Highlander Charter School
Melissa Andrade is an experienced educator currently serving as a First Grade Teacher at Highlander Charter School since June 2018. Additionally, Melissa holds the position of Site Coordinator at Child Opportunity Zone (COZ) within the Bristol Warren Regional School District since February 2016. Previous roles include serving as a 4th Grade Long Term Guest Teacher and Guest Teacher at The Learning Community Charter School, as well as a Student Teacher at East Providence School District. Melissa began their career as a Day Camp Counselor at the YMCA of Greater Hartford from February 2011 to August 2015. Melissa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Roger Williams University, completing the degree in 2017, following graduation from Glastonbury High School in 2013.
Highlander Charter School
Highlander Charter School was founded in 2000 as the first independent charter public school in the state of RI. The lower school for grades pre-k through 6 is located in a former jewelry factory turned educational center. The upper school for grades 7-12 is located in a former Catholic School on 42 acres in Warren. Highlander enrolls 274 students in grades Pre-k through 6, and 360 in grades 7-12. Highlander seeks to generate and sustain the fundamental redesign of urban schooling in Rhode Island by demonstrating how the needs of all students can be met by making school engaging and rigorous – through both intentional classroom learning and transformative experiences in the outside world.