Fifteen years ago, Paramount Schools of Excellence (PSOE) opened its first campus, Brookside, with a bold mission: to provide students with a safe, structured environment focused on academic excellence and personal growth.
Today, the charter network has grown to eight schools across Indianapolis, serving more than 3,000 students and earning recognition as one of the city’s top-performing charter school organizations. The growth didn’t happen overnight, said CEO Tommy Reddicks. Paramount’s beginnings were anything but certain.
“Opening was definitely a milestone,” Reddicks said. “In our original building, we had multiple bidders on our property between us and the Outlaw Motorcycle Club. Getting that up and going was great, and figuring ourselves out in the first couple of years was really rough.”
From those early days, Paramount prioritized clear systems for instruction and behavior. The approach proved successful: Brookside earned a National Blue Ribbon School distinction, and when Paramount opened its second campus, it quickly became one of the highest-performing schools in Indiana.
“(Receiving the blue ribbon) was a really unique thing for us in the fact that it was like proof of concept that we weren’t a one-hit wonder and that we had a system that could be replicated with high success,” Reddicks said.
Creating a positive learning environment
At the heart of Paramount’s success is its belief that every child deserves a safe, productive classroom. To achieve this, the network has built a comprehensive behavior system to keep students in class while addressing individual needs.
Monique Lampkin, who teaches seventh-grade language arts and writing at Paramount Inglewood, said the approach transformed her experience as an educator.
“I’ve been in education since 2007, and when I got to this school, I almost didn’t believe that I could actually have an environment where I could teach and the kids could learn,” Lampkin said. “For years, you teach and you’re managing your room, but you would leave stressed out, extremely overwhelmed because there was just very little accountability for teachers or students … When I got here, the expectation was high for the kids to grow. Not only do the kids love it, but the teachers love it.”
By mid-year, Lampkin said, most students understand and embrace the expectations.
“By mid-year, you’re not even giving out as many reminders for them to get on task, and I truly believe it has impacted me as a teacher because these kids get a chance at life,” Lampkin said. “They get a chance to get to grade level. They get a chance to have the opportunity outside of these walls.”
Recovery over suspension
The network’s “Recovery” program serves as an alternative to suspensions, helping students regulate their emotions and re-enter class ready to learn.
“The rRecovery system is really there to help them recover,” Lampkin said. “The goal is always to get them back in the classroom, and even if they’re out of the classroom, we have a Recovery teacher going over the same things that we would in the classroom…Even when a student steps away, learning continues.”
Support for families
For parent Latoya Hogan, Paramount’s support for the whole child — and their family — was a deciding factor when enrolling her children.
“I’m so happy I found that school because the whole system and community have been amazing to me,” Hogan said.
Hogan said Paramount has also been a reliable partner in addressing practical challenges.
I have two children on an IEP (Individualized Education Program),” Hogan said. “They were falling behind, and so they ran tests on them, and when they ran the tests, they let me know that they were diagnosed with dyslexia. The teachers there made a guideline on how they can help them perform in the classroom.”
The network offers before- and after-care and free tutoring sessions designed around individual student data.
“I usually teach tutoring every quarter, and it benefits (the students),” Lampkin said. “We have a lot of parents who work different shifts, so that aftercare opportunity is good for them. The tutoring is tailored and typically helps out a lot.”
Teacher growth and retention
Reddicks said Paramount has invested heavily in teacher development through a Career Pathways program, which helps educators set clear goals and track progress over time.
“Career Pathways has been amazing,” Reddicks said. “We look at our teachers as rock stars who want to be teachers for life, and we look at some teachers as superstars who want to get really good at their profession so they can move up and be teacher leaders or be administrators. We want to ensure both pipelines are rich and fluid.”
Lampkin said she’s experienced this support firsthand.
“When I came here, I was, and I’m still stunned to this day,” Lampkin said. “I’ve gotten offers before, and I probably would never leave here because this is the first place where I feel like they care about the teacher having a safe place to teach and the kids having a safe place to learn.”
Academic results and looking ahead
The results speak for themselves. Paramount’s students consistently outperform peers across the city, with special education outcomes exceeding national averages.
“From the outset at Paramount, we started realizing that our special education results were popping off the page,” Reddicks said. “Our kids with special needs, some years, have even matched the state pass rate for students without special needs. We get to that because we don’t allow them to be treated differently in the classroom…We take it very seriously and work hard on that end.”
As Paramount looks to the future, Reddicks said it focuses on strengthening its current campuses rather than rapid expansion.
“We’re very proud of our structure and, as a school of choice, we make sure when our parents come in that they’re aware that this is who and how we are,” Reddicks said. “We work with you, and we’ll get to the finish line much higher than our competitors.”
Lampkin added a message for families considering Paramount.
“Just let the world know, come and join us because we’re doing great things,” she said.
For more information about Paramount Schools, visit paramountindy.org.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
