S P OT L I G H T
KIPP DC Has More Tier 1 Schools Than Any Other Charter School Network
WINTER 2015
On November 14th, the D.C. Public Charter School Board announced the results of the 2014 Performance Management Framework (PMF), an evaluation tool created to assess and monitor charter school performance. The PMF evaluates schools holistically and takes multiple measures into account, including growth and achievement over time, attendance and re-enrollment rates, and “gateway outcomes” like the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced in math in eighth grade, high school graduation rates, PSAT/SAT scores, and college acceptance rates. Once again, we are incredibly proud of our results. Here are some highlights: • All five of KIPP DC’s eligible schools (Promise, KEY, AIM, WILL, and KCP) have been rated Tier 1 • KIPP DC is the largest LEA to have all of its schools rated Tier 1 — 5 of the 22 Tier 1 schools are KIPP DC schools • KCP, our high school, earned the highest rating of any public charter high school • Promise earned the highest rating of any public charter elementary school • For middle schools, KEY earned the second highest rating, AIM earned the third highest rating, and WILL earned the sixth highest rating • AIM, WILL, and KCP were all recognized for being both high-quality and serving a large percentage of Special Education students • Promise was recognized for some of the highest reading and math growth of any charter school in the city Our results are a testament to the hard work of our school leaders, teachers, and students. Congratulations to our KIPPsters and the KIPP DC team!
Our Sixteenth School Will Open This Summer
What is KIPP DC? KIPP DC is a network of high-performing, public, collegepreparatory charter schools in Washington, D.C., which serves the city’s under-resourced communities. At KIPP DC, there are no shortcuts. Outstanding educators, more time in school, a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, and a strong culture of achievement and support helps our students make significant academic gains and continue to excel in high school and college. KIPP DC currently serves 4,500 students at fifteen schools throughout the District of Columbia.
The school will be led by Gillian Conner, a KIPP DC veteran. For the last five years, Ms. Conner has served as the vice principal at KIPP DC College Preparatory (KCP), KIPP DC’s high-performing high school. Prior to joining the KCP team five years ago, Ms. Conner taught eighth grade math in New Orleans Public Schools, seventh grade math at KIPP DC KEY Academy, and special education at KIPP DC AIM Academy. Ms. Conner has her B.S.B.A. in finance, international business, and cultural anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis and her M.P.A. from Princeton University. She sees Valor Academy as a place where children are inspired to learn, ask questions, and express themselves and where teachers teach with urgency, determination, and intentionality every day. As she explains, “My vision is for Valor Academy to be a school where families are proud to send their children; a place of joy and rigorous academic preparation, with an emphasis on developing the habits that prepare students for high school, college, and beyond.” We can’t wait for her to bring her school to life!
Contact Us KIPP DC HEADQUARTERS: 1003 K Street NW | Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20001 202.223.4505 | www.kippdc.org BENNING CAMPUS: 4801 Benning Road SE Washington, D.C. 20019
COLLEGE PREP CAMPUS: 1401 Brentwood Parkway NE Washington, D.C. 20002
BLAINE CAMPUS: 5300 Blaine Street NE Washington, D.C. 20019
SHAW CAMPUS: 421 P Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001
DOUGLASS CAMPUS: 2600 Douglass Road SE Washington, D.C. 20020
WEBB CAMPUS: 1375 Mount Olivet Road NE Washington, D.C. 20002
IN THIS ISS U E
KIPP DC’s sixteenth school, KIPP DC Valor Academy, will open this summer at the Blaine Campus in Northeast D.C. This middle school will initially serve students in fifth and sixth grade, but will add grades seven and eight in subsequent years.
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Ms. Gillian Conner working with a student.
Highest Amount of Teir 1 Schools in D.C. & New Middle School
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Veteran KIPP DC Teacher Wins D.C.’s Teacher of the Year
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March Madness & KTC Networking Event
Veteran KIPP DC Teacher is D.C.’s Teacher of the Year! Jennifer Ramacciotti from KIPP DC AIM Academy has been selected as the 2015 District of Columbia Teacher of the Year by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). This is a tremendous honor for a phenomenal KIPP DC teacher who truly models excellence inside and outside of the classroom. Ms. Ramacciotti began her teaching career as a corps member with Teach for America in Philadelphia. She joined the KIPP DC team and family in July 2008 and served as a sixth grade math teacher for two years before being selected for KIPP’s school leadership pipeline and becoming a vice principal and instructional coach at the school. After three years as a school leader, including several months during which she served as principal while the school’s principal was out on maternity leave, she realized that her true passion was in the classroom and returned to her roots as a math teacher, preparing eighth grade students for excellence in rigorous high schools and beyond. As she explains, “I missed the changes in kids’ faces when they made a connection or when they saw the result of their hard work. I needed to return to the classroom.” With incredible attention to detail, data-driven instruction, and a relentless focus on growth, Ms. Ramacciotti and her students have produced excellent results. On last year’s DC CAS, 94% of her students scored proficient or advanced. Even more impressive, 64% of her students scored advanced! Ms. Ramacciotti is also known for the amazing relationships and trust that she builds with her students. As her colleague Caity Schneeman explains, “Jen was great at being a vice principal and could have easily gone on to become a principal. However, Jen’s dedication – the belief deep down in her core that teaching in the classroom is how you really change kids’ lives – would not let her be. She followed her instincts and went back into the classroom, which is the best decision she has ever made. Kids know when the adults in their lives are really in it for the right reasons and are really committed to their success. This is true of Jen Ramacciotti. Kids know – she gave up being a vice principal, she’s obsessed with math, she won’t let us fail. That, to me, is what makes a truly excellent teacher – if not just the adults know that you’re for real, but the kids do too.” Outside of her classroom, Ms. Ramacciotti is an active participant in the larger AIM Academy community and the national KIPP network. Whether she is serving as the musical director for AIM’s school musical, supporting teachers across the country as the KIPP Share Eighth Grade Math Community Leader, or running alongside Girls on the Run participants in a 5K, she is always focused on growth and building the relationships that allow her to push herself, her students, and her colleagues to new levels of success. As she explains, “Test results are not the only sign of student success. I want my students to grow as citizens of their city. I want them to be prepared to be active members of the community. I want them to have the character, the education, and the resources to be able to succeed in a very competitive society.” Though Ms. Ramacciotti is a highly sought-after resource for the teachers at her school and at KIPP schools across the country, she is incredibly humble and quick to give credit to the students that she teaches: “I am not the change in the classroom. My students are. They have changed the trajectory of their lives by creating new opportunities and possibilities because of their academic achievements.” Ms. Ramacciotti also embodies the growth mindset that she hopes to instill in her students: “Teaching is about growth. To become the best teacher you can be, you have to believe that growth is possible and necessary for ourselves and our kids. This award is a tremendous honor, but I know that I still have so much more to learn and so many ways that I can improve my instruction, my approach, and my relationships.” We feel so lucky to have Ms. Ramacciotti on the KIPP DC team and thank her for her years of service and the many lives that she has impacted here in Washington, D.C. Congratulations to her on this well-deserved recognition from the city!
KEY Academy AIM Academy WILL Academy LEAP Academy Discover Academy Promise Academy College Preparatory Grow Acade
NICE WORK! • Congratulations to KCP Seniors Amedeo Hines and Michael Pearson who were both selected as POSSE Scholars and will attend Lafayette College and University of Rochester on full rides!
• KIPP DC WILL Academy and KIPP DC AIM Academy both won Golden Mic awards for their performances at the DC Scores Youth Poetry Slam!
• KCP Junior Nathaniel Green was one of only two students selected to represent Washington, D.C. at the United States Senate Youth Program. He also received a $5,000 scholarship.
• KIPP DC LEAP Academy was a runner-up for Best Preschool in the Washington City Paper’s “Best of D.C.”.
• KEY & KCP alumna, Porshia Brewer, currently a sophmore at Delaware State University, was one of two students selected by the university’s president for a goodwill trip to China this spring!
Thursday, March 12th | 6:00 - 10:00 pm The Hamilton Live 600 14th Street NW
KIPP DC’s annual March Madness event is an exciting way to celebrate your own college pride while supporting our students on their journeys to and through college! We hope you can join us for a great night that benefits our KIPP Through College program: • Enjoy an open bar, food, and fun entertainment • Listen to student performances and stories • Watch NCAA Basketball conference tournament games • Interact with the KIPP DC Team & Family and learn more about KIPP Through College’s impact • Bid on unique silent auction items Visit http://bit.ly/KIPPDCMarchMadness to purchase your tickets or contact Rama Mandadi (rama.mandadi@ kippdc.org) for details about sponsorship opportunities!
Our 2015 March Madndess Sponsors include: Championship Sponsor
Final Four Sponsors
B U I L D I N G
T H E
F U T U R E
Elite Eight Sponsor Sweet Sixteen Sponsor
KIPP Through College Networking Event Gets KIPPsters Ready for the Workforce On December 17th, KIPP Through College hosted its fifth KTC Networking Event to provide KIPP DC college-age alumni with the opportunity to practice their networking skills with professionals from various industries. Located at the offices of Alston & Bird LLP, this event gathered volunteer professionals from the D.C. area who connected with our alumni regarding their career aspirations. The professionals provided students with general career advice, as well as tips on how to position themselves in the competitive workforce. Thanks to everyone who volunteered their time to give our KIPPsters a leg up on the competition!
emy Heights Academy Lead Academy Connect Academy Spring Academy Northeast Academy Arts & Tech Academy Quest Academy
S P OT L I G H T 1003 K Street NW | Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20001 202-223-4505 | www.kippdc.org