Under the bright lights of the Sacramento Convention Center, five representatives from Plumas Charter School joined educational leaders from across California gathered for the annual Charter Schools Development Center (CSDC) conference from November 18-20.
PCS executive director Taletha Washburn, IVA site director Ryan Schramel, business office manager Maggie Hennessey, community resource coordinator Rhonda Wayson, and PCS board president Steve Hill represented the school with distinction. Among their many contributions, Washburn and Schramel’s presentation, Perseverance in the Face of Catastrophe: Dixie Fire—Surviving and Rebuilding, stood out as a highlight of the conference.
Their session, co-presented alongside emergency services experts from the California Department of Education, offered a moving and detailed recount of PCS's extraordinary response to the Dixie Fire, which devastated much of Plumas County in 2021, including the Greenville community where the school operates one of its learning centers. Washburn and Schramel shared the sequence of response efforts that PCS implemented, underscoring the importance of leadership, communication and adaptability in the face of disaster.
Key topics included the immediate formation of emergency response teams, providing trauma support for staff and families, securing essential funding such as Project SERV grants and collaborating with community organizations to aid in rebuilding efforts. Through these strategies, PCS embodied the spirit of resilience of their community by resuming operations.
One particularly poignant aspect of the presentation focused on trauma recovery. The PCS team prioritized mental health services for students and staff, understanding that the emotional aftermath of the fire required as much attention as logistical rebuilding. Washburn reflected, “Our goal was to provide stability and hope in the wake of uncertainty. Every decision we made came back to the well-being of our students and their families.”
Schramel emphasized the broader lessons that emerged from their journey: “What we experienced may have been unique, but the need for preparation, quick response and compassionate leadership is universal. We hope our story helps other schools build their own frameworks for resilience.”
The presentation demonstrated that PCS’ ability to act decisively in crisis ensured continuity in education while providing a model for others to follow. The lessons shared at the CSDC conference underscore the school’s unwavering dedication to its students and community. The presence of Washburn, Schramel, and their team at the conference not only highlighted their achievements but also served as an invitation for others to learn from their example.