PCSD

PCSD Receives $3M Grant from Houston Endowment to Expand Charter School Facility Development in Houston

September 23, 2024 by PCSD

At PCSD/TCSD, we believe that access to high-quality education begins with providing students and teachers the spaces they need to learn, grow, and succeed. We’re thrilled to announce that PCSD/TCSD has been awarded a $3M grant from Houston Endowment to further this mission by supporting charter school facility development in the Greater Houston area. This is the second grant the Houston Endowment has awarded PCSD, reinforcing their commitment to expanding educational opportunities across the city.

This significant investment is part of the Texas Charter School Development Facilities Fund and will enable us to continue our work with new and existing charter schools, ensuring they have the resources and spaces required to meet their growing needs. Houston is home to a dynamic and rapidly expanding charter school sector, and this grant comes at a pivotal moment as demand for charter schools continues to rise.

Supporting Under-resourced Communities

The Houston Endowment grant will directly impact under-resourced communities by making it possible for more students to access high-quality, mission-driven learning environments. With this support, we can work alongside charter schools to develop affordable, sustainable, and scalable facilities that reflect each school’s unique vision and needs. These new projects will not only meet current demand but also lay the foundation for long-term growth and success in the years to come.

Why Facilities Matter

We know that a well-designed school facility isn’t just about providing a building—it’s about creating an environment that fosters educational equity. A school’s physical space plays a crucial role in student achievement, teacher retention, and overall community engagement. This grant empowers us to expand our impact in Houston and ensure that every student, no matter their zip code, has access to the quality learning spaces they deserve.

Looking Ahead

As we embark on this next phase of development in Houston and beyond, we’re excited to partner with more charter schools to make a meaningful difference. Whether it’s building new campuses, expanding existing ones, or converting spaces into innovative learning hubs, we’re committed to providing solutions that enable schools to focus on what matters most—educating the next generation.

A huge thank you to the Houston Endowment for their belief in our work and their dedication to advancing educational equity. This grant represents a major step forward for both PCSD/TCSD and the students, families, and communities we serve in Houston.

Stay tuned for updates as we begin rolling out new projects and watch our vision for Houston’s charter school landscape continue to grow!

The post PCSD Receives $3M Grant from Houston Endowment to Expand Charter School Facility Development in Houston appeared first on Pacific Charter School Development.

PCSD Presents at 2024 CSDC Conference

September 5, 2024 by PCSD

PCSD is presenting at the 2024 CSDC Conference in Sacramento alongside Artik Art & Architecture, Lighthouse Community Public Schools, and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.

Education Session:

Enhancing Charter School Facilities for Climate Resiliency
November 18, 2024 | 2:35 pm – 3:20 pm

This session brings together educators, architects, policymakers, developers, and sustainability experts to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing charter schools today: climate resiliency.

Charter schools play a pivotal role in shaping the future of education, and their facilities must be equipped to withstand the increasing challenges posed by climate change.

This session provides a platform for stakeholders to explore sustainable building practices, resilience strategies, and policy frameworks tailored to charter school environments.

Participants will engage in insightful discussions on a range of topics, including:

Designing Climate-Adaptive Schools: Integrating renewable energy sources, sustainable materials, and innovative architectural designs to enhance resilience against extreme weather events.
Policy and Funding Initiatives: Examining governmental policies and funding mechanisms that support climate-resilient infrastructure in charter schools.
Educational Impacts: Understanding how resilient school facilities contribute to a safe and conducive learning environment, fostering student well-being and academic success.

Participants will gain practical insights and actionable strategies to transform charter school facilities into resilient, sustainable assets. Whether you’re an educator looking to enhance your school’s environmental footprint or a partner shaping future development plans, this session offers invaluable opportunities to network, learn, and drive meaningful change in charter school infrastructure.

Join us in advancing the future of education through resilient and sustainable charter school facilities. Together, we can build a more secure and sustainable environment for generations to come.

Presenters:

Bill Gould, President, Artik Art & Architecture
Rich Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, Lighthouse Community Public Schools
Jennifer Afdahl Rice, Executive Director, Northern California, Pacific Charter School Development
Lana Zimmerman, Associate Project Manager, ULCA Luskin Center for Innovation

Read here to learn more about this session.

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PCSD Hosts CIWI Interns for Fourth Year

August 15, 2024 by PCSD

For the fourth consecutive year, Pacific Charter School Development’s Northern California team proudly sponsored a group of interns through the Construction Industry Workforce Initiative (CIWI).

On July 25th, we welcomed ten talented CIWI interns, all currently enrolled in universities and colleges across California. These students are diving into various fields within the construction industry, from civil engineering to construction management, development, and architecture.

The day kicked off with introductions to our team and a site tour at each site with the general contractor (Overaa) at Education for Change’s Achieve Academy and BayTech in Oakland. The interns observed a project nearing completion of three years of work at Achieve Academy and an opportunity to experience the mid stages of renovation and transition of the 100 year old Palace Theater at BayTech.

During the visit, we provided an overview of the entitlement, funding, design, and construction process for each project, highlighting the challenges that come with them and how our teams tackle these obstacles effectively. The interns gained valuable insights into the paths that can lead to successful careers in the construction industry.

We’re excited to see how these future industry leaders will shape the world of construction and contribute to creating better educational environments. Here’s to many more years of fostering talent, building strong foundations, and partnering with CIWI!

Monte Wilson, CIWI Project Director, reflecting on the event, enthusiastically stated, “Touring the two PCSD sites in Fruitvale was incredible. Seeing the transformation at Achieve Academy, which we visited last year, was truly inspiring, and the BayTech site left us all in awe. But what stood out just as much was Mary Grace Houlihan’s emphasis on the wraparound resources for students and families that will be available on-site. Truly stellar work!”

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Meeting More of the PCSD Team

August 15, 2024 by PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

Today, I had the opportunity to meet with Stephanie Guerrero, a project manager, Jennifer Afdahl Rice, an executive director, Mary Grace Houlihan, a project director, Anna Johnson, a director of finance, and Akil Manley, a regional director.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

Everyone previously mentioned works at PCSD, which is a non-profit organization that helps charter schools find and develop facilities. PCSD is really unique because they are one of the few organizations that recycle their money. They help schools with low interest loans to which schools eventually pay PCSD back over time.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

Today I got to learn about the background of some of the PCSD employees and their journey of how they got here. Anna had a law degree and had always worked within charter schools which led her to becoming a project manager, but after some time, she switched to become a finance director. On the other hand, Jennifer always knew that she liked math and wanted to help the community so she did so a couple years traveling in Africa where she worked on many loans for a while and she eventually found PCSD, which incorporated her desire for helping the community. Next, Mary Grace used to work in the public sector, transit to be specific, and now she is a Project Director which is less stressful than her previous job. In fact, she mentioned that this would be her retirement job because of how great it is. Next is Akil, and he actually graduated with a political science degree and told us his story about working with charter schools for 10 years. Then he taught us about the factors that PCSD looks at before deciding on a location for a school.

Some highlights of the day included the advice that the PCSD team gave us. For example, Anna said, “people find their path in a lot of different ways”; which means that everyone’s path isn’t just one straight line and people have to manage their way through obstacles that get in their way. Similar to Anna, Akil said when “you’re not ok, it’s not over “ and “it’s your grind.” This means that it’s all about the work that you decide to put in. These specific quotes resonated with me because it goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you got your degree from or where you are from because both Anna and Akil studied something different from what they are currently working in, which goes to show that they are still growing and learning.

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

One of the key insights I gained was understanding what Akil takes into account when trying to find a new building for a school. For example, if it is convenient for both teachers and students, which involves looking at traffic and public transportation. That was only an example but there are many more factors that Akil and the PCSD team take into account.

Did you become more interested in the field after today?

After today’s experience, I found myself more interested and motivated in pursuing real estate after high school because of the exposure from today and the encouraging words that the team shared.

The post Meeting More of the PCSD Team appeared first on Pacific Charter School Development.

Real Estate Lending and Pathways

August 15, 2024 by PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

Today, my fellow interns and I got the opportunity to speak with Eric Sussman, a Pacific Charter School Development (PCSD) Board Member and UCLA Professor. Later that same day, we got the chance to speak to three employees of City National Bank (CNB), one of the many banks that lend money for PCSD.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

Both Eric and City National Bank (CNB) work with Pacific Charter School Development (PCSD), a non-profit focused on real estate. Eric Sussman is a board member of PCSD and is a professor at UCLA for Real Estate and Accounting along with being a business owner. City National Bank is one of the main lenders of money for commercial acquisition and construction projects. With the investment, PCSD is able to fund projects that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

Today, I learned about how real estate properties differ in price depending on their surroundings and conditions that make them less likely to have demand. From both of our conversations, the topic of Covid-19 was common, as both speakers expressed their challenges and changes caused by the pandemic. From office buildings becoming vacant to industrial properties becoming more expensive and in demand. Some highlights from today were hearing about Eric’s journey to becoming a professor, from finding out his boss was committing fraud to losing his job and using his connections and talent for teaching to work at UCLA. Another highlight from today was getting to decide on which properties we would invest in, as in the City National Bank presentation we were presented multiple properties with many different positives and negatives.

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

One of the many insights I gained into the field of real estate development was how the price and evaluation of a property changes as a result of the land or the surroundings changing for the better or worse. As an area becomes less populated and business starts moving out the surrounding properties and business decreases and slows down. I also got some great advice about purchasing homes and the difference between single family, duplex, and fourplex. Like not buying a house near a big street with a street light because of the traffic to search for a place in a safe area with little or no crime.

Did you become more interested in the field after today?

After today, I have become more interested in real estate, specifically in the many different conditions that make the properties themselves increase or decrease in value and the things lenders look for in order to decide to lend to someone or not. I didn’t know about how important it is to know that nearby properties affect other properties and their value reflects on how popular an area is or is in demand. I feel like I have discovered an interest for finding out all the details about a property and its land as it is very cool how it changes and that it is visible if you look into it.

Eric Sussman showing his Venn diagram for careers

Simon from CNB talking about commercial lending

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