Our Community

Afya Baltimore Inc. (ABI) is a dedicated community of school leaders, teachers and staff, students, families, board members, and partners who are committed to our schools, our mission, and to each other. Together, we create healthy, joyful, inclusive, creative, supportive communities of learning for every child of every race, gender, socioeconomic status, and ability.

We focus on building communities in our classrooms, schools, city, and the world. Inside our schools, we foster a sense of community among students, teachers, and families by building strong relationships and encouraging a sense of belonging. We help our students find their voice and encourage them to use it in the classroom and beyond. 

Our schools are a part of the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS), which is a critical partner in our work. Led by CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises, BCPSS currently includes 159 schools, including 31 charter schools, and enrolls approximately 77,856 students, about 14,660 of whom attend charter schools.

As our schools are part of the larger school system, they are also deeply connected to the city we call home. Though a big city, Baltimore is often affectionately referred to as “Smalltimore” because of how close knit and connected the people who live and work here are to one another and to the place they live. With the help of our partners and our families, we weave those connections throughout our schools.