Melissa Melkonian, SPA 2006

Melissa Melkonian is the founder and head of school the American Dream School in the Bronx. ADS broke ground for the construction of their high school location this past winter, and the new campus is slated for its grand opening in 2020. ADS is the realization of Melissa's dream of creating a school community for English language learners and recently arrived immigrants.

Reflecting on her experience at SPA, Melissa reflected that participating in the program made her more self-aware as both a leader and an educator. One of fundamental aspects of the program that stands out in her recollections is the development of her awareness as a leader, which was cultivated by program activities such as Self-Awareness Training. She credits SAT with helping her to be aware of her own wellness as well as her strengths and needs.

As a leader, it is crucial for Melissa to operate as a school that is developmentally the best possible place for students as well as teachers. At ADS, this means taking into consideration how each member of the school community grows, remembering to accommodate the needs of adult learners as much as they do the needs of their kids. Melissa takes into consideration the timing teachers need to lesson plan and do everything else they are tasked with doing, and being hyperaware of the time the administration builds into the schedule to address everything from curriculum planning to recreational time with staff. Not surprisingly, she credits her work in the Adult Development course at SPA for assisting her preparation in this aspect of her role as head of school.

In closing, Melissa reflected that this leadership work is very difficult, and that SPA prepares leaders well for this challenge given the fact that it’s so intense and everything always seems urgent and important, much like the day-to-day work of a leader. She stressed that future leaders keep in mind that balance and support are key. Her 2006 cohort is still very close, and they rely on each other for support, as being a principal can be very lonely work, and also because there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Being part of a cohort reinforced to her that it is OK to reach out for help, and there is always somebody in their tight-knit group who is willing and able to provide it.