Yocheved Belsky:

Strength in Unexpected Leadership

Yocheved Belsky stepped into a leadership role few her age would take on—leading a school where every decision felt like a battle. Facing constant roadblocks, she learned how to cut through red tape, fight for students, and stand her ground in the world of education politics.

Bio

If you say, “Jump,” I’ll ask, “Why?” Let’s challenge the status quo.

Yocheved Belsky is the founder and CEO of Clear Square Group, an organization focused on providing educational consulting for institutions, schools, and organizations. When clients requested helpfully utilizing pandemic-related EANS funding for school services, Yocheved launched M²Learning to help non-public schools and their students succeed despite the pandemic.

Yocheved has over 20 years of experience in the educational services industry as a charter school superintendent, service provider, key consultant, and K-12 educator. As a nonpublic school educator and charter school superintendent, Yocheved spearheaded one of the earliest online school programs in the country. In her work as a third-party service provider and educational consultant, she has created many government-funded educational programs and brought them to the market for different school models.

Yocheved is passionate about making sure all students receive the services they need to succeed in school. Through managing conflicting stakeholders, assessing educational needs, securing funding, and driving compliance measures, Yocheved and the M²Learning team provide an all-encompassing approach to help students succeed.

Topics

  • The Reality of Running a Charter School
  • School Choice: What It Really Means
  • The Politics of Education Reform
  • Navigating Bureaucracy & Cutting Through Red Tape
  • Leading with Mission Over Ego
  • What It’s Like to Face Public Scrutiny
  • Advocating for Special Needs Students in Public Education
  • The Strength & Resilience Behind Leadership
  • Lessons in Crisis Management & Problem-Solving
  • How Young Leaders Can Step Into Big Roles

Guiding Questions

  • What led you to take on such a big leadership role so young?
  • What was the biggest challenge you faced as a charter school superintendent?
  • How did you handle the political pushback and union resistance?
  • What are some misconceptions people have about charter schools?
  • Can you share a moment where you almost gave up? What kept you going?
  • How did this experience shape your leadership style today?
  • What did you learn about resilience through this journey?
  • What advice would you give to someone stepping into a leadership role they didn’t expect?
  • How can parents and communities advocate for better education options?
  • What would you say to critics of school choice?

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