Sponsors & Exhibitors List

Towering Your Success

Founded in 2011, by Thelron Pleas, Ed.S., Towering Your Success is the premier educational consulting and grant development firm for K-12 schools and non-profit organizations in Georgia. Since its inception, Towering Your Success has committed to the work of school turnaround, innovation, and continuous school improvement by securing more than 37 million dollars of federal and state grants to increase student achievement across the state of Georgia. The historic commitment of the signature Race to the Top initiative funded the inaugural work Towering Your Success led alongside local educational agencies. As a for-profit educational consulting firm, Towering Your Success is committed to the intricate work of educational reform to increase student achievement, equity, and innovation in America’s schools and communities.

Joe Costa & Associates

As the Endorsed Benefits Broker for the GCSA, Joe Costa & Associates creates value through employee benefits that enable employers to attract top talent, retain key personnel and extend a foundation on which a school can achieve success. Much can be accomplished through a successful employee benefits plan, and most employers haven’t experienced the full potential of employee benefits. We are proud to serve more of Georgia’s Charter Schools and Charter School Teachers than any other broker in the state, and we would love the opportunity to serve you.

ValuTeachers

ValuTeachers implements 403(B)/457(B) Retirement Savings Plans for Charter Schools at no costs to the schools. These plans provide employees the opportunity to save for retirement conveniently through payroll as an important supplement to GA-TRS. ValuTeachers plans are customized to meet each school's unique needs. We also provide retirement education workshops and enrollment services to encourage participation and assist employees in developing a savings plan.

EdTec

EdTec is a social enterprise committed to improving public education by supporting charter schools with business, operations, and performance services. Through our core service – back-office – we provide a CFO-level resource and a team of specialists to perform payroll, AP, and accounting functions. We also support schools with new charter applications, school data and compliance, grant writing, and more. EdTec has worked with hundreds of charter schools since our founding in 2001. We are proud to support both operating and startup charter schools in Georgia!

Technology Lab

Imagine a trusted IT department with years of expertise in technology strategy. Now, imagine you don’t spend time managing that department. It runs all on its own. That’s where Technology Lab comes in.

Krevolin & Horst

Krevolin & Horst is a boutique business law firm comprised of highly credentialed former partners and associates from some of the largest US and international firms. K&H’s lawyers attended many of the top law schools including Yale, Columbia, Penn, Michigan, Stanford, Georgetown, Virginia, Emory, and Georgia. Eleven of 15 litigators clerked for federal judges (four for Court of Appeals judges and seven for District Court). The business model is to offer Big Law talent with the responsiveness, agility, and cost effectiveness of a smaller firm. K&H’s practice is a sophisticated B2B practice encompassing appeals, business litigation, commercial real estate, corporate, corporate governance/business divorce/officer & director liability, education, election, employment, franchise, healthcare, intellectual property/unfair competition, internal investigations, mergers & acquisitions, securities, technology, and white collar. K&H represents a wide array of clients from individuals, to small to mid-cap, to Fortune 500 companies. Most of K&H’s work originates from other lawyers—either inhouse, judges, or law firm referrals. Since K&H is recognized as the lawyers’ law firm, it has the privilege to frequently represent lawyers and law firms. K&H also works with many large, international firms on a local counsel basis. A high percentage of K&H’s lawyers annually are recognized by various legal rankings and publications. K&H is diverse. Eight of K&H’s 15 litigators are women including three partners, and three are diverse. K&H lawyers are active in the community serving on the boards of a variety of organizations such as Atlanta Legal Aid, Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta.

Presence

Presence was founded in 2009, based upon the belief that working remotely could empower more clinicians to build a career on their own terms. We’ve grown and learned a lot since then. In addition to our suite of teletherapy services, we’re providing digital therapy tools, new mental health and wellness services, and intervention solutions beyond special education. As long as there are people serving children with diverse needs, our work will not be done.

Red Hook Capital

Red Hook Capital Partners (Red Hook) is a real estate investment and development firm focused on the charter school sector. Red Hook works with high-quality charter school operators in a variety of ways. Red Hook helps charter schools identify, acquire, and develop a suitable site to become a permanent home.

Wesleyan College

Wesleyan College is the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women. Accelerating equality for women since 1836, Wesleyan provides students with an academically rigorous education in an environment designed to build the strength and resiliency to thrive

Highmark School Development

Highmark School Development solves the facility problem for charter and private schools by developing and financing affordable, permanent, safe, and attractive school buildings. We serve new charter schools, young schools, and established schools. We work with independent charters and EMO/CMO-managed schools.
Highmark provides 100% of the capital and development services needed to purchase property for a new building or to acquire an existing structure to transform it into a school.
We do what others can't do, don’t do, or won't do.

Association of American Educators

Partnered with GCSA, Association of American Educators is a professional association serving educators in all 50 states. AAE is a non-union, non-profit organization with a non-partisan focus on lifting the teacher voice and profession through student-centered policies and advocacy. We provide liability insurance and access to legal services for administrators, teachers, and education staff at schools throughout the country, including many public charter schools.

SouthState Bank

At SouthState Bank, we’re committed to innovative solutions that make our customers’ lives easier and more convenient.

SMJ Communications

We are a strategic communications firm committed to providing best-in-class communications services to schools, school districts and education nonprofits.

ExQ

ExQ® for School is a patented, cloud-based personalized curriculum designed to enhance the brain’s Executive Function and socio-emotional learning through individualized game-based training that focuses on teaching middle and high school students to learn HOW to learn. ExQ’s Executive Function curriculum equips students with self-awareness essential for strategic thinking that transfers beyond online learning into classrooms and home environments, empowering students to learn the foundational skills they need to strengthen cognitive and social-emotional development, or as we like to call it, ExQ Infinite Know How!

Hubrich Contracting, Inc

Hubrich Contracting is a full service commercial real estate developer specializing in the finance, design and construction of educational, medical and professional facilities and property. Our innovative method of constructing high quality, long lasting and cost effective professional buildings, provides enormous benefits tover classic contractor practices.

Gilbert Harrell Sumerford & Martin

Gilbert, Harrell, Sumerford & Martin, P.C., is one of the oldest law firms in Georgia, with a tradition of providing quality legal services that spans across three centuries. Today, we are a progressive and growing law firm that continues to build upon our strong history. We do so by relying on a timeless approach of offering outstanding legal services at cost-effective rates.

Move This World

Founded in 2007, Move This World is the leading provider of interactive social emotional learning (SEL) experiences for PreK-12 students, educators, and families. Rooted in creative arts therapy and positive psychology, Move This World programs are evidence-based and designed for seamless delivery through multimedia experiences that spark movement, connection, and social emotional development. Move This World has already impacted the lives of over 3.5 million students across 45 states and 9 countries, building a stronger foundation for learning in schools and at home and empowering communities to navigate the rapidly-changing realities of our world.

Lotterease powered by Easysuite Software

Lotterease is a Lottery and Parent Communication System that saves charter schools time and money. In addition, it ensures that charter schools are compliant with state lottery laws so that they are protected from claims of lottery fraud. Lotterease automatically manages siblings, weighted applications and waitlists. Parents can apply and confirm attendance online. If you are still using paper or excel based lotteries, save yourself the headache and get Lotterease.

Curriculum Associates

Founded in 1969, Curriculum Associates, LLC designs research-based print and online instructional materials, screens and assessments, and data management tools. The company's products and outstanding customer service provide teachers and administrators with the resources necessary for teaching diverse student populations and fostering learning for all students.

Yancey Bus Sales and Service

Yancey Bus Sales is your full service bus provider for the state of Georgia. With a specialization in Blue Bird and Microbird buses, our sales & service team can take care of any and all of your activity bus needs. Visit YanceyBus.com/community or call 1-866-MY-B-BIRD for more information.

VS America

VS America, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of educational furniture for K-12 schools, colleges, and libraries. Focused on best practices for educational facilities worldwide, VS develops adaptable, ergonomic, and sustainable furniture solutions which allow for the creation of agile learning environments.

Strawn & Co., Insurance

Strawn & Co., Insurance proudly serves charter schools across Georgia. As an independent insurance and risk management firm, Strawn & Co. is uniquely positioned to deliver solutions to Georgia’s educators. Our practice has helped new schools transition from the charter application phase to successfully educating thousands of students. We have helped many established schools improve their coverage programs and implement best practices leading to safer campuses and reduced costs. At Strawn & Co., Insurance, we are proud to support the charter school movement and appreciate our role in supporting that great mission. Please contact us today so that we may be of service to your school.

First Tryon Advisors

First Tryon Advisors is a leading independent financial advisor to charter schools for facility-related debt financing, cash management, and capital planning. We have extensive experience serving charter schools with all forms of debt financing ranging from publicly offered bonds to tax-exempt bank loans and everything in between. We seek to secure financing solutions for our clients that provide the lowest overall cost of capital, optimize financing flexibility, and are part of a coherent and measured debt strategy. Our goal is to provide the best, most professional advice to our clients.

French Toast

French Toast is dedicated to making the best quality Schoolwear available to all students. We are on a mission to help students shine, whatever their passion, no matter their dress code, wherever they live or go to school.

PNC

PNC is one of the largest and most diversified financial services firm in the United States. Our Public Finance Charter School Group provides a one-stop financing solution for all types of charter school borrowers. We work with charter schools to develop a comprehensive plan of finance to meet immediate needs and address long-term capital plans. For facility needs, we offer lease-purchase options, interim financing (e.g. loans and lines of credit), and long-term solutions (e.g. tax-exempt bonds). We provide clients with an unmatched experience, as one of our bankers has intimate knowledge of charter school bond financing after founding her own K-8 charter school in NC and leading it through a successful bond transaction. The PNC Charter School Group delivers a smooth financing process, making the engagement as easy as possible, while helping our clients achieve the lowest cost of borrowing.

Summer Principals Academy

The Summer Principals Academy is a transformative graduate program committed to developing school leaders and promoting equity and excellence in education through an enriching, hands-on curriculum and administrative internships. Our rich, adaptive cohort learning environment allows you to earn your M.A. or Ed.M. over two consecutive five-week summer sessions while continuing to work in your current position.

National Charter Schools Institute | Epicenter

Epicenter equips your organization to work smarter, not harder. From managing operations and compliance to automating workflow and measuring performance, Epicenter has everything you need to manage the details and deliver results. End the paper chase and enjoy the peace of knowing your team is getting tasks done on time, every time.

Hertz Furniture

Hertz Furniture is committed to offering top quality, competitively priced furniture that meets your needs. We strive to provide the best customer experience possible, whether you're buying a single chair or furnishing an entire campus. Our goal is complete customer satisfaction.

BrightThinker

BrightThinker offers customizable K-12 online curriculum to charter schools and charter school districts across the country. BrightThinker serves these schools with a range of solutions which include remote learning, blended learning, credit recovery, CTE, SEL and intervention. BrightThinker does this with an individualized, self-paced, character-based and state aligned curriculum.

Charter School Capital

Charter Schools are innovators in education. Charter School Capital (CSC) is in service to Charter Schools, helping school leaders get where they want to go. For the past 15 years, CSC has provided an unending flow of purposeful services and resources to more than 800 Charter Schools, and the more than 1.8 million students those Charter Schools have served.

Inspiroz

Inspiroz is a managed IT service provider that works with over 200 charter schools, including KIPP Metro Atlanta (7 KIPP Networks total), Uncommon Schools, and Democracy Prep, just to name a few. We focus our work on charter schools and collaborate with school leaders to make technology an organization-wide initiative by providing:
- 24/7/365 help desk and network monitoring
- On-site technical support from a dedicated School Technology Specialist
- Ed-tech application support
- Strategic technology planning
We are mission-driven and care deeply about the work charter schools are working to achieve.

National University

Our mission is to create a student-centered, world-class educational system that focuses on offering quality, market-relevant programs to lifelong learners. Since 1971, National University has been dedicated to meeting the needs of hard-working adults by providing accessible, affordable, and achievable higher education opportunities.
Founded by retired U.S. Navy Capt. David Chigos, we now educate students across the U.S. and around the globe as the largest private nonprofit university in San Diego.

Raymond James

Raymond James combines the strength and stability of a national firm with the advantage of regional expertise. Backed by a powerful distribution platform and strong capital base, Raymond James works with individual charter schools as well as national operators to finance new schools and to acquire or refinance existing schools. This is accomplished through a variety of financing arrangements including private placements, publicly offered bonds and USDA loans. Raymond James has served as Underwriter for more than $600 million charter school financings and Placement Agent for $120 million of USDA charter school loans.

Legacy Solutions

Legacy Solutions provides a number of services to charter schools, including pre-screening candidates for hire, substitutes, and a variety of professional development sessions to meet the needs of all employee groups within a school. At Legacy Solutions, we work with each school to meet their individual short and long term goals. Our consultants have a wide range of knowledge and over 50 years of combined experience of working in and leading schools that mobilizes to effectively support schools.

Hive180 Educational Consulting

Hive180 Educational Consulting supports Georgia's charter schools in all areas of school founding, expansion, replication, operations, and renewal. We work with boards, leaders, and teachers to build capacity, form cohesive teams, implement impactful instructional programs, and create powerful and pervasive school culture.

Educators Now Educational Staffing

Educators Now is a leading education firm providing quality educators and school staff on a temporary, long-term, or permanent basis. The firm is dedicated to closing the teacher vacancy gap each year while assisting with day to day staffing of childcare, grade school, afterschool programs and more.

7 MINDSETS

7 Mindsets is an SEL solution that offers a scaffolded PreK-12 digital curriculum, professional learning, adult SEL, and assessment tools. Combining a mindsets-based approach with authentic engagement that supports teacher and student well-being, 7 Mindsets’ program is proven to improve student behavior and academic success and create positive lasting change.

SchoolMint

SchoolMint specializes in helping schools successfully recruit families and enroll students through a proactive, data-driven approach based on the top 5 reasons families choose a school. SchoolMint also provides powerful tools that support instructional leadership through observational feedback tools. SchoolMint's track record of helping schools improve their financial position and retain more teachers, both of which lead to higher student outcomes, is unparalleled.

SLA Management

Named one of the Top 50 School Foodservice Providers in the country for 4 years running by Food Management Magazine and was also included on their list for 2022 Top 10 Rising and Top 6 Foodservice Companies to Watch, SLA Management provides complete school foodservice management, specializing in K–12 Charter Schools who do or would like to participate in the National School Lunch Program. Our boutique-style approach allows us to partner with our schools to create individually tailored programs meeting the needs and goals of the schools we serve. Our team is comprised of talented, dedicated food service professionals who have a passion for what they do.

The Layne Center for Therapy, Education, and Assessment

Students who are mentally healthy are more likely to arrive at school prepared to learn, participate actively in classroom activities, form supportive and caring relationships with adults and other students, apply the right problem-solving techniques, display nonaggressive behaviors, and contribute to a positive school climate. The Layne Center for Therapy, Education, and Assessment aids in developing mental health initiatives in schools.

Piper Sandler

Piper Sandler provides facility financing to charter schools, including acquisitions, new constructions, renovations, modulars, equipment, and working capital for charter schools throughout the nation. We have procured these financings for a wide range of schools from startups to large management organizations using tax-exempt bonds, CDFI lending and bank placements. Our focus is the execution of the transaction at hand through the delivery of superior client service, resulting in the establishment of enduring, long-term relationships. Our goal is to help charter schools attain a facility that meets their needs by providing the maximum amount of funds at the lowest overall cost.

Beable

Beable is the next-generation Life-Ready Literacy platform that closes the literacy and opportunity gap for all. Only Beable intertwines personal growth, academic rigor, and career exploration with literacy at the heart. And only Beable provides career development at every student’s reading level so that all kids can succeed.

StartOps

StartOps partners with public charter schools nationally specializing in leadership coaching, staff development, wellness integration, and strategic planning for school operations teams and leaders.

IPG

We have proudly served clients as IPG, Incorporated since 1976 offering comprehensive programming, planning, design, and construction administration services. IPG if fully committed to the creative process for each project. The end product should not only meet specific needs, but also positively respond to and illuminate the most critical goals and objectives of the project. IPG’s mission statement reinforces this belief “With each client served we strive to both uncover and tangibly represent the unique animus loci (the spirit of the place) which makes each project distinctive from every other.”

Premier School Operations

Premier School Operations was founded for the purpose of supporting charter schools with their operational needs. We have over 10 years of experience working with over 90 charter schools across the country. Our ultimate goal is to support charter schools in maximizing their operational effectiveness and execution. The services we offer include coaching, training, mentorship and resource development.

Read 21

Read 21 is an interactive, engaging web application designed to close the gap for non-readers and lagging readers for 3rd – 8th graders. It is a very intentional, fast, and effective program that gets results. Children learn to read in 21 days or less. Over 80% of elementary kids read on grade-level with our program.

Aflac

Scott Hayes

Special Projects Coordinator

Aflac Benefits Consultant

scott_hayes@us.aflac.com

706-816-1662

The Healthy School Food Collaborative

HSFC is a team of food service operations professionals who support charter and non-public schools and districts and community organizations with food program implementation and management. Using best practices gained through years of experience, along with a commitment to our partners' success, we ensure sustainable food program operations in schools and communities.

The School Gourmet & Gourmet Express

The founders were born and raised on food made with love…and the best ingredients. Developed as a division of a successful corporate catering company, The School Gourmet is now in its fourth year and it is truly their pride and joy.Passionate about providing our children and yours with healthy, made from scratch food, the entire food culture at The School Gourmet is based on healthy cooking and delicious cuisine. Every menu item is made from scratch daily using only the freshest ingredients. We use herbs and spices to create delicious flavors and we avoid salt base seasonings whenever possible. We provide these sensational, nutritious meals to children and staff in schools, daycare centers, recreational and afterschool programs, and more. We now operate two state of the art facilities in the same complex which includes over 8000 square feet of production & operating space.

HJ Sims

Established in 1935, HJ Sims is a full-service investment bank with dedicated education experts specializing in structuring and underwriting charter school financings. HJ Sims provides solutions for acquisition, expansion, renovation or refinancing. We also provide financial advisory services in the areas of capital planning, restructuring, and more. With experienced and expert bankers, your project will be Financed Right®. The right financing can lead to children living to their full potential. Visit hjsims.com/education to learn how HJ Sims can fund your company’s continued growth.

TARA Education Technologies

Teachers are one of only a handful of universal roles in our communities - they exist in every society, everywhere- always have and always will. But the teaching profession is in trouble. Years of being overworked, underappreciated, and underpaid have finally created a real crisis (or at least one that the general public is finally starting to take notice of). As former educators ourselves, we know firsthand how physically and emotionally tough teaching can be, especially when you are not being valued along the way. But we also know that no one is coming to save us.
We are building TARA to be the ideal teaching assistant - one that anticipates a teacher's needs while keeping them organized and energized. Our hope is that we can eliminate the day-to-day grind of teaching, leaving every educator with what they love most - students and learning.

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