On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes back Dr. Brenda Hafner, school leader of Liberty STEAM Charter: A School of Inquiry, Innovation, and Impact in Sumter, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. In this second segment, the conversation digs into the culture of accountability that runs through everything Liberty does. Chris explains the balance at the heart of the charter model, the freedom each school earns to run its own way in exchange for a promise to not just meet state standards but exceed them, and why real transparency to families and taxpayers matters so much. Hafner then shares how that same spirit of accountability extends to parents, who sign on as true partners the moment their child is accepted, committing to get their student to school ready to learn and to give volunteer hours throughout the year.
What makes it work, Hafner explains, is that families genuinely embrace those expectations, from a brand new Dads on Duty group greeting students at carline to an active PTA, engaged board members, and community partners who show up in a big way. She and Chris reflect on how parental involvement became one of the quiet silver linings of the pandemic era, and why that commitment continues to fuel the growth of charter schools across the state. The two also return to Liberty's hands-on approach to workforce readiness, where partnerships with real industries help shape students who can graduate ready to earn strong wages and give back to the Sumter community they call home. It is an encouraging look at why, at Liberty, education truly is a partnership through and through.
🔗 Learn more: https://libertysteamcharter.org/
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