I've always believed that teaching is hard work. Then I joined the board of a charter school, and over the past six years, I've witnessed more examples of grit, determination, and resilience than I could possibly capture in a single post. But today, I want to share some truly exciting news.
This weekend, Comp Sci High officially opened its doors to a brand new school building for about 450 high school students in the South Bronx. They kicked off this long-awaited accomplishment with a massive block party for parents, neighbors, current students, alumni that featured food trucks, student-led tours of the new building, a book swap, and a DJ.
You can see a teaser video about the new space looks here:
I've been lucky to have a sidecar seat as a board member of Comp Sci High since before they officially opened their doors to the very first freshman class in 2018. What initially drew me to the school was its innovative vision, spearheaded by our founding principal and executive director, David Noah, whose commitment to project-based learning and technology access through deliberate industry partnerships set the foundation. Under the leadership of current principal, Iris Alder, and with strategic guidance from chief strategy officer, James Kale, the school has continued to thrive with a strong emphasis on community and an equity-first approach that inspires every student to pursue economic freedom, with a goal of earning at least $100,000 by age 26.
Comp Sci High followed a "startup" playbook, adding a new freshman class each year and expanding the faculty accordingly, until reaching full capacity with a complete four-year high school. There have been three total graduating classes of about 100 students each.
A full-circle moment for me came when I watched Comp Sci High's first-ever valedictorian deliver her graduation speech and proudly announce her decision to attend my alma mater, Northwestern University. Seeing her take that next step affirmed for me the incredible power and potential of what we are building—and who we are building it for.
How do you scale a school?
Seeing this school come to life has inspired much of my thinking around the possibilities that exist when you thoughtfully and deliberately intersect the world of work, school, and neighborhood.
It's hard enough to open a new school, let alone to do so in the South Bronx, and especially during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, as we welcomed our third incoming class of freshmen. Many would have called it impossible.
But instead what happened was -- the school was among the first to immediately pivot to a unique remote learning framework, one that also incorporated community support and direct grassroots fundraising efforts in support of local families that were hardest hit during the early days of the pandemic. In 2020, Comp Sci High raised over $100,000 that went back into the broader school community: The funding provided much-needed infrastructure for students to work effectively from home, care packages for teachers, need-based aid for some families, and more.
On the board, we've been talking for years about what it might be like to scale up or expand the impact of this school. Scaling schools looks a lot different from scaling startups, but involves its own set of existential questions, such as:
Do you increase the size of each student class?
Do you add additional locations?
Do you expand down to middle school?
Do you deliberately build or disseminate broader curriculum or infrastructure for other educators to draw upon and use?
Do you deepen roots in your current community?
The opening of a brand new building reflects the school's answer to that very last question. The deepening of relationships between neighbors, parents, students, and school leaders, along with local industry partners is so much more possible with a dedicated space to innovate and create.
New building, new possibilities
One of the things I'm the most excited about in this new building is the inclusion of a coworking space right in the front. It's an invitation, for students, alumni, and industry workers alike, to come by, set up your laptop, and get to work, together.
This isn't just about convenience—it's about creating opportunities for meaningful interactions across different economic backgrounds. Research shows that when people from various economic strata connect, it can significantly enhance economic mobility. This space is designed to be a hub where those connections can flourish, helping our students and alumni unlock new opportunities for their future.
I'm excited to spend time this school year coworking in a new type of lab environment, one that looks a little more like a classroom but feels just as crunchy as an incubator.
As we step into this new phase, additional support is more critical than ever. Every donation brings us closer to fully realizing our vision for this school—one where every student, regardless of their background, has the tools and support they need to succeed. If you're passionate about education and community, I invite you to join us in this journey, whether through a donation or by taking a seat at our table.
If you'd like to learn more about how to get involved—or want to come cowork with me sometime this fall—I’d love to hear from you.
