Ward Expands his Successful Reach to More NHA Schools as DSQ

This story is part of the “What is a DSQ?” blog series.

Having been in education since 1998, including 13 years at National Heritage Academies, Dr. Alvin Ward has helped guide scholars around the state as a teacher and administrator. Now, he is expanding his reach even further by becoming a Director of School Quality and overseeing principals at five NHA schools.

“We have a lot of kids going from kindergarten through eighth grade, making sure those students are equipped and ready to take on the high school world and beyond once they leave us,” he said. “That drive is still there, hasn't changed. Now, I want to make sure I'm supporting principles and great teams.”

Ward was a teacher outside of NHA for eight years, middle school dean at Metro Charter Academy for four years, principal at Lansing Charter for three years, and principal at Hamtramck Academy for six years. As a DSQ, he will serve Detroit Enterprise Academy, Detroit Merit Charter Academy, Detroit Premier Academy, Flagship Charter Academy, and Reach Charter Academy, keeping a foothold in Detroit and expanding into more of Macomb County.

While Ward was principal, Hamtramck was one of four schools to receive the inaugural Building the Hope Schools award from the Education Trust-Midwest (ETM). Hamtramck was recognized because multiple student groups, including Asian students and students from low-income backgrounds, showed exceptional academic progress as demonstrated by exceeding the statewide proficiency rate in both English language arts and math for three consecutive years.

“Right now there is such a competitive environment where there’s so many different needs and issues that occur,” he said. “I’m helping my cohort of schools so they can be as successful as possible serving their communities and families.”
 
Ward said each school has a distinct culture and needs. He wants to provide support however he can. By being a liaison between the school and the Service Center, Ward will help continue his schools’ track record of effectively using data to track student progress and craft individualized instruction.
 
“I’m there to serve with them and be a part of those school communities,” he said. “I just want to give them everything they need so that they can be as successful as possible so they can focus on making sure great instruction is happening. I want to make sure their leadership teams and staffs are supported so kids can get the best education possible because this year should look more like a normal school year.”

 
 National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of 98 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 60,000 students in kindergarten through 12^th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.