Meet Our Founder

With more than fourteen years of experience in education and eight years in instructional and school leadership, Kiara Procter has worked alongside students, families, teachers, and communities in schools where strong academic outcomes and meaningful relationships are equally essential. Throughout her career, she has led academic intervention programs, supported multilingual learners in reaching proficiency, developed educators, and used data-driven instruction to improve student achievement.

Across these experiences, Kiara saw a consistent challenge. Too many students were moving through school disconnected from their learning, uncertain of their abilities, and without timely access to the individualized support needed to thrive. Students were often expected to struggle before receiving additional help, while opportunities to ask meaningful questions, develop their own perspectives, and connect learning to the world around them remained limited.

Kiara began listening.

Through more than 1,000 conversations with families, educators, and community members, she heard a shared desire for a school where students are challenged, supported, known, and encouraged to take ownership of their education. As The School of Curious Minds enters its next phase, Kiara is continuing that work alongside families and community members across Clayton County.

That collective vision became The School of Curious Minds.

The School of Curious Minds is designed around a clear academic promise: every student will receive rigorous core instruction, daily intervention or acceleration, and structured opportunities to apply what they learn. Through the school’s Inquiry to Application model, students build strong foundational knowledge, investigate meaningful questions, consider multiple perspectives, and connect classroom learning to Clayton County and the wider world.

Kiara is a Build. Excel. Sustain. Fellow, a former New Schools Creation Fellow, a Teach For America alumna, and a City Year Corps Member of the Year who completed more than 1,700 hours of national service. She is also intentionally deepening her experience in school operations, compliance, and local education agency leadership to strengthen the academic, financial, operational, and governance foundation required to successfully open and sustain a public charter school.

Kiara believes curiosity is not a distraction from rigorous learning. It is what draws students more deeply into it.

At The School of Curious Minds, students will be known, challenged, and supported as they develop the knowledge, confidence, and agency to become leaders of today.