Come Together - Building County/Region Charter School Networks

In this session you will hear from school leaders in the Butte County Charter Leaders Network and Solano County Charter Leaders Network on the importance of building trusting relationships and partnerships in your county or region. Hear how charter leaders work together to share best practices, resources, public relations, advocate for fair authorizing practices, and equal participation in bond proposals, and more. You will hear how relationships built in good times, result in collaboration, support, and success for all in tough times. More than advocacy and resources, charter networks provide friendship and encouragement when school leadership gets tough.

Attendees will take away:
- Action steps for building a county or regional network of charter leaders,
- Plans for structuring regular meetings that are meaningful,
- Strategies for building trust and respect among leaders, and
- Ideas for building partnerships between your network and other organizations

Attendees will take away:
- Action steps for building a county or regional network of charter leaders;
- Plans for structuring regular meetings that are meaningful;
- Strategies for building trust and respect among leaders; and
- Ideas for building partnerships between your network and other organizations.

Presented by

Casey Taylor

Superintendent
Achieve Charter School

Casey Taylor is the founder and Executive Director of Achieve Charter Schools of Paradise. After the 2018 Paradise Camp Fire, Casey led her team in reopening schools in temporary facilities in Chico, while building a permanent school facility there. In the 2021-22 school year, Achieve opened Achieve Charter School of Chico at the new facility and reopened Achieve Charter School of Paradise at the original campus in Paradise. She and her team are now working to reopen Achieve Charter High School in Paradise in the coming years.

Jared Austin

Executive Director
Kairos Public School Vacaville Academy

Jared Austin began his teaching career in the Vacaville Unified School District. Mr. Austin soon advanced into school administration in Vacaville, then in Sacramento. Currently, Mr. Austin is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Kairos Public Schools, in Vacaville, California. Mr. Austin believes in getting scholars to take responsibility for their community. Additionally, Mr. Austin has served as an adjunct professor in Touro University’s Educational Leadership Department. He has also received multiple honors for achievements in leadership and innovation. He was appointed to the Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS) in November of 2017.

Leslie Shebley

KISP Coordinator
Kairos Public School Vacaville Academy

Leslie is a Co-Founder of Kairos Public Schools and the Administrator of the Kairos Innovative Scholars Program (Independent Study) in Vacaville, CA. Before co-founding Kairos, she worked at a charter high school as an independent study teacher for many years. She has a passion for all levels of education and firmly believes in offering options for families and scholars who may want or need something "different" than the traditional school model. Local and state level advocacy has become crucial in her quest to ensure quality opportunities for all.

Mary Cox

Executive Director/Superintendent
CORE Butte Charter School

In 2005 Mary began working at CORE @ The Camptonville Academy (now CORE Butte Charter School) in Chico, Ca. Mary worked to develop a new College Model high school program and in 2016 became the Executive Director of CORE Butte. Mary Cox earned her Administrative Services Credential, Master’s Degree, Credentials, and Bachelor’s Degree through California State University, Chico, and has worked formally in both traditional and charter school education since 2001.