What It Takes to Build a School: Dr. Karen Anderson and the Vision Behind Hawkins Charter School

Some leaders spend their careers strengthening schools, and others reach a point where they feel called to build one from the ground up. Dr. Karen Anderson has done both.

With more than two decades of experience as a teacher, principal, turnaround leader, and leadership coach, she has worked across classrooms, schools, and systems to improve student outcomes and support the educators who serve them. Her work has shaped school leaders across North Carolina and beyond, grounded in a deep understanding of what it takes to create environments where both students and teachers can thrive. Now, she’s stepping into a different kind of work.

As a Founder’s Fellow with Great Schools North Carolina, Dr. Anderson is leading the design of Hawkins Charter School, a proposed K–8 public charter school rooted in the East Greensboro community. It’s a community with deep history and strong potential, and for her, this work is both professional and personal.

Applications for the next cohort of Founder’s Fellows open on May 1. Click here to read about our Founder’s Fellows. 

“With this fellowship, I am designing Hawkins Charter School to be a school grounded in the values, history, and aspirations of the East Greensboro community,” she shares. “This is a full-circle moment.” 

And for her, it truly is.

Hawkins Charter School is planned to open with kindergarten and first, second and sixth grade in fall 2028, growing to serve grades K-8 by 2034. But the long-term vision starts with something more immediate: creating a school where students feel seen, challenged, and supported from day one.

Her approach reflects years of experience and a clear point of view. The model blends rigorous, research-based instruction with hands-on, museum-inspired learning that invites curiosity and critical thinking. Students won’t just be learning content. They’ll be encouraged to see themselves as thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers. At the same time, the school will prioritize personalized supports and social-emotional development, because academic success and student well-being are closely connected in her view.

Just as important is how the school will support educators. Dr. Anderson plans to implement an Advanced Teaching Roles framework that elevates teachers as leaders within the school. It’s a reflection of what she has seen throughout her career: when teachers are supported and given room to lead, schools get stronger. Students do too.

She brings a systems-level perspective on how learning happens and how to support teachers in improving student outcomes, but she also understands the day-to-day reality of schools. Creating a safe, focused, and supportive environment isn’t a side effort; it’s central to the work.

For Dr. Anderson, Hawkins Charter School is not just about launching something new. It’s about responding to what families in East Greensboro have been asking for and building a school that reflects the community’s strengths, values, and expectations. A place where students are pushed academically, supported personally, and prepared for what comes next.

Through the Founder’s Fellowship at Great Schools North Carolina, we are investing in the leaders and conditions that make high-quality public education possible. That means supporting visionary school founders, like Dr. Anderson, strengthening the systems that help schools succeed, and removing barriers that too often limit access to strong public school options.

The Founder’s Fellowship is designed for leaders who have not yet submitted a charter application but are ready to take that next step. Strong candidates bring a great idea and:

• A clear and compelling vision for a school that addresses a specific community need and is distinct from existing options

• A well-defined instructional approach, curriculum philosophy, and operational design

• A commitment to building inclusive, culturally responsive environments that expand access and opportunity for all students 

If you’ve been considering launching a school, or if you know someone who wants to, this is your opportunity to take a structured, supported next step.

Applications open on May 1. Click here to read about our Founder’s Fellows.