Who's Behind This?

None of this would be possible without the efforts of filmmakers Tom and Amy Valens and the school community of Mission Hill. Tom and Amy filmed at the school over the course of a year for a full documentary planned for release in fall 2013. This series came together when Tom and Amy reached out to educator and news commentator Sam Chaltain. Sam brought Ashoka, IDEA and the NoVo Foundation together around the idea of making a series of short episodes to highlight a year in the life of Mission Hill. The concept grew under IDEA's leadership into a larger opportunity to share the story across an eclectic coalition of education organizations, schools, and nonprofits. 

The original goal of Tom and Amy remains: To tell a story about a single school that will inspire other schools to share their own stories, and prompt more of us to ask the big questions about the future of public education in America.  You can learn more about Tom and Amy's work at www.tamalpaisproductions.com and read Amy's commentary on "A Year at Mission Hill" on her blog.