Source: WPLN
In the stately Green Hills home of Mary Pierce, a dozen mothers (and one dad dressed in a suit) sip coffee and share pet stories on a recent weekday morning. These are families with means. Many send their kids to private schools. But they feel like they might be raising their children in a bubble, and they’d like to do something about it. “Hey guys, we’re going to go ahead and get started,” Pierce says, talking over the hum of polite conversation. “I think most of you have had the chance to meet Todd Dickson.” Dickson is the man of the hour – shaved head, gray facial hair and earnest eyes. The young father is the founder of soon-to-open Valor Collegiate Academy. He was recruited by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean to replicate a system of charters he helped start in California.