After enrolling her own children, Moore was impressed with Achieve and its commitment to Moral Focus. She applied for an open teaching position in 2012 and called her growth from parent to principal her top professional accomplishment.
“I’m able to relate to what’s happening,” Moore said. “Being able to share those experiences with each other has been amazing. It shows commitment, too. I am committed to this school and this community.”
Her path to the principal’s office should come as no surprise. Moore has been immersed in education since she can remember, growing up next door to an elementary school.
This childhood experience imprinted an early love for education onto Moore, who was always helping teachers during her early school years. She would use what she learned from those experiences, often teaching from her basement to a class full of stuffed animals. What she learned most, though, came from her surroundings.
“I think the benefit of living right there is just seeing what it meant to be a part of the school community,” Moore said. “I had such great relationships with the teachers and the kids that lived in my neighborhood. I wanted to continue that.”
After earning a bachelor’s in education from Eastern Michigan University and a master’s degree in curriculum instruction from the University of Phoenix, Moore was equipped to lead her own school community.
She has been successful in creating a sense of belonging at Achieve through prioritizing parent partnerships. Moore said parents play an integral part in student success, and she is growing relationships with families, greeting them at arrival and holding engaging parent meetings.
Moore is eager to get parents involved at school and said she wants them to be a part of their child’s educational journey. Adding that she often sees families out and about in Canton, and she is using her favorite Moral Focus virtue, respect, in every interaction.
“Respect is my favorite Moral Focus virtue because it fosters understanding,” Moore said. “It builds trust within people and encourages positive behavior. I think it’s an integral part in building all of the other virtues within people.”
Her years of involvement as a parent and experience at every level on staff have prepared her for success as Achieve’s principal. For Moore, that means providing the kind of community she was in as a child.
“The community is what motivates me,” Moore said. “It’s the people I serve each and every day. There are days where there’s a lot going on but knowing that I’m doing it with the people that are here makes it a lot easier.”
Quick Facts:
- Principal Moore loves attending all of her three children’s activities and has enjoyed watching her son’s high school football games. She said her favorite team is whoever her son is playing for.
- Her favorite quote is from Maya Angelou, who once said: “People will forget what you did, but people won’t forget how you made them feel.” This quote is displayed in Principal Moore’s office.
- Principal Moore is a dog lover and has two of her own. She has a golden retriever and a Havanese.
- She also enjoys spending her favorite season, summer, with her family soaking up the sun on their boat.
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About Achieve Charter Academy
Achieve Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Canton, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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