Oscar Licon Selected as Pinnacles Prep’s Director of Operations

Pinnacles Prep Charter School in Wenatchee has chosen Oscar Licon as its new Director of Operations.

In an adoring Facebook post on Thursday, Pinnacles Prep announced Licon's promotion from "current board member" to Director of Operations.  It is a lofty promotion indeed, but it tracks with Licon's precipitous, almost meteoric rise through the ranks of public service.

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Less than two years ago, Licon, then 27, was tapped as the inaugural executive director of NCW Equity Alliance. The Alliance is a nonprofit of sorts that's very enmeshed with local government; Wenatchee City Administrator Laura Gloria is one of two ex-officio board members, the other being Sasha Sleiman, formerly of the East Wenatchee City Council.

Licon's academic record is sterling. He attended Central Washington University on a Mariachi scholarship, graduating with dual degrees in accounting and business administration. In 2019, Licon heard the beckoning call of the unstoppably booming cyber security industry. He earned an M.S. in information technology.

Pinnacles Prep is a charter school, meaning that it is not of a piece with the Wenatchee School District. KPQ has previously delved into the school's inner workings.

"Unlike traditional public schools, Pinnacles Prep accepts applications and admits students through a weighted lottery," we wrote in April. "Everybody who applies gets a ticket."

"Extra tickets are awarded based on certain conditions. Socio-economically disadvantaged kids get five extra tickets. Students applying from underperforming schools get two extra tickets."

Charter schools are divisive. Depending on who you ask, they are either a corporate menace or a liberatory panacea. Click here to learn how charter students are faring (on paper, at least) in Washington State.