Meet the Founder

Meet the Founder

Hi, I'm Shinay Bowman, founder of Pathways Prep Academy and a lifelong believer that school can change everything. 

I didn't come to education the easy way. I grew up navigating foster care, attended six different high school, and learned early that one steady force can rewrite a life: a great school. Classrooms became my anchor and my launchpad. That experience drives my "why" to ignite the same transformation for every student, especially those who need school to be the place that opens doors. 

Over the past two decades, I've served as a teacher, school administrator and district leader, coaching teachers and principals, building programs and designing systems that raise achievement and close opportunity gaps. Pathways Prep is the school I always wished existed for every family in our region: small, joyful, rigorous, and future-focused. 

Why Pathways Prep?

• Small & personal by design. Every student is known by name, story and goals. 
• World-class, hands-on learning. Project-based instruction where students build, present, and solve real problems. 
• College Now, not later. A middle college model, so students earn up to two years of college credit while in high school, tuition-free. 
• Culture that sticks. Inspired by the acclaimed Ron Clark Academy, we will implement a House System that build belonging, leadership, and healthy competition, plus international travel that grows global citizens.
• Real-world pathways. Internships and field experiences connecting classroom learning to arts, business, education, science, technology and more. 

What I Want for Your Child

I want your student to be seen, challenged, and supported - to graduate with college credits, resume-worthy experiences, and the confidence to say, " I can do hard things." At Pathways Prep, excellence isn't a slogan; it's a system of daily habits, great teaching, and warm relationships. 

A Note to Families

Choosing a school is choosing partners. At Pathways Prep, you'll find a team that listens, communicates, and treats your child like our own. We're building a school that will be a model for high school instruction locally, regionally, and across the state, right here in Upland. 

If that sounds like the future you want, welcome. Let's prepare your student to be two years head - academically and in life. 

Dr. Shinay Bowman

Founder, Pathways Prep Academy