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 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 Traci Thibodeaux
How long have you been working in the charter school sector?
I have worked in the charter school sector for approximately six years.
What motivated you to do this work?
I really believe that my purpose in life is to positively impact my community through education. I had a personal journey that was driven by my focus on academic success in K-12 and I want all of the opportunities I had in my adult life to be accessible to all students regardless of their race, economic status, or zip code.
How many Black teachers or professors have you had over the course of your own education?
I can remember having about only four Black teachers throughout my K-12 experience. I was placed in predominantly Gifted and Talented classes or advanced courses and although I saw Black teachers in the school, they rarely taught the advanced classes.
How has having Black teachers/professionals (or not having them) shaped your career/experience doing this work?
Not having many Black teachers/educators throughout my educational experience definitely made a huge impact on how I approach doing this work as a Founder and Superintendent of my own charter school. I remember feeling alone, misunderstood, and even ignored at various times while I was in elementary through high school and I believe having more educators who looked like me could have alleviated those feelings. Because of this, I value hiring and training educators of color to teach students of color. I have no doubt that it makes a positive impact on the academic achievement of our students.
Does your school have any strategies to help support students’ racial identity development?
As a new school, we are in the early phases of fully cultivating a strategic vision specific to developing racial identity for our students, but from a macro perspective, as a Black women school leader, I am constantly mindful of not only Black culture, but I also very much embrace other cultures of color and make sure all of our students feel represented. One simple way I do this is by having posters of Black and Brown leaders/heroes lining our school hallways as a visible reminder of our possibilities for greatness.
What is the best piece of advice you have gotten in your career so far and why?
So far, the best piece of advice I have received in my career is that as a leader, I am responsible for the vision and maintaining high expectations for everyone involved. Standing strong in those high expectations will always set the bar, not only for where we all need to go in the future, but it also serves as a reminder that I believe we all are capable of achieving and sometimes just believing in ourselves to accomplish our goals is 90% of getting there.
About Traci Thibodeaux
Traci Thibodeaux serves as the Founder and School Director of the Rêve Preparatory Charter School. Growing up in Houston, Traci viewed education as the path to freedom. However, she had to travel out of her own community to find high-performing schools that would set her on the path to college and career success. She founded Rêve Preparatory Charter School to ensure that high-performing schools would exist close to home.
Ms. Thibodeaux has over 13 years of experience in the corporate and urban education sectors, and she brings a true understanding of the social and economic hurdles faced by many of the children living in the Central Southwest community. She is committed to maximizing the lessons she has learned in her professional career to provide a high-quality education that not only prepares students for college, but also grows each child in a holistic way to ensure they have the support to grow into healthy, confident members of their community.
Our Work with the Rêve Preparatory Charter School
Rêve Preparatory Charter School (Rêve Preparatory) is a high-performing charter school that opened in 2019 and recently became a LISC partner. Rêve Preparatory’s mission is to educate students in kindergarten through eighth grade in order to help them succeed in high school, college and beyond. Rêve Preparatory seeks to create a culture that encourages having a strong mind, purposeful data analysis, strong teachers, a focused support system, a strong community, and good values and habits.
Related Articles:
School Leaders Who Inspire: Monique Daviss
School Leaders Who Inspire: James F. Waller
School Leaders Who Inspire: Denise Alexander
School Leaders Who Inspire: David Spencer