MY DAY: TEA COMMISSIONER RE-OPENS CHILDREN FIRST ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOLS
Dr. Sherwin Allen, CEO, Children First Academy has had a motto connected to his illustrious educational career for over thirty (30) years, i.e.,”Teachers Teaching. Students Learning. Parents Involved”. That is the first thing you see when you enter his campuses, one in Houston, the other in Dallas. Most Texas educators across the state remember Dr. Allen as the former principal of the then exemplary T. L. Marsalis School. His career in the fine art of educating minds spans several states before he and his partners launch the opening of Children’s First Academy over a decade ago.
On Monday, July 14, 2014, the CEO received the most joyous news ever. The schools that were closed in October, 2013 by Texas Education Agency (TEA), had been granted special permission by Michael Williams, TEA Commissioner, to reopen. The Commissioner cited his personal examination of the school closings, met with Dr. Allen and Board Members and admitted that the schools ‘put up a good case’.
The ‘good case’ can be directly attributed to “parents involved”, the last two most poignant words in the CEO’s motto for effectively educating children. When the schools closed citing several alleged violations parents were in shock, mainly because they had to find schools for their children to attend. Children were in dismay trying to process the disruption in ‘their school.’ One single parent who was taking chemotherapy at the time, composed a letter to the Commissioner about ‘just closing a school with over a thousand children enrolled’. She described the hardship amid tears openly. The parents met in record numbers bringing “Big Mama”, clergy and former students to the parents “yes reopen”meeting. Dr. Allen stated, ” the parents took personal responsibility of ” their exemplary schools”, came together as a unit and amassed a plan to get the schools reopened. He continued with “I have not ever seen anything like this, the community witnessed what the parents were doing, our elected officers joined in and… what can I say, the results is what we have today… our schools reopened”. The clear and powerful truth is that these communities, parents and others outside the districts had an enormous amount of loyalty, confidence, and faith in the seasoned educator like Sherwin Allen.
In a call to Candace Struthers, a military Mom, one of the very vocal Dallas parents, she stated, “my children will be back. It’s been a rough year for my children”. Children First Academy is opened for enrollment. In Dallas, the address is 315 E. Wheatland Road, Dallas, Texas, 75241. Contact Mrs. Harriett Turner, Principal at 214.371.2545. The Houston address is 7803 E. Little York, 77016. Say hello Dr. Charlene Carder, Human Relations, 713.491.9030.
Thank you, Mr. Commissioner.
