A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
It is a great honor and privilege to be the Chief Executive Officer of York Academy Regional Charter School. With nearly 20 years of experience working in urban education, I am excited to be part of a progressive organization rooted in the heart of York City.
Growing up, I was the kid that teachers hoped would be absent. As a struggling reader, I acted out constantly to avoid exposing my inadequacy to my peers. Mr. Lott, one of my sixth-grade teachers, recognized my struggle with dyslexia and taught me to read during his planning time. His ability to see through the “bad kid” persona changed my life forever and ultimately inspired me to become a teacher. Because of my background in teaching, I am keenly focused on instruction and am passionate about building positive relationships with students.
Mr. Lott influenced me in another way, as well. To my knowledge, he was the first African American male hired to teach at my elementary school in Clovis, New Mexico. What sort of barriers did he have to overcome to be hired? What if those barriers had been too great? Where would I be today? Families and individuals from traditionally underserved communities are still working to overcome similar obstacles and this need for social justice is what inspired me to become a school leader.
I believe that education is the best lever for improving individual lives and our society as a whole, but we cannot leave our children’s future to chance. We need a systemic approach to education that ensures that schools are professional learning communities where all teachers enable and support students to develop the knowledge and skills they need for both academic and personal success. The search for a holistic approach to education drew me to the International Baccalaureate over 10 years ago. As parent, teacher and school leader, I know first-hand the power of IB programmes to transform schools and develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed.
I look forward to working with all stakeholders to make York Academy a national model in public education through embracing diversity and full implementation of the International Baccalaureate continuum. In addition, my family and I are excited to make York our home and look forward to learning more about the rich history of our newly adopted city, while also being active participants in building its future.
Warm Regards,
Angela Sugarek