Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Stewart.
Robert, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As the head of the school of Fusion Academy Buckhead, I have spent my professional life using personal and career experiences to add value to learning communities. My success in education started in the classroom in 2008. For two consecutive years (2011-2013) at Coan Middle School, I obtained the district’s highest student growth percentile. In 2013, Coan Middle School had the highest gains of all traditional middle schools in Atlanta Public Schools. I was named teacher of the year in 2013. The next year, I left with my principal, Dr. Betsy Bockman, to return to her previous school, Inman Middle, to teach and later serve as a demonstration classroom teacher for the APS district. After two years there, I served various district-level roles in APS, including curriculum writing and serving on the benchmark assessment design team. These experiences led me to be hired as an instructional core content specialist, supporting and supervising multiple schools within the district. Before my current role, I previously served as the role of assistant principal for almost four years. Last year, I was named elementary assistant principal of the year and was a top-three AP finalist for all Atlanta Public Schools.
I am an Augusta, Georgia native and a product of private and public schools. I attribute my commitment to education to my family’s history of becoming teachers and I also take pride in being a lifelong learner as an alumnus from Savannah State University and a two-time graduate school alumnus from Mercer University. I recently earned several certifications in School Management and Leadership (CSML) from Harvard Business School. I am currently finishing a doctoral program this summer in Executive Business Leadership at The University of Charleston, West Virginia, and look forward to being a continuous change agent and helping other organizations do the same.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No road is smooth, but the challenges make you stronger. I have received several promotions in my career as a leader, and each promotion started with a no but eventually became a yes. I can’t make this up. Expertise, knowing the right people, and even timing can be a factor in climbing the ladder of success. Never giving up, trying harder, and being resilient after a simple “no” is even more important. My first initial yes was the position I have now as the head of the school of Fusion Academy Buckhead. The “no’s” essentially prepared me for a dream job that was offered to me. I am now using my story to help others better their stories proactively and redefine what it is to succeed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Fusion Academy Buckhead?
Fusion Academy Buckhead offers one-to-one personalized education guided by a fundamental belief in the immense potential of every person, and the mission is to help each student flourish- emotionally, socially, and academically through positive mentoring relationships and a personalized education experience.
COVID-19 dramatically impacted all students this past school year. We should step back and ask what we have learned and what will the future of education hold. Clearly, learning has suffered in large, online environments where full classrooms of students had to try to learn together virtually. Even where schools did an admirable job adjusting to the situation, students have been impacted. Many have fallen behind academically and will forever struggle to catch up. As importantly, the corresponding isolation and loneliness from learning from home have impacted millions of students socially and emotionally.
With the end of this pandemic nearing, many hope students and schools will return to “normalcy” this fall, but will that be enough? Will traditional schools be equipped to help students catch up academically? The big question: Were these things happening before the pandemic? Can we return to the way things used to be? The short answer to most of these questions is “no.” As we now know, the way of doing school has changed forever, and the future of education will now change even faster. However, I believe any school model or organization can come out of this on top if we learn to do things differently for the populations we serve. A wise man once said, “Don’t tell me your values; show me your budget and how you spend your time.” Being a Fusion Academy Buckhead leader has allowed me to re-envision education, develop the whole child, and help families during these challenging times.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
When it comes to my journey, I have learned there is no right way; it’s your way. I have learned to live life with no regrets. You either win, or you learn! Professionally, I firmly support the idea that achievement and progress can happen in any professional community or organization by setting high expectations with love. I am confident this all starts with an adult (parents and teachers) and leadership (job managers) behaviors. With this philosophy and lessons learned over the years, I consistently model the actions needed to develop the “whole individual,” focusing more on what’s strong than wrong. I view personalized learning and coaching as the foundation of progress when leading my school and our leadership team.
Lastly, a silver lining of COVID-19 has been the energy shown by many parents to become much more knowledgeable and sophisticated consumers of education. They are more aware of how their children are really doing. They now know and understand how virtual learning works. They are more cognizant of the many schools and educational support options available. Innovative parents, now more empowered and informed by the numerous online and in-person alternative learning resources, are capitalizing on this previously unknown education marketplace to help their children catch up or get ahead. These early adopters will quickly be followed by other families who also watch their children struggle or perform below their potential. This is truly the perfect time to revolutionize education in so many ways!
Contact Info:
- Email: rstewart@fusionacademy.com
- Website: https://www.fusionacademy.com/about/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fusionacademy_buckhead/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FusionAcademyBuckhead
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glD1qGDrQPE
Image Credits:
Graduation Photos by Shoccara Marcus www.shocphoto.com
