CHICAGO 鈥� The 海角直播 (The Fund) recently announced the promotion of Mariel Laureano from senior director of educator supports to chief, innovation and continuous improvement. In this newly elevated role, Laureano will lead The Fund鈥檚 strategy to design, test, and scale innovative solutions that strengthen school leadership and improve student outcomes across the city.

鈥淢ariel is a builder, a listener, and a relentless problem-solver,鈥� said Dr. Heather Y. Anchini, The Fund鈥檚 president and CEO. 鈥淪he brings a rare combination of classroom insight, system-level experience, and operational discipline. As chief, innovation and continuous improvement, she will help The Fund and our partners move faster from promising ideas to measurable impact for Chicago鈥檚 students.鈥�

During her tenure as senior director of educator supports, Laureano led cross-partner initiatives that expanded access to high-quality professional learning for school leaders and their teams, improved data use in schools, and streamlined the process of surfacing and sharing promising practices across the city.

鈥淚鈥檓 honored to serve Chicago鈥檚 educators in this new role and this next chapter,鈥� said Laureano. 鈥淥ur schools are full of creativity and urgency. My goal is to co-design with leaders and partners, test what works, and scale it. As always, our decisions will remain student-centered and continue to be guided by data.鈥�

Mariel Laureano, chief, innovation and continuous improvement, 2025

In her new role, Laureano will:

• Drive innovation pipelines that identify school- and network-level challenges and rapidly prototype solutions with practitioners.
• Strengthen continuous improvement systems to ensure that insights from pilots are translated into sustained, citywide practices.
• Deepen partnerships with 海角直播, charter and network partners, philanthropy, and community organizations to align resources to what works.
• Elevate educator voice to ensure the perspectives of principals, teachers, and students shape strategy from design through implementation.

About The 海角直播

The 海角直播 (鈥淭he Fund鈥�) is a nonprofit organization that accelerates student learning in 海角直播by investing in strong school leadership. In partnership with Chicago鈥檚 public schools and community, The Fund designs, tests, and scales solutions that help principals and their teams create the schools that students deserve. Learn more at thefundchicago.org.

Media Contact

Brooke Rayford
Senior Manager of Communications
brayford@thefundchicago.org
The 海角直播

Editor鈥檚 Note: This announcement is effective November 12, 2025. Quotes and descriptors can be customized with additional biographical details or partner acknowledgments upon request.

After nearly a decade of leading The Collins Academy High School, LaKenya Sharpe continues to positively impact her school鈥檚 culture by leveraging her equity-driven approach to student support. Before arriving at Collins, she served as assistant principal at Harvard School of Excellence and Chalmers School of Excellence. She draws on that background to create joyful and structured learning environments, expand career-readiness opportunities, and cultivate a sense of pride and belonging among all of her students.

Principal LaKenya Sharpe of Collins Academy High School, 2025

Data-Informed Decision-Making

When Principal Sharpe first arrived at Collins, she noticed troubling patterns in attendance and student motivation, especially during first-period classes. She made it a priority to listen. She spent time in hallways, visited classrooms, and spoke directly with students and staff to better understand what was driving the disengagement. These early conversations revealed deeper barriers like a lack of connection to the school, responsibilities outside the classroom, and a lack of programming to meet student interests 鈥� all of which helped shape her next steps.

Implementation & Impact

Principal Sharpe used these insights to inform both school culture and instructional changes. To prioritize student engagement, she launched a series of whole-school activities, such as field trips, including a citywide scavenger hunt using Pok茅mon GO to foster connection and reframe students鈥� perceptions of school as a positive, supportive environment.

To address low attendance and behavioral incidents, LaKenya collaborated with her leadership team to develop an incentive system known as Warrior Points, where students earned rewards based on attendance, behavior, and academic performance. Students reaching the top tier gained access to premium field trips, such as outings to Enchanted Castle and Dave & Buster鈥檚.

Principal Sharpe and her leadership team monitored implementation using attendance data, behavior reports, and feedback from teachers and students. As more students reached higher tiers, she scaled the program, expanding the range of trips and incentives. She also introduced public recognition ceremonies and gave out trophies and school ambassador roles to reinforce student effort.

During her early conversations with students, Principal Sharpe also learned that some were responsible for walking younger siblings to school before arriving at Collins, causing frequent tardiness and absences during the first period. Rather than issuing consequences, her team responded with empathy and problem-solving. They built intentional partnerships with neighboring elementary schools, coordinating drop-off windows and communication to support older students in managing family responsibilities without sacrificing their own attendance.

When students expressed interest in cosmetology but found that there was no program at Collins, Principal Sharpe responded by creating an after-school nail technician program, the first of its kind in 海角直播. She partnered with a local Black-owned salon to provide hands-on training and a pathway to professional licensure.

The results of these innovative shifts were significant. By the end of the year, 40% of students achieved the highest Warrior Points tier, and schoolwide attendance rose by 4 percentage points. Disciplinary incidents declined by 80%.听

Principal Sharpe and her team now aim to deepen the Warrior Points program鈥檚 academic integration and build teacher-led implementation teams to sustain the work. As she explains, 鈥淲hen kids feel seen and celebrated, they show up for themselves and for each other.鈥�

Apply This Learning

1. Use student voice to guide culture-building efforts.

Principal Sharpe鈥檚 approach at Collins began with listening through informal focus groups, hallway check-ins, and direct feedback from students. This practice continues to shape the school鈥檚 incentive systems and community-building events. For example, students co-designed elements of the Warrior Points program, voted on field trip destinations, and offered feedback that led to more student-responsive celebrations. These efforts helped students feel seen and valued, which in turn led to increased attendance and participation.

2. Partner creatively to reduce hidden barriers to attendance.

When Principal Collins learned that some students were responsible for walking younger siblings to school before arriving at Collins, she reached beyond her own building and collaborated with nearby elementary schools to enact solutions rather than consequences.

3. Expand access to career pathways through community-based programming.

LaKenya鈥檚 decision to start the after-school nail technician program was rooted in student voice. Many shared that college didn鈥檛 feel like the right fit for them and that they wanted real, immediate opportunities to build careers. By listening to their aspirations and leveraging local expertise, Principal Sharpe positioned career education as a valid, empowering alternative, one tied to identity, purpose, and tangible outcomes. The program not only affirmed student interests, but also demonstrated that schools can adapt creatively to meet student demand.

After serving as assistant principal for 12 years at Du Bois Elementary, Venus DeLoach became the principal of Carver Elementary School in 2021. Located in the Altgeld Gardens community, Carver serves students on Chicago鈥檚 Far South Side. Venus brings more than 16 years of leadership experience and a strong belief that every child deserves the best. She leads with empathy and high expectations, building strong partnerships with families to create a culture where students thrive academically and socially.

Principal Venus DeLoach of Carver Elementary, 2025

Reengaging Families as Partners in Learning听

Stepping into the principalship, Venus saw that student attendance had plummeted to 78% and chronic absenteeism was impeding academic progress. Rather than act on assumptions, Venus gathered both quantitative and qualitative data to understand the root causes of absenteeism and student and community disengagement. She reviewed school-wide attendance trends, analyzed participation rates at events like report card pickup (which stood at just 24%), and conducted one-on-one interviews and surveys with staff and families. These data sources revealed a pattern: many parents felt alienated from the school due to prior negative interactions and inconsistent leadership. The data also showed that parents wanted more transparent communication and a stronger voice in their children鈥檚 education.

Venus saw this as an opportunity to build a foundation of trust, shared accountability, and collaboration. Firmly believing in listening to all stakeholders 鈥� including students, staff, and families 鈥� she prioritized family engagement as a key strategy for improving attendance and accelerating learning. Her vision centered on creating a school culture where parents felt respected, informed, and empowered as true partners in their children鈥檚 success. This commitment would eventually lay the groundwork for Carver鈥檚 Very Important Parent (VIP) initiative, an effort to formalize and celebrate family partnership.

Implementation and Impact

In 2021-22, Venus launched a series of family engagement initiatives designed to strengthen trust and improve attendance, beginning with Parent Appreciation Day and the creation of the VIP Program. She set clear expectations for attendance, shared student data regularly, and incentivized families by connecting high attendance to promotion ceremonies, celebrations, and special school events.听

Venus also implemented consistent communication strategies, including biweekly behavior, attendance, and grades (BAG) reports and multiple parent meetings throughout the year. These sessions gave parents real-time insights into their child鈥檚 progress and created space for collaboration on academic and behavioral goals.听

To rebuild confidence in the school community, Venus introduced celebratory recognition for parents, such as distributing VIP-branded items and hosting themed events, including a Boots on the Ground celebration for families of students with 95% attendance or higher. These efforts signaled that parents were true partners in student success and set a new tone for school culture.听

The impact was significant: Parent participation in report card pickup rose from 24% to nearly 70%, and kindergarten attendance increased from the lowest in the school to 94.7%, surpassing the schoolwide goal. Overall attendance improved dramatically, and trust between parents and staff strengthened. As Venus explains, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 do this work without them. When parents know they鈥檙e valued, everything changes.鈥澨�

Looking ahead, Venus plans to expand family engagement initiatives and sustain strong attendance by deepening data transparency and co-designing solutions with parents, ensuring Carver continues to grow as a school where students and families thrive.听

Apply This Learning

1. Redesign parent-teacher conferences to increase trust and turnout.

When Venus arrived at Carver, only 24% of parents were attending report card pickup. She renamed the event 鈥淧arent Appreciation Day鈥� and reframed it as a celebration of partnership. Parents now receive VIP swag bags, shirts, and cups that brand them as 鈥淰ery Important Parents of Carver.鈥� This small shift led to a big change where parent turnout increased to nearly 70%, and the school saw stronger family engagement in student learning. These events occur twice annually during first- and third-quarter report card pickups.

2. Incentivize attendance through celebration and accountability.

Venus tied key events to attendance benchmarks. Kindergarteners needed 93% attendance to participate in promotion ceremonies, resulting in a jump to 94.7%. Eighth graders had to meet the same threshold for field trips and luncheons. Schoolwide incentives like the Sneaker Ball and 鈥淏eyonc茅-style Boots on the Ground鈥� celebrated students and families with 95%+ attendance, creating a culture that rewarded showing up.

3. Create open access and safe spaces for parents.

To rebuild trust, Venus prioritized transparency and accessibility. She maintains an open-door policy; visitors can enter her office from the main office or the hallway, and if she鈥檚 in, the door is open. She hosts quarterly parent meetings to review attendance, assessments, and expectations, creating consistent opportunities for dialogue. Her approach has helped shift Carver鈥檚 culture toward one of mutual respect, safety, and support.

The Fund: How did you end up pursuing a career in education?

Principal Garza-Hammerlund: I am a native Chicagoan and a 海角直播 high school graduate. While in college, I realized I wanted to become a teacher. I was lucky enough to obtain a job at the elementary school located in the neighborhood where I grew up.

The Fund: What neighborhood did you grow up in?

Principal Garza-Hammerlund: The Ashburn neighborhood on the Southwest Side near Bogan High School. I began working at Dawes Elementary, which is right behind it, and taught sixth grade language arts and science. While there, my love of middle school began, and I’ve just always felt really passionate about helping kids see their potential and be their best selves. I’ve always wanted to help the kids who need help most 鈥� the kids who saw the least in themselves.

I earned my first master鈥檚 in instructional technology, I was genuinely interested in bringing technology and a constructivist learning model into the classroom. This was one of the things I most enjoyed about teaching science; I like helping students build their own learning.

After 10 years in the classroom, I shifted to teaching library and technology skills. I also coached alongside teachers around technology integration and content areas like math and science. I taught and coached at Sandoval Elementary on the Southwest Side for eight years.

A close colleague I worked with at Sandoval joined Albany Park Multicultural Academy as the assistant principal. I was lucky enough to then join her at Albany Park as an instructional coach. Soon after, I became assistant principal and eventually principal. Albany Park is a long way from the South Side, but it鈥檚 so amazing to craft what we do around our niche of students.

The Fund: What has been your experience with The Fund?

Principal Garza-Hammerlund: The previous principal, Hiliana Le贸n, connected me with The Fund. She participated in the Cahn Fellows Program through Columbia University in 2018. I was her ally in the program. When she left, the first thing I did as a new principal was join a Professional Learning Community. That really helped me connect with other principals around a like-minded topic. I saw ways that we could work together, problem-solve, and focus on seeing the results of whatever it was we were working on, be it student achievement or teacher professional development. It became an important component for my own growth. I was always reflecting, what does my school need? What does my staff need?

The Fund: Can you share about your experience with The Fund鈥檚 Design Challenge?

Principal Garza-Hammerlund: The Design Challenge certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone. It was during a time we were coming through a year of practicing survival skills more often than thriving ones. I was really nervous about doing it. I said to myself, 鈥淭his was a place where you could grow.鈥� I was very proud that I pushed myself to revisit and scrutinize the work that we had done, and look at areas where we could strengthen data collection. Also thinking, we should also strengthen the questions we ask ourselves about that data, and question assumptions about our school community, our students, the staff 鈥� and assumptions I was making about myself.

That was an eye-opening experience for me. I learned to question these assumptions we were making and really peel back the layers. I encouraged and supported the team to accomplish the same. This helped us look beyond our assumptions to make better decisions for improved student learning.

Albany Park鈥檚 2022 Design Challenge entry presented a program in which English language learners and newcomer students were given more autonomy in the classroom and in their learning experience. The program blended students鈥� needs with students鈥� choices to create a more effective, inclusive, collaborative school environment. Learn more about their Design Challenge project in our report Equity-Focused Innovation in Chicago鈥檚 Public Schools.

鈥淓veryone is going to soar this year,鈥� John C. Haines Elementary School Principal Catherine 鈥淎my鈥� Moy-Davis said when we interviewed her prior to the start of the 2022-23 school year. She wears her passion and excitement for her community on her sleeve. 鈥淚鈥檓 using the word 鈥榮oar.鈥� I used to say everyone was 鈥榞oing to make it.鈥� But I think the students at Haines soar.鈥�

Born and raised in Chinatown, Amy attended Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and knew early on that she wanted to pursue a career in education. With less than 10 Asian principals working in the 海角直播 (CPS) system, she stresses the significance of being a role model for kids that look like and can relate to her; 84% of Haines students identify as Asian American.

This school has borne the brunt of some unique challenges in recent years. Just 10% of students returned to Haines in fall 2020, one of the lowest return rates in CPS. In response, Amy modified the school environment, prioritizing safety measures and accessibility to address parental concerns. This included regular virtual meetings to help parents with technical issues as classrooms incorporated new technology. Additionally, she ensured that all relevant documents were on the school鈥檚 website 鈥� and that all updates were translated in Chinese for the sake of bilingual and immigrant families 鈥� in order to more easily handle the confusion of the ever-adapting curriculum.

At the same time, Haines鈥� school community experienced xenophobia and racism, mirroring national trends amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For Amy, anti-Asian sentiment was not just an out-of-school issue. To support the community, she hosted monthly virtual chats with Haines families to hear their concerns and to coach them through the uncertain times. These included discussions of the unique trauma that Haines students were being put through and how parents could navigate those conversations with their children.

Prioritizing the mental health of her students and teachers alike, Amy is also partnering with the Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA), Project Vision, and Communities in Schools of 海角直播in the 2022-23 academic year. These organizations are facilitating dialogues, providing resources, and creating a system of mental support at Haines for all those affected by the past few tumultuous years.

Attendance at Haines has increased this school year, and Amy attributes that in part to these investments in student and family mental health. She said that she hopes this will increase parental awareness and trust, in addition to academic performance as students learn more emotional self-regulation, empathy, coping strategies, and problem-solving skills.