Kristin Vollmer Named Principal of The Harlem Heights Community Charter School

FORT MYERS, Fla. - July 11, 2016 - PRLog -- Kristin Vollmer has been named principal of Lee County's newest tuition-free public charter school. The Harlem Heights Community Charter School, located at The Heights Center, 15570 Hagie Drive in Fort Myers, will serve kids kindergarten through grade 3 beginning in August.

Vollmer has more than 18 years of experience in education.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education and a Masters of Arts in Educational Leadership with a charter school emphasis.  She was a kindergarten and first grade teacher before becoming a charter school administrator.

"Kristin opened a successful K-12 charter school in Colorado prior to coming to Southwest Florida," said Dr. Debra Mathinos, Director of Lifelong Learning at The Heights Center. "She has experience with small group instruction, intervention and staff development, which make her a great fit for our school focus of individualized instruction."

According to The Florida Department of Education, charter schools are among the fastest growing school choice options in Florida. Charter schools are largely free to innovate, and often provide more effective programs and choice to diverse groups of students.  More than 650 charter school are available in Florida and student enrollment is nearly 270,000.

The Harlem Heights Community Charter School will welcome its first classes of kindergarten and first grade on August 10, 2016.   Enrollment opportunities are available.  For more information contact Debra Mathinos at (239) 482-7706 or by email debra@heightsfoundation.org

About the Heights Foundation and The Harlem Heights Community Charter School

The Heights Foundation works to build self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood.  The mission is to support education and wellness, promote family and community development, and provide the benefits of enrichment and the arts.  The Harlem Heights Community Charter School, supported by The Heights Foundation, will serve children Kindergarten through Grade 3 and is designed to provide students with a developmentally appropriate, standards-based, differentiated educational experience.

Harlem Heights was originally settled as a rural agricultural community.   Approximately 780 children live in a mixture of single-family homes and multi-family apartments. Demographically, the population is approximately 70% Hispanic, 20% African-American, and 8% Caucasian. The poverty rate for children in Harlem Heights is more than twice the county average, with family income 40% below the county average. Families are not able to easily access family support services located in downtown Fort Myers, and benefit greatly from programs located within the neighborhood.