About

Abby Hasberry, Ph. D

After a few years of teaching I recognized…

That I loved the school environment, but not necessarily the classroom. I had a passion for learning, for students, for equitable access, but not as a teacher. I first left the classroom to be the diversity coordinator for a private school. At the same time, I met my husband, an Air Force man, and we moved shortly after getting married. Each time we moved as a military family, I was able to re-invent myself. At the same time, we were growing our family, so I worked as a childcare director, taught early childhood education courses for different colleges, worked as a curriculum coordinator and assistant admission director for a private school, and more. In 2013 I earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction and began looking for a job as well as a charter middle school for my daughter. I found a charter school that had high expectations for each student, coupled with systems that supported autonomy and emotional development. It was the perfect school for my anxious, timid, unconfident, but extremely bright daughter; and turned out to be the right school for me to grow as a leader. I was the founding assistant principal for half of a year, prior to being named the founding Head of School of the networks’ second campus in Texas. I recruited every family, hired the entire, staff, set the culture of the school, nurtured and developed my teachers, staff, and students. It was an amazing experience that lead me to my true passion and calling. I found that, even more than leading, I was my best when I was supporting, developing, coaching, and mentoring. Nothing made me prouder than to help others actualize their dreams. I was the founding principal for a school of excellence that was named the number one middle school in Texas, and the number 10 charter middle school in the nation. It was one of my proudest professional moments. Now my dream is to support other school leaders as they set out to found innovative school models that will bring diversity, equity, access, and rigor to as many students as possible nationally.

Diversity

If “variety is the spice of life”, diversity is the key to any successful educational environment. Diverse learning communities should include students, faculty, and staff from varying religions, abilities, sexual orientations, cultures, ethnic and racial groups, socioeconomic statuses, world views, and more. Diversity in an educational situation allows the type of exposure that creates comfort for groups who are often underrepresented in educational situations. It also creates a healthy discomfort that leads to exploration, communication, and understanding. Learning in a diverse environment affords all students experiences that they can draw upon in larger university settings and future workplaces. Growing up in diverse settings allows students to relate to others and to be relatable by others.

Equity is defined as “the quality of being fair and impartial.” Educational equity refers to equal access and achievement levels to all students regardless of race, socioeconomic status, gender, zip code, among others. Historically, the US has failed at providing equitable educational experiences to all children. Equity means equal funding, equal facilities, access to top quality teachers, equal resources regardless of the school, school district, and state. Charter school missions are very often built on the principles of educational equity, and are aimed at providing equitable educational experiences to low income families, students of color, and students living in underserved communities.

Equity

Access

Having educational access means that each student has the opportunity to learn in the best way for his/her learning needs. Access means providing accommodations that level the playing field. Access does not mean equal treatment. Access means that those who start at a disadvantage, or who have obstacles to their learning, are given an opportunity to learn that includes individualized accommodations that reduce disadvantages and knock down obstacles on the pathway to learning. Access believes that all students can learn if given a chance.

Rigor defines the learning environment. A rigorous environment is one that provides opportunities to learn across disciplines and with creativity, personal accountability, and depth of knowledge. All of the academic experience- curriculum, schoolwork, expectations, instruction, etc.- culminate to form an educational experience that is personally and intellectually stimulating. Rigor is the foundation for thinking, questioning, communicating, teaching, and learning. Without rigor the learning environment becomes uninteresting, detached, fragmented, and almost pointless. Rigor creates scholars.

Rigor

I can help you!

Empowering New and Aspiring School Leaders

School Culture

Provide guidance for the curriculum design & academic program, while creating a vibrant school culture predicated by focus, family discipline, creating big thinkers and requesting for positive feedback

Strong Instructional Leaders

Focusing on devising, launching and executing improvement goals while cultivating an environment of focus, discipline and accountability within every staff member and faculty and ensure that concrete actions are taken everyday.

Community Development

Be a strategic partner in prioritizing efforts to expand clients impact beyond the walls of the school. While initiating enhanced strategic partnerships, community engagement initiatives and advancing family recruitment.