Michael Pati began his career with Great Hearts in 2010 as an eighth grader at Arete Prep. Then in 2019, he returned to his roots as a middle school teacher. Over the next four years, he had the opportunity to teach history, math, and Latin to sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, as well as coach middle school soccer.
Then in 2023, Pati transitioned to the Great Hearts Central Office, where he now serves as the Reporting and Compliance Specialist on the Business Operations Team. So, what does he do, you may be asking? “It’s kind of like when I was a teacher and covered a few different subjects,” he explained, simplifying his role. “All our student and teacher information is kept in a Student Information System, also called an SIS. I help our academies keep that information up-to-date, and then I make sure that the information in that system gets sent to the state correctly.”
Pati plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with state reporting requirements, but his relationship with Great Hearts started long before he joined the network of classical charter schools as an employee. He is actually an alumnus of Arete Prep, where he graduated in 2015.
In fact, in the fall of 2014, Pati was interviewed for a student profile featured in a now out-of-print magazine for Great Hearts. In the two-page spread, a younger Pati, dressed in his school uniform, reflects on the lessons he learned as a high school senior. He wrote:
“Ultimately, my time at Arete Prep has taught me to never live life sitting down, waiting for something or someone else to dictate my next move. I have learned to seek out life, accepting the challenges and discovering on my own how I can improve the situations in which I am placed. As my fellow classmates and I begin to explore the frontiers of college, we are often daunted by the challenges we will face down the road. However, Arete has taught me to embrace the learning process and to be proactive in my community. I know I am well prepared for the road ahead.”
When asked what he thinks about that statement now, Pati laughed and said, “That sounds like where I was at that point in life. I definitely felt like I was on top of the world my senior year, and I really enjoyed both that time and then kind of stepping out of that familiar community and trying something new in college. I think at that point, there was a lot that I didn’t know that I didn’t know, right? And now looking back, I still really appreciate the education that I got… It was fantastic, and that’s part of why I’ve stayed with Great Hearts.”
The article also mentions his love for soccer and playing guitar. Pati says he still plays guitar, although it’s strictly a hobby at this point. He has also continued to coach middle school soccer at Arete Prep. “I got to coach the middle school girls last year, and I’m really looking forward to doing so this year,” he said.
Pati admits that when he graduated high school, he never really considered returning to work for Great Hearts. “I went to school on the East Coast at Georgetown University, where I studied political science. Throughout the course of my studies there, and right after I graduated, I was really taken up with the idea of some kind of service, and I explored a few different opportunities that were presented. But I quickly discovered that teaching was a way that I could really feel like I was giving back. I could still feel like I was part of a community, and I also felt like I was doing something that was making a difference. And that’s how I came back to Great Hearts.”
“I think the thing that sets Great Hearts apart from anything else that I’ve been part of is the culture,” he explained. “I felt that as a student. These teachers that I really looked up to would still address me with respect and engage with my ideas with respect, even if I was a teenager and didn’t really know what I was talking about. They took the time to engage with me, and that helped me grow. I feel that very much now, both as a teacher and as a Home Office employee. I feel like my boss, Kathy Lund, engages with me in the same way that my teachers did. She recognizes passion, and if the wisdom is not there, she can help me grow toward that. I feel that way about my entire team.”
Pati’s experience with Great Hearts has come full circle, from being a student inspired by his teachers to becoming a teacher himself, and now playing an important role behind the scenes. His education at Great Hearts made a lasting impact while he was in school and continues throughout his life. Pati stays true to the values that shaped him and is excited to provide support to the next generation of students and teachers.
Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts? Please contact jason.moore@greathearts.org.