Ascend’s Leaders Share Exciting News for this School Year

As we prepare for the 2023-24 school year, we wanted to take a moment to share some important updates and changes that will undoubtedly set us all up for success.

First and foremost, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and trust in Ascend Public Charter Schools. We are honored to have such wonderful and engaged families who truly understand the value of education and its transformative power.

Now, onto the exciting news! This year, we have implemented several enhancements that will strengthen our structure, processes, and engagement to promote student success. These changes have been carefully designed to provide the best educational experience for our students.

1. Strengthened Curriculum: We’re also thrilled to share that based on feedback from our students, teachers, families, and board members and with the generous donation from Mackenzie Scott, we have invested in a new K-12 curriculum, starting with a science-based vision for literacy! We believe that evidence-based literacy practices are foundational for an anti-racist education. Our goal is to see all students master foundational skills, read, write, and have high-quality discussions that are diverse in genre, perspective, experiences, and authorship.

2. Elevated Family Engagement: We are very proud to share that one of our key network priorities for this school year is family engagement. We want to invest in our communication with families and provide more transparent and consistent updates.

3. Updated Leadership Model: Starting this year, Ascend will adopt a dual-leadership model with a CEO and a President sharing the senior leadership of our organization. Recy Dunn will continue as CEO, now responsible for our long-term planning and external vision. He'll lead our newly formed Advancement Team, focused on strengthening our external partnerships and financial support. Maryann Li, previously our Chief Operating Officer, will now be President. She'll oversee our internal leadership, ensuring our day-to-day functioning is successful, and our schools continue to deliver on our mission and commitments to you.

As a school network that believes in Dreaming Audaciously and Striving Joyfully, we're focused on a future where your child's potential knows no bounds. Thank you for your continued trust and partnership which remain at the foundation of our work. We look forward to an exciting school year!

Best regards,

Recy B. Dunn, CEO & Maryann Li, President