2018 Charter Champion Award honorees

 The Tennessee Charter School Center-  During the inaugural Tennessee Charter Schools Conference, the Tennessee Charter School Center (TCSC) recognized five distinguished education leaders and organizations that are catalysts in the classroom and within their communities. Congratulations to our 2018 Charter Champion Award honorees:

Bill Dunn

• State Representative Bill Dunn– Policy Champion of the Year- In 2018, Rep. Dunn successfully sponsored and stewarded House Bill 1870, critical legislation that ensures access to state reimbursement funds for charter school students with high cost special needs, to overwhelming approval on the House floor with an unprecedented 91 affirmative votes. 

• Memphis Academy of Science & Engineering (MASE)– School of the Year–MASEis looking to the future of innovation in education through their "STEM in Motion” program and the unique partnership they have developed with Smith & Nephew. 

Sarah Giblin

• Sarah Giblin, Principal, Valor Voyager Academy– Administrator of the Year – Since opening the doors in 2015-16 with a 5th and 6th grade class, Giblin’s leadership has led the school and its students to remarkable success including an average 49% growth on MAP testing in only three years, an 85% faculty retention rate, and every teacher in every grade level across all subjects rating a Level 5 on TVAAS.

Courtney Harvey

• Courtney Harvey, Teacher, Memphis Business Academy High School–  Teacher of the Year– In addition to her student’s academic gains, Harvey serves as leader for the band’s majorette team, member of the school’s Culture Team, counselor and peer mentor for incoming TFA teachers, and helps all incoming staff with MasteryConnect by leading PLC training.

• Tennessee River Rescue Project, Ivy Academy Chattanooga–Community Impact Project of the Year– From old tires to plastic bottles, students, parents and staff of Ivy Academy have come together annually since 2013 to clean up the area at Jones Bay, where the school’s “Floating Classroom” is located. 

“There are some outstanding leaders, thinkers and doers supporting public charter schools across Tennessee. Whether they are on the front lines in the classroom or driving critical legislation on the Hill, we wanted to recognize the thoughtful, innovative, dedicated work they are investing to help students and families achieve and succeed,” shared Maya Bugg, Chief Executive Officer of the Tennessee Charter School Center. “Tonight, we celebrated five dynamic honorees for our Charter Champion Awards, but in our eyes, all of the dedicated education advocates, resource providers, leaders, and schools are winners, too!”

The Charter Champion Awards were presented during the 2018 Tennessee Charter Conference, the State of Tennessee’s inaugural professional development conference convening education leaders from Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville.

For more information on the Tennessee Charter School Conference, visit www.tnchartercenter.orgor view the full program of events and speakers here.