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In the spring of 2020, just as our world was about to be turned upside down by a new and terrifying virus spreading quickly through the Washington State, I emerged from the cold dark basement of an old church building located in Bellingham, a city on the US side of the border with Canada. I had met with a new school leader and her project architect and together we had just toured a space with an eye to making it a potential home for her new charter school. As with many such tours, the proposition of creating a safe, vibrant and modern learning environment in this building seemed daunting… but, on the plus side, rent was going to be cheap.

The church building had not seen any significant investment for more than a decade when it was sold to a private owner who now rented it out for weddings and other private events. The school leader who was from the local area had been referred to the space by her real estate broker and based on a brief desktop study it seemed promising. It was zoned such that the proposed school use was permitted outright. It was on a main bus line which would provide easy access for future high school students. Finally, it was close to many of the other community groups that the school aimed to partner with in order to deliver additional services to its student body.

However, when we got there a quick perimeter walk around the building and tour through the spaces revealed significant challenges. There was no parking and only very limited curb space for student pick-up and drop-off. The building’s mechanical and HVAC system was older than Bon Jovi’s first album, the electrical panel and service was too small, access to and through the building failed to meet even the most basic access requirements, and the bathrooms, well, let’s just say they were their own horror story.

Beyond these issues, the building had no fire or life safety systems typically seen in a modern school including a fire alarm and sprinkler system (something that I know from a decade spent building and renovating spaces for charter schools can be a major cost component of any tenant improvement). After a brief discussion with the project architect, the conclusion was clear and I broke the bad news to the school founder; the level of work needed to transform this space into a school would likely be beyond her budget and we strongly advised continuing the search. This was the third such property that she had looked at and so unsurprisingly it was a disappointing way to conclude the afternoon.

Several months later, I checked back in with the same school leader. As her search had continued, a member of her board had connected her to a local regional mall operator that had seen a precipitous decline in visitation and sales since the start of the pandemic. Many of the smaller stores had closed, leaving vacant spaces between the more established anchor tenants. On hearing of this new development, I had some immediate misgivings about the potential of this tenancy. Would the space we were looking at with one external facing wall allow enough natural light to come in? Could we create a secure and safe entrance for school during arrival and dismissal? Would the mall recognize and accommodate the unique needs of a high school? Would the City even permit this non-profit use inside a large regional commercial hub?

Again, we brought in the school’s architect and we began looking at each of these challenges. Despite there being only one external facing wall, the single-story nature of this mall allowed us to use existing skylights in the leased spaces along with light from a large atrium immediately outside, increasing natural light into the learning spaces. The mall’s underutilized and oversized parking lot provided ample opportunity for safe and efficient arrival and dismissal, and a preliminary conversation with the City planning staff revealed significant support to allow a school to operate in this space. The vacant mall space naturally lent itself to being demised into discrete classrooms, commons area, reception and admin space. Adjusting the existing fire suppression system to meet current codes for school use proved to be simple and straight forward. Finally, working with the school to negotiate and establish a lease with the mall resulted in a steeply discounted lease rate for the first five years which helped them achieve their sustainable ops budget goals.

The moral of this site search is that it always pays to bring in the design experts from the start. Identification of key risk areas will let you establish realistic budgets for buildings/sites that work or, alternatively, make the tough decisions to pass on projects that would otherwise hamper goals for growth and school success.

Bringing the experts in early need not be expensive and it should rarely involve long-term contractual commitments. When looking for a trusted design/development professional, reach out to other schools (locally or regional, charter or other) who have recently gone through a capital development program and who might be willing to provide a reference. Connect with that design professional and explain your organization’s goals. More than likely they will spare you an afternoon pro bono to look at several potential properties, both to satisfy their personal interest in local real estate and as part of developing new business. A quick note of caution: don’t be tempted to take advantage of this willingness to provide early free/low-cost support and tour properties with multiple different architects or general contractors – it’s a sure fire way to cause your pool of potential design and construction professionals to shrink. Just remember searching for a new school home doesn’t need to be a horrifying experience, just so long as you don’t go in alone!

Rafael Rodriguez, a junior at UC David majoring in civil engineering, talks with PCSD’s Michele Khateri about his experience as a summer intern in PCSD’s San Francisco office. Rafael explains how the internship provides experiences and contacts that have accelerated his career path.

Amidst boxes and packing supplies, I had the opportunity to virtually sit down with Irene Sumida, co-founder and former CEO of Fenton Public Charter Schools, as she was packing up to move out of state. She is retiring for the second time in a little over 10 years but she wouldn’t have it any other way. Irene is very good at building relationships and making connections. It’s how she, along with co-founder and Fenton’s first Executive Director Joe Lucente, built Fenton from one charter school to a full-fledged charter management organization (CMO) with five schools. Her mottos are “children first!” and “no secrets!”

Irene Sumida began her journey with Fenton 30 years ago at Fenton Avenue Elementary School in Lakeview Terrace in the Northeast Valley area of Los Angeles. Fenton was considered one of the most challenging and low performing schools in LAUSD; no one really wanted to attend or even work there. Two years later, with leadership from Irene and Joe, the staff of Fenton Avenue petitioned and were approved for charter status by LAUSD in June 1993. Fenton Avenue became LAUSD’s seventh charter school and charter number 30 in the state of California. As a conversion charter, the attendance area served by the school has remained on par with demographics of the surrounding area: 89% Hispanic; 8% African American; 65% English Learner; 90% qualifying for Free/Reduced Meals; 12% Special Needs. Charter status provided Fenton with the opportunity to tackle poor attendance, high student transiency, vandalism, overcrowding, low staff morale, lack of parental involvement, and low student performance. It is now one of the highest performing schools in North East San Fernando Valley.

In 2007, Fenton split into two schools on separate campuses to serve the growing population: Fenton Primary Center and Fenton Avenue. In 2011, Fenton’s leadership team which included Irene Sumida and Joe Lucente formed the charter management organization, Fenton Charter Public Schools, in order to ensure long-term growth and stability.

Fenton soon after added Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School to their organization. Santa Monica was a struggling charter that was successfully revived with the leadership of Irene and Joe and an amazing staff, many of whom moved from Fenton Avenue.

In 2013, Fenton received the prestigious Hart Vision School of the Year Award for its leadership and continued success in school transformation. In 2015, Fenton Academies was established in Sunland with two schools: Fenton Charter Leadership Academy and Fenton STEM Academies.

Over the past nine years, PCSD has partnered with Fenton to manage the development of three new school facilities projects for a total of 1,952 new charter seats, and with the current one due to be completed in early 2022. I asked Irene to tell me a bit about Fenton, how they have been impacted during the pandemic, and what has been their relationship with PCSD.

What makes Fenton unique?

Fenton is unique in that we have always focused on teacher leadership and “children first”. I was a teacher for 18 years at the LAUSD and was given every opportunity to learn and grow by my principals. This taught me how strong and successful a school could be if teachers became the leaders of the school. Having a vested interest, learning how to lead a school, what it takes instructionally as well as financially – all ensure that the school functions at its best. This, along with always putting the interests of children FIRST ensure that teaching and learning are the focus of the school. Children first, not adults.

What is your most memorable moment from your time leading Fenton?

There are so many memorable moments – that is difficult to say. I think it would be the approval of the Fenton Primary Center. That approval eventually led to the construction of the school and getting Fenton Avenue and Fenton Primary off the year round, multi-track 163-day Modified Concept 6 calendar. We did this on our own, without the help of the District or philanthropy. Quite a feat! We moved from 163 days of instruction to 184 days. So, children first.

How did the Covid pandemic impact Fenton?

We (David Riddick, Chief Academic Officer, and I) saw it coming. We talked about what to do and projected how long the shutdown would last. As others talked about opening in the fall, David and I knew that we would not see a quick reopening (I have three doctors in the family and heard about what was happening every day). David really stepped up and took over and I have to give him all the credit for how Fenton handled this. He led the effort, and led the directors at each site to ensure we responded responsibly and quickly. I believe Fenton pivoted to a distance learning mode quickly and seamlessly because of David’s readiness and instructional prowess.

What significant steps did you take when pivoting to virtual learning?

Again, David took the lead here. He met with the Lead Teachers at each site collectively and continuously. The structure we had in place to ensure “all voices are heard” proved invaluable. He talked to teacher leaders and school leaders every day, not only to get feedback, but to get a sense of how everyone was doing emotionally. This is something he is very mindful of, and which Fenton has always acknowledged as critical to ensuring strong teachers and an excellent learning environment.

How did you keep your community going?

David sent letters home to the community weekly. They were kept well informed of every decision and how Fenton was responding to the pandemic. No secrets at Fenton. We have learned this over the past 30 years – be honest and direct.

What made you decide to go with PCSD with your first facility project?

The reputation of PCSD. Kate, our Project Manager at the time, was wonderful and supportive as we built the Fenton Primary Center. Always at the site, and even after opening, she was there. She even knew the names of some of our most challenging students. The work is personal and I love that.

How did PCSD facilitate the long-term lease of the commercial facility you have leased? What were they able to make happen that you couldn’t do on your own or with another group?

Hope Fang, current Senior Project Manager, like Kate, is always there to guide and assist. I do have to say that I developed a strong relationship with the owner and his son, and that helped.

What were the biggest challenges of dealing with a commercial landlord who was not used to dealing with a charter school?

There were few challenges as Gary and Rick Henson are proud and professional owners. They respect our work ethic and commitment to education, so there were no challenges. When we considered leasing the business office site, I told Rick (the father and owner) that we could afford only half of the lease price. He lowered the price to that amount!

What surprised you the most about working with PCSD?

From what I experienced when the entity started to when we worked with PCSD in 2012, I was surprised by how accommodating and humble the team was.

Has working with PCSD changed your mindset on a full service real estate development partner?

Yes – I would recommend them. They make the entire process easier and less stressful.

If you are considering a future phase of development, would you consider working with PCSD again? And why?

Yes. The professionalism, work ethic, knowledge and personal touch.

Anything else you would like to add?

It has been a pleasure to work with PCSD as we built the Fenton Primary Center and renovated the Fenton Academies in Sun Valley. They are a class act!

Hae-Sin Thomas, CEO of Education for Change, and Jennifer Rice, PCSD Bay Area Executive Director, describe the reimagining of Lazear Charter Academy. A 75-year old facility with a new, $6 million dollar facility that includes an outdoor amphitheater.

Alison Suffet Diaz is the Director of Growth & Sustainability for Environmental Charter Schools (ECS), a role she moved into in 2019 after serving as Founder and CEO for almost 20 years. Alison started her career as an attorney and transitioned to a teacher at a traditional public high school. She had observed far too many students falling through the cracks without a supportive community or connection to school content. She was looking to create a different kind of educational experience for students and found that when students were informed and empowered to make change in their own communities, it positively impacted their academic achievement, pursuit of higher education and the desire to further their impact in the world. Environmental Charter Schools was born and has now become a model for schools across the country.

Environmental Charter Schools

Today, ECS is a network of free public schools that serve students in south Los Angeles County. Its mission is to reimagine public education in low-income communities of color to prepare conscious, critical thinkers who are equipped to graduate from college and create a more equitable and sustainable world. The ECS approach focuses on college preparation and environmental and community engagement through interdisciplinary instruction, small learning communities and community partnerships. This approach results in students who are prepared for college, motivated to continue learning and desire to positively contribute to their community.

ECS not only incorporate sustainable green features in their designs, such as a living stream and solar-powered greenhouses, but also connect students to real-life experiences through the local environment. Students study local challenges, research solutions, and then take action locally to make a measurable difference. At the heart of ECS is “the community” where everyone gets to know one another, builds trust, collaborates, and takes healthy risks. Through that, teachers and counselors are best able to help students find their passions.

ECS provides wrap-around services for each student. The community is broken down into smaller units where there is one counselor for every 120 students and one teacher for every 25 students. Students take a life/college prep class every year which ensures that they are supported. They also are assigned a teacher advisor during their tenure at ECS. The advisor becomes an additional liaison between school and family. In fact, they are the ones that hand the students their diplomas upon graduation.

Transitioning during the pandemic

Because of this foundation, ECS was able to quickly pivot at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. They closed their doors on a Friday and opened them back up on Monday for lunches, computers, WiFi, etc. High school teachers were online on Monday and middle school was online by Wednesday. Having achieved 97% attendance during distance learning, ECS decided that a return to campus so late in the 2020-21 school year would have to meet carefully articulated learning objectives. They started with students whose needs were not being met in distance learning. For example, students with disabilities often need more one on one supports that may be difficult to provide remotely. They expanded to other students who were not being served well in distance learning. Recently, they began bringing back each grade level for on campus activities, which are different from the instructional activities students have been receiving in distance learning. For a year, students have missed out on in-person community building activities. When they return, one of the goals is to provide space for team building.

Working with PCSD

When Alison was looking for a permanent home for ECS’ second school, she approached PCSD in 2011 for not only critical project management expertise but also investment and financing guidance for Environmental Charter Middle School – Gardena. While ECS and PCSD finished the project in 2013, PCSD has remained an invaluable partner ever since. For example during the pandemic, PCSD provided a low-cost loan to make Covid-related improvements including upgrading our HVAC systems and expanding learning spaces onto rooftop patios. Even more recently, PCSD provided advice and guidance on a new facility acquisition ECS’ fourth school.

I sat down with Scott Canfield, CEO of Why Not You Academy, to learn more about the school. Why Not You’s opening in Fall 2021 marked PCSD’s 100th completed project.

How did you get started with Why Not You Academy?

Garth Reeves and I met at West Seattle High School as Assistant Principals. Our role was to bring about innovation and change. We found that we really enjoyed working together on these efforts and, five years later, decided we wanted to bring aspects of the model that we piloted at West Seattle High to a whole school model. We both previously worked in small schools and saw the power that small schools could have on students, especially those furtherst from educational justice. As charter schools were coming to Washington, we saw this as a route to implement our whole school model. So about 3 years ago we started hatching the idea and were approved to work on our charter school application through Washington Charter School Association’s incubator. Over 15 months, we met with hundreds of communities in south King County to see if there was demand for an innovative, new high school option for families.

Shortly after approval by the Washington State Charter School Commission, we found a facility about 5 blocks from where we hosted one of our largest community forums in Des Moines. It seemed to be the perfect size for 400 students but it was a commercial lease.

Where were you one year ago?

We agreed to a 30-year lease with the owner. We closed the loan with WCSD right around the same time. With the community shutting down as a result of the spread of COVID, it became difficult to get out to the community and build relationships and trust. We had to pivot and start recruiting remotely. We broke ground on the building in May 2020, but, by the end of June, we made the determination to delay due to the challenges we faced in launching a new school in the midst of a pandemic.

There was a silver lining in the decision to delay, as it allowed us to connect with the Why Not You Foundation. Our model really resonated with them and there was a close alignment on both vision and values of both organizations. In fall 2020, we launched our official partnership with Why Not You Foundation and began our efforts to launch the school as the Why Not You Academy and re-started construction in December.

Our early partnership with Why Not You Foundation provided an opportunity for them to be more deeply involved and to move forward as partners and not just funders.

What made you decide to go with WCSD?

WCSD have been in the charter space since the start of the sector in Washington just a few years ago. They know the landscape better than anyone else. We met with James Heugas early on while we were obtaining a building, securing a lease, and doing all the due diligence that you have to go through to get approved to start construction. We needed someone like James and Anna Johnson at WCSD. We are lucky to have that partnership. We’ve met many peers launching charter schools in other parts of the country and they don’t have a WCSD. Without WCSD, this would not have been possible.

I understand it’s difficult to get started up with a commercial lease. How has WCSD facilitated the long-term lease of the commercial facility you have leased? What were they able to make happen that you couldn’t do on your own or with another group?

WCSD was there from the very beginning when we found the building. We contacted James right away and asked him to look into it. The following week he came out and visited the site with us and we met with the building owner together. We walked through to get a sense of what it would look like. After James did his review and thought it was feasible to convert it to a school, WCSD offered a grant to complete a feasibility study.

Once we knew conversion to a school was possible, we started negotiating the lease with our attorney. The building owner was looking for a long-term lease. Ultimately WCSD and Washington Charter School Association provided loans for tenant improvements (TIs) to start construction.

What were the biggest challenges of dealing with a commercial landlord who was not used to dealing with a charter school?

We were pretty fortunate. The landlord is a great guy and wants to see the building be used for a good cause. There was a leasehold mortgage needed which is often required when a lender provides you money to do work on a facility that you are leasing. We had to get the landlord comfortable with the lender and the fact that the lender would have first right of refusal on the building if we weren’t successful. WCSD broke it down with the building owner so this was easy to understand and something he could be comfortable with.

How has WCSD assisted with financing?

WCSD provided a grant for the due diligence process. We ultimately ended up with two lenders but WCSD drove the process. WCSD’s loan and expertise on property development allowed us to get through construction and helped us to bring in the other lender.

If we didn’t have WCSD, none of it would ever have happened, including the partnership with the Why Not You Foundation.

What surprised you the most about working with WCSD?

They made a very complicated process go smoothly and seem easy. There are so many steps involved from due diligence to starting and finishing construction. They broke it down and walked us through it all. It seemed overwhelming and daunting going into it, but they took it on and created as few headaches as possible for us. Their leadership in this area allowed us to focus on the academics, the education program, and recruitment and allowed us to be confident in getting the school ready in time for the kids.

This is even more relevant in our case where we operate as a single site school with only a three-person leadership team. We don’t have a large charter management organization (CMO) behind us. We saw WCSD as a trusted partner that saved us a lot of heartache.

How has working with WCSD changed your mindset on a full-service real estate development partner?

It just streamlines the whole process. The more lenders you get involved, the more challenging it is. It made it so much easier working with them.

If you are considering a future phase of development, would you consider working with WCSD again? And why?

Definitely without a doubt! Just going through the process with them was great the first time around. We were very pleased with the quality of the work. We trust them as partners. They would be the first ones we go to. We have a second phase for work on the first floor of the building that will begin in 18 months.

Anything else you would like to add?

Typically projects like these wrap up one month before school starts. However, since we completed construction last month, we have been able to set up a Learning Hub and bring in our incoming 9th graders to work with one of our teachers. He helps the students with their 8th grade work online. Having them in the building now has allowed us to build relationships and trust. It’s a unique opportunity to work with our students as we prepare to enroll about 104 students this fall.