I have had the privilege of serving as Executive Director of EJE Academies Charter School since its founding over 15 years ago. EJE Academies (EJEA) is a TK-8th grade school that provides high-quality dual-language (English & Spanish) educational instruction, a nurturing learning environment, and a supportive community to its students. At EJEA we support students as they gain the skills, tools, motivation, and self-confidence needed to be the first in their families to graduate from high school, attend college, and pursue their dreams.During my time at EJEA, we have transitioned from a grass roots parent organization to a school with a waiting list of over 700 students. We opened our doors in the Fall of 2005 as EJE Elementary Academy, the first independent, 90-10 dual-language school in the county. We began as a kindergarten through third grade school serving 160 students in temporary classrooms on the campus of another local elementary school campus. 4 years later, we successfully opened the Middle School to form EJE Academies Charter School and moved to the campus of a recently closed elementary school to accommodate our growing number of students. Currently, our campus houses over 800 students and is seen as a community and cultural center among the residents of El Cajon.As Executive Director of EJE Academies, I develop and implement policies, programs, partnerships, curriculum, activities, and budgets in a manner that promotes the educational development of each of our students and the professional development of our teachers and staff members. Demonstrated through our beginnings as a parent organization, valuing the significance of school, family and community partnerships is at the core of EJE Academies existence. My goal is for EJE Academies to continue to offer services to generations of the same families, while still continuing to welcome new families onto our campus with open arms.