[CharterSchools] Board Member Focus: Quentin L. Messer, Jr.

[charterschools at LACharter.org]

Board Member Focus: Quentin L. Messer, Jr.
Friendship Louisiana, Inc.
 
“Service is the rent we pay forbeing. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your sparetime.”
― Marian Wright Edelman
 
How did you become involved withFriendship Public Charter Schools? 
Iwas well acquainted with the Friendship Public Charter School model from myprior work in education transformation.
It is rare to see a successful urban high school model that wasn’t agreenfield school, but was a “turnaround” school that 
met students and familieswhere they were and changed life trajectories in the process.
 
Why did you say yes when asked toserve?  
Iagreed to serve on the Friendship Louisiana board for three reasons: (i) Ibelieve in the Friendship team and its ability to deliver for young people; (ii)As an economic development professional, I appreciate that continuingLouisiana’s unprecedented improvement in business climate rankings will dependnot only on the talent and intellect of our young people but also on ourschools’ ability to provide academically rigorous, innovative, and physicallyand psychologically safe places for children to learn, dream, thrive, andexhibit their talents; and (iii) I want to be part of the generation thateliminates the academic performance gap that grips too many communities inLouisiana.  If black children canoutperform in physical and musical expressive forms, when the cost ofparticipation is significant, I want to be a part of creating schools that willdemand from students and families their full engagement in academic outperformancethat requires no participation fee and is free.
 
What was compelling about theopportunity? 
Amongthe compelling aspects of Friendship Public Charter Schools is the fact that ithas delivered high quality, psychosocially relevant learning and maturationexperiences for young people in two of this nation’s most challenging urbansettings: Washington, DC and Baltimore, so I am confident that the team willnot be intimidated by the magnitude of the opportunity here in Baton Rouge. 
 
What leadership roles have you had whileserving on the board?  
SinceFriendship’s first school will not open until this fall, we are a new board andcurrently, I am its founding Board Chairperson, but until late March, I servedon another public charter school board and learned a lot from that team,notably, the importance of communication and managing passionate personalities.
 
Is there anything you know now that you wished you had knownbefore?  
No, I might be a bit atypicalfor a public charter school member since I worked in public charter schoolsprofessionally and am the product of career educators.  At bottom, the creative process isneither neat nor tidy and starting new schools is no different.  The focus must remain on pushing relentlesslyhard for performance excellence, not making excuses when the performance fallsshort, and maintaining objectivity on what you can do to make learning comealive since there is nothing more profoundly human than the ability to transmitand learn new concepts and ideas. 
 
“Quentin has been a nationalleader in the fight for educational equity – through the launch, operation, andexpansion of high-performing public charter schools – for the past decade.  He has served on the front lines as aschool operator and as an authorizer, and is now leveraging his experience as aboard member of Friendship Louisiana. Quentin’s articulate, passionate, and prescient understanding of what itmeans to be a high quality charter school will enable him to provide exemplarycharter school board leadership here in Louisiana.” - Joe Keeney, Founder &CEO, 4th Sector Solutions Inc.
 
About Friendship Public Charter Schools
Friendship Public CharterSchools offers rigorous programs with a dynamic approach to learning. Programsprovide students a unique and rewarding opportunity to achieve high academicstandards. Students are motivated to achieve high academic standards, enjoylearning, and develop as ethical, literate, well-rounded and self-sufficientcitizens who contribute actively to their communities.



The Top Shelf
The success of a charter school hinges largely on the decisions of its governing board. The Top Shelf enhances the capacity of charter school boards through professional development, board recruitment and community engagement. 


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