As a tuition-free public charter school,

Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA) will operate in partnership with Charles County Public Schools to offer students an arts- and international-focused school. Our innovative, whole-child approach prepares young people for leadership in a global and creative world.

We are a tuition-free public school, serving middle school students. We are open to all students in Charles County, Maryland, including students with disabilities and multilingual learners. We welcome all.

We cultivate 6th, 7th and 8th grade students to be globally-minded artists and leaders in Charles County, Maryland. 

At PISOTA, students are steeped in our arts curriculum and get access to arts learning in dance, music, acting, visual arts, or museum studies, every day. We also bring an international perspective to everything we teach. 

We believe that when students understand the many perspectives impacting our world, they are better positioned to tackle complex problems and design innovative solutions to improve our world.

Students receive arts education, every day.

About

Angelica Jackson, M.S.Ed.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Rickkay King, M.A.

Co-Founder & Director of Interdisciplinary and Auxiliary Programs

Dr. R. Demetri Sermons

Founding Middle School Principal

Rickkay King, M.A.

Co-Founder & Director of Interdisciplinary and Auxiliary Programs

Dr. R. Demetri Sermons

Founding Middle School Principal

Angelica Jackson is the CEO and Co-Founder of Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA), Charles County’s first public charter middle school with a dual-study program in the arts and international studies. She's a national thought leader and works with innovative education organizations such as 4.0 Schools, Transcend Education, and Catalyst @ PennGSE. Jackson has initiated education partnerships with Pharrell and Grammy-winning artists. She's been profiled by Black Enterprise and Philly Magazine and is a first-generation college graduate with degrees from UVA and UPenn.

Angelica Jackson, M.S.Ed.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Dr. R. Demetri Sermons

Founding Middle School Principal

Rickkay L.T. King is Co-Founder and Founding Director of International Education at Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA) in Maryland. He's also President and CEO of The Now Boarding Corporation, promoting language acquisition among marginalized male high school students. Mr. King has led leadership sessions for organizations like Diversity Abroad and Pepperdine University, and is an adjunct professor at Pepperdine's Graduate School of Education and Psychology. He's an expert in organizational leadership and non-profit management, and is pursuing a doctorate in Global Leadership & Change.

Angelica Jackson, M.S.Ed.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Rickkay King, M.A.

Co-Founder & Director of Interdisciplinary and Auxiliary Programs

Dr. Sermons has 25+ years of experience in education and is the founding Principal of PISOTA. He's held leadership positions in public schools in the Southeast and is a proud advocate for urban youth. Dr. Sermons is a mentor, musician, and avid reader with a passion for education and providing opportunities for success. His motto is “Be Great on Purpose”.

Arisha Bennett-Benjamin

Special Education
Teacher

Erniz Quiles-Cruz

Spanish / Dance / Theater
Teacher

Lauren Washington

Social Studies /
Global Perspectives
Teacher

Melanie Sokol

English Language Arts
Teacher

Brian Selph

Mathematics
Teacher

Tia Sasser

Science
Teacher

Shannon Stine

Special Education
Instructional Assistant

Theresa Everette

Clerical
Principal's Secretary

Daniel Campos

Music
Teacher

Jaylen McDuffie

Health/PE
Teacher

Stacey Antonioli

Digital Literacy
Teacher

Keshia Henderson

Art/Design
Visiting Artist

D'Mari Bibbs-Walker

Special Education
Instructional Assistant

Mark Dean

Art/museum studies
Visiting Artist

 Logan P. Richards

Support Staff
Computer Analyst

Ashland Murphy

Special Education
Teacher

Daniel Goldring

Building Services
Manager

Tina Spence

Building Services

Nurse Rose

School Nurse

Melanie Sokol

ELA Teacher

Erniz Quiles Cruz

Spanish/Ballet Teacher

Bio Coming Soon

Lauren Washington

Global Studies/Humanities Teacher

Erniz Quiles Cruz

Spanish/Ballet Teacher

Bio Coming Soon

Lauren Washington

Global Studies/Humanities Teacher

Melanie Sokol

ELA Teacher

Bio Coming Soon

Sreeparna Mitra, CA

Partner at Ernst & Young

Derek Johnson

Guy Johnson, J.D.

Monique Walker

Vice President of Marketing at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts

Senior Program Director, Federal and National Networks P-12 at The Opportunity Institute 

CEO at the National Association of American African Dance Teachers (NAAADT) 

Candiace Dillard Bassett

Phoenix Ambassador

Dr. CharlRe’ Slaughter-Atiemo

MD, FAAP, Co-Owner, General Pediatrician, PM Kidz Pediatric Primary & Acute Care Clinic

Sree Mitra is a Principal in EY's US Consulting practice with 22+ years of experience. She consults on business strategy, growth, transformation, and risk management for large organizations. Sree is responsible for sales & growth, operational excellence & governance, and driving the talent agenda. She's a strong advocate for women and diverse professionals and volunteers in her local community.

Derek Johnson

Guy Johnson, J.D.

Monique Walker

Vice President of Marketing at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts

Senior Program Director, Federal and National Networks P-12 at The Opportunity Institute 

CEO at the National Association of American African Dance Teachers (NAAADT) 

Candiace Dillard Bassett

Phoenix Ambassador

Dr. CharlRe’ Slaughter-Atiemo

MD, FAAP, Co-Owner, General Pediatrician, PM Kidz Pediatric Primary & Acute Care Clinic

Candiace Dillard Bassett, former Miss United States and Howard University graduate, has worked in the White House and on President Obama's campaign. She's a TV star and singer, with her album "Deep Space" reaching #24 on the R&B charts. An entrepreneur and women's empowerment advocate, Candiace is married to restaurateur Chris Bassett and recently earned her MBA from Howard University.









Sreeparna Mitra, CA

Partner at Ernst & Young

Monique Walker

CEO at the National Association of American African Dance Teachers (NAAADT) 

Dr. CharlRe’ Slaughter-Atiemo

MD, FAAP, Co-Owner, General Pediatrician, PM Kidz Pediatric Primary & Acute Care Clinic

Derek Johnson

Guy Johnson, J.D.

Vice President of Marketing at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts

Senior Program Director, Federal and National Networks P-12 at The Opportunity Institute 

Dr. CharlRe’ Slaughter-Atiemo is a board-certified pediatrician, co-owner of PM Kidz clinics, and founder/CEO of CayTer 2 You Baby. She's provided pediatric care for 14+ years, started CayTer 2 You Baby in 2015 and PM Kidz clinic in 2019, and earned numerous honors and awards. Dr. Slaughter-Atiemo enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, and traveling. 

Sreeparna Mitra, CA

Partner at Ernst & Young

Derek Johnson

Guy Johnson, J.D.

Vice President of Marketing at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts

Senior Program Director, Federal and National Networks P-12 at The Opportunity Institute 

Candiace Dillard Bassett

Phoenix Ambassador

Monique Walker

CEO at the National Association of American African Dance Teachers (NAAADT) 

Derek A. Johnson is Director of Marketing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, overseeing 2,000+ annual programs and performances. He builds new audiences for the arts and is a flutist and Teaching Artist with the DC Youth Orchestra Program. Derek is also part of Leadership Greater Washington’s Rising Leaders class of 2021 and serves on the board of One More Plate, Inc.

Sreeparna Mitra, CA

Partner at Ernst & Young

Candiace Dillard Bassett

Phoenix Ambassador

Dr. CharlRe’ Slaughter-Atiemo

MD, FAAP, Co-Owner, General Pediatrician, PM Kidz Pediatric Primary & Acute Care Clinic

Guy Johnson, J.D.

Monique Walker

Senior Program Director, Federal and National Networks P-12 at The Opportunity Institute 

CEO at the National Association of American African Dance Teachers (NAAADT) 

Guy is a senior educational leader with 16 years of experience in K-12 education, civil rights, data analysis, and equity. He specializes in using data to identify educational inequities and forming public-private partnerships to address them. He's advised groups in Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and is an Adjunct Professorial Lecturer at American University.

Sreeparna Mitra, CA

Partner at Ernst & Young

Candiace Dillard Bassett

Phoenix Ambassador

Dr. CharlRe’ Slaughter-Atiemo

MD, FAAP, Co-Owner, General Pediatrician, PM Kidz Pediatric Primary & Acute Care Clinic

Monique Walker

CEO at the National Association of American African Dance Teachers (NAAADT) 

Derek Johnson

Vice President of Marketing at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts

Monique Newton Walker is a performer, educator, and choreographer specializing in African dance, with a Bachelor of Arts and Master Teacher certification. She has performed with renowned dance ensembles and serves as an Arts Administrator and Executive Director of the National Association of American African Dance Teachers, bringing community dance workshops to Charles County, MD.





Sreeparna Mitra, CA

Partner at Ernst & Young

Derek Johnson

Guy Johnson, J.D.

Vice President of Marketing at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts

Senior Program Director, Federal and National Networks P-12 at The Opportunity Institute 

Candiace Dillard Bassett

Phoenix Ambassador

Dr. CharlRe’ Slaughter-Atiemo

MD, FAAP, Co-Owner, General Pediatrician, PM Kidz Pediatric Primary & Acute Care Clinic

Affiliations

Community Partners

Enroll

The PISOTA team is so thrilled to welcome interested founding families to our learning community! Phoenix International School of the Arts will open in School Year 2023-2024 for Charles County students entering 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, and is tuition-free for all students.

The Open Enrollment is now open for the 2024-2025 school year.

Apply Now

To grow, we need our community’s support. Your contribution is an investment in the next global innovator, scholar, artist, and leader. Thank you!

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