School Leadership

Carolyn has been an educator since 1998 and throughout her career has focused on promoting equity of opportunity and outcomes for all students. Carolyn began her career as an English teacher at a large, comprehensive high school in the Bronx, NY.  In 2006, Carolyn founded the Academy for Young Writers (AFYW), a small, project-based, Title 1, 6-12 school located in Brooklyn, New York. Under her leadership as principal, over 90% of AFYW students graduated and were accepted to college.  After serving as a principal, Carolyn became the executive director of school quality for the New York City Department of Education, where she oversaw school quality and principal practice evaluations across 1,700 schools. After moving to California in 2016, Carolyn was the chief executive officer of School Empowerment Network, a national education non-profit focused on new school design, leadership development, and school quality evaluations.  Before joining Valley Charter Schools as the executive director in July of 2020, Carolyn had served on the VCS board for two years.  Carolyn holds an undergraduate degree from Boston University, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland, and a degree in educational administration from Baruch College. Carolyn enjoys reading, cooking, hiking, and exploring California with her husband, son, and daughter and she is a proud Valley Charter parent. 

 

 

Dr. Elizabeth Adams has been an educator since 2004.  She began her career teaching in Lawndale, CA for nine years.  She then joined the VCES family in 2013 as a founding 5th-grade teacher.  She immediately appreciated the community and collaboration among the teachers.  After teaching 5th grade for five years, she became VCES' reading specialist, which allowed her to work with students across all grade levels.  In her out of classroom role, she has also been the coordinator of professional development for teachers and she took on numerous school-wide responsibilities, such as writing our most recent charter renewal.  Elizabeth earned her doctorate in educational leadership from California Lutheran University.  As a part of her dissertation titled Redefining Family Engagement for Immigrant Latino Families, she interviewed families to better understand the multitude of ways that they contribute to their children's education.  In addition to her doctorate, she has a master's in child and adolescent literacy, a reading specialist credential, and an undergraduate degree in liberal studies from Loyola Marymount University.  When not at work, she is often doing puzzles or attending car-related events with her husband and two young sons. 

 

 

Parinaz Banks, Incoming VCES Principal for SY 25/26

Valley Charter Elementary School

Parinaz Banks is a passionate, equity-driven educator with 15 years of experience in public education, including roles as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and network-level leader. Prior to joining VCES, she served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for a network of K–12 charter schools serving over 4,500 students across Los Angeles, where she led efforts to strengthen teaching and learning across schools. In this role, she supported the adoption of research-aligned curriculum and instructional practices to better serve multilingual learners, students with IEPs, and a wide range of diverse learning needs. Parinaz earned her Master of Science in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, where she deepened her understanding of how to connect educational research with the day-to-day realities of being a teacher and school leader. As an assistant principal, she led the development of a school-wide literacy intervention program—designing systems for identifying student needs, building staff capacity, and tracking growth for struggling readers. She also spearheaded the campus-wide implementation of social-emotional learning and restorative practices, demonstrating her commitment to both academic excellence and an inclusive school culture. Parinaz believes great leadership means bridging big-picture vision with the everyday work of building trust, supporting teachers and staff, and showing up for kids. She is a hands-on leader who believes that schools thrive when students feel a deep sense of belonging, safety, and connection. As a mom of two young boys, Parinaz brings both a personal and professional commitment to leading a school that is joyful, engaging, and grounded in purpose. She is thrilled to bring that spirit to VCES as the school’s principal!

 

 

Brenda Sadeghi grew up in Tulare, California but now considers herself a true Los Angeles native. She received her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where she double majored in political science and Chicano Studies and went on to get her teaching credential from Fresno Pacific University. She also holds a master's in educational leadership from CSUN. Prior to joining VCMS, Brenda taught at Extera Public School in Boyle Heights. She especially treasures what she calls the “oh moments” in the classroom. “I love teaching when the vast majority of the class has little experience with the concept because when they start to understand the concept they often say, ‘Oh, I get it!’  Then I feel our experience has come full circle,” she explains. In her spare time, the Lake Balboa resident enjoys trying new things such as parasailing and kayaking. She also seeks out local destinations where she can experience different cultures and traditions.

 

 

Rose Powers is from Boston, Massachusetts where she taught high school Spanish for almost ten years.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish language from University of Massachusetts Boston and her master’s degree in teaching from Simmons University.  She then received a certificate of advanced graduate studies in educational administration from University of Massachusetts, Boston.  In Boston, she ran several summer programs and worked as a substitute dean of students. Rose has a passion for leading professional development and has run sessions on restorative justice and culturally responsive teaching.  She believes in positive behavior reinforcement systems and works to develop meaningful relationships with the students and families of VCMS.  Rose was the Dean of Students and School Culture at our 7th and 8th Grade site for a year and a half before moving into the Assistant Principal role.  In her spare time, Rose enjoys reading, traveling, photography, listening to 90’s music and spending time with her husband and son.

 

Carolina Merino, Director of Operations

Valley Charter Schools

Having previously worked at a charter school, Carolina knew that accepting an administrative position with a start-up charter would be a lot of work, but she was ready for the challenge.  She accepted the position of founding school office manager for the elementary school in the summer of 2010 and has been an integral part of VCS’s success. Reflecting back, Carolina says, “I was eager to help build a school and see it grow and succeed.  I was looking for a second home and a family that would take the time to go above and beyond to guide children into a successful future.” Born in San Salvador, El Salvador, she grew up in Sylmar and attended California State University, Northridge where she earned a BA in both Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development.  Carolina is a caring and devoted mother, and when she is not at work she loves spending time with her family and visiting new places with them.  All three of her children embarked on their educational journeys at VCS, and her oldest is now in high school after having graduated from 8th grade at VCMS.

 

Rebecca Avery, Director of Family and Student Engagement

Valley Charter Schools

Rebecca Avery was a longtime Valley Charter School parent before becoming a staff member in 2020.  Her oldest child, now a college student, was accepted into VCES as an incoming kindergartener in the 2011 school year, and her other two children have followed in his footsteps.  Mrs. Avery has a longtime passion for preK-12 public education.  Before having children, she taught both preschool and middle school (6th grade ELA and Social Studies) in Seattle and Los Angeles.  She is equally passionate about the importance of charter schools and the mission, vision and leadership at Valley Charter School.  Mrs. Avery believes that a strong school community is vital in providing the best possible educational opportunities for students TK-8, and is excited to be a part of a school team that shares that philosophy.  She loves engaging with new and current VCS families, and doing outreach for prospective families. Mrs. Avery has a degree in English and French from the University of Washington, and earned her teaching credential at CSUN.  In her spare time, she spends time with her family on hikes and beach days, runs on local trails with friends, and catches up on (many) podcasts.