November 2025

BCEA Newsletter

A Season of Growth:

Bringing the BCEA Vision to Life

Grounded in purpose and united by vision, our schools continue to grow stronger through collaboration and care.

Across the Berkeley Charter Education Association (BCEA), our shared purpose continues to guide the work we do and the progress we see across every campus. Each school has its own heartbeat and community identity, yet all are connected by a common vision: to cultivate a premier charter network recognized for academic excellence, character development, innovation, and community engagement.

That vision is not just a statement; it is the standard that defines who we are becoming. Academic excellence shapes how we teach, learn, and lead. It lives in the teacher who adapts instruction to meet each student’s needs and, in the administrator, who strengthens systems so learning can flourish. Character development guides how we show up for one another with empathy, accountability, and integrity. Innovation inspires us to think differently, to refine our practices, and to approach challenges as opportunities. Community engagement reminds us that our impact extends beyond the classroom into the neighborhoods, families, and partnerships that make our network strong.

This season of growth has shown that meaningful change requires both resilience and perseverance. Progress is rarely comfortable. It demands deep listening, honest reflection, and the courage to act even when the path ahead feels uncertain. As we continue refining our systems and strengthening collaboration, let us remain rooted in empathy and shared purpose. Advocacy for our students and colleagues is most powerful when it is grounded in understanding and when every voice is valued in the pursuit of excellence.

Across BCEA, we are seeing our vision come to life. Teams are leaning into reflection, aligning expectations, and supporting one another through transition. Schools are fostering consistency and clarity for staff, students, and families alike, and there is a renewed sense of alignment, not because everything is perfect, but because we are united by purpose.

What inspires me most are the people behind this work, especially our students, the heart of our mission and vision, who show us what it means to lead with determination, curiosity, and grace. In their classrooms, hallways, and communities, they model the very qualities we strive to cultivate: the pursuit of academic excellence through effort and persistence, the display of character in how they treat others, the spark of innovation in how they approach challenges, and the strength of community engagement in how they uplift one another. Through their voices, our students remind us that education is not only about achievement but about becoming: becoming thinkers, problem-solvers, and citizens who will shape the world around us. Everything we do, every lesson, decision, and system, begins and ends with them: their growth, their confidence, and their future.

As we enter the next phase of the school year, our focus remains clear: to live our vision with intention by cultivating academic excellence, nurturing character, sparking innovation, and deepening community engagement so that every student in every school thrives.

~Brandi VanGorder

A Message from our

Executive Director

While a mission statement shows the current purpose of an organization, the vision statement boldly declares who we want to be in the future. Let me be the first to tell you that our Board has crafted a uniquely courageous and deeply aspirational vision statement. It reads:   

We will cultivate a premier charter network recognized for academic excellence, character development, innovation, and community engagement. 

You read that right: premier charter network. Wow! Talk about courageous and aspirational. Premier essentially means to “lead the way”. It might be easy to say premier, but it is deeply hard to actually live out that expectation. If we are going to lead the way for other charter networks in our state, we cannot allow the status quo to be the way forward. We must embrace a new way of looking at what we teach, how we teach it, and then closely examine if our teaching worked through data. 

Our school report cards will be officially released on November 13th. And while we have much to celebrate, our ratings, at all three schools, have to improve if we are going to achieve our vision of a premier network of charter schools. We don’t improve by standing still. We improve by radically accepting our current conditions yet never losing the belief that we will prevail in the end. This concept is called the Stockdale Paradox, and it has gotten me through some challenging times when I was forced to confront the brutal facts and bring about significant change that must benefit kids. 

In November, I urge you to confront the brutal facts of where we are, never give up that we will succeed, and embrace the necessary growth and development we all must engage in if we are going to live our vision. I am never losing hope on what’s possible for all our kids. Join me in that hope- every day, every week, and every month. 

Grateful for you and your work,

~Chad Weiden

BCEA Staff Spotlight

HR Corner

Payroll Reminders

• Next Pay Date: Friday, November 7, 2025
• Timesheets Due: Tuesday, November 4, 2025, by 9:00 AM. Please review your hours, PTO, and any FMLA absences for accuracy prior to submission. Late or incomplete timesheets may result in delayed pay.

Benefits Updates

• Beneficiary Review: All employees are encouraged to log into the Benefits Portal inside Paycor and verify that their beneficiary information is accurate and up to date for all applicable benefit plans.
• 401(k) Automatic Enrollment: Any full-time salaried employee who has not submitted a 401(k) Salary Deferral Agreement has been automatically enrolled at a 4% contribution rate per paycheck. Employees may adjust or opt out of this contribution at any time by submitting the required form.

HR Announcements

• FMLA and Leave Procedures: Employees approved for FMLA (including intermittent leave) must notify their Principal and School Operations Administrator via email each time leave is taken. PTO may be used if available; otherwise, the absence will be unpaid.
• Employee Documentation Requirements:
• Certified Teachers: Please be prepared to submit official transcripts verifying your education level and current certification documents if you have not already done so.
• Non-Certified Teachers: Please be prepared to submit transcripts verifying your education level, proof of enrollment in a teacher preparation program (if applicable), and documentation of progress within that program in accordance with your contract requirements.

General Reminders

• Review your paystub each pay period to confirm accuracy.
• Ensure your emergency contact information is current in the HR portal.
• Contact HR with any questions regarding payroll, benefits, or employee documentation requirements.

Welcome to the team!

Crystal Jones-Thompson

Finance Manager

Crystal Jones-Thompson is a seasoned finance professional with over 13 years of experience in K–12 education finance and payroll administration. As the Finance Manager, she oversees budgeting, financial reporting, and fiscal compliance to strengthen the association’s financial operations and support its mission of advocating for educators and quality education.

In addition to her career in education finance, Crystal is the Founder and Executive Director of Girl Flight, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young women through mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement.



Holding an MBA in Finance, Crystal is known for her integrity, efficiency, and strategic approach to financial management. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and remains deeply committed to service, transparency, and creating opportunities that uplift both schools and communities.