Admin/Office: What We LOVE about MELA!

 Today we finish off our series of "We Love Our School" by hearing the perspective of our administration and office team. Read our bios here! 

Deb Schmitz, Administrative Assistant

I love our small staff who work hard and are always willing to assist wherever needed. Students in different grades know each other and watch out for each other, and because of this a family-like atmosphere that has been created throughout the whole school.  In addition to these great characteristics, I personally appreciate and value working in a school environment that cares about our well being.  From the simple things like "Good Morning" or "How is your day going?" to the recognition that a teacher might need a break. Those are the invaluable moments that are most appreciated and make MELA great.



Kristina Shirokova, Office Manager

Working in the front office of MELA is such a fun place to be! I really enjoy seeing how scholars grow throughout the year. Scholars who first come to PreK can be shy and have a harder time coming in the morning in the beginning of the year, but by the end of the year, families have a hard time picking up their scholars at the end of the day because they are having so much fun. It is also such joy building wonderful relationships with our families. We get to hear lots of fun stories from the scholars and families and oftentimes are able to be the first ones to help out. MELA feels like a loving family! 



Jossjan Morales, Business Manager

I love my school because of the kind and caring staff working here. Being able to enjoy looking at teachers committed to achieve their goals with their group of students makes me feel that each of them are receiving their educational skills appropriately and leaving a legacy in their hearts and thoughts. On the other hand, one of the things I love the most is being able to see how the Executive Director and the Principal along with the rest of the ADMIN team have been so inclusive in the children's environment where they are growing to become a better version of themselves. After 5 1/2 years being part of MELA, I can definitely say, I am so proud to be part of this continuously developing educational project which has fulfilled my life full of knowledge, skills and love.



Trevor Abel, Dean of Students

The climate and culture of MELA is so warm and inviting. Every staff member is here because they want the best for our scholars. All of the decisions made are made with that thought in mind. So many staff members go over and above the expectations of their job descriptions.  Educational equity is at the center of everything we do here. From the minute I walked in the door three years ago and became a part of the MELA family, I knew this was a special place. Being a small school the opportunity to really get to know each and everyone of our scholars by name, and being able to have a conversation about their families, interests, wants, needs, hopes, and dreams is special. We truly are a "little school with a big heart".



Paula Barros, School Principal

I love our school because being here feels like home! When I moved to this country, all I wanted was to find a school that shared my values and beliefs, and that had on its core the idea that "it takes a village to raise a child". Since I started working at MELA in 2018, I could see right away that Ms. Fields envisioned creating a school that had a loving environment, full of equity, respect, and that gave them a lot of opportunities to be challenged and thrive academically - so it was easy to see that I had found my home away from home. 

I started at MELA as the first Pre-Kindergarten teacher, and alongside the admin and leadership team, we created a program that is academically challenging as well having in mind the singular needs of our very young learners. I absolutely loved every minute of my job then, but I knew I was ready for more!  After 3 years in this position, I had the opportunity to go back to an admin role, similar to what I had experienced in Brazil, my home country, and took the role of School Director of MELA. And now that I am in this role, I have the pleasure to be closer to all the students, build great partnerships and relationships with our wonderful families; letting them know that I always have their best interest in mind with every one of my decisions and actions, and work alongside the best educators. I absolutely love partnering up with families, staff, and students alike, and I am very proud of the "village" we created in our school environment. 

So what is it that I love the most about MELA? Our community! Our loving staff, that advocate for our students. The wonderful families that believe in our school and see our commitment and dedication. And our stellar students, who love to learn, respect one another, and everyday come to our building with a big smile and so much happiness. I feel very lucky to be a part of our MELA family!



Danielle Fields, Superintendent and Director of Operations and Finance

Where do I even begin! As I read through what the rest of the my administrative team had to say about our charter school, I wholeheartedly agree. It is so refreshing to get to come to work everyday and work with the children, families, and staff who are all committed to the same goal--an equitable education that enables children to exponentially thrive and grow academically and personally. How fortunate am I to lead an elementary school where are families are true partners with us in their child's education. I have always believed that you can tell if a school is a welcoming and loving place for children after walking in the door and being in the building for 5 min. Over and over again, we hear from our community that we live up to our motto of "little school with the BIG heart". I encourage you all to give us a call and visit. I'm sure you'll feel and experience the same when you choose to have your child(ren) join our community of learners.