Charter Moms Chats

Pivoting family Valentine’s Day plans with the cold weather and pandemic this year? Shake things up and learn how to make a Cutie Charcuterie to enjoy with your kids. Join us to get all the details from Chef Dave Terrazas of Foodie Classroom.

Frank L. Madla Early College High School is an open enrollment public charter school on the Southside of San Antonio that provides a supportive environment while students complete their high school diplomas and earn college credits at Palo Alto College. Jeff Flores, Principal at Frank L. Madla Early College High School, and Khalid Zakaria, Academic Counselor at Frank L. Madla Early College High Sc...

Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy (EKHLA) is a public charter school that prepares confident students through high academic and behavioral standards, who are grounded in Hebrew language and Israeli culture. Vice Principal Tracy Smith and District Coordinator/Athletics Director Gabriela Tawil join us to share about the school's rich culture and to offer advice about open enrollment—through Feb...

Do you know why we celebrate Black History Month in February? Deborah Omowale Jarmon, CEO/Director of the San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum (SAAACAM), joins us to talk about the origins of Black history month and share resources to learn about Black history in San Antonio.

Democracy Prep at the Stewart Campus, in partnership with San Antonio ISD, is a neighborhood school located southeast of downtown that also welcomes students from across San Antonio. Virginia Silva, Executive Director and Principal of Democracy Prep at the Stewart Campus, and Michelle Herrera, Family Impact Manager, join us to discuss how DPSC offers a well-rounded college preparatory program that...

Pre-K 4 SA is a city-funded initiative to provide high-quality, full-day prekindergarten to thousands of four-year-old children in San Antonio. They are now holding open enrollment for the 2021-22 school year. Dr. Sarah Baray, CEO of Pre-K 4 SA, joins us to talk about how early childhood education is driving economic and workforce development in San Antonio, and to share new developments with the...

The National Parents Union is a parent-founded, parent-driven organization that offers fellowship and training to help give parents a bigger voice in driving education policy. Keri Rodrigues, Founding President of NPU, and Texas delegates Wendy Gonzales-Neal and Shea Mackin join us to talk about how they are making a big impact in their short (one year!) history, and how to get involved.

It's winter in San Antonio, and it may not be snowing outside, but we can make it "snow" inside! This weekend, do some kitchen chemistry with your kids, and have fun while learning science concepts. Audrey Hagopian, Regional Director of Primary Schools for BASIS.ed, joins us to demonstrate making a snowstorm in a bottle, and suggest ways to extend the learning for kids of different ages, like they...

San Antonio School Finder is a website designed to help families navigate over 500 traditional public schools, magnet schools, and charter schools, as well as school programs. Adriana Pecina-Rios, Community Engagement Organizer at City Education Partners, joins us to share how San Antonio School Finder helps parents to exercise school choice and find high quality public schools for their children.

How do we raise the next generation to be upstanders, who will speak out and seek help when they see injustice? Texas Holocaust Remembrance Week is January 25-29, 2021. Nammie Ichilov, CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio and Director of the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio, offers recommendations about developmentally appropriate ways to teach children about the Holocaust, at home...

Families who are supporting their young learners at home during the pandemic can improve their students' sight word reading skills, time management, and mental health with these tips from Stellar Students. Raya Belton, the teacher behind Stellar Students, joins us to talk about the challenges that teachers and families are facing this year, and to share advice about how to individualize learning f...

St. Mary Magdalen School is a dual language Catholic school in San Antonio, Texas. Principal William Daily joins us to discuss how they prepare students for the challenges ahead by building their faith and immersing them in diverse languages and cultures. Also, new on the blog, we have published an enrollment guide to Catholic schools in San Antonio—just in time for Celebrate Catholic Schools Week...

Lawmakers need to hear from charter school parents and caregivers like you! As the 87th Texas legislative session gets underway, experts from Choose to Succeed are offering free training sessions to help parents share their stories and forecast what may happen in the state capitol to advance education policy. Tom Torkelson, CEO of Choose to Succeed, joins us to talk about why it's important for us...

It’s charter school application season. What can families like yours do now to plan ahead for the 2021-22 school year and get your kids into schools that will be the right fit for them? The latest entry in our series “What I Wish I Knew” tells you what you need to know now, so you don’t have to worry about missing out.

The Foundation School of Autism is an open enrollment charter school that serves students from ages 3 to 7 who are on the autism spectrum. They receive expert care, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, and applied behavior analysis, from teachers and specialists who help them build communication skills and prepare for learning in a general education setting. Rheatha Miller, Program Supe...

Which schools are going to be the best fit for YOUR children? Register for the San Antonio Virtual School Fair, and on January 30 you’ll be able to log in via Zoom and meet with many different schools of choice, including charter schools, private schools, magnet schools, traditional public schools, as well as community organizations. Ayla Dehghanpoor, Marketing and Communications Manager at Famili...

At Anne Frank Inspire Academy, students have the freedom to ask the questions that are important to them, and shape the direction of their learning, but with support and structure to prepare them for college and careers. Justin Johnston, Head of School at Anne Frank Inspire Academy, joins us to talk about inquiry based learning and the enrollment process. Open enrollment for the 2021–2022 school y...

Brooks Academies of Texas is a network of charter schools in San Antonio that offer a family-oriented culture. Each Brooks campus has a unique focus, but what they all have in common is a vision of lifting students up to be global learners. Barry LeMaitre, Principal at Brooks Lone Star, joins us to talk about what makes their campus unique, including their focus on teaching Spanish language and su...

In her journey as an education advocate, Wendy Gonzales-Neal went from watching her own parents care for her, to speaking up for her own children, to becoming the "Education Mom" that other families turned to for help. As the founder of My Child My Voice and a Texas regional delegate for the National Parents Union, Wendy joins us to share her story and welcome more parents to the fight for educati...

Royal Public Schools is a new charter school that will open in August 2021 on the South Side of San Antonio. Using the STREAMS-360 school model, they propose to lift the achievement of students through a whole-child approach, including STEM education, arts, social emotional learning, and project-based learning. Founder and CEO Soner Tarim, Ph. D., joins us to discuss progress towards the opening o...

Promesa Academy Charter School is a place where children love learning and where teachers have the time and support to build meaningful relationships with every child. Ambika Dani, Founder and CEO/Superintendent of Promesa Academy Charter School, joins us to share about how Promesa students engage in authentic learning experiences. We will also talk about open enrollment, which began on November 1...

Travel looks a lot different for everyone this year with the pandemic, but going on a road trip with your family can still be an option—while following CDC recommendations and local health advisories, of course. It can also be a fun thing to plan for in the future. Guest writer Amy of Maker Mama joins us to share 5 ways to make it fun and educational, no matter when or where you go.

Jubilee Academies is a network of charter schools in San Antonio and across South Texas that promises to educate the whole child, focusing on character, leadership, and excellence. Superintendent Kevin Phillips, Ed. D., joins us to talk about the school culture—including the Determined Destiny Values—as well as the programs that are getting students ready for college and careers.

Parents are worried about their children falling behind academically during the pandemic. How can we fight COVID slide? Inga Cotton shares the advice of expert contributors on topics such as early reading and math, college readiness, sleep schedules, and standardized testing.

Lighthouse Public Schools is experiencing a renewal as a place for students to find care and support. Superintendent Donald Mills, Ed. D., joins us to talk about how the school is growing, as well as how they create a welcoming environment and serve students’ social and emotional needs.