More than 30 parents in Donelson and Hermitage wrote the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission to urge members to overturn a decision by the Metro Nashville Public School Board.Last July board members denied Invictus Nashville Charter School’s application open a Montessori based K-8 public charter for students in the Donelson and Hermitage communities. Invictus supporters appealed to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission whose members have the option of overturning local district denials.

Brenda Jones has a personal reason behind her mission to establish a new public charter school in Nashville.In a city that’s increasingly full of transplants, Jones is a proud Nashville native. She grew up living in East Nashville’s public housing at James Cayce Homes and attended public schools nearby, but her experience going into high school was a lesson in how the education system can be improved.