With the 2026–27 school year just weeks away, Visions staff gathered at the Harris Center to kick off what promises to be another incredible year.
Decked out in Visions spiritwear, staff celebrated a record-breaking year of growth with more employees than ever before, increasing student enrollment, and continued academic progress.
Visions Superintendent Dr. Steve Olmos welcomed both new and returning staff, marking the first time everyone has gathered together in one room for the new school year. He reflected on our shared mission and expressed gratitude for the life-changing impact our staff make for students and families every day.
The celebration continued as our 2026 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees were recognized with the premiere of their feature videos and presented with crystal awards. Jason Kimbrell was joined by his sister and current Visions teacher, Jessica Kimbrell. Lucas Gallo celebrated alongside his teacher, Julie Szukalski, while Marina Rotaru was joined by her teacher, Sandra Fleischmann.
A special thank you to KJ2 Productions for collaborating with us to create the 2026 Alumni Hall of Fame videos. Click here to watch the full collection.
The program continued as staff received an overview of the current charter school landscape from Janelle Ruley, Esq. of Young, Minney & Corr., providing valuable insight into the legislative environment shaping our work.
Following the legal update, Senior Director of Data Systems Rhonda Rode and Assessment & Evaluation Manager David Villegas shared exciting student achievement results from the 2025–26 school year. Visions reached a 95% assessment participation rate, administering more than 22,000 assessments. These results help identify learning gaps and ensure students receive the support they need to succeed. The data also highlighted continued academic growth, the highest graduation rate in the past 10 years, and increasing college and career readiness.
The momentum continued as Dr. Olmos, Chief Operations Officer Michael Brubaker, Chief Strategy Officer Tom Tafoya, and Associate Superintendent of Instruction Jennifer Morrison shared updates on growing enrollment, instructional initiatives, and new business services projects—all centered around our commitment to getting 1% better every day.
Together, these updates reinforced why It’s Great to be Visions, and built excitement for the opportunities ahead.
The morning concluded with a celebration of our staff. Director of Human Resources Donna Glenn, joined by managers from across the organization, welcomed new employees and recognized staff members beginning new roles for the upcoming school year.
The celebration also honored employees reaching significant service milestones, including several dedicated team members who have served Visions students and families for more than 20 years.
As we reflect on everything we’ve accomplished and look ahead to another exciting year, take a moment to watch Our Story, Our Vision, Our Future below.
Thank you to our Board Chairperson Sandra Morales, Board Member Clark Shueh, KJ2 Productions, Filmtwist, Janelle Ruley, Esq. of Young, Minney & Corr., and every Visions staff member who helped make our Back-to-School Kickoff such a memorable event. We can’t wait to see all that we’ll accomplish together during the 2026–27 school year.
