Podcast Summary
A leader's commitment to values despite adversity: Staying true to one's values, even during controversy, can lead to growth and new opportunities.
Leila Desantner, the co-founder and happiness director of Center Academy in Miami, is a courageous leader who prioritizes emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and happiness in her progressive independent school. Despite facing intense criticism and losing students due to her stance against masks and vaccinations, she remained committed to her beliefs and continued to build the school's community. The controversy resulted in a surge of new students and a need to hire teachers rapidly. This experience highlights the importance of staying true to one's values, even in the face of adversity. The Center Academy's unique approach to education, combining intellectual rigor with emotional well-being, continues to attract students and families who value this holistic approach.
A Home for Families Seeking a Sane Educational Environment: Center Academy, led by Leila, gained over 125 new students from diverse backgrounds due to its humane and sensible approach to education, forming a strong community and becoming a home for families who felt outcasted in their previous schools.
Center Academy, under the leadership of Leila, has become a refuge for families seeking a humane and sensible educational environment. Despite losing some students, the school gained over 125 new students from various parts of the country and even abroad. These families moved to be part of Center Academy due to their belief that it was the only sane educational institution they could find. The school community formed a bond, with families expressing relief that they had finally found a place where they belonged. Leila's unwavering commitment to creating a kind and common-sense learning environment drew in families who felt like outcasts in their previous schools. Together, they formed a strong community, and the school became a home for them.
Standing firm in beliefs attracts like-minded individuals: By staying true to your educational principles, you can build a strong community of like-minded educators and attract new talent.
When you stand firm in your beliefs and values as an educator, you will attract like-minded individuals and build a strong community. Bobby, a school founder, shared his experience of creating a school where conversations about vaccines, masks, and mandates are met with understanding, as they all share similar values. This sense of alignment has led to the growth of their community, which includes educators who have joined from other schools where they felt restricted. The school, Center Academy, offers a supportive environment, with opportunities for field trips, gardening, and the addition of a high school and new teaching positions. They are currently seeking elementary, preschool, middle school math and English language arts, second Italian, and second Spanish teachers. By staying true to their principles, Bobby and Center Academy have created a welcoming and growing educational community.
Innovative School Hiring Creative Teachers for Mindfulness-Based Curriculum: School hiring teachers to implement unique curriculum with morning meditation, weekly healing sessions, organic food program, and focus on creativity and life skills over rote memorization.
The curriculum team of this innovative school is expanding to provide a roadmap for parents starting schools nationwide. They're seeking open-minded, creative teachers who can adapt to their mindfulness-based, critically-thinking curriculum. This includes morning meditation, weekly healing sessions, and an organic, non-processed food program. Teachers must be able to think outside the box and encourage creativity, as the school doesn't want students to just memorize and regurgitate information. Instead, they aim to instill life skills and qualities that will benefit students in the real world. A new entrepreneurship program is an example of this approach, where students develop and sell their own products, showcasing their creativity and business acumen.
Learning Business Skills Benefits Everyone: Understanding business principles like supply and demand, marketing, communication, and selling skills can benefit anyone, even if not starting a business.
Having a business mindset can greatly benefit anyone, regardless of their career goals. Even if you're not planning to start your own business, understanding the principles of supply and demand, marketing, communication, and selling skills can give you an edge in various aspects of life. Leila, a successful serial entrepreneur, is dedicating her time to teaching these valuable skills to kids, helping them generate income and build confidence. To connect with Leila and learn more about Centner Academy, visit centneracademy.com and submit your resume through the careers page. This podcast aims to inspire listeners to reach out and make a difference in these children's lives.
Welcoming Environment at SENTNER Academy: SENTNER Academy prioritizes connections, creating a loving and contagious environment for students and parents, but the use of masks during the pandemic has made it harder to read emotions and fostered disconnection.
SENTNER Academy fosters a unique and loving environment where connections are prioritized. From the moment parents and students enter the school, they are greeted with music, dancing, and hugs. This culture of love and connection is not forced but rather contagious, as smiles and positive energy spread throughout the school. However, the use of masks during the pandemic has created a disconnect, making it harder to read emotions and fostering anger and disconnection. The parent's experience highlights the importance of this environment in creating a positive learning experience, and the academy aims to continue growing and spreading kindness and common sense in the world.
