Celebrating the 15-Year and 20-Year of Milestone.

As we continue our Years of Service celebration during School Leader Appreciation Week, we're honored to recognize Achievement First team members marking the 15-year milestone in their careers with our organization. Over the years, these leaders have shaped generations of scholars, mentored colleagues, and helped guide their school communities through moments of growth and change. Their leadership reflects the very best of Achievement First's mission and values. Joey Fink, Principal at AF Iluminar Elementary Joey had dedicated his education career of nearly 20 years - and an incredible 15 years in Achievement First! - to joy, rigor, equity, and leading by example. From his very first days as a kindergarten teacher at Hartford ES in 2008, he has brought an unmistakable sense of joy, curiosity, and excitement to learning. After first meeting Joey at the TFA 25-year celebration in DC in 2016, I feel deeply humbled and grateful to call him a colleague all these years later. He returned to the classroom in Iluminar, before crushing it as a dean for many years and now serves in his third year as principal. He is still one of the best teachers I have ever seen. He steps into any space and makes it better - more rigorous, more joyful, more connected. School - and especially elementary school - should be fun, and Joey lives this ethos! This culture is palpable the moment you walk into the building, in the energy of classrooms, the care adults show one another, and moments like Firefly Circle, where students and staff alike are fully seen and celebrated. This joy is evident in the culture of the school, in strong staff data, in student outcomes, and in the deep trust of families. On a very personal level, many of our staff - including myself - choose to send our children to Iluminar in large part because of Joey's vision, character, and dedication. Joey reflects the very best of Achievement First, and his impact after 15 years is both meaningful and lasting. Thank you for an incredible 15 years of service! - Kevin Lohela, RI Regional Superintendent Ricky Horton, Dean at AF Amistad High Ricky, 18 years at AF and you still look so young! You started at Elm City and have spent the last 11 years at Amistad High. You are constantly cited by staff AND kids as someone they look up to, someone who cares about them, and someone they want to be more like one day. Recently, Christian said, "I want to be like Mr. Horton when I grow up." Your coachees often say things like, "I feel incredibly supported by my coach" and "I have learned so much from Ricky." You are also direct when you need to be and blend the incredibly valuable perspective of being a leader and a teacher. You are calm, poised, flexible, and so incredibly dependable — most recently, even though you had a full day of classes, you gave up your only free block to cover a class. Those small moments are so illustrative of the teammate and person you are. Even more importantly, in addition to everything you do for Amistad, you show up as a dedicated husband and dad. Thank you for the small and big things you do every day! - Rosie Basile and Jasmine Watts, AF Amistad High Co-Principals Colleen McKinnon, Principal at AF Endeavor Elementary Colleen, if I were to look up “excellence” in the dictionary, I'd see your picture. You've had so many roles in our organization (teacher, dean, founding principal, successor), and worked in so many schools (Brownsville, Voyager, Endeavor) and regions (Hey, Hartford!)... and you've set the standard for excellence each and every time. Because of your leadership, so many teachers have grown into GLLs, Deans, and Principal Fellows. Because of your leadership, so many families have felt like they're a part of a caring community. And, because of your leadership, so many scholar lives have been touched. I'm so proud of you and so grateful for your service, and I can honestly say that AF is better because we've been able to get the Colleen McKinnon touch! - Kristin Damo, NY Executive Director Yoowon Park, Dean at AF Crown Heights Elementary Yoowon, congratulations on 15 years of incredible service! You are a vital anchor of the CHES community, and the love your staff, students, and families have for you is undeniable. Throughout your journey at AF, your growth as a leader has been inspiring to witness and learn about. You are deeply anchored in data, using it as a tool to constantly push the boundaries of what is possible for our kids and our team. Your relentless drive to do better is always balanced by an immense heart; you care for the CHES community with a level of commitment that makes you a truly core member of the team. Whether you are deeply analyzing data or leading from the front, your dedication ensures that excellence and care go hand in hand. Thank you for 15 years of being a cornerstone of our work! - Katherine Delacruz Soto, NY Regional Superintendent Lauren Raimondi, Principal at Amistad Elementary Lauren 15 years WOW! As you would say, “time flies when you are having fun” and what a fun time it has been watching you lead and grow! I am so proud of you. From your early days at Amistad ES as a teacher, you have always been a rock in the community. Back then and still now, you connect with scholars in such a deep and authentic way, while always making them feel seen, valued, and capable. That has always been your superpower. As a Dean of Special Services, you sharpened that gift even more, growing your coaching voice and leadership in ways that strengthened both kids and adults. Serving alongside you as principals (back in the day!) and now having the honor of being your RS truly feels full circle. You lead with joy and grace: ALWAYS! Even when the pressure is high and challenges arise, you show up steady and fearless for your team. You know and love your scholars. You know and love your people. You hold a tremendous growth mindset and your commitment to this work is remarkable. Thank you for your service and commitment to Amistad ES and the entire AF community all these years! #IMPACT - Samantha Lucky, CT Regional Superintendent Tara Reinhardt, Dean at AF East New York Elementary Tara, congratulations on an incredible 15 years with Achievement First! You are a leader who defines what it means to be relentless for excellence. Your focus on our K-1 babies is unmatched; you understand that a strong foundation is the greatest gift we can give our scholars, and you stop at nothing to ensure they receive it. As a true "roll up your sleeves" leader, you are always in the trenches with your team, ensuring your teachers have every resource and ounce of support they need to do right by our kids. Your time at AF is marked by a deep-seated belief in what is possible, pushing boundaries to prove that our youngest learners can achieve greatness. Tara, your grit, your advocacy, and your unwavering commitment have shaped the lives of countless students and educators who have had the honor to have you cross their path. Thank you for 15 years of pouring your heart into our community! - Katherine Delacruz Soto, NY Regional Superintendent Meryl Senter, Principal at AF East New York Elementary 15 years—what an incredible milestone! Meryl, thank you for your deep commitment to the ENYES community. Under your leadership, you’ve built a culture where staff and scholars truly feel seen, loved, and challenged to grow. You lead from a place of being so centered and anchored, which has built a level of trust that allows your team to really see their own limitless potential. The growth you’ve driven at ENYES isn't an accident; it’s the direct result of your belief, your grit, and your intentionality. You’ve shown our whole network that when you lead with genuine care, a high bar for excellence becomes a promise everyone wants to keep. Your leadership is such a gift to your scholars, families, and all of us lucky enough to work with you. ENYES is better because of you. I can’t wait to see the impact you'll continue to have for years to come! - Katherine Delacruz Soto, NY Regional Superintendent, and Kristin Damo, NY Executive Director

20 years!

Kevin Sharkey, Dean at Amistad Middle Sharkey, it's hard to imagine Elm City or Amistad without you. There's so many things to say about you. You are a cornerstone of every school community you join. You are someone students at Amistad High still remember — from your days as their dean at Elm City a decade ago. You are the only leader at AF who went on to co-teach with his former 2nd grade ECCP student. You're a hometown hero in Ansonia, you bring joy into every space you enter, and you're forever emblazoned in the memories of at least a 1000 New Haven kids and families. We love you, Sharkey! - Jasmine Watts and Qiana Dinkins, Amistad Middle Principal and Interim Principal Sharkey has been an anchor in New Haven since the earliest years of AF.   Thousands of people, kids/families/teammates have been impacted by his relationships and enthusiasm – “choosing joy” consistently to motivate adult teammates and kids alike. Qiana, his principal, shared:  When charged to own Lexia reading intervention, a “Lexecellence” campaign was birthed with infused energy and fun competition of results.  Or, when a 6th grader, Sophia, recently was not stepping up to her potential – Shakey didn’t see the challenges, but instead saw possibility for her to be a peer mentor…pulling her aside to pump her up – “Come on Soph, you can do it!” … and that’s what Sharkey has done for 20 years- seeing people for what “can be”, fueling teams, and finding the fun in hard work! - Amy D'Angelo, CT Executive Director