Spotlight On: Glenn Byrum, Executive Director, Mountain Island Charter School

Key points:

• • Strong demand continues to fuel growth at Mountain Island Charter.
• • The school blends academics, career pathways, and technology to prepare students for the future.
• • Leaders are focused on expanding opportunities while maintaining educational excellence.

June 2026 —Invest: spoke with Glenn Byrum, executive director of Mountain Island Charter School, about rising demand across the Charlotte region, the school’s inclusive approach to K-12 education, and how it is preparing students for lifelong success. “Our goal is to form students to become lifelong learners,” Byrum said.

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What changes or trends have had the biggest impact on how Mountain Island Charter operates?

The biggest factor is a high level of continued demand. We serve families across eight counties, and the waitlist typically matches or exceeds our enrollment of nearly 1,800 students. That tells us families are actively looking for high-quality educational options as more people relocate to the Charlotte region. We take that seriously because it reinforces both the opportunity and the responsibility we have as a school.

At the same time, the broader economic environment continues to shape how we operate. When state budget development is delayed, public organizations feel the impact of the resulting uncertainty. I’m proud of the hard work we have put in at Mountain Island Charter to establish ourselves in a strong economic position through sound fiscal stewardship, proactive planning, and disciplined policies. Because of that, we remain in excellent condition and poised for future success despite economic headwinds.

How does your role on the board of the North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools influence your leadership at the school?

Serving in this role gives me a broader perspective on the charter landscape across the state. Our purpose at the association is to help charter schools deliver the best possible outcomes for students, whether a school serves a few hundred students or, like ours, a much larger population. At the end of the day, we are all serving children who deserve the best opportunities possible.

While I see the challenges facing schools, what really stands out is the success that many charter schools have achieved over recent years. Their stories strengthen my conviction that quality is what matters, above all else. The association is focused on promoting continuous improvement for all charter schools in North Carolina through professional growth opportunities, relevant and timely training, and networking for charter school educators.

The association is also helping expand access to charter school education for families through its administration of a recently awarded $52.8 million federal grant designed to support the growth and establishment of new charter schools over the next five years. At Mountain Island Charter, we aim to model that same commitment by leading with high standards, strong systems, and a belief that all students deserve an outstanding educational experience.

How is Charlotte’s growth affecting demand, and how are you planning for the future?

We believe quality drives demand, and that has certainly been true for us. Families are looking for a school that can meet a wide range of student needs, and we are intentional about building a program that does exactly that. We serve students who are performing above grade level and preparing for highly selective colleges, and we also serve students who may need more support, including those with disabilities or those still working toward grade-level proficiency.

Our commitment is to provide a broad curriculum in a holistic environment. That means offering a robust and differentiated academic program, along with athletics, performing arts, and extracurricular opportunities – all built to help students develop as well-rounded individuals. We help our students understand that vocational pathways exist in our regional economy. We have built partnerships in aviation, automotive, manufacturing, IT, healthcare, education, and the skilled trades. Through relationships with organizations such as Gaston College, the Mount Holly Rotary Club, and local employers, we are trying to stay closely aligned with what students need both as learners today and as future citizens and professionals.

How are you preparing students for college, careers, and long-term success, and what are parents looking for today?

Our core values have not changed since we opened our doors in 2010. They are Academic Excellence, Positive Character, Service, and Leadership. Parents count on us to do our best for their children, ultimately preparing them to be successful citizens after high school. This is a reasonable expectation, and we embrace it fully.

Families understand that the world is changing quickly, especially with technology reshaping how people work and live. They want their children to become critical thinkers and problem-solvers who can adapt to challenges we cannot even predict yet. It is with this same mindset that we think about instruction, enrichment, and preparation for life beyond graduation.

How are you approaching artificial intelligence and other new technologies in the classroom?

We recognize that AI is here to stay, so our job is not to ignore it but to teach students and staff how to use it responsibly. We want technology to enhance critical thought, not replace it. For example, students are learning how to use generative prompts to organize information and work more efficiently, while still taking ownership of the quality of the final product. We are training our teachers to use technology to create more engaging lessons and streamline work that previously took much more time. In fact, one of our 4th grade teachers recently presented a session at a local conference on the use of AI to create gamified intervention activities for students. 

There is also a practical side to this. In an environment where funding remains relatively flat, innovative use of technology helps us do more with the limited resources we have in all areas, such as business operations, records management, and even to save time in the afternoon car line. It is important that we always strive to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us.

How are you developing your team and expanding opportunities for students?

We believe growth should apply to everyone in the building, not just students. That means creating real opportunities for teachers and staff to advance professionally and expand their expertise. For example, one of our initiatives this year is to equip more teachers to earn academically and intellectually gifted licensure to maximize our abilities as a school to serve our highest-performing learners.

We take pride in the fact that many of our leaders grew professionally within the ranks of our own school. Several members of our leadership team started as teachers before assuming leadership positions. I have been here since 2010, when I led a small middle school program, taught Spanish, and oversaw several departments. Today, even though the school is three times as large and far more complex, my own professional journey here has reinforced what I know to be true about Mountain Island Charter: it is a place where both students and staff can grow.

That same philosophy extends to our students through strong partnerships with colleges, employers, and community organizations. We have a robust internship culture, including our teacher cadet course, where high school students serve as teaching assistants in our elementary school.

We also partner with BLUM, a local manufacturing company, and many students participate in dual-enrollment coursework through Gaston College and Central Piedmont Community College in areas such as OSHA certification, welding, business, and electrical work. It is also worth mentioning that Mountain Island Charter School is the home of the 2025 North Carolina Charter School Teacher of the Year as well as the 2025 North Carolina Charter School Principal of the Year, which is the first time in state history that one charter school has held both positions simultaneously. 

How are financial pressures influencing your planning, and what are your top priorities for the next few years?

We have always emphasized a responsible pursuit of excellence. That means building multiyear projections, anticipating future needs, and being disciplined in how we manage our resources. For instance, because we are a consistently high-performing school, we have been able to secure and maintain a bond rating that gives us access to favorable interest rates on the public bond market.

We are intentional about maintaining our facilities and treating them as a long-term asset for both our students and the community. Beyond that, we work closely with our foundation to strengthen community engagement and fundraising through activities such as our recent auction that raised just over $50,000 through donated goods and services. That kind of support reflects the strength of our relationships in the community and helps us continue investing in the educational experience we provide.

Looking ahead, our top priority is to keep advancing the program. Success cannot become a reason to slow down. We want to continue improving, stay on the cutting edge of best practices in instruction, and use our resources wisely as the needs of our community evolve. Education is a choice, and we do not take lightly the trust that families place in us. We are proud of what we have built, but we are not done yet.

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