NYC educators — this one’s for you! Join Achievement First for Summer in the City: Educators’ Mixer — a dynamic, in-person event designed to elevate your practice and expand your network. FREE professional headshots Hands-on teaching workshops 1:1 conversations with recruiters and school leaders Practical classroom hacks & engagement strategies Real-time networking with fellow educators Date: Thursday, Sept 4 | 5:30–8:00 PM Location: The Landing at Industry City (Brooklyn) Space limited RSVP by 8/18! 21+ only. ID required for entry. Let’s mix, connect, and grow—together.
We loved seeing so many of our incredible alumni at the AF25 Summit Alumni Social, a fun night of connection and celebration at Anchor Spa in New Haven. Hosted by our College & Career and Teacher Recruitment teams, the night was full of great energy, food, cocktails, raffles, gifts, and, most importantly, community. Here’s to 25 years of impact and the brilliant AF alumni who continue to lead and inspire. We loved celebrating with you! hashtag#AF25 hashtag#GoFurtherTogether hashtag#Alumni hashtag#AF25Summit hashtag#AchievementFirst
Your next big move in education starts here! Achievement First is hiring educators ready to lead, motivate, and learn alongside a supportive, growth-focused team. Join a mission-driven school network focused on academic excellence. Apply now and bring your passion for education to our classrooms!
With over two decades of experience, from substituting to leading educational teams, Margaret McDowell brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her current role as a 5th-grade ELA teacher at Achievement First Providence Academy Middle School in Rhode Island. She has a diverse range of experiences, including substituting, tutoring, and teaching across all grade levels from pre-K to college. Margaret is the kind of teacher who gets energy from engaging with students—she is constantly trying to understand lessons through the perspective of her kids. In a recent interview, she graciously shared insights into her journey, the implementation of the Wit & Wisdom curriculum, and its transformative impact on her students. Achievement First recently chose Wit & Wisdom as its K-8 English Language Arts curriculum after an extensive and inclusive curricula review. The curriculum is designed to help students build the knowledge and skills they need to be successful readers, exceptional writers, and effective communicators.
This Spring, Achievement First Hartford Elementary School showed audiences a whole new world with its production of Aladdin Kids. Students took to the stage with dazzling performances, captivating audiences, sometimes even surprising themselves, and seeing their families brimming with pride. The show's success is part of an inspiring story about teamwork, dedication, creativity, and the importance of arts education.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we couldn’t let the month go by without amplifying those who keep this awareness core to our mission. As an organization, Achievement First is deeply committed to fostering a joyful learning environment where social-emotional health and psychological safety are a top priority for our staff and students. Social workers like Liza, who works at Achievement First Aspire Elementary School and is a parent to an AF scholar, make this possible each and every day. We connected with Liza to learn more about what inspired her to pursue the social work field, how she creates an environment of mental wellness for her students, and how she balances being both an AF staff member and parent!
Cynthia Louis-Dale, a Providence resident and principal of Achievement First Envision Elementary School, believes in providing high-quality educational choices for all Providence students. She hopes the Providence City Council will allow us and Excel Academy colleagues to create a new home of learning at the former Carl G. Lauro school. Watch this video to learn more about her story and dedication to children.
Spring Hill Day is not just an event; it's a powerful platform for charter school advocates to make their voices heard. This past month, Achievement First’s external relations leaders, Nakia Hall and Jillian Fain, joined over 100 advocates from charter schools across the country for three days of activism in our nation’s capital! They met with legislators about the issues that impact our schools and engaged with White House officials about keeping scholars safe in their schools and communities. Learn more about Hill Day's impact on them and how you can participate in this special event next year!
Jahki Manley is passionate about his work at Achievement First. His journey with the network began as a fifth-grader in the founding class of Elm City College Prep and has continued into the early stages of his budding career in education. When he first came to AF, he was reading at a second-grade level, and the dedication of one of his teachers helped him catch up to fifth-grade expectations quite easily. “I had a few teachers who just went above and beyond. One teacher in particular, Miss Reilly, used to take me to Barnes & Noble. She had me pick out the books over the weekend, and then I'd come back Monday when we had independent reading during the day. We all read for 20 minutes – the entire building – and I just was invested in the books that I picked out over the weekend,” he said of the support he received as a student. We interviewed Jahki to learn more about him, his journey, and his love for AF.
Leadership. Academic excellence. Resilience. Our 2024 graduates embody these qualities and more. There's no doubt about it—our students are on the path to doing incredible things! We’re excited to share our 2024 Senior Signing Day video, “Unlimited Potential,” which celebrates the remarkable achievements of our Achievement First students and looks forward to all they will accomplish. Thank you to our recent graduates for sharing their voices and experiences and showcasing the journey they have taken with us and the value of their AF education. Through their stories, we reflect on the transformative power of education and the support of the AF community. Our graduates are not just moving on to the next chapter of their lives; they are poised to lead with purpose and help shape a more equitable world. Join us in honoring these inspiring individuals and cheering them on as they embark on their bright futures. Congratulations to our 2024 graduates as they take their next step! We can’t wait to see the incredible impact they will make.
