2008

Annual Report 
 Dear Friends,
When we opened the first Achievement First
school, Amistad Academy, we set out to prove
that all students—regardless of zip code, class
or life circumstances—can achieve at high
levels, graduate from college and become
leaders of our communities. Then and still today,
we view this as the civil rights issue of our time.
Over the last 10 years, the Achievement First
network has grown from 84 students at Amistad
a d
Academy in New Haven to 3,700 students at 15
i s t
Am my
academies in Brooklyn, NY and in New Haven,
Bridgeport and Hartford, CT. In 2009, we will
a d e
welcome nearly 5,000 students to Achievement
A c
First schools where they will benefit from a
0 !
2009
s 1
longer school day and year, outstanding
tu r n
teachers who give as much as they demand, a
rigorous, college-prep curriculum, extra support
for struggling students, and a school culture
where it is cool to be smart and everyone is a
part of one big family.
...and Achievement First
is still growing! The hard work of our teachers and students is
paying off. In NYC, both Achievement First
Crown Heights and Achievement First Endeavor
received straight “A”s on the recently released
NYC DOE Progress Reports (only these two
schools had the two years of testing data
required to receive Progress Report grades).
Achievement First Crown Heights was in the top
4% of all NYC schools, and Achievement First
Endeavor was in the top 1%. In fact, Achieve-
ment First Endeavor was the fourth highest-
performing school out of nearly 1,100 K-8
schools in NYC.
In New Haven, Achievement First’s eighth
graders posted results that were more than
double their New Haven peers and bested state-
wide averages in all subjects—again proving that
the achievement gap can be closed. Amistad
1999
Dacia M. Toll Doug McCurry
Co-CEO Co-CEO
www.achievementfirst.org
Academy High School’s inaugural 10th-grade
students achieved 93% proficiency in math and
100% proficiency in all three other subjects­—
reading, writing and science. Their reading,
writing and science results placed them ahead
of high school students in many of Connecticut’s
wealthiest communities, including Madison,
Greenwich, Guilford and Westport. The U.S.
Department of Education has taken note, and
Amistad Academy was recently highlighted as
one of seven schools in the country that are
models for closing the achievement gap.
As our scholars continue to grow and learn, so
do we. This year we are focused specifically on
improving reading achievement, especially in the
middle schools, and on becoming more effective
in our coaching and development of teachers.
We know that it is the dedicated people who
work at Achievement First schools that make the
real difference in the lives of our kids. As a
growing network, we are focused on recruiting,
training, celebrating and retaining the finest
educators in the country. We have also learned
that we must make equal investments in
systems to support their success—from
curriculum and assessment materials to
operations, finance and technology.
We would like to thank you for supporting our
growth and success over the last 10 years. We
believe more than ever that giving our children—
all our children—a great education is an
economic and moral imperative. We are eager to
work with other schools, districts and change
agents in the broader public education commu-
nity to deliver on this promise. The more we do
this work, the more optimistic we become about
the potential of our collective commitment to
make a real difference in the lives of kids and in
the future they will build.
William R. Berkley
Board Chair

 Some people say that you can’t
fix public education in this
country until you fix Poverty.
Respect
I think they have it exactly
backwards. We can’t hope to
really fix poverty until we fix
public education.

– Joel Klein,
NYC Schools Chancellor

Closing The
Achievement Gap
When we fail to educate urban children, the outcome
is predictable: third graders with poor skills become
middle schoolers with third-grade skills, and then high
school students without the ability to succeed in
college or to compete in today’s economy.
Nationwide, our public education system is still failing
the vast majority of low-income children and their
communities. The consequences of this failure are
disastrous across the board: increased poverty, crime
and incarceration, and decreased productivity and
quality of life. The achievement gap in education is
America’s most vexing social problem—the modern
frontier of the civil rights movement.
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS
CAPTURED IN A FEW DAUNTING STATISTICS.
According to Teach For America, fourth graders
According to the National Assessment of Educa-
tion Progress (NAEP), at the time of high school
graduation, the gap in achievement in our country
between black and white students is approximately
four grade levels.
Our Mission and Vision
The mission of Achievement First is to deliver on
In 2004, African Americans were 54% more likely the promise of equal educational opportunity for all
(and Hispanics were 140% more likely ) to drop out of America’s children. We believe that all children,
of high school than white students. regardless of race or economic status, can succeed if
they have access to a great education. Achievement
African-American students are three times more
First schools will provide all our students with the
likely than white students to be placed in special
academic and character skills they need to graduate
education programs, and are half as likely to be
from top colleges, to succeed in a competitive world
in gifted programs in elementary and secondary
and to serve as the next generation of leaders for our
schools3.
communities.
Our country as a whole is falling further behind our
Achievement First will continue to create public char-
international peers. According to the Organiza-
tion for Economic Cooperation and Development ter schools that close the achievement gap, while also

growing up in low-income communities are already (OECD), 15-year-olds in the U.S. rank 24th out of 29 looking to partner with other like-minded, reform-ori-

three grade levels behind their peers in high-income industrialized countries in math performance, and ented organizations to maximize our collective impact.

communities. About 50% of them will not graduate 15th out of 29 countries in reading. Together, we will continue our work until every child is

from high school by the time they are 18 years old. given access to a great education and enjoys the real
1
National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2005
Those who do graduate will perform on average at freedom that flows from that opportunity.
Mortenson, Tom. “Family Income and Higher Education
If we succeed in giving the
2

Opportunity,” Postsecondary Education Opportunity, 2005

an eighth-grade level . Only one in 10 will graduate
love of learning, the learning
1

3
Teachers College, Columbia University
from college2. itself is sure to follow.

-Sir John Lubbock,

Lord Avebury

www.achievementfirst.org 
 2011
Our History
10 years &
Growing!
2010
Over the next decade,
Achievement First will
grow to 30 schools
serving over 11,500 students.

2009

3,700 scholars
In 1998, a group of New Haven founders came In fall 2005, under the leadership of New York City
* ACHIEVEMENT FIRST Hartford
academy elementary School together with a clear goal in mind: to prove that urban Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, Achievement First
2008 & Middle school open

* ACHIEVEMENT FIRST Brownsville

students can achieve at the same high levels as their expanded into Brooklyn. One of Klein’s core reform
elementary SCHOOL opens affluent suburban counterparts. Confronted by the strategies was to locate high-performing public char-
2,534 scholars popular attitude that demographics were destiny, we ter schools in New York’s lowest-performing districts.

* Achievement first BRIdgeport

decided that the best way to address the problem Achievement First opened two new schools in central

2007
academy middle school opens
was to change the system. Brooklyn—Achievement First Crown Heights Charter
* achievement first Bushwick
middle school opens School and Achievement First East New York Charter
We set out to create a public charter school—Amis-
School.
1,683 scholars tad Academy—that would enable its students to
* Amistad Academy elementary
achieve at extraordinarily high levels. Over the last 10 The Brooklyn network continued to grow in 2006
school & High School open

2006 * ACHIEVEMENT FIRST Bushwick years, Amistad has produced Connecticut Mastery with the opening of Achievement First Bushwick
Elementary School opens
Test (CMT) results that have shattered the notion that Charter School and Achievement First Endeavor
* ACHIEVEMENT FIRST
ENDEAVOR MIDDLE SCHOOL OPENs “those kids can’t learn.” For the past seven years, Charter School, followed in 2008 by Achievement
946 scholars Amistad students—100% of whom are selected by First Brownsville. Thanks to changes in Connecticut
* AchiEvement first eAST NEW
YORK elementary SCHOOL OPENs

2005
blind lottery, 78% of whom receive free and reduced charter law, we were also able to open Amistad High
lunch, and 98% of whom are African-American or School and Amistad Elementary, paving the way
* achievement first crown
heights ELEMENTAry school Hispanic—have beat state averages in reading and for Connecticut’s first K-12 public charter school.
& MIDDLE school open
math, demonstrating that they can achieve on par Achievement First’s Connecticut network was able to
504 scholars
with their wealthier peers statewide. expand into Bridgeport with a new middle school in

2004 * ELM CITY COLLEGE PREP elementary

school & middle SCHOOL OPEN
In June 2003 we created a separate 501(c)3 non-
profit, Achievement First, with the goal of using
Amistad’s knowledge and best practices to have a
2007 and, in 2008, into Hartford with new elementary
and middle schools.
Achievement First has grown into a network that in-

336 scholars
greater impact. We opened the second school, Elm cludes 15 academies, nine charters and four cities. In
City College Prep, in 2004 and expanded the model 1999, Amistad Academy opened with 84 sixth grad-
to include elementary grades. ers. Now, in the 2008-09 school year, Achievement
252 scholars
First is serving 3,700 students in grades K-11.

168 scholars

84 scholars
1999 * Amistad academy opens

www.achievementfirst.org 
 Our Program Elements
Enthusiasm
IN THE NETWORK
WE’RE A NON-PROFIT
WE’RE PUBLIC Students are selected by lottery,
and significant efforts are made to encourage as
many students and communities as possible to join
the lottery pool. We serve special education
students, English Language Learners, talented and
gifted students, and everyone else who comes
through the blind lottery to our schools. Results are
not achieved by cultivating the best students—they
are achieved by cultivating all students.
EFFECTIVE OPERATIONS Achievement First
teachers and principals are supported by an
outstanding operations team that works hard to
handle most non-instructional tasks (busing, food
service, facilities, field trips, budget and finance,
state reporting, etc.). We apply the same approach
to operations that we do to school development:
implement processes based on our best knowledge
and then continuously hone the process in
operation. When the system works efficiently in one
location, we bring other locations online one by one
until all are operating efficiently.
www.achievementfirst.org
IN THE school
PARENTS AS PARTNERS At Achievement First
schools, a three-way partnership—students,
teachers and parents—requires teamwork to
achieve academic breakthroughs and ensure that all
children are achieving their best. Parents, students
and school staff all sign a contract that outlines their
shared commitment to hard work and consistent
support of one another.
POWERFUL USE OF DATA Achievement First’s
rigorous, college-preparatory core curriculum clearly
outlines the essential knowledge and skills that
students need to master at every grade level. Every
six weeks, teachers give interim assessments (unit
tests) that measure how much students have
learned. These results are uploaded to Achievement
First Athena, our interim assessment platform, so
that teachers and principals are able to review the
data together and create a plan that targets whole
class, small group and one-on-one instruction to
ensure that every student masters the material.
Athena has greatly improved our teaching by
allowing teachers and principals to track perfor-
mance from one interim assessment to the next and
to drill down to individual student needs.
TEACHERS ARE PLATINUM At Achievement First
schools, teachers are platinum: they are treated as
respected professionals and are held to high
standards of performance and integrity. We invest in
our talent, support everyone’s development and
reward outstanding performance. Our faculty is
recruited from across the country to ensure that
scholars are taught by knowledgeable, committed
and talented professionals. Achievement First
teachers receive more than quadruple the typical
amount of professional development. Principals
spend almost all their time observing, teaching and
coaching in the classrooms.
TEACHERS WHO KNOW AND CARE Unlike
schools with a thousand or more students,
Achievement First schools are small learning
communities in which teachers and leaders know
the names of all students (every academy has fewer
than 400 students). Our schools use a co-advisor
system in which a class of 25-27 students is co-
advised by two teachers; the advisors work hard to
develop meaningful relationships with all the
students in their advisory.
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP Since the Achievement
First operations and central teams take almost all
non-instructional matters off the principal’s plate,
the principal serves as a true instructional leader—
working intensely with teachers, analyzing student
performance data, observing classes, giving
feedback, modeling excellent lessons and planning
standards-based units together with teachers.
Principals also have hiring and firing power for all
employees in the building. Lastly, every principal at
Achievement First teaches a class, sending a
powerful message that teaching is what is valued
EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL
most at an Achievement First school.
WEAPON WHICH YOU CAN USE TO
CHANGE THE WORLD.
-NELSON MANDALA

 100% of Achievement First
students are admitted
by blind lottery.

Our Program Elements

Achievement
with our students

COLLEGE EXPECTATIONS At Achievement First, ACADEMIC STANDARDS Achievement First’s

we continuously expose scholars to college. In our
achievement-oriented culture, it is cool to be smart,
and all students work hard to climb the mountain
to college. Achievement First’s academic program
puts every student on a college preparatory track,
starting with kindergarten. The names of our
classes are college names; instead of asking Ms.
Smith’s class to line up, a teacher there might say,
“Wake Forest, line up.” Students make field trips
to colleges, hear speakers talk about college, write
research papers on colleges and, most importantly,
master a college-preparatory curriculum.
MORE TIME ON TASK Our school day runs from
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with tutoring available
during and after school, an average of one to two
hours of homework per night, and an intensive
independent reading program so that students will
READ, READ, READ both at home and at school.
All students attend our three-week, extended-year
Summer Academy.
academic program has borrowed from the best
practices of high-performing schools across the
country. Every class has a New York or Connecticut
state-standards-based focus. Teachers understand
that “covering material” is not our goal; what is im-
portant is how well students master the standards.
INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS We realize that
some students will need even more time and
extra support. These students receive small group
instruction or tutoring during the school day, before
and after-school, and/or on Saturdays. Both
teachers and students believe that we need to do
“whatever it takes” to make sure all students learn.
CHARACTER EDUCATION Achievement First
lives by the REACH values (Respect, Enthusiasm,
Achievement, Citizenship and Hard Work), which
inform and guide all aspects of what we do and
help create a positive, achievement-oriented school
culture. Values and good behavior are taught as
explicitly as academics, and we all work together
as one team and family.

www.achievementfirst.org 
 Citizenship
Our Core Values
We live by our core values, which inform and guide all
aspects of our work—from the classroom to the
central office—and help create a positive, achieve-
ment-oriented school culture. Achievement First’s core
values are:
RESULTS WITHOUT EXCUSES OR SHORTCUTS
Achievement First sets ambitious, clearly measur-
able goals to deliver on the promise to provide all
students with an outstanding education. When we
fall short of these goals—which we sometimes
do—we tackle this challenge head on and are
willing to change the way we do things in order to
achieve the excellence our students deserve.
PEOPLE MATTER, MIGHTILY Achievement First
knows that the most important factor affecting the
achievement of our students is the quality and
commitment of our teachers and leaders. We
aggressively recruit talent, select carefully and
heavily invest in our people so that they can, in
turn, make a real difference in the lives of our
students.
EXCELLENCE IS A HABIT Baked into Achieve-
ment First’s culture is a relentless pursuit of
www.achievementfirst.org
excellence, and we do not settle for “so-so” from
students or staff.
SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF We believe that
countless unseen or overlooked details are the
difference between mediocre and magnificent.
TEAM AND FAMILY This work is a team sport;
everyone shares in Achievement First’s collective
success while celebrating the individual strengths
and differences of each person and school.
FIRST THINGS FIRST The needs of students
always come first.
WHATEVER IT TAKES Achievement First gives
100% every day and goes the extra mile to make
the difference in every student’s life.
MANY MINDS, ONE MISSION Together with
parents, partners and supporters, Achievement
First works to improve the communities in which
we work.
EVERYTHING WITH INTEGRITY The REACH
values are not merely posted on the wall for
A TEACHER AFFECTS ETERNITY.
students; they drive the words and actions of all
HE CAN NEVER TELL WHERE HIS
members of the Achievement First team.
INFLUENCE STOPS.
-HENRY ADAMS
11
 Our Teachers EDUCATION IS NOT RECEIVED.
IT IS ACHIEVED.
-ANONYMOUS

& Parents

“I went into teaching because I love kids and believe “I have always wanted to give my children the best
in the transformative power of education. However, education possible, even though I cannot afford
in my old school I felt like I was working in isolation. private schools. Since my daughter started at an
I would work so hard to help my students achieve Achievement First school, her behavior and academ-
things that even they did not think possible, and then ics have improved tremendously. Achievement First
I would watch them go down the hall or to the next schools are places where children are encouraged to
grade, and there was no continuity. Now I finally work satisfy their hunger to learn.”
in a school with colleagues who share my expecta-
MARILYN VEGA Parent
tions, and I am constantly amazed at how much I
learn from them. Working with a great team of teach-
ers means I am always getting better and stronger as
an educator. I am excited to come to work and feel
like my work is really valued. Most importantly, I now
see my students growing, year after year, in the care
of other great teachers.”

MATT TAYLOR Amistad Academy Middle School

teacher (2003-2005), Amistad Academy Middle
School principal (2005-current)
“Achievement First has great professional develop-
ment. For the first time in my teaching career, I have
ongoing opportunities to understand, refine and reflect
on the tools I use in my classroom. At Achievement
First, we had three weeks of professional develop-
ment before school even started. Every Friday is a half
day so that teachers have time to work on everything
from improving our reading instruction to school-wide
behavior plans. I am growing as a teacher every day.”

YVETTE MERRIT Achievement First Bushwick

“The best gift I can give my daughter is a good foun-
Elementary School founding teacher (2006-current)

Hard Work
dation for a better education. This is what made me
look to Achievement First.”

JOHN KAKU Parent

www.achievementfirst.org 13

Growing up with Amistad
Many talented scholars have come through Amis-
tad’s doors since 1999 as part of their climb up the
mountain to college. Kiara, Albert, Kiamesha, Kaylani
and Jared are six examples who illustrate Amistad’s
impact, what Amistad alumni have accomplished and
how they work to give back.
Kiara Fuller Amistad Class of 2002
Kiara is an active Amistad alum, hosting overnight
visits for current Amistad students to Connecticut
College and leading alumni group sessions on private
school life and the college process. She has also
taken advantage of Amistad alumni resources such as
academic counseling, SAT prep classes, an internship
program, and workshops on financial aid and essay
writing.
AMISTAD ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Class of 2002
Earned academic honors
Qualified for the REACH Award
THE HOPKINS SCHOOL
Class of 2006
Participated in the Concert Choir
Member of Amnesty International, S.U.R.E (Students
United for Racial Equality) and the Spanish Club
Ran varsity track and tutored middle-school students
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE
Class of 2010
Member of the Advisory Board for Student
Counseling
Chair of Umoja, the Black Student Union
Chair of the Gospel Choir
Leaves in January 2009 to study abroad in Vietnam
www.achievementfirst.org
2013
Kaylani will gradUATE From
the University of connecticut
2012
albert will gradUATE
Albert Maldonado Amistad Class of 2003 Kaylani Rosado Amistad Class of 2004 From wesleyan
Through Albert’s involvement with the Amistad alumni Though away at boarding school, Kaylani has been an
program, he interned with the New Alliance Bank and active participant in the Amistad alumni program. She
the Grand Avenue Village Association. Albert has also has taken advantage of SAT prep classes, overnight
2011
Kiamesha will gradUATE From
taken advantage of alumni programs such as SAT retreats, high school support and academic counsel-
southern connecticut
prep classes, week-long college tours to Maryland, ing, and the internship program. Kaylani continues to state university
Washington, DC and North Carolina, and an overnight lead alumni group sessions on private school life and
retreat in his junior year to set goals and prepare for the college process.
his senior year in high school. To stay connected to KIARA will gradUATE
2010
AMISTAD ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL From connecticut college
Amistad, he has mentored current scholars and has
Class of 2004 JARED will gradUATE
led group sessions on the college admission process. From NEW YORK university
Earned academic honors
AMISTAD ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL Started rowing lessons with the Yale crew team
Class of 2003 Participated in dance
One of three students in Advanced Geometry
WILLISTON NORTHAMPTON SCHOOL
Earned academic honors
Class of 2009
Kaylani will gradUATE From
williston northampton school
2009
Participated in soccer and varsity basketball
Participated in rigorous dance and choreography
NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL OF WEST HAVEN program
Class of 2008 Member of the Diversity Club
Earned academic honors Member of the Chamber Singing Group albert gradUATED From notre
dame high school of west haven 2008
Participated on the varsity football team Toured prospective students
Volunteered with local political campaigns
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
WESLEYAN Class of 2012
2007
Class of 2012
Kiamesha gradUATED From hill
Jared Bailey Amistad Class of 2002 regional career magnet school
Kiamesha Holland Amistad Class of 2003
Kiamesha has taken full advantage of Amistad alumni
resources around career services, interning at the
2006
KIARA gradUATED From
Yale-New Haven Hospital and New Haven Pediatrics.
The hopkins school
As an alumna of Amistad, she also participated in a
four-day, summer pre-college retreat to the University
of New Haven to jumpstart her college application
2005
process. Kiamesha continues to tutor Amistad schol-
ars during Saturday Academy.
AMISTAD ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL
“Amistad Academy teachers care. That is what kids
Class of 2003
need—teachers who go the extra mile. At Amistad,
2004
Earned academic honors
the faculty inundated us with the idea of going to col- Kaylani gradUATED From
Qualified for the REACH Award amistad academy middle school
lege. Most kids do not think about college until high
Participated in dance
school, but we were cheering ‘go to college’ in our
HILL REGIONAL CAREER MAGNET SCHOOL morning assembly in sixth grade.”
Class of 2008
Earned academic honors while working three jobs
albert & Kiamesha gradUATED From
amistad academy middle school 2003
Starred in the school production of Dream Girls
Interned at Yale Hospital in the Neo-natal Unit
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY
Class of 2011 KIARA & JARED gradUATED From
amistad academy middle school
2002
15

Our Schools
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
In New York City, our oldest elementary students
(third graders) had their first chance to take state
tests. Ninety-nine percent of them passed the NYS
Math exam, while 84% passed the NYS English
Language Arts exam.
Our oldest Brooklyn middle school students (sev-
enth graders) outperformed their Crown Heights
peers by 25 percentage points in reading and 30
percentage points in math.
Both Achievement First Crown Heights and Achieve-
ment First Endeavor received straight “A”s on the
recently released NYC DOE Progress Reports (only
these two schools had the two years of testing
data required to receive Progress Report grades).
Achievement First Crown Heights was in the top 4%
of all NYC schools, and Achievement First Endeavor
was in the top 1%. In fact, Achievement Endeavor
ranked number four among nearly 1,100 K-8
schools in NYC.
Achievement First’s New Haven eighth graders, our
oldest middle-school students, posted results that
were almost double their New Haven peers and
bested state-wide averages in all three subjects
(reading, writing and math) with 77% proficiency in
reading, 93% proficiency in math and 96% profi-
ciency in writing.
Amistad Academy was recently highlighted by the
U.S. Department of Education as one of seven
schools in the country that are models for closing
the achievement gap.
www.achievementfirst.org
Amistad Academy Middle
Amistad Academy High School showed exceptional
results in its first year of testing, with the inaugural
10th-grade students achieving 93% proficiency in
math and 100% proficiency in all three other sub-
jects—reading, writing and science. These results
position Amistad High’s New Haven students as
number one in the region for reading and number
two for writing, outperforming students in both
Madison and Guilford, CT. School leader Matthew Taylor
Grades served 5-8 # of students 286
GROWTH HIGHLIGHTS
From June 2008 to August 2008, we grew by 45% Amistad Academy Middle School, the Achievement
First flagship, opened in New Haven in 1999 and
and are now supporting 3,700 scholars on their
celebrates its 10th year of operation in the 2008-09
climb up the mountain to college. In the 2008-09
academic year. The school was profiled in the PBS
academic year we added three new academies,
documentary “Closing the Achievement Gap” (2004)
moved into six new facilities, expanded to offer 11
and was named Connecticut’s 2006 Title I Distin-
new grades, hired and trained 170 new teach-
guished School after having the greatest student
ers and leaders, and added more than 1,200 new
performance gains of any middle school in the state.
students to the Achievement First family.
The school gathers every week for Morning Circle,
Just over three years after expanding into NYC, where students are recognized by teachers and peers
for academic achievement and strong character skills.
Achievement First now serves 2,100 students at five
Town Meetings take place every six weeks and build
Brooklyn charter schools. Achievement First was
school spirit with music, skits, cheers, awards and the
pleased to open Achievement First Brownsville in
announcement of the most recent classroom winner
2008.
of the highly coveted Homework Championship Cup.
After a long campaign and with a lot of help, Amistad Middle’s robust after-school enrichment
Achievement First Hartford Academy opened in program, Encore!, offers students daily expert
August 2008 with 252 scholars, bringing our total instruction in theater, karate, dance, orchestra,
Connecticut enrollment to 1,600. volleyball, step team, graphic design, and other arts
and athletic activities.
17
 School leader Jeff Sudmyer
Grades served 9-11 (growing to 9-12)
# of students 126

In August 2006, Amistad Academy High School

opened as the first high school in the Achievement
First network. Amistad High focuses on its own set of

Amistad Academy Elementary core values—Grit, Independence, Judgment, Integrity

and Citizenship—and holds students to high aca-
demic standards. Acceptance to a four-year college is
a pre-requisite for graduation, and every student must
take at least two Advanced Placement (AP) courses,
AP History and AP Biology. Evidence of Amistad
High’s academic rigor can be found in its 10th-grade
scores on the Connecticut Academic Performance
Test (CAPT). In their first year of testing, students
achieved 93% proficiency (Level 3 or higher) in math
and 100% proficiency in all three other subjects—
reading, writing and science. These results position
Amistad High’s students as number one in the region
for reading and number two for writing, outperforming
students in both Madison and Guilford.

Amistad Academy High School provides many excit-

ing enrichment opportunities and activities for its stu-
School leader Tisha Markette
Grades served K-2 (growing to K-4) dents. Athletic offerings include basketball, lacrosse,
# of students 257 pep squad, women’s volleyball, squash and athletic
conditioning. Students can also participate in theater,
Amistad Academy Elementary opened in New Haven
creative music, debate and a literary magazine. The
in 2006 as the long-awaited elementary expansion
school’s chess club recently placed third in the state.
of the flagship Amistad Academy Middle School. At
During the summer, students are required to partici-
the beginning of the elementary school’s first year
pate in an enrichment activity grounded in academics
of operation, only 4% of kindergarten scholars were
or community service.
reading at or above grade level; by the end of the
year, the percentage had risen to 99%. The key to
Amistad Elementary’s success is a school culture built
Amistad Academy High
on a strong foundation of sharing and caring, working
hard, reflecting and having fun. Every morning, the
music teacher kicks off Morning Motivation with a
2006 *AMISTAD ACADEMY ELEMENTARY
chant called “Are you going to have fun today?” For
*AMISTAD ACADEMY HIGH

teachers, collegial observation is common, and “best
946 scholars

practices” are constantly shared.

504 scholars

336 scholars

336 scholars

252 scholars

168 scholars

1999 Amistad academy opens

www.achievementfirst.org 19
 School leader MARC MICHAELSON
Grades served 5-8 # of students 214

In the 2008-09 academic year, Elm City Middle’s fifth

graders are the first scholars in the network to have

Elm City graduated from an Achievement First elementary

College Prep Elementary school and move up to an Achievement First middle

school. While incoming fifth graders have historically

averaged two years below grade level, many of these

students are more than a full year ahead. Elm City

Middle boasts a particularly “warm demanding”

culture, where respect, teamwork and achieving

one’s best are the gold standard. As with all

Achieve­ment First middle schools, students at Elm

City Middle look forward all year to the end-of-year

college field trips—a critical component of the

college-focused curriculum. Elm City’s fifth-grade

scholars visit Temple University in Philadelphia, sixth

graders travel to Bowdoin College in Brunswick,

Maine, seventh graders visit Morehouse and Spelman

Colleges in Atlanta, and eighth graders visit the

University of California at Berkeley. During these trips,

School leader MORGAN BARTH students tour the campuses, attend lectures,
Grades served K-4 # of students 268
participate in mock interviews with admissions staff

Elm City College Preparatory Elementary School and stay in the dormitories. While the college visit is

opened in New Haven in 2004 and was the first the core of each trip, students’ horizons are

Achievement First school with an elementary program. broadened in countless other ways. For example,

Four years later, the elementary reading curriculum sixth graders go camping, hiking and biking through

continues to center around a three-hour, sacred read­ Acadia National Park, and many eat their first lobster!

ing block that uses a phonics-based literacy program

and text-rich classrooms. Immersed in sounds and

Elm City
words, students are quickly provided with a solid,

early foundation for more advanced reading. At Elm

College Prep Middle
City Elementary, teachers find creative and funny ways

to encourage and reward hard work, like reading

sleepover nights and special days with themes like

wacky hair.

*ELM CITY COLLEGE

2004 PREP ELEMENTARY
*ELM CITY COLLEGE
PREP MIDDLE

336 scholars

336 scholars

252 scholars

168 scholars

1999 Amistad academy opens

www.achievementfirst.org 21
 Achievement First

Crown Heights Elementary School leader ORPHEUS WILLIAMS

Grades served 5-8 # of students 327

Achievement First Crown Heights Middle School

balances fun and excitement with discipline, reflection

and focus. The school hosts a challenge event each

month that fosters healthy competition, like a Book

Bowl that quizzes students on books they have read

or a Multiplication Tournament that pits new winners

against former champions. Among the school’s many

character development initiatives, the Natural Born

Aces (NBA) program is unique. This program helps

male scholars who are on the cusp of becoming

Aces (getting straight “A”s) achieve their goal with the

help of team goal-setting, emotional support from

peers and candid conversations about the formation

of their identity as young, African-American males.

School leader MIKE KERR
Grades served K-4 # of students 420 After-school activities include a documentary film

club, art club, orchestra, step team, track and

Achievement First Crown Heights Charter School
basketball. Last year, the school was proud that both
opened in central Brooklyn in 2005 as one of the first
its boys’ and girls’ basketball teams placed second in
two Achievement First schools in New York City. The
the NYC Charter School Athletic League.
elementary program has a special school culture that

pairs fun incentive programs with a thoughtful

emphasis on diversity, conflict resolution and personal

enrichment. Students can earn “paw prints” (the

school’s mascot is the cougar) and redeem them for Achievement First
special events and activities at weekly Funtastic
Fridays. In the school’s Problem Solvers Newsletter,
Crown Heights Middle
students write letters about challenges they face, and

a rotating team of student editors publish their

responses in the newsletter. During Summer Academy

(which is required for all students), after their core

math and reading blocks, students can participate in

2005 *CROWN HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY
*CROWN HEIGHTS MIDDLE
activities like yoga, Spanish, chess, jazz, ultimate

Frisbee, scrap-booking, photography and gardening

504 scholars

(just to name a few).

336 scholars

336 scholars

252 scholars

168 scholars

1999 Amistad academy opens

www.achievementfirst.org 23
 Achievement First

East New York Elementary

School leader LIZETTE SUXO
Grades served K-3 (GROWING TO K-4)
# of students 334

Achievement First Bushwick Charter School opened

with the elementary program in the fall of 2006, fol-

lowed one year later by the middle school program.

The elementary school serves the largest Hispanic

population in the Achievement First network. As a

result, a substantial portion of the school’s leader-

ship, operations and teaching staff is bilingual, and

all materials sent home to parents are written in

Spanish and English. The school celebrates the

cultural heritage of students and families with a yearly

multi-cultural showcase and potluck dinner. Like

their cousins at other Achievement First elementary

School leader DENNISTON REID
Grades served K-4 # of students 421 schools, Bushwick scholars enjoy REACH Circle and

a host of fun enrichment activities, including martial

Achievement First East New York Charter School
arts, drama club, dance club and chorus. The school
opened with kindergarten and first grades in the fall
has partnered with local arts organizations for lessons
of 2005. The cornerstone of the school culture is the
in music, the guitar club is funded through the Little
value of team and family as embodied by the “wolf
Kids Rock Foundation and the Piano School provides
pack” (the school’s mascot is the wolf). Students earn
lessons at a reduced rate.
their way into the pack by demonstrating citizenship,

hard work and achievement. Teachers work hard

to make sure parents are part of the pack, too. The Achievement First
weekly parent newsletter includes a “test busters”
column, and there are regular workshops on how to
Bushwick Elementary
reinforce aspects of the Achievement First program

at home. Teachers and parents share a common lan-

guage around educational goals. Like other Achieve-

ment First schools, Achievement First East New York

2006 *BUSHWICK ELEMENTARY
offers unique enrichment activities. Students can
2005 *EAST NEW YORK ELEMENTARY
participate in kung-fu, basketball, yoga, track, step

team, dance team, chorus, guitar club and African

504 scholars

drumming. Last year, one classroom worked with an

336 scholars
animation studio to develop the storyline, characters

336 scholars
and dialogue for a short animated film.

252 scholars

168 scholars

1999 Amistad academy opens

www.achievementfirst.org 25
 Achievement First

Bushwick Middle School leader ERIC REDWINE

Grades served 5-7 (growing to 5-8)
# of students 259

Achievement First Endeavor Charter School opened

with fifth grade in central Brooklyn in the fall of 2006.

It was recently ranked the fourth best K-8 school in all

of New York City (out of nearly 1,100 schools!) on the

NYC DOE Progress Reports. Character building is at

the heart of the school’s teaching philosophy.

Students participate in daily advisories that address

peer interaction, conflict resolution and personal

growth. Students are pushed out of their comfort

zones and into situations that allow them to build

confidence. For instance, sixth graders went camping

and explored caves on last year’s end-of-year school

School leader AMY D’ANGELO
Grades served 5-6 (growing to 5-8)
# of students 178
At Achievement First Bushwick Middle School, teach-
ers strive to build student buy-in, nurture close part-
nerships with students and parents, and make sure
that expectations set at school are upheld at home.
Like other Achievement First middle schools in New
trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Through the
school’s Kindness Campaign, students are rewarded
for acts of kindness with Mardi Gras beads. Achieve-
ment First Endeavor is proud of its teams and clubs,
especially the Rhythm and Funk Jazz Band and the
boys’ basketball team, which won the NYC Charter
School Athletic League Championship.

York, Achievement First Bushwick scholars have 90

minutes of math instruction and more than two hours

Achievement First

Endeavor Middle
of reading instruction every day. Scholars can serve

as representatives on the Principal Advisory Board, a

NOTE: These students have only been enrolled for one
group of students that oversees and rules on “cases”
year at Achievement First.
which include students who are close to meeting

homework goals but have not made the cut-off for the
2007 *BUSHWICK MIDDLE
end-of-the-year field trip. Running, basketball, dance

2006 *ENDEAVOR MIDDLE and jazz orchestra are among the school’s other

activities. Like all Achievement First schools, Achieve-

946 scholars

ment First Bushwick Middle finds creative ways to

504 scholars recognize and reward achievement. Red carpet

events are used to honor Aces (students who receive

336 scholars

straight “A”s in a trimester) and students participate in

336 scholars
a Scholar Dollar auction in which all items are focused

252 scholars on “quality time” with teachers.

168 scholars

1999 Amistad academy opens

www.achievementfirst.org 27
 School leader GINA MUSUMECI
Achievement First Grades served K-1 (Growing to K-4)

Bridgeport Middle # of students 178

Achievement First Brownsville Charter School opened

with kindergarten and first grades in August 2008 and

is not wasting any time putting scholars on the path

to college. The math curriculum focuses on problem

solving and introduces pre-algebra concepts starting

in kindergarten, and teachers are implementing a new

reading program that incorporates oral language

development by focusing on visual cues. To stimulate

student interest in writing, each child works on a

writing portfolio that allows scholars to see their own

progress over time. At Achievement First Brownsville,

teachers understand the importance of celebrating

early milestones in student achievement. Individuals

are recognized for being able to count to a desig-

School leader DEBON LEWIS nated number, and the community celebrates when
Grades served 5-6 (growing to 5-8) all students in a class can count to that number. This
# of students 160 NOTE: Achievement first brownsville
scholars will take their first builds a sense of personal success and community

Achievement First Bridgeport Academy’s 2007 start- standardized assessments in june pride. The school has ambitious goals for partnering
2009 at the end of their first year.
up marked an important milestone in Achievement with parents, including four curriculum nights focused

First history—the first expansion of our Connecticut on finding ways to help children at school and home.

family beyond New Haven. This took some cunning The school also hosts bi-monthly coffee events that

and courage, so it is fitting that the school’s mascot allow parents to drop in for more casual meetings

is the Achievement First Bridgeport Academy Lion. with school leaders and teachers.

For scholars, the lion symbolizes a school culture that

Achievement First
takes great pride in personal achievement, teamwork

NOTE: These students have only been enrolled for one

and strong community bonds. Students gather on Fri- Brownsville Elementary
year at Achievement First. day afternoons for Pride Circle, where individuals are

recognized for academic accomplishments and acting

2008 *BROWNSVILLE ELEMENTARY

in ways that show the REACH values (Respect, En-

2007 *bridgeport MIDDLE
thusiasm, Achievement, Citizenship and Hard Work).

1,683 scholars Achievement First Bridgeport Academy scholars are

particularly enthusiastic about reading and music.

946 scholars

Students spend a portion of every day “independent

504 scholars hunting” (an activity otherwise known as independent

reading) and the school boasts a talented Lion Jazz

336 scholars

Ensemble. As a special treat for family and friends, the

336 scholars
Lion Jazz Ensemble performed a concert last June at

252 scholars
Bridgeport’s illustrious Downtown Cabaret Theater.

168 scholars

1999 Amistad academy opens

www.achievementfirst.org 29
 Achievement First

Hartford Elementary
School leader JEFF HOUSE
Grades served 5 (GROWING TO 5-8)
# of students 85

At Achievement First Hartford Middle, the backbone

of the daily program is a schedule that provides

three-and-a-half hours of literacy instruction for every

student, in the form of a 90-minute literature class,

a 30-minute reading skills block and a 45-minute

“literacy workshop” where students at similar reading

FPO NOTE: Achievement first hartford

scholars will take their first
standardized assessments in March
levels receive targeted instruction in small groups.

Students also receive 90 minutes of math instruction

and 45 minutes of history and science instruction

2009 of their first year. daily. All of this intellectual activity is offset by a 45-

minute daily physical education class. One hour is set

School leader CLAIRE SHIN
aside every Friday afternoon for community-building
Grades served K-1 (growing to K-4)
# of students 168 activities. The school is also excited to begin a fledg-

ling after-school program that will grow in proportion

NOTE: Achievement first hartford
scholars will take their first
standardized assessments in june
2009 at the end of their first year.
Achievement First Hartford Academy opened with
to the school until scholars are participating in a full
kindergarten, first and fifth grades in August 2008 as
array of sports teams, music and arts opportunities,
part of Superintendant Steven Adamowski’s ambitious
and academic clubs.
reform plan for the district. At the elementary school,
a tremendous focus is placed on reading, which
occupies three hours of instruction per day broken

into alternating blocks of small group instruction.

Achievement First

Hartford Middle
Vocabulary building is an important part of the reading

curriculum as well. Kindergarteners and first graders

have started working on a giant vocabulary wall that

will eventually engulf an entire hallway. Teachers and

2008 *HARTFORD MIDDLE
*HARTFORD ELEMENTARy
students start the day with Morning Motivation, which
2,534 scholars
includes recognitions and shout-outs and often ends
1,683 scholars with the principal sharing an example of great student

work. At Achievement First Hartford Elementary,

946 scholars

teachers do not just preach constant learning—they

504 scholars practice it. Teachers frequently demonstrate effective

teaching practices for each other, and every teacher

336 scholars

is assigned a coach from the school leadership

336 scholars
team. Teachers meet with their coaches on a weekly

252 scholars basis to identify strengths and strategies for teaching

improvement.
168 scholars

1999 Amistad academy opens

www.achievementfirst.org 31
 Our Central Finances
2007-2008 UNAUDITED FINANCIALS (Fiscal Year Starts July 1st)
Our School Finances
Based on 2007-2008 funding at full enrollment

Achievement First operates college-preparatory public charter schools at a per-student cost equal to or less
2007-2008 than that of its host public school districts in New York and Connecticut.
Central Office Expenses By Functional Area
New York Achievement Connecticut Achievement
2%
First School Model First School Model
**

15%
26% Curriculum, Prof. Dev. & School Support
Development & Community Relations

16% Talent Development & Recruiting

General, Administrative & Finance

20% Operations & IT

20% Depreciation

Achievement First Central Revenue Philanthropy Facility Operating Expenses Host District Expenses
Revenue Federal Non-Personnel, Non-Program Expenses
SOURCES OF REVENUE
Revenue State Non-Personnel Program Expenses
Management fees 2,014,487
Personnel Expenses
Philanthropy 3,656,442
**Does not include transportation or food service costs, charter/contract/foster care payments, and non-public school and FIT payments.
Other 260,166
Total 5,931,094

EXPENSES

Personnel expenses 3,759,595

Non-personnel expenses 1,845,973
Depreciation expense 139,656
Total 5,745,223
NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) 185,871
Athena*
Revenues 858,614
Expenses (including depreciation) 558,445
Net income 300,169
*Athena™ is Achievement First’s custom-built, web-based interim
assessment platform, providing performance data analysis and
knowledge management for teachers and school leaders to create
data-driven instructional battle plans as they help every student climb
the mountain to college. Athena is a stand-alone software platform that
is independently managed from Achievement First’s central operations.
Our Facilities
Achievement First is incredibly grateful for the support
of our host districts in helping us bridge the facilities
challenges that accompany our growth. Thanks to
the leadership of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and
NYC Chancellor Joel Klein, all New York Achievement
First schools have been provided with public school
buildings at virtually no cost.
Rendering of new facility for Achievement First Endeavor
We are also thankful for partnerships with Bridgeport
Public Schools and Hartford Public Schools and their
provision of free facilities and support for our expan-
sion to new communities.
As we continue to grow, Achievement First is in the
midst of building a comprehensive K-8 facility for
Amistad Academy in New Haven—funded through
a combination of private philanthropy and a $24MM
state facility bond—and one for Achievement First En-
deavor in Brooklyn. The new facility for Achievement
First Endeavor will house 700 K-8 students from the
Fort Greene and Bedford-Stuyvesant communities.
Thanks to the partnership of Civic Builders and the
Department of Education, as well as the Robin Hood
Foundation’s cultivation of donor-advised gifts from
Atticus Capital and the Pfizer Foundation, Achieve-
ment First has raised nearly all of the funding needed
to complete the project in time for the 2009-2010
school year. We continue to ramp up our fundraising
initiatives to secure the remaining $2MM and welcome
your support.

www.achievementfirst.org 33

only the educated are free.
-EPictetus
www.achievementfirst.org
Our Jim Cullen
William Curran
Donors
Kevin and Katrin Czinger
Anthony Davis
Geoffrey and Mary Davis
Henry Davis
We are profoundly grateful and appreciative Phoebe Davis
of the support displayed by our many Carolyn Downey
Susan B. Dunn
benefactors—your gifts sustain and inspire
John and Dawn Egan
our aspiring scholars and dedicated Emily Eisenlohr
teachers. Thank you! Eric Epstein
Daniel and Elizabeth Esty
INDIVIDUALS John and Katharine Esty
Anonymous Ruth Feldman
Nancy Ahern Richard and Marissa Ferguson
Bruce and Christine Alexander Stephen and Jo Ann Flaum
Steve Anbinder Sarah Flynn
Carl and Betsy Anderson Lawrence and Megan Foley
Elaine Appellof George Fox
Dr. Walter and Mrs. Diane Ariker Catherine Frantzis
Mary Arnstein Stephen and Linda Friedman
Jon Atkeson Chris and Toddie Getman
David and Beth Atlas J. Colin Gibson
William B. Avery and Linda C. Andros Chip and Margie Gillis
Francis and Eve Barron Susan and Michael Glick
Polly Barry and Richard Clarida Gary F. Goldring
Henry and Nancy Bartels Bonni Gould
Richard and Ilene Barth William and Jean Graustein
Myrna Baskin Adam and Carolyn Greene
Dr. Eric and Mrs. Ethel Berger Ike and Lesley Goff
William R. Berkley Mark Gudis and MaryGrace Gudis
Girish Bhakoo Allen Hadelman
Diahann Billings Burford Jim and Melinda Hamilton
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Boas Todd and Leslie Hammer
Marx G. Bowens III D. Alan and Marcella Harris
Nicole Brower Mike Harris
Carmen Bowser Robert and Kristy Harteveldt
Jonathan Brandt James and Ann Healey
Eric and Wendy Bronstein William and Judy Heins
Drs. David and Charlotte Brown Carlton and Letamarie Highsmith
William R. Bruner Dick and Angelica Hinchcliff
Peter and Nancy Buck Kenneth M Hirsh
Robert and Holly Burt Norman and Sandra Jellinghaus
Khephra Burns Judge Clarance and Marueen Jones
Julie Burton Paul Tudor and Sonja Jones
Guido and Anne Calabresi Harold and Margaret Kamins
Kim and Sally Campbell Warren and Allison Kanders
Lawrence Caruso Michael and Shelly Kassen
Nicole Campbell Jean Kelley
Iris Chen Shannon Kete
Tom Chiappetta and Pat Tyre John and Barbara Kimberly
Gail S. Citrin Rebecca Kirk and Stephen Fair
Elizabeth Clark Lee Ann Kline
Henry Clark Nat Klipper
Mayree C. Clark Katherine A. Knetzger
Brian and Christina Clarkson Herbert Kohler Jr.
Paula Cleary and Paul Ferrall Harvey Koizim
Ann and Richard Cohen Carol Kranowitz
David L. Cohen Carlene Kulisch
Dr. William Cohen Andrew Lachman
Brian and Karen Cohn Christopher J. LaCroix
Michael and Joyce Critelli Vivian Lau
Molly Le Van
Martin and Andrea Levine
F. Perry and Pamela Wilson
Stephen Wizner
Robin and Barbara Levine-Ritterman Hope Woodhouse and Richard Canty
David Levinson Brian and Anne Young
Dr. Benjamin and Mrs. Ruth Littman Joe and Sue Zaccagnino
Emily Littman-Eisen
Robert Locascio CORPORATIONS
Kevin and Erika Long American View Productions
Henry Lord Carmen Anthony Restaurant Group
Norman and Susan Louie Goldman, Sachs & Co
Janet Magid Kuckly Associates
Stephen and Susan Mandel Pitney Bowes
Grant McCracken Towerbrook Foundation
Doug McCurry United Illuminating Company
Andrew J. McEntire Yale New Haven Hospital
Brian Meacham Yale University
Drs. Jerome and Roslyn Meyer Yannix Management, LP
Stephan Mongillo Greenlight Capital
Emerson Moore III
William Moyes FOUNDATIONS
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Netter The Achelis and Bodman Foundations
Leo and Libby Nevas The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Herbert Newman The Bank of America Charitable Foundation
William and Catherine Nietzel Breakthrough New Haven
Harold and Sandra Noborikawa The Carson Family Charitable Trust
Ted and Amy Orenstein Cerimon Fund
Peter and Beverly Orthwein Charter Oak Challenge Foundation
Sharon Oster and Raymond Fair The Clark Foundation
Suzie H. Pascutti The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Josh and Sharon Polan The Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation
Leonard and Ellen Polaner Fairfield County Community Foundation
Doug Polley GRO Foundation
Shaka Rasheed H. A. Vance Foundation
Barry and Sherri Raifaisen Henry E. & Nancy Horton Bartel Trust
Brett Rosen and Debra Wattenberg Independence Community Foundation
Gerald Rosenberg and Cheryl Wiesenfeld Kneisel Family Foundation
Carol Ross Lone Pine Foundation
Harvey Ruben and Diane Ruben The Louis Calder Foundation
June Sachs Marx Family Foundation
Jonathan Sackler and Mary Corson Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
Shelly Saczynski The Moody’s Foundation
Art Samberg NewAlliance Foundation
Jennifer L. Schiff New Profit
Gabriel Schwartz New Schools Venture Fund
Sarah Sherwood New York City Center for Charter School Excellence
Bruce and Pamela Simonds Newman’s Own Foundation
Andrew and Candace Smoller The Ohnell Family Foundation
Christopher Sommers The Olson Foundation
Lawrence and Joyce Stupski The Polaner Family Supporting Foundation
Patricia and Stedman Sweet Robin Hood Foundation
Janet Tanner The Seedlings Foundation
Nicholas W. Tiller The Shumway Capital Foundation
Dacia Toll Silverleaf Foundation
Kenneth and Kathleen Tropin Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation
Alexander and Dale Troy Steven A. & Alexandra M. Cohen Foundation
Cheever Tyler Target Take Charge of Education
Phillipp and Donna Villhauer The Tiger Foundation
Giselle Wagner The Vranos Family Foundation
David Wassong The Walton Family Foundation
Roy Walzer The William H Pitt Foundation
Jon and Jill Weiner United Illuminating Foundation
Elliot Wilcox William C. Graustein Memorial Fund
Tiger and Caroline Williams Woodward Fund
We are recognizing gifts of $100 or greater received between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. 35
 Boards of Directors
Achievement First Board of Directors
William R. Berkley Chairman W.R. Berkley Corporation,
Chairman and CEO
Steve Anbinder Treasurer First Marblehead, Vice
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Andrew Boas Carl Marks Management Co., LP, General
Partner
DOUG BORCHARD New Profit, Inc., Managing Partner &
Chief Operating Officer
Kevin Czinger Miles Electric Vehicles, President/CEO
Barry Fingerhut Fingerhut Management Corp, Director
Carlton L. Highsmith Specialized Packaging Group, CEO
Judge Clarance Jones Judicial Branch, State of
Connecticut, Superior Court Judge
James Peyser New Schools Venture Fund, Partner
Stefan Pryor City of Newark, Deputy Mayor for Commerce
and Economic Development
Lystra M. Richardson SCSU, Professor - Dept. of
Educational Leadership
Jon D. Sackler Bouncer Foundation, President
JENNIFER SMITH TURNER Girl Scouts of Connecticut, CEO
Achievement First Brownsville
Kelly Wachowicz Chair I-Star Financial, Vice President
of New Business Initiatives
Chrystal Stokes WILLIAMS Treasurer American
Express Company, Director Assistant to the Senior Vice President
of Business Development and Mergers & Acquisitions
Sean Andrews Prospect Park YMCA, Vice President of
Operations
Nicole Campbell Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation,
Senior Program Officer
Max Polaner Achievement First, Chief Financial Officer
Ernest Hart Columbia University, Assistant Vice President
for Employee and Labor Relations
www.achievementfirst.org
Achievement First Bushwick
Deborah Shanley Chair School of Education, Brooklyn
College, Dean
Shannon Kete Treasurer Goldman Sachs, Chief of
Staff, US PWM
Yvette Best Parent Representative
Iris Chen I Have A Dream Foundation, CEO/President
Harris Ferrell Achievement First Athena, President
MALDA HIBRI Highbridge Captial Management, LLC, Senior Vice
President
Jalak Jobanputra New Venture Partners, Principal
Emerson Moore TMP Worldwide, Associate
Judith M. Rodriguez NYC Comptroller’s Office, Community
Associate
Achievement First Crown Heights
L. Priscilla Hall Chair Brooklyn Supreme Court, Chief
Administrative Judge
Suzie Hahn Pascutti Treasurer
Vivian Lau Serengeti Asset Management, LP, Founding Partner
Ethel Phillips Parent Representative
Christopher Sommers Greenlight Capital, Analyst
Gabriel Schwartz Goldman Sachs, Managing Director
Dacia Toll Achievement First, Co-CEO & President
Kelly Wachowicz I-Star Financial, Inc., Vice President,
New Business Initiatives
HOLLY WASHINGTON JPMorgan, Vice President
Achievement First East New York
AnThony Davis Chair Anchorage Capital Group, LLC,
President
Jon Atkeson Treasurer Fortress Investment Group,
Managing Director
Rich Buery Groundwork Inc., Executive Director & Founder
Diahann Billings Burford City Year NY, Deputy
Director of External Affairs
J. Colin Gibson Citi Global Wealth Management, Director
TARA Griffin-MCCLain Parent Representative
NATALIE WILTSHIRE Achievement First, Director of New York
Operations
Achievement First Endeavor
Shaka Rasheed Chair JPMorgan Asset Management,
Vice President
Sarah Curtis Bey Treasurer Estee Lauder, Marketing
Manager
Khephra Burns Author & Playwright
Justin Cohen Eton Park Capital Management, Investment
Analyst
CHRISTOPHER GROWNEY Clearwater Analytics, Co-Founder
and Vice President of Business Development
ELANA KAROPKIN Achievement First, Assistant Superintendent
FRANCES MESSANO Monitor Group, Associate
CLAIRE ROBINSON Moody’s Investors Service, Senior
Vice President
May Taliaferrow-Mosleh Parent Representative
Achievement First North Crown Heights
Charter recently approved in 2007-2008
Wanda Felton CHAIR Helix Associates, Managing Director
Hasoni Pratts Treasurer Empire State Development
Corp, Director of External Relations
Denise Gordon Deloitte, HR Manager
Mashea Ashton NYC New Leaders for New Schools,
Executive Director
Matt Klein Blue Ridge Foundation, Executive Director
Lesley Esters Redwine Achievement First, Director of
External Relations
Achievement First Hartford
Bruce Douglas Chair CREC, Executive Director
Steve Harris Vice Chair Community Leader
John Motley Secretary/Treasurer MotleyBeup,
Owner
DOMINIC BASILE Teacher Representative
Andrea Comer City of Hartford, Executive Assistant and
Hartford Board of Education, Member
Alexis Highsmith Greater Hartford Legal Aid, Inc., Attorney
Colleen Palmer Monroe Public Schools, Superintendent
Marshall Ruben Ruben, Johnson & Morgan, P.C., President
Jim Willingham Urban League of Greater Hartford, Inc.,
President and Chief Executive Officer
Achievement First Bridgeport
Andrew Boas CHAIR Carl Marks Management Co., LP,
General Partner
Shelly Kassen Treasurer Town of Westport, Selectman
Dick Ferguson NewCity Foundation
Richard Kalt CRN International, Inc.,Vice President
Karen McIntosh McGivney Community Center, Inc.
Executive Director
Leo Nevas Nevas, Nevas, Capasse & Gerard, L.L.P., Partner
Robert Scinto Scinto, Inc. Real Estate Development, Chairman
Amistad Academy &
Elm City College Prep
Alexander Troy CHAIR Troy Capital LLC, CEO
William F Heins Treasurer Private Investor
Judge ClarEnce Jones Vice CHAIR Judicial Branch,
State of Connecticut Superior Court Judge
Harold Brooks Parent Representative
Anne Tyler Calabresi Community Activist
Joyce Critelli Philanthropist
Katrin Czinger Philanthropist
MAYOR JOHN DESTEFANO Board of Education Representative
Dick Ferguson SECRETARY NewCity Foundation
Allen Hadelman Hadley, Inc.
Melinda Hamilton Retired, Trilogy Enterprises
Carlton L. Highsmith Specialized Packaging Group, CEO
Jaime King Teacher Representative
Andrew Lachman Connecticut Center for School Change,
Executive Director
M. ANN LEVETT Board of Education Representative
Roxanna Lopez Teacher Representative
Paul McCraven New Alliance Bank, Sr. Vice President
Sharon Oster Yale School of Management, Dean
Patricia Pierce Yale University, Major Gifts Senior Associate
Director
Lystra M. Richardson SCSU, Professor - Dept. of
Educational Leadership
CAROLINE WILLIAMS Event Coordinator
ROLAN YOUNG Berchem, Moses & Devlin, P.C., Senior Partner
37
CT Office
403 James Street
New Haven, CT 06513

NY Office
1137 Herkimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11233

www.achievementfirst.org