“It’s super invigorating as a leader to open a new school,” Brown said. “Not only are families looking for the best school of choice for them, but educators are also looking for a place to work where they feel excited to be each day. Being able to create that for families, but to have a workplace that I enjoy going to every day, is really important for both groups.”
Brown has worked at National Heritage Academies schools since 2012 and has a motto that’s followed her to each school she’s worked at: Positive minds, positive vibes, positive school.
“I focus on positivity at school,” she said. “How can we get our kids to think positively? How do we get our teachers to enter the building every single day and be here for a child? So, no matter what's going on in my personal life, my job is to show up with positivity for the kids that I'm serving for the day. That's how I live my life, and that's how I lead.”
Brown understands that happy teachers make happy students and with that comes a level of accountability for everyone. From teachers to students to parents, as a school leader she sets high expectations for all members of the school community.
Brown believes a large part of a successful school is the partnership it shares with parents.
“I told a group of parents the other day, ‘if I see you every day, my heart would be so happy.’ It’s important to make sure parents understand that we're going to show up for them, but we also need them show up for us. We need them to come to those conferences. We need them to fill out the surveys. We need them to come to parent meetings, have a voice, and volunteer.
Brown often thinks through ways to make her school the best place for kids.
“I love that this is going to be a community school. There are so many people excited about what we're doing, excited about the renovations, there is just so much buy-in from the community. I’m so fortunate to be a part of this experience and opportunity.”
Brown studied at North Carolina Central University, earning a bachelor's in elementary education and math (K-6), earned her master’s in education from Shaw University Divinity School, earned a master's in education K-12 from Western Governors University, and her doctoral degree in organizational leadership K-12 from Grand Canyon College.
Quick facts:
- Brown loves science fiction movies.
- She finds true relaxation while painting but says she cannot draw. “It doesn’t matter what it is, I’ll paint it, but I need someone to draw it first.”
- Not a big fan of the outdoors, Brown recalls a time when a school leader persuaded her to go zip lining with the staff. “I got stuck and never forgave him,” she said with a laugh.
- She has two children, a daughter and son who are very into sports.
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About Four Points Preparatory Academy
Fourth Points Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Braselton, Georgia, serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 68,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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