MCINTOSH, Fla. - In the summer of 2014, Joelene Vining took the leap to become a charter school principal.
It may have been a risky move. She left a position as an assistant principal in neighboring Levy County to become head of the McIntosh Area School, a small elementary that's the pride of a hamlet northwest of Ocala.
The school was rated an F by the state. If it didn't raise its grade quickly, it would have been forced to close.
Vining started recruiting teachers to make the jump with her.
When the call came, Cindy Roach was sitting on the beach. She was a 30-year veteran educator, enjoying retirement. There was a chance she might return to the profession, but only under the right conditions. She would help all her students meet the state's academic standards, but she wouldn't be a slave to lesson scripts or mandatory pacing calendars. She would welcome support from administrators, but she didn't want them looking over her shoulder, questioning her every decision.
Kindergarten teacher Cindy Roach, surrounded by Title I paperwork, cracks a smile.
