We have incredible, talented educators in New Orleans–amazing teachers, coaches, counselors, and principals. We have great charter executives, too, and we must ensure that, as time goes on, more strong leaders enter these roles.
The Executive Education Experience, or “E3,” is NSNO’s effort to identify and develop future executive-level leadership for our city’s schools and networks. After launching last fall to great success with 9 inaugural fellows, E3 has now chosen its second set of leaders.
The fellowship involves professional development sessions, individual coaching, and meetings with national and local education leaders, including former U.S. Secretary of Education John King, former State Superintendent John White, and KIPP Atlanta Schools Chief Executive Officer Mini’mah Shaheed.
The E3 team gathered research on the best leaders of charter networks nationwide. They combed through research to find the skills and traits those great leaders shared, and designed E3’s programming around helping fellows develop them within New Orleans’ unique context. Importantly, E3 also aims to help fellows build relationships and get to know one another because our city’s schools and networks are stronger when they work together.
The fellowship is highly selective. E3 seeks a diverse, experienced group of leaders with a history of success in schools and a deep love for our city’s children. Over the past two months, the team has been deeply engaged in recruiting and selecting the second cohort. Today, we are proud to announce ten new leaders for the program. Their leadership spans every grade level from PreK-12, and two are network-level leaders. Sixty percent are people of color, and 30% lead single-site schools.
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Adrienne Collopy Principal, Audubon Charter School Adrienne has been a member of the Audubon team for over 10 years and is in her fifth year as Principal of the Upper Campus. Audubon maintained a letter grade of B and earned an A progress rating in 2019. |
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Andrea Bond Chief Academic Officer, Collegiate Academies Andrea has served in education for 15 years, including over a decade in leadership roles. Andrea has led Collegiate in launching a robust continuum of services for scholars with diverse academic, social-emotional, and transition support needs. With her support, Collegiate’s five high schools all earned an A or B progress rating in 2019. |
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Ashley Daniels Hall Chief Instructional Officer & Principal, Einstein Charter School at Sherwood Forest Ashley has been an instructional leader in New Orleans schools for 6 years and principal at Einstein Sherwood Forest since 2019. Under her instructional leadership as Assistant Principal at Einstein Village de l’Est Forest, the school earned a A progress rating in 2019. |
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Avione Pichon, Esq. Chief Operations Officer, Community Academies of New Orleans Avione has served in urban education for 10 years. As a local attorney, she also represented charter schools and founded the first education law group at the largest law firm in Louisiana. As COO, she helped facilitate the partnership of two local charter management organizations (CMOs) to form a new CMO, Community Academies of New Orleans. |
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Danielle Dufauchard Principal, Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle-Orleans Danielle has served in New Orleans schools for 7 years. Lycee has maintained a letter grade of B and was named a Top Gains Honoree in 2019. |
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Dione Singleton School Director, FirstLine Live Oak Charter School Dione has 15 years of experience in New Orleans education and 9 years in leadership roles. She is currently in her third year as School Director at Live Oak. FirstLine Live Oak earned a B progress rating in 2019. Dione previously served as a primary school principal for six years at Phillis Wheatley Community School (formerly John Dibert Community School). |
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Kendall McManus Executive Director of Academics, Warren Easton Charter High School Kendall has been a member of the Warren Easton team for 9 years and has served in a leadership role for 5 years. Warren Easton maintained a letter grade of A and was named an Equity Honoree School in 2019. |
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Mark Burton Principal, KIPP Morial Primary Mark has served in education for 16 years and in school leadership roles for 11 years. Under his leadership as Primary Principal, KIPP Morial earned an A progress rating in 2019. |
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Nicolette London Chief Administrative Officer, Benjamin Franklin Elementary Math & Science School Nicolette has served New Orleans schools for 28 years. Under her leadership as CAO, “Baby Ben” earned a B progress rating in 2019. |
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Shawn Persick Executive Director of School Operations, Edward Hynes Charter School Shawn has served in education for 25 years and in school leadership at Hynes for 16 years. Hynes has maintained a letter grade of A, was recognized as a Top Gains School, and was named to the state’s “Excellence Honor Roll” for early childhood education in 2019. |
We are excited about this new cohort. Last year’s fellows have shown us the power of E3 in just a short period of time. Amidst all the crises of 2020, the E3 fellows came together and learned, leaned on one another, and served their students and their city. This new cohort has immense potential and power, as well. We are hopeful for the work they are doing today, the work they will do in our two-year fellowship, and all that they hold as leaders for our city in the years to come.