Eli Kramer – Interim Executive Director
Eli Kramer is the interim Executive Director of Hiawatha Academies. He has been an instructional coach with Hiawatha Academies for the past year. Prior to joining Hiawatha, Eli was a founding Dean of Curriculum and Instruction with Uncommon Schools. He taught for six years in New York City at the elementary and middle school level. Eli was a 2003 Teach for America corps member in the Bronx, NY. He holds a B.A. in government from Harvard, a Masters in Education from Bank Street College, and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Brooklyn College. Eli grew up in Minneapolis, and is happy to be home.
John Kaczorek – Middle School Principal
John Kaczorek is the Principal of Adelante College Prep, the middle school at Hiawatha Academies. John joined Hiawatha Academies as our founding middle school math teacher. Before joining Hiawatha, John taught 5th grade math at Rise Academy, a high-performing KIPP school in Newark, New Jersey. John was a 2005 TFA corps member teaching in the Bronx, NY. He grew up in Minnesota and attended St. John’s University. John is thrilled to be leading Adelante College Prep during its second year as it moves to its new building.
Robin Fischer - Elementary Principal K - 4
Robin Fischer assumed the position of Elementary Principal in the 2011-2012 school year. Her experience in education began in the 2005 Teach For America Corps where she taught elementary in Phoenix, AZ. From there she went on to teach elementary in both Spanish and English before she found herself drawn to the mission of Hiawatha Academies and, specifically, to closing the achievement gap in her home state of Minnesota. Having served as a Dean during the 2010-2011 school year, Robin is looking forward to helping push the school and its mission forward in the coming years.
Hattie Carvalho - Assistant Principal K - 4
Hattie Carvalho will be moving in to the Assistant Principal role at Hiawatha Leadership Academy for the 2011/2012 school year. She has served as the Director of Student Services , Special Education Coordinator, and special education teacher at HLA since 2009. Hattie began her teaching career as a 2007 Teach for America corps member in Eastern North Carolina teaching middle school special education before returning to Minnesota and joining the HLA Team. She is excited to move into the Assistant Principal role and to continue supporting HLA’s students, teachers, and families as our scholars climb the mountain to college!
Sean Elder – Chief Operating Officer
Sean Elder is the Chief Operating Officer of Hiawatha Academies. Mr. Elder joined Hiawatha in June 2011 and leads development activities and other non-academic operations of the academies. Prior to joining Hiawatha, Elder was the Minnesota Area Manager for Skyhawks Sports Academy, where he managed a region of 7,000 participants and 120 staff for the nation’s largest provider of youth sports programs. From 2004-2006, he served as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor at the University of Minnesota. Recently, Elder completed a summer fellowship in Chicago with Education Pioneers where he conducted marketing and business development work for Lighthouse Academies, a national charter management organization. An active community member, Mr. Elder currently sits on the Education Committee for the Greater Twin Cities United Way. He holds a B.A. in Sociology – Law, Criminology, and Deviance from the University of Minnesota and an M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas.