Welcome to the Green Dot Blog!

Cleaves Joins Green Dot as Leader of Bluff City High School

May 30, 2017

Bluff City High School has a new principal – Jonas G. Cleaves will be joining the Green Dot family as the school’s leader this fall.

Welcoming a New Green Dot High School in Hickory Hill

May 15, 2017

Green Dot is excited to announce a high quality high school option for students throughout South Memphis: Bluff City High School is set to open its doors for the first time in August 2017.

How Organized Parents and Students Empower Communities

Apr 20, 2017

In education, poverty is still the principal indicator of quality — where working class families can ask for change, but, without power, they cannot demand it. United Parents and Students, an affiliate of Green Dot Public Schools National, is working to change that.

USA Today: Mr. Trump, Don’t boost our budgets while cutting education

Mar 28, 2017

USA Today: “In the “skinny budget” that the White House released this month, President Trump offered $168 million in new funds for charter schools. As public charter school operators, we appreciate the proposed investment in new schools like ours.”

Literacy Leaps Ahead at Kirby

Mar 14, 2017

“We don’t always know where students are coming from, they may or may not have the same background as us, but it’s our job to understand them.” – Monifa Roberts Monifa Roberts is a Literacy Enrichment Teacher at Kirby Middle School in Memphis, TN. Though a veteran public educator with over a decade of teaching experience,…

STEM Students Shoot for the Moon and Build the Robots to Get There

Mar 2, 2017

If science is the key to our future, we’ve learned that applied learning can unlock student passion. With renewed interest in astronomy and space exploration, who better for students to learn from than one of the world’s leading authorities on space Dr. Charles Elachi.

Honoring Excellence at The Fifth Annual Golden Dot Awards

Feb 16, 2017

Join us Saturday evening, March 18th to celebrate Green Dot Public Schools educators and staff who are transforming the landscape of public education at the Golden Dot Awards.

Public Education and Charter Schools at this Moment in History

Jan 12, 2017

CEO, Marco Petruzzi, shares with TOWN HALL LA how Green Dot Public Schools is revolutionizing the public school system. Petruzzi addresses how Green Dot achieves better student outcomes with lower per pupil funding, a unionized workforce, and operates only in high need communities.

Renewal & Reflection: Which Green Dot Values will Guide us in 2017?

Jan 5, 2017

As we enter a new year, there is much to consider from the past year that can help support our mission to transform public education so that all students graduate prepared for college, leadership, and life. There are many elements of our work that are truly valuable to student growth and community revitalization–both core parts of Green Dot’s model.

Support Green Dot to Create Opportunities for All Students

Dec 22, 2016

We imagine a future when every child, regardless of what neighborhood they live in, can enjoy excellent public schools, safe streets, and fulfilling careers. With your partnership, we believe that our cities can achieve this dream.

Green Dot Featured in 2017 SXSWedu Conference and Festival

Dec 1, 2016

We are thrilled to announce that Green Dot Public Schools was selected to engage a broad community of educators and industry leaders at the next SXSWedu in Austin, TX!

Meet the Next Great American

Nov 24, 2016

Your support this holiday season can help put students on the path to college. By helping promote our campaign throughout your networks, you can help amplify the support that Green Dot needs to serve our students, communities, and schools.

United Parents and Students Assemble for Change

Nov 18, 2016

The third annual United Parents and Students Assembly elevated a future where students had safe and clean paths to school, where parents had jobs that paid a living wage, and higher education was more accessible to students.

Turning Neighbors Into Mentors

Nov 15, 2016

In the few short months since starting at Fairley High School in Memphis, TN, Ms. Payne has already begun finding ways to enhance the existing student opportunities, while introducing new ones.

Liberty and Justice for All

Nov 3, 2016

It is our collective responsibility and obligation to ensure we live in a country that values, preserves, and exalts the lives of black youth and adults, and that we have a true belief in the potential of all, not just a few.

Education Innovations Build Good Citizens

Oct 20, 2016

At Green Dot Public Schools, we see public charter schools as innovation factories, environments where there is the freedom to explore different ways of teaching and engaging students as well as the communities they serve.

Fostering Safe Communities Through Restorative Justice Practices

Oct 14, 2016

For far too long, and far too often, harsh discipline has been the de facto way schools have tried to maintain a safe environment. Removing students from the learning environment in order to issue consequences for negative behavior does not teach what to do when confronted with difficult choices, conflicts, or emotions, and instead, often results in future disciplinary action. Thankfully, this is changing.

A New Captain for the Hillcrest Vikings

Oct 4, 2016

The public part of Green Dot Public Schools is what motivates Hillcrest High School’s Principal Meredith Davis and informs her approach to leadership: “We work with every single student that walks through our doors — we don’t turn children away. Regardless of where they live or what their zip code is, children deserve a high quality educational choice in their neighborhood.”

How We Serve All Students Is a Question of Our Values

Sep 30, 2016

We aim to prepare all students for college, leadership, and life — including students who need additional support. Our School Leaders, Special Education Program Administrators, School psychologist, Special Education Assistants, DIS Service Providers, Office Staff, Clinical Supervisors, and Curriculum Directors all work together to ensure that each of our students have access to the resources he or she needs.

Green Dot Tennessee Students Are Graduating ready for College, Leadership and Life

Sep 22, 2016

It’s all about the students at Green Dot schools, and our Tennessee students are thriving. “I’m going to college. It wasn’t [always] a thing that was on my mind. When Green Dot came, they really stressed it. College, leadership and life. They put it in my mind that if you want to be successful, you have to go to college,” says one Fairley High School student.