Our Founder
Dr. Calandra Sales founded Independence Preparatory Academy, inspired by her grandfather’s legacy—a man born in rural Alabama in the 1930s whose resilience and belief in education transformed his family’s future. His example instilled in her a deep conviction that education is the key to freedom, opportunity, and independence. With more than two decades of experience driving strong student outcomes and a background spanning classroom teaching to leadership development, Dr. Sales brings both vision and proven expertise to iPrep. A graduate of Alabama A&M University and Clark Atlanta University, and a fellow of BES and New Schools for Alabama, she is committed to building a community-centered school that equips every scholar with the agency, purpose, and tenacity to shape their own destiny.
