A strong education goes beyond textbooks and test scores—it's about equipping students with the skills they need for success in college, careers, and beyond. Intrepid College Prep, founded by Mia Howard, is redefining what it means to prepare students for the future. Serving grades 5-12 in southeast Nashville, this innovative network of public schools combines rigorous academics with a deep commitment to family engagement and financial literacy, setting it apart from traditional models. Now Managing Partner of Innovative Schools at New Schools Venture Fund, Mia shares her vision for transforming education. With a background in finance and law, she discusses how Intrepid College Prep empowers students with financial knowledge and college readiness, and how her work is shaping the future of education nationwide.

Dr. Ahmed White, the founder and CEO of The Rock Academy, is opening the innovative public charter high school in Nashville in 2026 to serve disconnected and at-risk students. His mission is to re-engage these students, often chronically absent, in foster care, or involved in the justice system, and set them up for post-graduate success. The Rock Academy will provide a unique educational model focused on developing students' skills in four key areas: caring professions, creativity, technical fields, and trades. The school will have an emphasis on building strong mentor relationships, removing barriers through wraparound services, and empowering students to choose their own path forward. Dr. White's personal experiences and passion for serving marginalized students drive his vision for creating a transformative school model that can meet the diverse needs of this underserved population.

Founder Sara Tuttle, a veteran educator with over 20 years of experience, believes education should be more than just textbooks and tests. It should also include building real-world skills, fostering a sense of belonging, and preparing students for thriving careers. In this episode, Sara shares how she designed The Forge School to provide Nashville students grades 6-12 with contextualized, hands-on learning and career pathways in architecture, construction, and engineering, fulfilling her vision to redefine secondary education by merging academic excellence with career and life readiness.

Dr. Andrea Poynter, founder and Executive Director of Nurses Middle College Nashville, shares how she designed the first public nursing high school specifically to address work shortages and a lack of diversity in the healthcare industry. A first-of-its-kind public nursing high school opening Fall 2025, NursesMC Nashville aims to prepare students, particularly those from underrepresented and low-income communities, for careers in healthcare before they even graduate high school. Blending rigorous academics, hands-on clinical experience, dual enrollment credits and real-world workforce connections ensure students leave college career-ready.

Dr. Brenda Jones believes education is about more than just academics; it's about developing confident, capable students who are prepared for life beyond the classroom. That's the motivation behind the model she used when founding Invictus Charter School, Nashville's first public Montessori charter school opening Fall 2025. Dr. Jones shares how their unique approach to holistic education ensures students grow at their own pace not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well. Listen in to hear how Invictus is designed specifically to provide students with a personalized, hands-on education that fosters independence, creativity, and real-world readiness.

Encompass Community School is a new mastery-based K-8 public school set to transform education in North Nashville when it opens Fall 2025. Founder and Executive Director, Meg Garry shares how Encompass uses a personalized learning model, allowing students to progress at their own pace. Rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach, the school employs flexible groupings, small-group instruction, and fluency-based skill practice to provide personalized education that meets every child's needs. Encompass also builds deep community partnerships to provide wraparound support services, including mental health resources, job training, and academic tutoring, not just for the students but also their families.

The Tennessee Nature Academy is a free public charter school that blends academic rigor with nature-based learning in southeast Nashville. Inspired by his own love for the outdoors, Executive Director Jay Renfro shares TNA's mission to cultivate happy and healthy young people who are knowledgeable about the world, passionate about nature, and motivated to do good work. Jay describes how the Academy's unique model includes outdoor classrooms, hands-on projects, and extended play breaks, supports diverse learners, particularly students with disabilities, while promoting character development and community engagement.

Aventura Community School is a public K-8 bilingual school in southeast Nashville that offers a project-based learning approach and a focus on global competence. Founder Natalie Morosi shares Aventura's innovative dual language model where students learn in both English and Spanish, aiming to provide access to grade-level content and learning opportunities in multiple languages. Natalie also highlights how their inclusive, project-based learning and community partnerships have created meaningful learning experiences for both students and their diverse communities.

Hosted by Scott Campbell, Executive Director for the Nashville Incubator, Back to the Whiteboard features candid conversations with the creative founders and leaders responsible for launching new public schools in Nashville and beyond, each as unique as the students and communities they serve. At the Nashville Incubator, we think deeply about how to educate children beyond the traditional system. Our mission is to recruit and support innovative educational leaders who desire to provide families with a high-quality public school that works best for their child.