Leadership Summit 2025: Celebrating 30 years of NHA
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National Heritage Academies (NHA®) celebrated its 30th year at its annual Leadership Summit in July in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The event began with presentations from NHA Founder J.C. Huizenga, and President and Chief Learning Officer Nick Sheltrown, where Pembroke Academy of Detroit was presented the Founder’s Award.
The annual event is held to inspire and equip school leaders across the network of 103 schools. Over the course of four days, principals and deans participated in professional development sessions covering topics such as classroom framework, building sustainable student support practices, targeted intervention, and much more.
Principals and deans were joined this year by members of their school boards, who participated in special breakout sessions to learn more about the safety procedures in NHA schools and maximizing board members’ talents.
Sessions for principals and deans included strategies to increase enrollment, cultivating emerging dean leaders, leading with courage, rapid response scenario safety training, effective lesson preparation, and more.
Each year, Leadership Summit provides a time for learning, but also connection with fellow school leaders. Principals and deans work with their directors of school quality as well as content and instruction leaders from the Service Center. The event provides the opportunity for educators to build lasting relationships with subject matter experts who can support them throughout the school year.
Leadership Summit also provided the opportunity to recognize the hard work school leaders put in throughout the year with the Eagle Awards. You can see a full list of award winners below.
Thank you for your dedication to educational excellence!
2024-25 EAGLE AWARDS CRITERIA AND WINNERS
(Taking Flight awards were presented to the top 5% of schools in each of the following categories for showing the greatest improvement)
Schools of Excellence (5 Stars)
Awarded to schools with superior performance in academics and enrollment for the 2024-25 school year.
Awarded to schools that were compliant with the NHA safety program, completed the required emergency drills on time, participated in Safe Schools Week, and earned an overall score of 90+ on the spring 2025 employee engagement survey safety question.
Awarded to the top 10% of schools with the lowest percentage of students chronically absent. Criteria are measured by school type.
Awarded to schools with a Glint Employee Engagement Index at or above 85 on the spring 2025 employee engagement survey.
Awarded to schools with at least 90% of parents satisfied (top two boxes) and at least a 40% response rate on the spring 2025 parent survey.
Awarded to the top 5% of schools with the greatest improvement in year-over-year count day enrollment, based on same-grade configurations.
About National Heritage Academies
National Heritage Academies (NHA®) is a network of more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find a charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.
The annual event is held to inspire and equip school leaders across the network of 103 schools. Over the course of four days, principals and deans participated in professional development sessions covering topics such as classroom framework, building sustainable student support practices, targeted intervention, and much more.
Principals and deans were joined this year by members of their school boards, who participated in special breakout sessions to learn more about the safety procedures in NHA schools and maximizing board members’ talents.
Sessions for principals and deans included strategies to increase enrollment, cultivating emerging dean leaders, leading with courage, rapid response scenario safety training, effective lesson preparation, and more.
Each year, Leadership Summit provides a time for learning, but also connection with fellow school leaders. Principals and deans work with their directors of school quality as well as content and instruction leaders from the Service Center. The event provides the opportunity for educators to build lasting relationships with subject matter experts who can support them throughout the school year.
Leadership Summit also provided the opportunity to recognize the hard work school leaders put in throughout the year with the Eagle Awards. You can see a full list of award winners below.
Thank you for your dedication to educational excellence!
2024-25 EAGLE AWARDS CRITERIA AND WINNERS
(Taking Flight awards were presented to the top 5% of schools in each of the following categories for showing the greatest improvement)
Schools of Excellence (5 Stars)
Awarded to schools with superior performance in academics and enrollment for the 2024-25 school year.
- Achieve Charter Academy
- Canton Charter Academy
- Cross Creek Charter Academy
- Hamtramck Academy
- Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy
- South Arbor Charter Academy
- South Canton Scholars Charter Academy
- Summerfield Charter Academy
- Walton Charter Academy
- Advantage Charter Academy
- Burton Glen Charter Academy
- Detroit Enterprise Charter Academy
- Excel Charter Academy
- Great Oaks Academy
- Greensboro Academy
- Laurus Academy
- Linden Charter Academy
- Oakside Prep Academy
- Peak Charter Academy
Awarded to schools that were compliant with the NHA safety program, completed the required emergency drills on time, participated in Safe Schools Week, and earned an overall score of 90+ on the spring 2025 employee engagement survey safety question.
- Advantage Charter Academy
- Burton Glen Charter Academy
- Paragon Charter Academy
- Taylor Exemplar Academy
- Great Oaks Academy
- Greensboro Academy
- Keystone Academy
- Laurus Academy
- Linden Charter Academy
- East Arbor Charter Academy
- Peak Charter Academy
- Pembroke Academy
- Achieve Charter Academy
- Canton Charter Academy
- South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy
- Ridge Park Charter Academy
- Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy
- South Arbor Charter Academy
- South Canton Scholars Charter Academy
- Summerfield Charter Academy
- Warrendale Charter Academy
- Mountain View Academy
- Walker Charter Academy
- Legacy Charter Academy
- Triumph Academy
- Chandler Woods Charter Academy
- Matthews Charter Academy
- Pathway School of Discovery
Awarded to the top 10% of schools with the lowest percentage of students chronically absent. Criteria are measured by school type.
- Queen's Grant Community School
- Greensboro Academy
- Riverton Street Charter School
- Excel Charter Academy
- Summit Creek Academy
- Research Triangle Charter Academy
- Advantage Charter Academy
- Willow Charter Academy
- Gate City Charter Academy
- Summerfield Charter Academy
- Mill Creek Academy
- Pembroke Academy
- Hamtramck Academy
- Holly Park Academy
- Pinnacle Academy
Awarded to schools with a Glint Employee Engagement Index at or above 85 on the spring 2025 employee engagement survey.
- Advantage Charter Academy
- Burton Glen Charter Academy
- Canton Charter Academy
- Great Oaks Academy
- Hamtramck Academy
- Keystone Academy
- Laurus Academy
- Legacy Charter Academy
- Linden Charter Academy
- Paragon Charter Academy
- Pembroke Academy
- Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy
- South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy
- Taylor Exemplar Academy
- Warrendale Charter Academy
- Willow Charter Academy
- Mountain View Academy
- Paramount Charter Academy
- Stambaugh Charter Academy
- Timberland Charter Academy
- Wellspring Preparatory High School
Awarded to schools with at least 90% of parents satisfied (top two boxes) and at least a 40% response rate on the spring 2025 parent survey.
- Achieve Charter Academy
- Chandler Woods Charter Academy
- Cross Creek Charter Academy
- Greensboro Academy
- Legacy Charter Academy
- Paragon Charter Academy
- Pathway School of Discovery
- Pembroke Academy
- Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy
- Queen's Grant Community School
- South Arbor Charter Academy
- South Canton Scholars Charter Academy
- Triumph Academy
- Advantage Charter Academy
- North Dayton School of Discovery
- North Saginaw Charter Academy
- Rolesville Charter Academy
- Windemere Park Charter Academy
Awarded to the top 5% of schools with the greatest improvement in year-over-year count day enrollment, based on same-grade configurations.
- Achieve Charter Academy
- Brooklyn Scholars Charter School
- Canton Charter Academy
- Cross Creek Charter Academy
- Excel Charter Academy
- Foundations Academy
- Great Oaks Academy
- Greensboro Academy
- Hamtramck Academy
- Laurus Academy
- Landmark Academy at Reunion
- Legacy Charter Academy
- Linden Charter Academy
- Matthews Charter Academy
- Pathway School of Discovery
- Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy
- Queen's Grant Community School
- Riverton Street Charter School
- South Arbor Charter Academy
- South Canton Scholars Charter Academy
- Summerfield Charter Academy
- Triumph Academy
- Walton Charter Academy
- Advantage Charter Academy
- Center Line Preparatory Academy
- Sky Ranch Charter Academy
- Mill Creek Academy
- North Saginaw Charter Academy
About National Heritage Academies
National Heritage Academies (NHA®) is a network of more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find a charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.