KIPP Charlotte Inc
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Mission Statement
KIPP Charlotte is a free, open-enrollment, college preparatory public school currently serving more than 400 students in grades four through eight. KIPP Charlotte serves communities that are traditionally underserved and marginalized in education. KIPP Charlotte is a member of KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. There are currently 162 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving more than 59,000 students. The mission of KIPP Charlotte is to prepare all of our students to excel in the nation’s finest high schools and colleges by cultivating the habits of mind, character skills, and knowledge necessary for their success. We provide an education that will enable our students to lead full lives and empower our graduates to be the future leaders of Charlotte and agents of change in the world beyond.
About This Cause
The vision of KIPP Charlotte is that highly literate and articulate students will identify a need and actively take part in their democracy and meet that need. Middle school students will be empowered to apply skills and character to model and make changes in their community. We will produce the most well-rounded people in Charlotte. KIPP Charlotte students attend school from 7:30 am to 4:15 pm Monday through Thursday and 7:30 am to 3:15 pm on Fridays. All students attend a three-week summer session. All instruction is geared towards preparing students for college. Character development is integrated into all curriculum. Students at KIPP Charlotte receive more instruction time than their peers at traditional public and private schools. Teachers are available by cell phone after school for homework help. KIPP Charlotte offers extracurricular activities like chorus, technology class, sports, drama, and student government. Students are held accountable for behavior as well as academic success. At KIPP Charlotte, we believe that there are no shortcuts to academic success. Outstanding educators, more time in school learning, a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, and a strong culture of achievement and support, help our students make significant academic gains and continue to excel in high school and college. FIVE PILLARS of KIPP CHARLOTTE High Expectations KIPP Charlotte has clearly defined and measurable high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that make no excuses based on the students’ backgrounds or demography. Students, parents, teachers, and staff create and reinforce a culture of achievement and support through a range of formal and informal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior. Choice & Commitment Students, their parents, and the faculty of KIPP Charlotte choose to participate in the program. No one is assigned or forced to attend the school. Everyone must make and uphold a commitment to the school and to each other to put in the time and effort required to achieve success. More Time KIPP Charlotte staff knows that there are no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics and in life. With an extended school day, week, and year, students have more time in the classroom to acquire the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare them for competitive high schools and colleges, as well as more opportunities to engage in diverse extracurricular experiences. Power to Lead The leadership team are effective academic and organizational leaders who understand that great schools require great school leaders. They have control over the school budget and personnel. They are free to swiftly move dollars or make staffing changes, allowing them maximum effectiveness in helping students learn. Focus on Results KIPP Charlotte relentlessly focuses on high student performance on standardized tests and other objective measures. Just as there are no shortcuts, there are no excuses. Students are expected to achieve a level of academic performance that will enable them to succeed at the nation’s best high schools and colleges. KIPP Through College The KIPP Through College office at KIPP Charlotte offers many services for KIPPsters and their families and is another way in which KIPP Charlotte differs from other schools. The first phase of the KIPP Through College program is High School Placement (HSP). The role of HSP is to assist families with the process of selecting and applying to high schools. We build strong relationships with high schools (public and private) in Charlotte, as well as boarding schools around North Carolina and the East Coast. We work hard to make the process as clear and efficient as possible for families and students and our goal is for each student to be placed in the best fit school for their personal goals and strengths as an individual. The next phase of KIPP Through College is a college access program designed to support KIPP Charlotte alumni in high school as they work towards college matriculation. Beginning in the summer before their 9th grade year, students will meet with their KTC advisor (whom they begin working with in 7th and 8th grade during the high school placement process) to ensure their success in high school and to prepare them for college admission, matriculation, and graduation. In addition, throughout their high school experiences, KIPP Charlotte alumni have the opportunity to return to KIPP Charlotte for community service, tutoring from area college students, and to attend college tours. HISTORY KIPP began in 1994 when two teachers, Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, launched a fifth-grade public school program in inner-city Houston, TX, after completing their commitment to Teach For America. In 1995, Feinberg remained in Houston to lead KIPP Academy Middle School, and Levin returned home to New York City to establish KIPP Academy in the South Bronx. These two original KIPP Academies became the starting place for a growing network of schools that are transforming the lives of students in under-resourced communities, and redefining the notion of what is possible in public education. Since their founding, the two original KIPP Academies have sustained track records of high student achievement. While less than 40 percent of low-income students attend college nationally, KIPP’s college matriculation rate stands at more than 85 percent for students who complete the eighth grade at KIPP. More than 90 percent of KIPP alumni go on to college-preparatory high schools; collectively, they have earned millions of dollars in scholarships and financial aid since 2000. KIPP Charlotte began with Tiffany Flowers and Keith Burnam. In 2002, Burnam graduated Morehouse College with a degree in Psychology. Shortly after graduation Burnam was recruited for Teach for America and served two years as a corps member in Durham, North Carolina. It was during this time that Burnam discovered his love for teaching and passion for educational reform. In 2003, Burnam joined KIPP Gaston College Preparatory, a rural KIPP school with a student body that is 90% African American and 70% students from low-income households. As a sixth grade math teacher at KIPP GCP, 100% of Burnam’s sixth grade class passed the state test and earned the 8th highest scale score in North Carolina in 2004-2005. While Burnam was Chair of the Math Department, 99% of all students at KIPP GCP passed the Math End of Grade (EOG) test and Algebra I End of Course Test (EOC) the following year. Burnam’s record of success as a teacher and leader helped make KIPP GCP the highest performing public school in Northampton County and one of the top performing KIPP schools nationwide. Tiffany Flowers graduated from Spelman College in 2004 with a degree in Psychology. Upon graduation, Flowers began teaching 6th and 7th grade science at KIPP Gaston College Preparatory. Flowers then moved to Houston, where she taught 8th grade Social Studies and was the Social Studies Department Chair at KIPP 3D Academy. Flowers saw tremendous success in the classroom. Flowers and Burnam have been acquaintances since college. Over the years they forged a strong working relationship that has proven to be the recipe for success and culminated in the vision of KIPP Charlotte. Today Flowers leads a phenomenal team of dedicated and exceptional people who believe in social change and that children can and will learn. No excuses. At KIPP Charlotte: Students work hard to climb the mountain to and through college Parents are encouraged to be involved and contribute however they are able Teachers believe that every child has unlimited potential We help students climb the mountain to and through college by: Expecting more than others think is possible Creating a safe and structured learning environment Requiring parents, teachers, and students to all sign a Commitment to Excellence form that sets clear expectations Extending the school day and year Offering extracurricular activities Organizing exciting end of year field lessons and college visits Having teachers available by cell phone after school for homework help Holding students accountable for behavior as well as academic success