Work hard. Be nice.

SPOTL IGHTnewsletter • Summer 2012

kipp dc’s tenth school, lead academy, opens

KIPPsters at Lead Academy start their year off right with healthy snacks and newly renovated classrooms at the Shaw Campus.

Though Lead Academy currently only offers first grade, it will add a grade each year until it serves students in grades 1-4.

On July 9th, KIPP DC celebrated the opening of its tenth school when Lead Academy opened its doors to its founding class of first grade students.

Principal Mekia Love, a KIPP DC veteran teacher and former vice principal at KEY Academy, warmly welcomed 111 students and introduced them to Lead’s three key values: Learn, Lead, and Love.

KEY Academy • AIM Academy • WILL Academy • LEAP Academy • Promise Academy • College Preparatory • Discover Academy • Grow Academy • Heights Academy • Lead Academy KEY Academy • AIM Academy • WILL Academy • LEAP Academy • Promise Academy • College Preparatory • Discover Academy • Grow Academy • Heights Academy • Lead Academy

in this issue...KIPP DC’s Tenth School Opens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

More Expansion Plans in the Works . . . . . . . . . . 1

CTR Welcomes its Largest Cohort . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

KIPP DC Promotes its Eighth Class . . . . . . . . . . .2

The Class of 2012 is College-Bound . . . . . . . . . .2

WILL Academy Student Wins National Award . 3

Get Ready for 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Nice Work! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Celebrating the Arts at KIPP DC . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

what is kipp dc?KIPP DC is a network of high-performing, public, college-preparatory charter schools in Wash-ington, D.C., which serves the city’s under-re-sourced communities. At KIPP DC, there are no shortcuts. Outstanding educators, more time in school, a rigorous college-preparatory curricu-lum, and a strong culture of achievement and support helps our students make significant aca-demic gains and continue to excel in high school and college. KIPP DC currently serves 3,100 stu-dents at ten schools throughout the District of Columbia.

contact us.kipp dc headquarters:1003 K Street, NW | Suite 700 Washington, DC 20001 202-223-4505 | www.kippdc.org

benning campus:4801 Benning Road, SE Washington, DC 20019

douglass campus:2600 Douglass Road, SE Washington, DC 20020

shaw campus:421 P Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

1003 K Street, NW | Suite 700 Washington, DC 20001 202-223-4505 | www.kippdc.org

SPOTL IGHTn e w s l e t t e r • s u m m e r 2012

Housed at KIPP DC’s Shaw Campus, Lead Acad-emy will continue to grow one grade at a time, ultimately serving students in first through fourth grade. At capacity, the Shaw Campus, which is also home to Grow Academy early childhood school and WILL Academy middle school, will serve stu-dents from preschool through eighth grade.

more expansion plans

This April, KIPP DC received approval from the D.C. Public Charter School Board to replicate its model and add three new schools to its network.

The decision to expand stems from both the city-wide need to offer more high-quality seats, as identified in the IFF Study commissioned by Mayor Gray, and the clear demand evidenced by the KIPP DC wait-list. This past year, KIPP DC received 4,100 applications for the 697 seats available at our schools.

KIPP DC hopes to open a fourth campus in the sum-mer of 2013. This campus would ultimately house three new schools and offer preschool through eighth grade, potentially serving 1,500 students at capacity. With 13 schools across the KIPP DC net-work, we would be able to serve 5,000 students across Washington, D.C.

We are currently working hard to identify a facility for this campus. Stay tuned for more details!

The Capital Teaching Residency (CTR) program continues to attract a highly competitive pool of applicants; a total of 760 applicants applied for the 66 positions available this year!

In the 2012-2013 cohort, 54% of the CTR residents are people of color, 33% are male, and 50% are ca-reer changers.

The Capital Teaching Residency is working to close the achievement gap by increasing the number of highly effective educators in Washington, D.C. The program trains aspiring teachers through an inten-sive one-year residency. Residents are placed in ex-cellent urban classrooms working alongside highly-effective mentor teachers. Throughout the school year, residents gradually move from observing their mentors to conducting practice lessons. Working in conjunction with the content they are mastering in professional development coursework, residents take on a considerable amount of teaching respon-sibility and, ultimately, are prepared to become lead teachers in schools throughout D.C.

To learn more about CTR, visit our website: www.capitalteachingresidency.org.

ctr welcomes its

This spring, KIPPsters from nine KIPP DC schools took the stage at The Warner Theatre for the Tenth Anniversary Performing Arts Extravaganza. This celebration of arts programming included performances from the choirs, orchestras, drumlines, and dance programs at our three campuses, along with visual art displays. The performances highlighted the hard work of KIPP DC music and art teachers and the tremendous contributions from our partner organizations, Tango Mer-curio and CityDance. KIPP DC is proud to encourage not only excellence in education, but also excellence in the arts.

celebrating the arts at kipp dc

in the works for kipp dc

largest cohortto date

“LIKE” KIPP DC on FACEBOOK.

Stay connected and get the latest KIPP DC news!

NICE WORK!KIPP DC received a Four Star Rating from

Charity Navigator.

KCP Senior Kacey Davis received a full scholar-

ship to participate in NOLS, a wilderness education

program offering survival and leadership training.

Nine KIPPsters will be attending private

high schools this fall as A Better Chance

Scholars.

Two KIPP DC teachers, Lindsey Hoy & Donny Tieng-

tum, were selected for the Fisher Fellowship and

will spend this year learning how to found a KIPP

school.

Another KIPP DC teacher, John Barnhardt, was

selected for the Miles Fellowship, a two- year

pathway to founding a KIPP school.

Two KCP students had the chance to study abroad

this summer: Jasmine Morgan traveled to England

with the National Cathedral Scholars Program

& Hope Jones traveled to China with the China

Scholars Program.

To help KIPPsters climb the mountain to college,

the KIPP Foundation has secured College Partner-

ships with:• Colby College• Davidson College• Duke University• Franklin & Marshall College• Mercy College• San Jose State University• Syracuse University• Texas State University• Tulane University• University of Houston• University of Pennsylvania• Spelman College

On August 2nd, recent KIPP DC WILL Academy graduate Jordan Wimbish was honored with the Doris Fisher KIPPster of the Year award. The award comes with a college scholarship of $10,000 and is given to up to six eighth grade students from KIPP schools across the country.

With the KIPPster of the Year award, KIPP nation-ally recognizes students that set a superlative bar for what it means to be a KIPPster. Recipients are selected for demonstrated personal and academ-ic excellence and impact on their communities, schools, and peers through exceptional practices of leadership and character.

Jordan Wimbish was an honor roll student through-out her time at KIPP DC WILL Academy. She ex-celled both inside and outside of the classroom,

This June, KIPP DC held its eighth annual Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony and celebrated the accomplishments of 195 KIPPsters from KEY, AIM, and WILL Academy.

With a rousing keynote from KIPP Through Col-lege Director Tevera Stith and inspiring words of thanks and wisdom from the three valedictorians, Dhae’Sha Hughes, Ivy Williams, and Akilah Hart-grove, the ceremony highlighted not only the ac-complishments of the cohort, but also the work that remains to be done in high school and college.

While the majority of promoted students will at-tend KIPP DC College Preparatory for high school, some KIPPsters are headed off to magnet and pri-vate high schools inside and outside of the Beltway, including Phillips Academy Andover, Episcopal High School, Sandy Spring Friends School, Edmund Burke School, Washington International School, The Field School, Benjamin Banneker Academic

serving on the Student Government Association, as captain of the cheerleading squad, as a member of the debate team, as a participant in the year-book club, and as a journalist for the school paper. She encouraged her peers to give back to the com-munity by spearheading initiatives like a Pennies for Patients drive for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Outside of school, she was an integral part of a competitive tumbling team and worked hard to balance a full schedule with her full course load at WILL Academy.

This fall, Jordan will begin high school as an A Bet-ter Chance Scholar at the Washington Internation-al School. We could not be more proud of her ac-complishments and we look forward to celebrating her successes in the years to come!

High School, and School Without Walls.

Regardless of where they attend high school, KIPP DC’s KIPP Through College team will continue to support these middle school graduates as they journey to and through high school and college.

will academy student wins national awardkipp dc promotes its eighth middle school class

John Fisher, Chairman of the KIPP Foundation, presents Jordan Wimbish with the KIPPster of the Year Award.

KEY Academy • AIM Academy • WILL Academy • LEAP Academy • Promise Academy • College Preparatory • Discover Academy • Grow Academy • Heights Academy • Lead AcademyKEY Academy • AIM Academy • WILL Academy • LEAP Academy • Promise Academy • College Preparatory • Discover Academy • Grow Academy • Heights Academy • Lead Academy

This summer, 39 Future Focus Fellows worked more than 5,000 hours in internships in Washing-ton, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The Future Focus program is a partnership between Accenture and KIPP DC intended to provide high school students with essential college and career readiness skills. After spending months working with mentors and learning about career readiness at Saturday ses-sions, the Future Focus interns were well-prepared for their summer jobs.

Interns were placed at sites according to their indi-vidual career interests. This summer, the program was lucky to have the support of top-notch host sites, including:

• Accenture

• Goodwin Procter LLP

• Howard University School of Law

• KIPP Foundation

• National Center for Children and Families

• National Institute of Health

• Public Allies

• The Washington Dental Studio

The Future Focus interns received high marks from their employers for their professionalism and abil-ity to tackle new challenges with grit and focus.

Internship host Washington Dental Studio said, “We had an amazing intern. She was just like any other employee on our team here. We trust her to operate on her own so much that we have been able to leave the front office in her care when we go to lunch. She will be missed!”

The Future Focus program will welcome a new class of Fellows this September.

future focus fellows learn on the jobThis June, KIPP Through College (KTC) hosted its annual Senior Send-off Ceremony to celebrate the KIPP DC alumni who have graduated from high school and will soon begin their journey to and through college.

The ceremony, graciously hosted by The Occiden-tal, brings together students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the KIPP Through College staff and gives students a chance to reflect, dine, and wish each other well before they head off to col-lege.

“We are so impressed with these students and the hard work that they have done to get to this point. The Occidental is known for hosting many VIP dinners, but this one truly is for very important students, teachers, and families,” said Occidental Chef Rodney Scruggs.

In addition to providing time for reflection, the event introduces students and families to the KIPP Through College team that works with college stu-dents. As our alumni transition from high school to college, they have the added support and guid-ance of KTC College Support Advisors, who will follow their progress and offer guidance until they achieve their next milestone: a college degree.

the class of 2012 is college-bound

This year, KIPP DC alumni will be matriculating to the following colleges and universities:

Allegany College of Maryland

Bennett College of Women

Delaware State University

Edinboro University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical

Florida A&M University

Frostburg State University

George Washington University

Glenville State University

Howard University

Indiana - Purdue University

Kenyon College

Lafayette College

Lincoln University

McDaniel College

Morgan State University

North Carolina A&T University

Old Dominion University

Salisbury University

Sarah Lawrence College

St. John’s University

Trinity University

University of the District of Columbia

University of Maryland College Park

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia State University

Wesleyan University

Winston Salem State University

college-bound:class of 2012

colleges & universities

Future Focus Fellow Briana presents her disease research findings with her National Institute of Health mentor, Dr. Migdalia Rivera-Goba.

GET READY FOR 2013 2013 is a big year for KIPP DC! Not only will we be celebrating the high school graduation of our found-ing class at KIPP DC College Preparatory, but we will also be celebrating the very first cohort of KIPP DC students as they graduate from college! There will be lots to cheer for and we hope you will join us as we reach these two milestones and continue to prove what is possible for students in Washington, D.C.