Camelot Profile: Chicago Excel Academy Principal Rasheika Singleton
Rasheika Singleton is the Principal at Chicago Excel Academy in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Chicago State University and Master’s degrees from the University of Phoenix in both Secondary Education (with an ELA certification) and Administration and Supervision, and is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree from the University of Phoenix in Educational Leadership. Born and raised in Chicago, Singleton joined Chicago Excel Academy in July of 2014.
What did you do prior to joining Camelot, and what drew you to the organization?
I was an administrator and principal in alternative and traditional public schools. What drew me to Camelot was the challenge. For some of our students, Camelot is their last hope of receiving a quality education. The Camelot model testifies to a student’s transition back into traditional schools. The engagement of the staff and the possibilities of the students show a large amount of promise.
You’re new to Excel Academy – tell us about your first few months
It has been wonderful. Teachers here connect with students in many ways, which allows for meaningful relationship building. We started the school year by teaching norms and procedures, which has allowed teachers to teach and re-teach their norms and form bonds with students. Because of this, teachers will be able to focus and dedicate classroom time to improving and increasing student achievement instead of dedicating classroom time to dealing with negative student behavior during the school year.
How do you think Camelot teachers differ from more traditional school teachers?
One of the first things I noticed when I started at Camelot is that our staff goes above and beyond for our students. Most of the time I’m getting feedback from teachers asking me if they can show or give more for the students to motivate them. This type of reaction shows me the difference between a traditional school and an alternative school system – the students need support, and teachers here go above and beyond to provide it.
What is one of the best methods your teachers employ to keep students engaged, given students’ diverse backgrounds?
I would have to say the Jobs for the Future (JFF) strategy is essential to student learning because it teaches the ability to think critically across the curriculum and use higher order thinking skills to construct responses. Our teachers are required to incorporate JFF strategies daily in the classroom, which fosters increased student achievement.
What are some of your goals for the Chicago Excel Academy?
Something I want to work on is parental involvement. I would like to bring more parents on board and work with them to understand what their children go through and what they’re doing in the classroom. I also want to make sure the community understands that we have high standards and strong academics at Camelot. We use a rigorous curriculum, and we work every day to help find ways for our students to achieve success. Part of this success also means helping our teachers to the best of my ability, making sure they have everything they need to successfully educate Camelot students.
How does Camelot Education motivate you?
I’m motivated because I know I can make a difference in the lives of our students. Some of our students come to us believing they can’t do anything with their lives and that no one cares if they don’t. For some, it is their last chance – their last opportunity. The ability to make the impression on a student’s life and help them be successful and maintain that success is a big motivator to me.
