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July 20, 2022
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Imagine Schools strive for students to reach potential
BY ALISON STANTON
nonprofit public charter school are taught much more than the traditional hen Imagine Schools opened three Rs. its first campus in Arizona “Students learn the ABCs and 123s, in 2002, it had one key goal but we also focus on the whole child, in mind: for every student to develop so we also teach things like character their character as much as their com- development so that when they leave prehension of the curriculum. school, they will be productive memTwenty years later, Imagine Schools bers of our society,” he said. continues to embrace this core value at Everyone who works at Imagine its 14 campuses throughout the state, Schools shares these values and is emincluding metropolitan locations in powered to be part of this learning proPhoenix and Mesa and as far west as cess, he added. Buckeye and southeast as Coolidge. Clara Thigpen, regional academAs Frank Stirpe, director of oper- ic director, said in addition to using a ations and community development, standard-based curriculum at the 13 noted, the approximately 8,000 pre-K brick-and-mortar and one online acadthrough 12th graders who attend the emy, each Imagine Schools campus has autonomy to support individualized student learning through various instructional approaches. This approach, Thigpen said, means each Imagine Schools campus is unique. However, all Imagine Schools across the country have common shared values. According to Thigpen, every campus shares several common threads, including a warm and welcoming atmosphere. “We also teach critical thinking, creative problem solving, and employ technology as learning tools on each campus,” Thigpen said, adding that students are all encouraged to reflect and Children learn best when learning is interactive and fun. collaborate as they exchange Here children at Imagine Buckeye are learning science ideas with their peers. Because of Imagine in an interactive, collaborative environment. (Imagine Schools/Submitted) Schools’ value-based culture,
West Valley View Contributing Writer
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At the high school level, character development is often learned through extracurricular activities as seen here by students from Imagine Prep Superstition showcasing every sport offered at the school. (Imagine Schools/Submitted)
combined with its positive atmosphere, many families are eager to register all their children in Imagine Schools. “It’s extraordinary when families have all their siblings attend Imagine Schools because they want that family type of atmosphere. Parents, teachers and students alike remember our positive learning environment,” Thigpen said. With the 2022-23 school year on the horizon, Thigpen said Imagine Schools is busy hosting open houses for prospective new families, as well as holding new teacher orientations. “Every year we formally welcome new teachers into our organization. I feel it is so important for them to know who we are as a network,” she said. “Educating students with integrity and accountability are what we are all
about, and we empower our teachers to make decisions using our shared values.” Thigpen said she is thrilled to work for an organization that places such a strong emphasis on helping students to succeed academically and in character development. “I’m inspired every day working for Imagine Schools. I love the culture we’ve created — and the relationships nourished between students, educators and parents. With almost 30 years in various schools across the country, I have not found any other organization that permeates such a strong family-centered culture,” she said. For more information about Imagine Schools, visit imagineschools.com.