This article is one of a series of articles produced by Word in Black through support provided by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Word In Black is a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media outlets across the country.
By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Rainier Valley Leadership Academy (RVLA) is expanding. In the fall, RVLA will add a new kindergarten program as the foundation for their plans to offer a full K-12 program. Currently, RVLA has a 6th through 12th-grade program, and the expansion will roll out over the next few years as they add a new Kindergarten class each year.
Angela Thomas, the Founding Elementary Principal at RVLA and the coordinator/director of the RVLA elementary school expansion, is a product of Louisiana. Thomas graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) with a degree in psychology and a master’s in communication studies. After a brief career in the news media and the rising costs of living, Thomas made the transition into education.
“Becoming an educator was a result of my lifestyle,” says Thomas. “When daycare costs became more than what I was making, I needed a job that was conducive to having small children, and so I started teaching. I realized it was something that I liked, something that I was good at, and so I went through the process of getting certified.”
As RVLA’s new Elementary Principal, Thomas brings a wealth of experience across many disciplines and grade levels.
“I have taught at every grade level,” says Thomas. “I have taught social studies and theater and arts in elementary, middle school, and high school, regular education, special education, talented theater programs as well as in the collegiate levels.”
An unlikely landing point for her family a few years ago, the current political environment of the Southern region of the United States is what prompted her relocation to the Pacific Northwest.
“We moved to Florida right after COVID in the midst of the George Floyd movement because we weren’t happy with the lack of conversations being held in Louisiana, revolving around diversity, equity, and inclusion,” says Thomas.
During that time, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis began rolling back African American AP studies and banning books, making it very difficult for educators like Thomas to function effectively.
“During that time books started to be banned, you started getting parent groups who actually would come into the schools and classes, look around, and if there was something that they didn’t like, there might be repercussions behind what you as a teacher may have on your bookshelves or instructions that might be going on in the classroom,” Thomas recalls.
“As an educator being groomed to take on the leadership role within the company, in Florida, what I expressed was how can I effectively lead a school that cannot teach my history,” added Thomas.
According to Thomas, education expansion is a very involved process that takes several steps to implement a cog in the vision and mission of a charter school. Thomas’ experience in charters gives her a leg up as she begins preparing to implement the elementary program. But the question remains, what does this process entail?
“It is all about creating a good system that will align with what is currently in place,” says Thomas. “I walked into the position knowing they wanted to expand an elementary school arm. My first hire was a dean of academics; we started from scratch, researched and selected a curriculum that fit in with the pillars, mission, and vision of RVLA.”
“So, that process includes anti-racist practices, community leadership, we redesigned the third floor of the building, we have created job descriptions for teachers and Instructional Assistants (IA), we have created the master schedule, the daily schedule, the year scoping sequence for curriculum, behavior systems,” added Thomas. “We are currently involved in outreach to the community involved in the program and get the word out about the program and the fact that we will be opening kindergarten this next school year.”
RVLA’s goal is to have 50 kindergarteners split into two classes of twenty-five. The 2024-25 school year will include kindergarten only and then will grow year by year. So, the following school year, 2025-26, will have kindergarten and first grade. With their vision of RVLA being a full K-12 school by the year 2030.
According to Thomas, the elementary program will be designed to produce young scholars who are aware of themselves and others, their community, who are confident in what they have learned about their culture, and who are proud to express themselves in that way. She also envisions a thriving performing arts program, opportunities for STEM education and forward thinkers so when they get into middle school, they can start preparing the scholars for high school, post-secondary school and beyond.
“Elementary school is really where you build the foundation for academic leadership,” says Thomas. “So, what I see is at 5th grade you will already see scholars taking middle school courses and then in middle school they are taking high school courses, and high school we are looking at college credits.”
Of course, Thomas admits that with any endeavor there will be challenges and building an elementary school is no different.
“Working in charter schools’ period there is always that fund battle,” says Thomas. “We do not get funded like public schools; being able to do more with less is always a challenge. We have to be smart and strategic about how much you spend, what you spend it on.”
“Another challenge is this kind of backward design,” adds Thomas. “So, going from a k-8 to high school is a natural progression, right. But having to start an elementary school where a middle and high school is already established, you are kind of retrofitting to make sure the little people get the resources and support that they need.”
When it comes to the success of students, Thomas believes that representation is important. Studies have shown that the graduation and college enrollment rates of global majority students increase by 13 percent if they have at least one teacher of color by the third grade. It increases by 32 percent if they have two within their elementary experience.
In addition, she says that it is important to know that RVLA is really trying to provide an equitable education for all learners no matter the color or creed, believing that that’s the way to create a better, stronger society.
“I like the focus on equity and inclusion and being your authentic self as a global majority person,” says Thomas. “I found myself apologizing a lot on my skill level, my knowledge, my palate, when I was in the South. Coming here to the Pacific Northwest and RVLA specifically has helped me to stand on principle and what I bring to the table without apology.”