This past year has been tumultuous, especially for educators. Across the country, school leaders have had to juggle navigating a global pandemic and our nation's racial reckoning. They've transitioned to virtual teaching and learning, created space to discuss police brutality and systemic racism in their schools, and addressed the physical, social, and emotional needs of their students and families. In light of all, they have persevered through. Our School Leaders Who Inspire Series is intended to celebrate and highlight the prominent and impactful educators we have the pleasure of working with.
Over the course of this series, we will share the interviews with school leaders about their motivations to lead and teach, their biggest lessons, influences, and best advice. You will learn more about their contributions to the public school system and how they have worked to provide their students with a high quality and equitable education.
Our Conversation with James F. Waller
How long have you been working in the charter school sector?
I have been with Friendship Public Charter School for 13 years. Prior to working with Friendship, I worked with youth development organizations.
What motivated you to do this work?
I am an advocate for school choice. All parents should have a choice in their children's education. Families with financial resources have the option of sending their children to private/parochial schools or moving to communities with high performing neighborhood schools. Families with influence have the connections to enroll their children in high performing public schools. Before school choice, for many Black and Brown families, the only option was a poor performing neighborhood school. Charter schools give families the opportunity to break the cycle and select a school that best meets the needs of their children.
How many Black teachers or professor have you had over the course of your own education?
I did not have many Black teachers throughout my educational career and even fewer Black male teachers.
- Elementary School: 3 out of 9 Black teachers
- Middle School: 4 out of 6 Black teachers
- High School: 4 out of 20 Black teachers
- College: 3 Black professors. One of the three professors I selected as my Academic Advisor.
How was having Black teachers/professionals (or not having them) shaped your career/experience doing this work?
I was fortunate to have many good teachers, Black and White. However, having black teachers that looked like me gave me a feeling of pride and motivation. They had high expectations and pushed me to be my best.
Does your school have strategies to help support student's racial identity development?
Racial identity development is embedded in Friendship's DNA. It is part of our culture, customs and traditions. This involves learning about their history in the world and participating in cultural and historic activities. Last school year some of our students had the opportunity to travel to Selma, Alabama for the 55th Anniversary Crossing of the Edmond Pettis Bridge. On the trip, students had the opportunity to meet, civil rights icons and political leaders, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
Can you tell us more about the ways in which you support Black students and/or their families?
Friendship Public Charter Schools has 16 campuses in Washington DC serving over 4,500 students. Great educators drive our culture. Our goal is to support our students to and through college. We promote a college going culture as early as Pre-kindergarten. We believe in a growth mindset versus fixed mindset. In a fixed mindset, students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are fixed traits. In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence.
Friendship offers a rigorous academic program that includes world languages, STEM programs, advanced placement classes, and early collge programs. Our students can earn college credits while in high school. In addition, we offer championship athletic programs and extended learning programs including robotics, debate, dance and urban farmings.
To support our student's growth, we also provide Saturday and Summer schools for academic support, and acceleration for all students. Each campus also has a Parent Advisory Committee that works with their campus leadership to support academic rigor and social-emotional development of our students. In addition, Friendship's Parent University helps parents help their students.
What are the biggest lesson you have learned from your school community?
Set high expectations and most students will rise to meet the expectation. When our students graduate and come back to visit after their first year at college, they often talk about the teachers who had high expectations and motivated them to work hard and be persistent. At Friendship, we ask our students, and our staff to embody the Friendship Core Values:
- INTEGRITY: Be honest and fair to others.
- RESPONSIBILITY:Choose right over wrong. Accept consequences for your actions.
- CONFIDENCE: Know that you can achieve.
- CARE: Help others.
- COMMITMENT: Find your purpose and stay true to it.
- PATIENCE: Face challenges by seeking understanding - not with anger and violence.
- PERSISTENCE: Do not allow anyone, not even yourself, to steer you off the road to success. Be determined to achieve.
- RESPECT: Hold others in high regard and understand that you can learn from them. See each person's value.
What is the best piece of advice you have gotten in your career so far and why?
Earlier in my career, I had the honor to serve as Chief of Staff for Congressman John Lewis, an American Hero. Congressman Lewis would always tell staff and audiences to "Dream Dreams...imagine what could be possible."
Congressman Lewis often quoted Robert Kennedy: "Some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not."
Best advice ever!
About James F. Waller
James F. Waller joined Friendship Public Charter School in 2008. In his role as Chief of Schools, Mr. Waller leads the school's operations functions, including student information, health services, food services, community, and corporate engagement, and facilities and building operations. He served previously as Deputy Chief Academic Officer at Friendship, overseeing school budgets, special education, and student support services.
Mr. Waller has worked for more than 20 years in various leadership roles supporting child and youth development initiatives. Prior to joining Friendship, he served as National Executive Director for EVERYBODY WINS! USA, a youth mentoring and literacy program. There he provided program oversight and fund development for a network of 15 national affiliates.
Our Work with Friendship Blow Pierce Elementary & Middle School
Friendship Blow Pierce Elementary & Middle School ("Friendship Blow Pierce") is a high-performing public charter school that has been a LISC partner since 2020. Friendship Blow Pierce's mission to provide a world-class education that motivates students to achieve high academic standards, enjoy learning and develop as ethical, literate, well-rounded and self-sufficient citizens who contribute to their communities. The Friendship Blow Pierce academic design provides extended learning opportunities for all students. Friendship Blow Pierce offers advanced placement, early college, honors courses, and individual counseling toward career pathways, so that all students can be college ready.
The LISC Charter School Financing Team provided Friendship Blow Pierce Elementary & Middle School of Washington D.C., with a $23,000 predevelopment grant through our Spark Opportunity Grant Program. The grant will be used to design flexible, creative, and interactive learning spaces that meet the Friendship Blow Pierce facility standards for being open, bright, welcoming, and reflective of the world-class education that the school seeks to deliver to its students.
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