About Us
Imagine Schools was founded by Dennis and Eileen Bakke. Eileen Bakke has been involved in education for 30 years (click here for Eileen's bio). Her passion is mentoring teachers and creating a school culture that engages students in meaningful and effective learning. Dennis Bakke, co-founder and CEO Emeritus of the AES Corp., a global power company, brings to Imagine Schools an impressive business background, including a pioneering approach to decentralized management (click here for Dennis' bio). Both Dennis and Eileen are passionate about making a difference in education by implementing a unique organizational and operational structure that creates a dynamic learning environment by putting teachers and school leaders squarely in charge of the decisions affecting the schools they serve. Most Imagine Schools staff members are teachers.
In June 2004 Imagine Schools merged with Chancellor Beacon Academies. In August 2005, Imagine Schools created a new nonprofit entity - Imagine Schools Non-Profit, Inc. - and initiated a process to replace the business entity Imagine Schools, Inc. with the new nonprofit as the operator of public charter schools nationwide. "Imagine Schools will be operated as a nonprofit organization to expand our mission to provide as many students as possible with a challenging, effective program of study and strong moral development in the safe, nurturing learning environment of public charter schools," said co-founder and CEO, Dennis Bakke.
Dennis and Eileen Bakke are providing the new nonprofit tax-exempt entity with the capital to ensure its ability to operate existing schools now under contract with Imagine Schools, Inc. and sufficient resources to develop and operate additional public charter schools in the future.
