Local School Superintendent Stresses Citizenship
by Jeremy A. Belitsos
As the mom of young twins and the superintendent of three Arizona charter schools with seven campuses in four cities, Raena Janes understands firsthand the demands of a hectic work schedule and busy family life. Perhaps this is why she’s been so successful in her educational endeavors. She understands the necessity for all parents – and students – to find balance and support.
An active advocate for Arizona education for many years, Janes’ passion for education was nurtured early on by her parents, who for years operated their own private school in Tucson. These days, Janes champions education as the founder of three of Arizona’s largest and fastest-growing charter school systems: Liberty Traditional Charter School in Phoenix, Heritage Elementary School in Glendale and Williams, and La Paloma Academy in Tucson.
Janes’ goal is to provide quality core academics with a strong character-based education for Arizona’s kids. In addition to learning about math, science, reading, writing, social studies and the arts, the students at Janes’ schools learn about the importance of character traits such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.
In addition to focusing on academics and character building, each of Janes’ charter schools incorporates community service into the curriculum. An active member in several non-profit community organizations such as Junior League of Tucson, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross and the Advisory Council for the Arizona Charter Schools Association, Janes is a strong believer in bringing community service projects to Arizona’s youth.
Students at her schools learn about and contribute to the community through projects like cleaning up the local environment, contributing to seasonal charity drives and celebrating local military heroes. The projects are all part of Janes’ mission to create not only well-educated students but also well-rounded citizens and members of the community.
“We teach our students that they have a responsibility to the community and that it’s important to give back,” Janes says. She balances community responsibility with personal and academic responsibility at all of her charter schools.
Additionally, Janes works hard to ensure that parents and faculty communicate and work cooperatively with students to support them and provide for a more fulfilling educational experience. “Kids really want boundaries,” Janes says. “They like to know what’s expected of them and know that people love them enough to make sure they follow through.”
Janes always follows through, doing what she can to improve Arizona’s choices in education. Her passion for providing a solid educational foundation for every child has been recognized by the state of Arizona, earning her the state’s Excellence in Education Award. In addition, Janes has been the recipient of Tucson’s 40 Under 40 Award and the 2008 Tucson 40 Under 40 Mentor of the Year Award.
Jeremy A. Belitsos is a publicist for Tucson-based McFadden/Gavender Advertising.
