Congratulations to the 2020 Green Apple Award winners! Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the charter school movement! This year’s award ceremony was held online, and the recording can be viewed at the bottom of this page
STACY GILES EMORY Director on Special Assignment, San Carlos Charter Learning Center
Stacy started her work life as a Botanist and Wetlands Biologist before turning to teaching. She served as a math and science educator before going into administration at the San Carlos Learning Center. Designed to be a learning lab of innovation in education, San Carlos Learning Center very first charter school in California and the second in the nation. Stacy was intentionally sought out to be their first science educator.
When the charter needed a leader, Stacy stepped up and led the school as the Executive Director for five years. She gracefully and with humor, got the school through a campus move, transition to LCAP, and a strategic plan while maintaining a positive relationship with the school’s authorizing district. Despite pressures to conform, Stacy has helped the San Carlos Learning Center deepen its commitment to their mission and our vision. Today they are stronger than ever because of her genuine commitment to the school community.
DR. JODY GRAF Superintendent/Executive Director, Visions in Education
Jody began her career in traditional district schools and spent time there as an administrator. She began working at Visions in Education in 2006, and by 2008 she was the Superintendent/Executive Director. In that role she increased enrollment by 70%, and balanced the budget each year with a 25% reserve, among other notable achievements.
Dr. Graf leads by example; she has a warm and sincere leadership style which she couples with professionalism and accountability. Her hard work and legacy will continue to inspire and serve Visions In Education as well as the entire charter school community.
CHRIS REID Principal/Superintendent, Paradise Charter Middle School
Chris began his teaching career at an elementary school in Oroville, and later spent 17 years as the Principal/Superintendent for Paradise Charter Middle School. During his tenure the school grew from 96 students to its current size. He led this California Distinguished School through a Camp Fire recovery and created such a positive teaching culture, that in the 17 years he was at the helm of PCMS, only one fill time teacher left the school.
As the Principal/Superintendent, Chris built a culture of high expectations, and provided a rigorous academic experience blende with social emotional supports for students.
LARRY ROSENSTOCK CEO Emeritus, High Tech High
Before he served as the Founding CEO of High Tech High in San Diego, Larry taught carpentry in urban high schools for eleven years, worked as staff attorney at the Harvard Center for Law and Education, served as Director of the Rindge School of Technical Arts and then Principal of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.
Larry also directed the New Urban High School Project of the U.S. Department of Education. He has served as a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Visiting Associate Professor at UC Berkeley School of Education.
Larry has been recognized with many awards throughout the years including the Ford Foundation Innovations in State and Local Government Award, becoming an Ashoka Fellow, the McGraw Prize in Education and the 2019 World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Laureate.
2020 Green Apple Award Ceremony
As California’s charter schools sector reaches beyond its 25th year, CSDC has noted the recent and upcoming retirements of a significant number of exemplary charter school leaders. CSDC established the Green Apple Award in 2018 to recognize these individuals’ contributions and achievements and to encourage those who follow in their footsteps to continue the tradition.
What a pleasure it was to spend time with them and to honor their extraordinary work.
