Dear Spartan Parents, Community Partners and Supporters, and Friends~ The last nine years of my life has been a time of great excitement, anxiety, fear, hard work, growth and satisfaction. I have treasured this time in every way imaginable. Today, though, I am writing to let you know I have decided to step away from the Executive Director position with Sims-Fayola International Academy and continue with the development of the national Sims-Fayola model, that includes international academies in Ghana as well as national ones like Atlanta. After what you can imagine was a long and difficult reflection process regarding my greatest value to this organization, I have concluded that I need to disconnect from the day-to-day operations of Sims-Fayola International Academy-Denver. It goes without saying that it is difficult leaving you and the wonderful work we do and have done together. What we have accomplished over the last several years in Denver as the FIRST ALL BOYS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL has been nothing short of amazing. The difference we have made for the Far Northeast community and the families that chose to walk through our doors has been documented and is very tangible. For that, we can all feel proud of our work together. Sims-Fayola International Academy-Denver has fundamentally improved the way families and educators think about how to engage young men in the classrooms and in general. Together we have broken through low self-esteem, low achievement, and the lack of understanding of how important it is to give back to your community and care for others with our young men. Additionally, we abandoned territorialism and ignored ego to focus on the work that needs to be done with our young men. Not only has it been gratifying and enjoyable, most importantly it has resulted in a better educational experience for our Fayola Men. Now it is my goal to build on these rich experiences and this model in another capacity. One that takes me away from the day to day operations and allows me become the biggest cheerleader for Sims-Fayola International Academy around the country with other young men and families in other Sims schools who will benefit from what we have done here in Denver together. Moving Forward Moving forward I am pleased to announce that, Mrs. Debbie Blair-Minter, a long-time educator who has been successful in school leadership and community building will step in and take us to higher levels of achievement. I am committed to supporting a smooth transition with Debbie and will be available as the she and the board needs me. I have total confidence in her ability to lead our school in the spirit of which I designed it. Debbie has the same concerns about young men and our community as I have. In fact, she has served as a sounding board and mentor to me since I first came to Denver. The board is strong and the staff at Sims-Fayola International Academy is outstanding and ready to continue the mission. They are a cohesive team committed and dedicated to the work they do. Although I am leaving this position, I will continue to be a part of the work at Sims-Fayola International Academy-Denver. So, this is not good-bye, but merely see you next time, albeit in a different capacity. Thank you for the opportunity to make history in Denver and now I will share our success and model around the country and the world! Sims-Fayola Denver will always be the flagship school of all schools developed around the country. We will be a part of the progressive education model that Denver is quickly becoming known for. Humbly, Dedrick J. Sims, Founder Sims-Fayola International Academy-Denver
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 02:03:31 +0000
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