“LENS provided an opportunity for me to see schools in other parts of the country. The models were not cookie-cutter; we really had the opportunity to see people in different facets of the school. It was eye-opening to see what charter schools are doing and how they define success, and I was able to think about how we could bring some of these practices into the public school system. It was also really nice to be able to work with leaders in charter schools and get to see that their struggles are our struggles, and their triumphs are our triumphs. Our shared purpose is successful outcomes for students.”