunate enough to be supported by the Georgia Charter School Association, an organization that supports and advocates for the development of high-quality charter schools and RedefinEd, an organization whose mission is to transform Atlanta, providing every student in every community with a great K-12 public education. My most urgent impulse on this journey to creating one the best network of schools in Georgia is to develop and maintain a strong community co-design process, strong ties in the communities we want to serve and to recruit a remarkable group of Founding Board of Directors.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
While in my role as Founding Elementary School Principal in a high-performing college preparatory charter school in Brooklyn, New York serving 97% minority students, I have managed, developed and evaluated the school’s leadership team and faculty to build a culture of relentless self-improvement among the entire staff. I have honed and developed my team’s data-driven practices to ensure the achievement of targeted academic results through curriculum alignment and assessments. In the scope of my work, I also monitored and safeguarded the intervention programs, special education and ENL mandates being serviced. I ensured data-driven practices were implemented to inform decision-making around pedagogical approaches and behavioral supports and interventions for scholars. I provided coaching and professional development support over the summer for teachers and leaders ongoing development for all staff members instructional and non-instructional, throughout the school year in targeted areas of need. I am especially proud of not only our academic achievement in one of Brooklyn’s most underserved neighborhoods but the ability to build a collaborative team that feels jointly responsible and committed to achieving the school end of year goals, school’s vision and our network’s mission.

I am maniacal about closing the achievement gap for minority students and providing a better school choice for our scholars and families pre-k through grade 12. All children deserve an excellent education despite their socio-economic background, race and/or zip code. These societal markers disproportionally affect black children and their experience in school and I want to build excellent schools to decimate the achievement gap and to replicate that success one school at a time.

Founding Excelsior Village Academies, a community co-designed charter school has been an incredible experience. Undertaking a unique approach to creating schools that truly reflect the needs and aspirations of the communities we serve is transformative. We co-design our schools with families, educators, students and community organizations. We believe it takes a village to actualize the promise we are making to families to prepare our students for a life of opportunity and impact. Schools are important institutions within our communities and Excelsior Village Academies has a responsibility to amplify the voices and create a responsive experience for the students, families and communities we serve.

I am actively recruiting Founding Board of Directors and Community Co-Design team members that are passionate about service, innovation and local education. The challenges facing schools are very complex issues. Community collaboration allows us to best leverage our collective knowledge and expertise to help Excelsior Village Academies to reimagine what is possible for our children. I would like to invite any who thinks EVA would be a good fit for them to tour our school’s website and connect with me to express their interest in becoming a part of the village. #jointhevillage

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I am just starting out and still learning a lot on this journey. However, one of the most profound lessons I have learned is nothing happens before its time, so trust the process and do the work required. You inevitably will not have all pieces of the puzzle in the beginning–but hold on tight to your passion, your “why” and keep building that vision! Doing anything less will short circuit your gift to impact the world.

Contact Info:

• Email: info@excelsiorvillageacademies.org
• Website: https://www.excelsiorvillageacademies.org
• Instagram: @excelsiorvillageacademies
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/excelsiorvillageacademies/

Image Credits:
Chris180