The thing that inspired Ashley Chavis to pursue a career in education wasn’t a warm fuzzy encounter with a favorite teacher — it was a kick in the pants. “I started Southeastern Louisiana University in 2001 and had changed my major a few times. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer but then I took Barbara Burns’ History class. I realized after the first day how much I loved history. I decided to become a history major with no plan of what to do afterwards. I took every section of history that she taught.
“The first time I took her class I was late every single day. The following semester when I showed up to class, she pulled me aside and told me that being tardy wasn’t acceptable and I would have to drop. I was upset and embarrassed. But I went back to my dorm and thought about the fact that I really enjoyed her teaching style! She challenged me! I loved her class! I didn’t want to drop. I wanted to be just like her.” And she hasn’t looked back.
Today Principal Ashley believes that if you set high expectations for your students, they’ll thank you for it one day. That even when things are challenging, there’s an opportunity to grow and invest in your students in a way that could impact their lives forever. “My favorite part of being a principal is that I get to be part of all the magical things that take place at school on a daily basis. I’m motivated by seeing scholars learn something new, be excited to learn, and to have them share their victories when they see me. It’s the most rewarding part of my job.”
Principal Ashley received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Southern University A&M College. She loves football, crawfish and Jolly Ranchers. She’s an avid reader and a mom. Her favorite moral focus virtue is perseverance because, “You will always have challenges in life that you have to face. You have to keep going and keep pushing toward your ultimate goal, no matter what… Everything I do, I do with pride and excellence. I come to work everyday working as hard as a I possibly can to be the best principal I know how to be. I wish for every child to be loved and protected every single day. I want Advantage to be the best option for scholars here in Louisiana."
…And we believe she’ll do it.
About Advantage Charter Academy
Advantage Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school located in Baker, Louisiana, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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