FOCUS bids farewell to founder Mike Peabody at 2013 Gala

Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS) is now the DC Charter School Alliance!

Please visit www.dccharters.org to learn about our new organization and to see the latest news and information related to DC charter schools.

The FOCUS DC website is online to see historic information, but is not actively updated.

Submitted by acollier on

By Alison Collier

 

This year, FOCUS’s annual gala honored founder Malcolm “Mike” Peabody who is stepping down as board chair after 17 years. Under his stewardship, charter school enrollment has grown to 35,000 students in 57 schools on 100+ campuses making up 43% of the total public school population in the District.

 

“Who’d a thunk,” Mike said in his farewell speech.  “I certainly never imagined we would get to this level so fast.”

 

Over 250 people attended the March 21st gala, and enjoyed dinner, drinks, and dancing as well as a program celebrating Mike’s contributions to the DC charter school movement. Attendees included: current charter school leaders; founders of the charter school movement; representatives from various charter support organizations; political officials including Mayor Anthony Williams, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, Councilmember David Catania; and other friends of FOCUS.

 

Executive Director Robert Cane welcomed guests to the gala and thanked everyone for their support.  Mike was then presented with four “MEP Awards”.

 

  • The MEP Key Award, presented by Ambassador C. Boyden Gray, recognizing Mike as one of the keys to starting the charter school movement in DC.
  • The MEP Bulldog Award, presented by former FOCUS board member and Meridian Public Charter School Founder Lou Steadwell, acknowledging Mike’s persistence and “never take no for an answer” approach.
  • The MEP Apple Award, presented by founder and CEO of the AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation Jack McCarthy, honoring Mike’s contributions to the growth of the DC charter sector.
  • The MEP Bike Helmet Award, presented by former FOCUS Deputy Director and current Deputy Director of the DC Public Charter School Board Naomi DeVeaux, recognizing Mike’s continued involvement in moving the charter sector forward.


The awards ceremony, hosted by FOCUS board member and Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS founder Josh Kern, was followed by remarks from Mike, who focused on “the way forward” for charter schools, and ended with a call to action to create a DC education commission similar to that of the 1980s. Karl Jentoft, FOCUS’s incoming board chair, ended the program with thanks and appreciation for FOCUS’s supporters and expressed his excitement for leading FOCUS into its next stage of growth.

 

“I’m inheriting a great organization with strong leadership,” said Jentoft when asked about the transition. “Robert Cane has been executive director for 15 years and I’m confident in his ability to continue steering FOCUS on its course. I look forward to working with Robert and his staff during this next phase.”

 

Click here to read “The Charter School Times” that FOCUS produced for the event.