June 26, 2024
Dear staff, parents, supporters and partners,
It’s been an incredible year of experiences and outcomes for Meeting Street Schools.
In the last few weeks alone, we’ve started announcing some Excellence in Teaching Awards for guiding phenomenal student growth, and we’re in awe of the milestones achieved by our students, including the $1.4 million in scholarships earned by our Meeting Street Academy – Charleston graduates.
We have much to be proud of – and so much more to do.
Our vision for Meeting Street Schools is empowering children with the excellent, life-changing education they deserve. I’m looking forward to a new era focused on exceptional teaching that results in life-changing student achievement. We embrace an entrepreneurial, innovative spirit and a growth mindset, all while appreciating the incredible purpose in our work.
These are the principles that will guide our work this summer and this next year, and I’m confident that our students and their results will be better for it.
Since I stepped in to lead our schools in February, our work has been strategic and intentional.
One of my top priorities has been to hire visionary leaders for several key positions, including a Chief Academic Officer with a record of results. We found that person in Nisha Vasavada.
Nisha is a transformative educator who’s known for her outcomes. She’s worked in multiple, high-level leadership roles with national charter school organizations, and we are honored to have a leader of her caliber on our team.
Additionally, I’m excited to share that Marcus Backman has taken on more responsibility in his new role as Chief Financial and Data Officer. His contributions will support our entire team and ensure we continue to keep students at the center of all we do.
With the departure of Meeting Street Academy – Charleston Executive Director Chris Eide Azevedo, we’ve created two new positions to narrow the focus of the instructional support for teachers. Tamil Goodson, our founding principal of the Jasper campus, will be our new grades PK-2 leader while Shavawn Davis-Milford, the Academy’s current principal, will lead grades 3-5.
Our team is spending this summer thinking about the year ahead and ensuring our teachers will be best positioned and equipped for success. Meeting Street Academy Spartanburg will start a new chapter on July 1 as a charter school, which means it will have both greater autonomy and opportunity to serve students better.
I’m humbled and grateful to be a part of the Beemok Education portfolio, which includes Meeting Street Schools, the Excellence in Teaching Awards inspired by our schools, and the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund, which continues our commitment to students by offering up to $40,000 college scholarships.
Our efforts in education are unlike any other in South Carolina, and I appreciate your continued support.
In partnership,
Josh Bell
President of Beemok Education
Board Member of Meeting Street Schools
Join a community of incredible, passionate people working to change the lives of our students. Our compensation and benefits are a cut above the rest: the most competitive total compensation in the region.
Start Your Career!Meeting Street Schools (MSS) is an innovative non-profit where schools, families, and the community collaborate to create environments where all children can achieve their full potential. With a network of schools across South Carolina, including MSA-Charleston (Charleston, SC), MSA-Spartanburg (Spartanburg, SC), MS-Brentwood (North Charleston, SC), MS-Burns (North Charleston, SC), we are committed to providing students with the rigorous education they deserve.
Founded on the principle that every child deserves an excellent education regardless of their socio-economic background, Meeting Street Schools has been a beacon of hope and a testament to what's possible in education. Our schools are driven by a strong focus on student achievement, evidence-based instruction, and relentless support of our students and their families.
While united by our shared mission, each MSS campus, is unique in its character, tapping into the local spirit of the communities they serve. Explore each of our schools and discover how they're creating a brighter future for students in South Carolina.
Nestled in the heart of Charleston, South Carolina, MSA Charleston is more than just a school—it’s a hub for innovative learning and community engagement. As part of the Meeting Street Schools network, MSA Charleston embodies a commitment to excellence through its rigorous academic programs, inclusive culture, and focus on developing the whole child. With a curriculum that emphasizes both academic and personal growth, MSA Charleston prepares students to be curious learners and active citizens of their community.
Meeting Street Academy – Spartanburg is as a pillar of educational innovation in the Spartanburg community. The school’s dedicated educators and supportive learning environment ensure that each child receives a high-quality, personalized education with exceptional faculty and teachers. The Academy is distinguished by its emphasis on community partnership, fostering relationships that extend beyond the classroom to build a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.
Meeting Street – Brentwood is a place where education meets opportunity. Serving the Brentwood area, this neighborhood Public School of Innovation is a testament to the transformative power of education. With a student-centered approach that celebrates diversity and encourages excellence, Meeting Street – Brentwood is dedicated to equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century. Meeting Street – Brentwood also serves as a hub for the Brentwood community to access educational and wellness services. The school’s commitment to innovation, coupled with a warm, welcoming environment, makes it a standout in the Meeting Street Schools network.
Located in a community rich with history and culture, Meeting Street – Burns is renowned for its dynamic educational approach that intertwines traditional learning with modern teaching techniques. The school’s focus on experiential learning ensures that students at Meeting Street – Burns are not only recipients of knowledge but also active participants in their educational journey. The school exists to spark an educational revolution for the students and families in the Dorchester-Waylyn Neighborhood in North Charleston. With a commitment to creating a supportive and challenging academic environment, Meeting Street – Burns is forging a new path in public education.
“We come into work everyday truly believing that our students are capable of achieving anything that is put in front of them. Here at MSS, students are provided the opportunity to achieve success through the facilitation of well-educated teachers, resources, and a responsive classroom school environment.”
“MSA is a family. Once you’re in, you’re in. They said they would follow our kids from K-3 to college and they actually lived up to what they said they would do. Not only did MSA challenge my daughter academically but it also exposed her to new things that she probably wouldn’t have been exposed to at our previous neighborhood school. Our journey at MSA was exciting and rewarding. They actually walk the walk.”
Meeting Street Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, or national or ethnic in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships or loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
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