Board of Directors

board@innovationsta.org

A Charter School You Can Trust in Minnesota

Our board of directors at Innovation Academy in the North Metro Area in Minnesota are committed to providing high-quality education for student innovators. We do this by using an innovative curriculum that is developed through the combined effort of our staff, our students' parents, and the community. Continue browsing this page for more information about Innovation Academy, a charter school you can trust.

Emergency Meeting
June 22	at 1:00pm	via zoom meeting
April 19th	at 1:00pm	via zoom meeting

Members
Board Member Application	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
Meeting Dates
Board Meeting Dates for 2020	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
Meeting Minutes
2020
January	April 5th	April 19th
June 22	July 12th	August 9th
September 13th
2019
December
Meeting Agenda
March 2020	April 2020	May 2020
June 2020	July 2020	August 2020
September 2020	October 2020
School Policies
Admission and Enrollment Policy	Anti-Bullying Policy	Conflict of Interest Policy
Health Policy
Medication Policy
School Building
Visitors to School District Buildings and Sites Procedure	School Weapons Policy	Bullying Prohibition Policy
Employee
Harassment and Violence
Employee-Student Relationship-Innovation	Equal Opportunity - Employees and Personnel	Policy Evaluation of Staff - Employees and Personnel
Instructional Curriculum	Mandatory Reporting - Employees and Personnel	Staff Development - Employees and Personnel
Tobaco Free Environment - Employees and Personnel	Drug Free Workplace - Drug Free School - Employees and Personnel	Anti-nepotism - Employee
Student Teaching and Internships
Board
Board Code of Ethics	Board Rules	Equal Education Opportunity
Students
Student Attendance	Student Dress and Appearance	Distribution of Non-School Sponsored Materials on School Premises by Students and Employees
Student Discipline	Corporal Punishment	Extended School Year for Certain Students with Individualized Education Programs
Early Entrance to Kindergarten
Administration
Administration Code of Ethics	School Administration-Innovation	Innovation Science and Technology
Bylaws
Bylaws August 2019	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
Financial Report Summary
Coming Soon	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
MDE Web Links
Coming Soon	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
Employee Handbook
Employee Handbook	Coming Soon	Coming Soon

Board of Directors/Founders

Dr. Omotoke Olatoye

Founder

She is a veteran with over 30 years of experience as an educator, working tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of the young ones and tomorrow’s leaders. She has the leadership skills, teaching skills, passion for, and commitment to developing young inventors and promoting student learning. She presented her science students for the first Minnesota Invention Convention Showcase in 2018. At the showcase, three of her students were recognized for Nationals. She holds Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Bethel University, M.A. from Bethel University, and B.A. Industrial Chemistry from the University of Benin, Nigeria. Dr. Olatoye started her teaching career as a chemistry teacher and later transitioned to the inspectorate division as a federal inspector of education in Nigeria.

Upon relocating to USA, Dr.Olatoye continued what she believes in, transforming lives. She has worked in different school districts, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, South Washington County Schools and charter schools, College Prep elementary and Dugsi Academy as a chemistry teacher, physics teacher, science teacher, educational lead, administrative intern, district-wide coordinator, positive behavioral intervention and supports (PBIS) coordinator, vice-chair school board, and principal after-school program. Dr.Olatoye has the commitment and passion to promote student learning, improve student achievement, and close the achievement gap. Dr.Olatoye is a change agent and will use her wealth of experience to best influence all the stakeholders, staff, parents, and community to work together in developing the young inventors, fostering student learning, and improving student achievement.

Dr. Adebimpe Diji

Board Chair

Dr. Diji is an educator and a psychology professor with over 16 years of experience. Her passion for teaching comes from a deep desire to contribute to students’ success. She continuously seeks to inspire students through interactive learning and equips them with tools and strategies that promote personal growth and the fulfillment of their educational goals.

Dr. Diji received her Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Walden University and was top of her class. She earned her M.S. and B.S. respectively in Psychology from universities in Nigeria. Her research focus includes students’ examination, cheating attitude and behavior, absenteeism among employees, and leadership escalation of commitment. She has some published research assessment tools and journal papers to her credit.

Dr. Diji is also certified in the Read Right methodology, a reading intervention program that is research-based and supported by science developed to help students (K-12 and higher institution) with reading challenges. She has consistently served on various faculty and staff search committees and is a team player. While working in a Nigeria university, Dr. Diji successfully contributed to the psychology department’s re-accreditation by the higher education accrediting body. She worked tirelessly on program and course descriptions and contents.

She currently teaches psychology at Century College, Minnesota and works as an adjunct professor at the University of Northwestern - Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Ms. Peace Sinyigaya

Board Treasurer

Peace is a Manufacturing Engineer at Vixar Inc, a Subsidiary of OSRAM, working with vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs). She recently graduated from St. Kate’s with honors at 21, being the first African-American from her University to graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. During her time at St. Kate’s, she was president of Women in Math, Science, and Engineering (WiMSE) for two years, co-founded an organization for students of color and LGBTQ+ students in STEM called Color of STEM (COS), was on the Student Senate, and was involved with several committees, including Graduates of Color and the Myser Faculty Excellence Award Selection Committee. She was a NASA Space Grant scholar on the High-Altitude Ballooning Research team for two summers as well as a teaching assistant for both the Physics and English Departments, holding office hours, tutoring, leading labs, and grading assignments.

Peace enjoys working with kids and does the best she can to help the kids in her life succeed in a variety of spaces. She is a mentor for Stillwater Area High School’s robotics team, Armada 2508, working with kids interested in growing their engineering and science knowledge in a competitive and team driven environment. She volunteers at the Works Museum and at the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair, aiming to connect with and show girls and students of color what an engineer/scientist can look like. She also is a Sunday School teacher at her church, leading worship with K-5th grade kids on Sunday mornings and at their annual summer day camp. Also at her church, she is a youth leader, connecting with and supporting youth in 7-12th grade. Peace is excited to get to know the kids that will be attending Innovation Academy next!

Ms. Sara White

Secretary

Ms. White is an experienced educator with the leadership skills, teaching skills, passion, and commitment to provide the dynamic curriculum that will grow students academically, socially, and emotionally. She holds a B. A. Liberal Arts and Urban Studies. She has recorded success in developing the components of a school district’s teaching plans, which include curriculum-related plans, a gifted and talented program, technological plans, mentoring plans, and equity plans. She raised student enrollment from 0 to 15 students in the gifted program by researching, developing, writing, and implementing the Gifted Program. She values the importance of aligning curriculum with the Minnesota state core standards. Ms. White has the skills to provide constant and ongoing evaluations of teaching standards, including annual updates and revisions. She researches, reviews, recommends, and initiates textbooks and other educational materials for ELL students. She observes the work of teaching staff to evaluate their performance and to recommend changes that could strengthen their teaching skills and professionalism. Ms. White will bring to Innovation Academy the skills to support the staff with the curriculum and research-based instructional practices that will foster learning experiences and enable ALL students to meet state and district academic standards. She is an invaluable asset to the school.

Ms. Kim Johnson

Board Member

Ms. Johnson is a veteran educator with 11 years of teaching experience, who has a passion for working with students and believes that education truly has the power to transform the world. She received an M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning from St. Mary’s University of MN, a B.A. in Spanish with a minor in French from Macalester College, and additional teaching licensure in ESL from Hamline University. Ms. Johnson started her teaching career as a Spanish and French teacher in public school districts and charter schools around the Twin Cities. Most recently, she was the ELL Coordinator and ELL teacher at Dugsi Academy in St. Paul, MN, ELL and elementary Spanish teacher at PACT Charter School in Ramsey, MN, and is currently an ELL teacher at Community School of Excellence in St. Paul, MN. Ms. Johnson has traveled extensively, and loves sharing cultures and languages with her students. She also loves working with other educators to help them learn about the gifts and talents that ELL students and their families bring to our school and community, and to help them better understand how to best meet the needs of these unique students in their classrooms.

Ms. Esther Vang

Board Member

Ms. Esther has excellent skills of providing support to people in need. She holds a B.A., Social Education (Major), Psychology (Minor). She is very passionate about the welfare of the youth, families and social-emotional well-being of students. She demonstrated these in her work as a program manager, case worker, program coordinator, educational assistant and membership coordinator. She recorded success in supporting the underprivileged, Hmong families, assisting over 150 families find housing, managing a quarter of a million budget and providing. support services and outcome-based programming for persons with disabilities and mental illnesses. As an educational assistant, Ms. Esther provided in class support for teachers and one on one tutoring for students. In addition, she facilitated successful after school peer support groups for female Hmong students. Ms. Esther will be an invaluable asset to Innovation not only in her ability to help with the finances but working positively with parents to meet the needs of all students especially those who are underserved.

Ms. Quiana Mazique

Founding Board Member

Non-Voting

Ms. Quiana is a skilled transformational leader with the ability to use diversity and inclusion team building strategies to deliver exceptional quality service. She holds Bachelor’s degree in Studio Arts, Minor: Urban Studies and Masters in Business Administration, MBA. Ms. Quiana is currently a Tax Specialist with Minnesota Department of Revenue. She has recorded many accomplishments including diversity and inclusion strategic plan advisory committee member, 2017 Minnesota Department of Revenue, leadership academy graduate, ILEAD: Diversity and Inclusion Committee Member and 2017-2018 Chair. She also served as the PTO member, PTO organizer, LIFE Prep School Board Member and Secretary of the Executive Committee. Ms. Qiana has a wealth of experience that she is bringing to Innovation to (1) promote social justice and support teachers in meeting the needs of our diverse learners and (2) provide support with the auditing of financial report.

Mr. Abdinasser Ahmed

Teacher Representative

Get in Touch With Our School

Innovation Academy operates under the Minnesota Department of Education. We are a tuition-free school that is committed to open enrollment of PreK-12, development of globally conscious student innovators and agents of change. If you are interested in enrolling your children at our school, please browse our enrollment page for the enrollment application. For more information, please contact the office or send us a message.

Board of Directors

board@innovationsta.org

A Charter School You Can Trust in Minnesota

Emergency Meeting

Members

Meeting Dates

Meeting Minutes

Meeting Agenda

School Policies

Bylaws

Financial Report Summary

MDE Web Links

Employee Handbook

Board of Directors/Founders

Get in Touch With Our School

Contact Us