Great Hearts Appoints Executive Leadership for State and National Expansion

PHOENIX, Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Great Hearts Academies, the largest not-for-profit charter school network in Arizona and the premier network of 19 classical, liberal arts public charter schools across the Valley, is expanding its leadership team to promote continued excellence in Arizona and ensure successful growth of its high-performing classical model nationally. 

The Great Hearts board of directors named Erik Twist as the new CEO of Great Hearts Arizona to lead the growth and expansion of the Great Hearts organization, which now numbers 19 schools across the Valley.   The move allows founding CEO, Dr. Daniel Scoggin, to serve as full-time national leader and CEO of Great Hearts America.  Dr. Scoggin will oversee academic, development and expansion plans across schools in Texas and nationally.

Mr. Twist most recently served as Vice President overseeing all the K-5 academies across the Great Hearts network.  Prior to that, he was the founding Headmaster of Archway Veritas.  Mr. Twist earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government from Trinity University in San Antonio, Tex. and a Master of Divinity from the University of Oxford. 

Great Hearts has seen unprecedented success and growth over the past ten years with new academies built each year across Phoenix.  In Arizona, there are 9,300 students enrolled across the network, with more than 10,000 students on waiting lists.  At capacity, the network will graduate nearly 1,000 students each year.  In 2014 Great Hearts began its expansion into San Antonio and Dallas-Ft. Worth through a co-branded, not-for-profit organization and has plans for future national growth.

"By naming a new Arizona CEO and a full-time national CEO, Great Hearts is ensuring continued success and achievement in Arizona while driving growth for our high-performing, classical model in states like Texas and beyond," said Jay Heiler, Board Chairman and founder of Great Hearts Academies.  "Erik Twist will lead Great Hearts as the academies drive toward unprecedented retention, graduation and college acceptance rates.   Great Hearts America, under Dan Scoggin's seasoned hand, can now focus on replicating this important American educational experience more broadly to students throughout the nation."

"I stand with Erik as he writes the next chapter of our Great Hearts story in Arizona," said Scoggin. "Erik brings enormous skill, experience, creativity and, most of all, passion for helping our students become leaders of the 21^st century economy."  Mr. Twist will assume his new duties on March 2, 2015.

Great Heart Academies distinguishes itself by graduating "Great Hearted" students with the capacity for the meaningful leadership to succeed in today's culture and shape tomorrow's.  Each graduate is instilled with a life-long commitment to the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty.

Network-wide, 100 percent of Great Hearts graduates attend a 2- or 4-year college and 84 percent of the Class of 2014 received merit-based scholarships totaling $30.35 million.  The average SAT score at Great Hearts is 1820, which is more than 300 points above the national average.  The average ACT score is 27.2, which exceeds the national average by more than six points.  Learn more at www.greatheartsaz.org.

Bio Dr. Daniel Scoggin:
Dr. Daniel Scoggin is the founding Chief Executive Officer of Great Hearts Academies, having overseen the network's growth from 300 students at one school to 9,300 students at 19 academies across Phoenix.  An Arizona native, Dr. Scoggin attended public schools and went on to Santa Clara University in California as an English Literature major, and spent his junior year at the University of Durham in England. While completing his Ph.D. in English Literature at the Claremont Graduate University, he taught at Harvey Mudd College, The Phoenix Institute at the University of Notre Dame and Mesa Community College, and coached basketball at Pomona College. He is a 2008-2009 Piper Fellow, attended the Executive Education Program at Stanford University, and is currently a Pahara-Aspen Fellow.

Bio Mr. Erik Twist:
Erik Twist, a third-generation Arizonan, earned his undergraduate degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, Tex., and his masters from Oxford University.  From 2008 to 2011, he worked as Dean of Students for Veritas Preparatory Academy where he also taught 7th grade Literature/Composition, 8th grade Medieval History, and 9th grade Humane Letters.  Erik is the founding headmaster of Archway Veritas, and most recently served as Vice President over all Great Hearts K-5 academies.  Erik and his wife, Alison, have six sons and reside in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Contact:
Jessica Taylor
Director of Communications, Great Hearts Arizona
[email protected] (602) 300-8237

SOURCE Great Hearts Arizona