SPRING 2023
Your
Your Summer Reading Recs
HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: THE JOURNEY TO COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS
HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: THE JOURNEY TO COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS
HEARTBEAT HIGHLIGHTS HEARTBEAT HIGHLIGHTS
Over 2,000 students and their families are enrolled in our schools in Camden and this year, our community expanded to include KIPP Sumner Elementary (KSE). Teachers and leaders at KSE have laid the foundations for a school that exemplifies strong academics, joy and a commitment to family partnerships (see page 9 for more!).
This edition features one central tenet of our guiding Heartbeat values: The belief that our students will change the world. Read on to discover how that heartbeat comes to life every day, both within and beyond the walls of our classrooms.
In this issue, you will find:
Summer Reading Tips. Head to page 7 to learn about favorite summer reading book recommendations from our community that will keep your child reading all summer!
Our High Schools in the Spotlight. From innovative new course offerings, to targeted career support, explore what our high schools have to offer on page 10.
World-changers. Whether they’re sharing their love for reading with their neighbors, or discovering their passion for music, our students learn valuable skills that will support them as they change their communities and the world. Head to page 13 to read ‘heartbeat highlights’ from each of our schools.
As we conclude our school year, it’s a joy to watch end-of-year events unfold that are designed to celebrate the academic and personal growth for our students.
We are grateful as always for your unwavering support and involvement in your child's education and wish you and your family a relaxing and safe summer break.
Sincerely,
Drew Martin Executive Director, KIPP New JerseyThese individuals are just a few of the inspiring members of our school communities who go above and beyond to exemplify their school values, support other students and teammates, and have a positive impact on everybody they encounter.
ROXANNE ROSA exemplifies excellence as she supports scholars who are English Language Learners. Aside from providing individualized support, she translates texts, and shares resources with families to continue learning at home. As a result, our scholars have made tremendous academic growth.
YVETTE TOBIN is new to Justice this year and her work is having a positive impact on the entire Justice community. She ensures that all students receive intervention and support that they need, and supports every teacher by modeling excellence, even for those she does not coach.
NCA parent WISNIEWSKIE PARFAIT goes above and beyond to support the success of not only her daughter but also her daughter’s classmates. She donates items to community service drives, cooks meals for staff, and chaperones student events. Ms. Parfait offers feedback when she has ideas and attends family engagement activities, embodying NCA values of ‘Humanity, Excellence and Courage.’
Assistant school leader ABDOUL OUEDRAOGO embodies our Rise values, supporting teachers, students, families, and the community. He models what it means to be a leader and follows when necessary. He sees support as an opportunity to serve our students and their families.
KIPP
PHILIP OYENIYI is a third-grade student-leader in the Life community. He lives out our values by helping his teachers and supporting his teammates. He has earned EVERY ‘Seeds of Excellence Breakfast’ recognizing exceptional attendance this year, has been a student of the month, and has also won an integrity award.
Having completing her Teacher in Residence program last year, English teacher TATIANAH DEMANDE is earning outstanding results this year as a lead teacher. She exemplifies Purpose’s values, uplifts teammates, and is the person whom staff can lean on when they’re having a tough day.
From volunteering her time as a math tutor almost every Saturday morning, to supporting her teammates with implementing engaging and effective math curriculum, math teacher LAUREN COOKE supports every student on their journey to master content. Ms. Cooke is always willing to support her colleagues and families in any way possible.
KIPP Forward senior counselor JACOLBY SUGGS works with students and families to help students prepare for life beyond Lab. His love for our students is tangible. When a parent couldn’t attend FAFSA night, Mr. Suggs worked with them over the phone and in-person to ensure the family completed the critical paperwork.
Dance teacher DEBORAH
OVALLES is a leader on the SPARK enrichment team. In her spare time, she makes costumes and set designs for any and every school production. Deborah also hosts fitness and wellness classes for staff members on Wednesdays. She is a jack of all trades and loved by everyone.
Teacher DAWNE TARVER works incredibly hard on behalf of her students and their families every day. Continuing work she started during the pandemic, Ms. Tarver helps provide Hello Fresh meals to about 50 families on a rotating basis.
Kindergarten lead teacher JEVONNA TOWNES coordinated a gift drive for kindergarten and first-grade students so every student received a gift before the winter holidays. Mrs. Townes supports impactful family partnership projects throughout the year.
Paraprofessional MIA CLARK goes above and beyond to support THRIVE students! This holiday season, she gave wrapped gifts to every kindergarten and first-grade student during the holiday season.
Grade level chair and math teacher JUSTENE MILLER has created a culture of fun and competition across the fifth grade. Ms. Miller plans competitions every Friday morning like dance contests, silly games, and cheer-offs to get kids excited to come to school. She also invites families to join these events to help them feel connected to her grade-level community.
ELA teacher, grade leader, and basketball coach JOEZER ANTOINE wears many hats well at TEAM. His students have some of the highest ELA results in the school, and he brings together TEAM players with KIPP Lab HS athletes to foster connections with our high schools.
Behaviorist LINDEN REED has supported students since LSP’s second year of founding. She has supported countless teachers in reaching the students that need the most love and support, changing trajectories for so many students. Ms. Reed embodies a growth mindset about students and teachers and firmly believes that ALL students can reach their potential.
KIPP
Athletics Director NICK DRAGO works hard to create a robust athletics program for KHS students. He spends countless hours during weekends and before, during, and after school to ensure students have clean uniforms, teams to play against, and state-of-the-art facilities.
Though lower school assistant dean of students PAUL GAY works mostly with fifth and sixth grade students, there is not a student at LSM that does not view Mr. Paul as "their person." This year he launched a restorative class where he holds mediations and reflective conversations so scholars can learn after a difficult situation. The class provides a sacred time during the day for student growth.
KIPP
KIPP Hatch science teacher and science department leader RYAN WEAVER is committed to supporting science excellence and engagement for all of his students. As a top-performing science teacher, he prioritizes family communication, often calling or texting every family at least once per week. This year, he wrote a new science unit on force, energy, and motion that is being rolled out to all teachers.
Teacher (and KIPP NJ alum!) SASHAI ROBERTS has embraced Sumner’s approach to student learning, providing students with the feedback needed to own their learning. Her clear and concise ‘Criteria For Success’ steps have allowed students to know where to go and how to get there.
KIPP LANNING SQUARE PRIMARY
KIPP LANNING SQUARE MIDDLE
HIGH SCHOOL
HATCH MIDDLE
KIPP SUMNER ELEMENTARY
Sashai Roberts KIPP Sumner Elementary
Ryan Weaver KIPP Hatch Middle
Summer is almost here, and you’re likely already thinking about how to keep your child engaged over the coming months. Reading is not only fun, but also offers benefits, including improving vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills.
To help you make the most out of summer reading, we're sharing this summer reading challenge checklist and reading recommendations from our staff below.
We’re challenging our community to read, read, read this summer! Complete your reading challenge by checking off as many of these ten items as you can.
a book about a fantasy world
in the car or on a bus
a comic book
a book that's also a movie
outside
to a pet or stuffed animal
a book by flashlight
a book with a one-word title
a science book a book set in a different country
Want to share your child’s summer reading progress?
Post a photo of them reading this summer and use the hashtag #kippnjbookworm
Don’t forget to tag us! (@kippnj)
Sumner parent, Anthony Duran and daughter, Yurani head to school together for Father Figure Day.
KIPP Sumner families gathered at the Ferry Avenue Library to read, take part in art activities and learn more about the resources available to them through the library.
Students like Emmery dressed as their 100 year-old selves to honor the inaugural 100 days of the school year.
Gym class with Mr. Woolston is never boring at Sumner!
Teachers like Mr. W. at Sumner celebrate students for demonstrating leadership and kindness in their classes!
Families gathered for a Thanksgiving Family Lunch in November.
KIPP SUMNER ELEMENTARY opened its doors in 2022 as KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy’s newest elementary school. Over 100 students walked through the doors of Sumner in August and since then, the school has made a significant impression on students and families in its first year.
“The thing I’m most proud of this year is developing a supportive and engaging school culture for students and teachers,” said school leader Ken Calemmo. “We wanted to create a place where kids could create positive memories and traditions. Today, Sumner is an exceedingly joyful place where our students and teachers feel a high degree of ownership in contributing to the common vision of our school,” said Calemmo.
Developing family partnerships has been a critical part of that work. Sumner has hosted a number of family events throughout the year, including a family breakfast, Hispanic Heritage Month potluck, Thanksgiving family lunch, and a ‘Reading Night’ at Ferry Avenue Library.
Rhaje Jones, a teacher and Sumner’s family and community engagement coordinator, has been instrumental in championing these events. “My goal is to support a school community where families have opportunities to step into their student’s world,” said Jones. “Our events have reflected our commitment to supporting families and connecting them with resources in their community, like our Library night. We want to make sure everyone feels like a part of the Sumner community,”
she added. Next year, Jones hopes to launch a Parent Council and offer families more opportunities for input and involvement in planning school events.
The hard work of teachers like Jones has not gone unnoticed by families. Brianna Irizarry’s daughter Emmery is a second grader at Sumner and is new to KIPP schools. “It’s been like night and day from her experience at her last school. She’s making so much progress in reading and math,” said Irizarry.
Lakeia Jackson holds the distinction of being a two-time founding parent with KIPP schools in Camden; her older children attended KIPP Lanning Square Primary when the school launched in 2014. “We’ve been with KIPP since they were just getting set up in Camden,and we’ve loved Sumner this year. There’s so many resources available to families and teachers like Ms. Jones are always in touch with us about what’s going on. We’re able to offer our input as parents,” said Jackson.
As he reflects on nearly a year of learning at Sumner, Calemmo is particularly proud of the reading gains he’s seen from students, with the vast majority making significant progress in their reading levels. Next year, the school will grow, educating students from kindergarten through third grade. “I talk with my leadership team all the time about how joyful school culture and rigorous learning are not mutually exclusive. I’m looking forward to continuing to bring that vision to life,” he said.
We wanted to create a place where kids could create positive memories and traditions. Today, Sumner is an exceedingly joyful place where our students and teachers feel a high degree of ownership in contributing to the common vision of our school.
Ken Calemmo School Leader KIPP Sumner Elementary
Across KIPP New Jersey’s three high schools, our students’ journeys towards discovering their career and college pathways are supported by a range of resources that offer students the skills they need to achieve their goals.
From dual enrollment programs that allow seniors to earn college credits, to personalized college and career guidance, here’s how our high school programming is supporting the next generation of world-changers.
A COLLEGE JUMPSTART:
DUAL ENROLLMENT AT KIPP HIGH SCHOOLS
Dual enrollment programs provide students with the opportunity to earn college credit and gain valuable experience tackling college-level coursework while still in high school.
This year, fifty students at KIPP Newark Lab High School and KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy enrolled in ‘Poetry in America,’ a class offered by Arizona State University (ASU), which provided college credits to students who successfully completed the course. Next year, KIPP High School in Camden will offer dual enrollment opportunities to its founding senior class.
Lab English teacher Toi McRae encouraged her students to enroll in the course, and it was a resounding success. Ninety percent of her students passed and earned college credits. “Students shouldn’t pass up dual enrollment opportunities. They can get a jump start on earning college credits, which saves you money down the line,” said McRae.
Senior Calvin Mitchell-Clark was a standout in the class, placing in the top 5% of all students who enrolled in the course nationally. "Taking the dual enrollment class through ASU was such an eye-opener," said Mitchell-Clark. "When I started, I knew it would be a challenge, but it helped push me to find meaning in every word I read. I’ve been able to apply that knowledge in English class. Plus, as someone who enjoys songwriting, the course helped me think about how I can create lyrics that tell a powerful story."
EXAMINING THE PAST, SHAPING THE FUTURE.
This school year, students at all three KIPP New Jersey high schools
Taking the dual enrollment class through ASU was such an eye-opener.
When I started, I knew it would be a challenge, but it helped push me to find meaning in every word I read.
CALVINMITCHELL-CLARK KIPP Newark Lab High School senior. Lab English Teacher Toi McCrae supports dual enrollment classes for her students. KIPP Lab student, Calvin Mitchell-Clark was a standout in his dual enrollment course.
were required to take a new course, “African American and Latinx History of the United States.” Exploring everything from the United States’ role in the Cuban Revolution, to post-Civil War Reconstruction, the class offers a unique lens on the diasporas and policies that have shaped the United States and counts towards the U.S History graduation requirement.
“Our goal as we designed the course was to offer a perspective on U.S history that centers the history of Black and Latinx people and movements, while also offering a rigorous, AP-level course that will prepare them for college,” said Ashley Blount, KIPP New Jersey’s Director of Teaching and Learning who helped design the course.
At KIPP NCA, history teacher Armoni Foster is bringing that curriculum to life for the first time this year. A Duke University and KIPP NCA and Rise Academy alumna, Foster believes the curriculum offers students an important view of U.S History.
“I’m Afro-Latina, and being able to teach Black and Latinx history is really meaningful to me and also reflective of our student body,” said Foster. “We start by covering colonization and imperialism, and then pivot to examining how US politics intersected with revolutionary movements
KIPP Lanning Square Middle alumna
Jha’kira Brown entered the workforce after graduating from high school in Willingboro, New Jersey, following her dream to join the medical field. Today, she works with adults who are mentally disabled in a group home setting, supporting residents with everything from administering medication, to taking them on trips to local attractions. “Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to help people. I’m a people person. My mom was my inspiration, and today we are co-workers,” said Brown.
She added that KIPP Forward counselors Kate Esposito and Kris Smith were instrumental in supporting her trajectory. “High school could be hard for me, but Ms. Esposito would always ask me what I needed to succeed,” said Brown. After graduation from high school, Brown was impressed with their personalized approach to support. “It wasn’t just email check-ins, we had monthly or weekly meetings, and I knew they really cared,” she said.
Today, Brown’s longer term plan is to attend nursing school, which her current employer will pay for after two years of work. Short-term? She’s recently purchased a car and is currently apartment hunting!
across the globe. We want students to learn about structural racism, but also how people have fought against that effectively by using their resources to create change.”
For freshmen Jacob Cassey, the course stands out in comparison to his middle school history classes. “I like how it includes such a diverse history, where we’re studying everything from the Monroe Doctrine to South American independence movements,” said Cassey. As a Haitian-American, Cassey was particularly engaged by class discussions about the Haitian Revolution against French colonialism.
After its launch this school year, Blount says the course will be mandatory for all KIPP NJ high school freshmen starting during the 2023-24 school year.
KIPP High School in Camden will graduate its founding class in 2024, but KIPP Forward counselors like Paige Portner have been working alongside students from day one as they identify their career goals and college aspirations.
“Last year, I launched a career series for our ninth graders, which focused on bringing in speakers from different fields like technology and healthcare to help students understand what career options are available to them,” said Portner.
Community partnerships have played a key role in helping students identify their career interests. This year, the American Training Center brought in an EKG machine for students to use as they explored careers in healthcare. Hopeworks, a career placement organization, has also visited KHS to offer students opportunities to code and learn more about careers in technology.
KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy Class of 2019 alumnus Kamil Vickers is making an impact as a senior at Villanova University.
Vickers has demonstrated a knack for impact already. At Villanova, he serves as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Student Government Association. “That experience has helped me learn how to facilitate dialogue between people who are coming to the table with different backgrounds and really bridge the gap for our minority students,” said Vickers, who will graduate this spring with a major in political science and a minor in Japanese.
This February, Vickers earned an invitation from the White House—Vice President Kamala Harris asked if he would join a group of young people for a conversation about mental health and the Black community.
A recent partnership with Cooper Hospital has introduced students like Yeslian Nieves to the healthcare field. Every Wednesday, Nieves heads to Cooper Hospital for five hours in the afternoon to visit with elderly patients, support patient transport, and organize medical supplies. “I hope to become a nurse or a therapist, and this program has helped me get my foot in the door and steer me towards healthcare,” said Nieves, whose goal is to attend the University of Pennsylvania, a school she visited last year with KHS and loved.
KIPP Forward Director Kenny Reyes says KHS is constantly seeking to expand opportunities for students. “Next year, we’re offering opportunities for students to dual enroll in career technical programs with Camden Community College, and there’s many new partnerships in the pipeline,” said Reyes. “We know our families really care that students find a pathway that leads to a strong career, and we’re here to provide that support to every student,” he added.
"To be invited to the White House was the most incredible moment of my life so far. V.P. Harris gave us the opportunity to come to the table and discuss how we can all improve mental health in our communities. It was inspiring to see the work being performed at the federal level," said Vickers.
Vickers’ KIPP Forward counselor is Freddie Santana, and the two met up this winter to watch their respective college teams play football at Villanova. (Santana is an alumnus of the College of the Holy Cross.) "Having someone from KIPP in my corner has been really reassuring, " said Vickers, whose longterm goal is to support youth, particularly those in communities like his home city of Newark.
One of the central tenets of our ‘Heartbeat,’ the core values that KIPP New Jersey lives by, is that our community shares a deep belief that our students will change the world.
To that end, we support students as they set ambitious goals for their lives and believe that every student who walks through our doors has the potential or outstanding achievement.
Whether they’re demonstrating their leadership ability on the soccer field or their algebra skills in the classroom, our students are gaining the skills and confidence they need to pursue any path that leads to their highest aspirations. Featured here are the students and teammates who bring our heartbeat to life every day.
According to Life School Leader Charlene Dixon, teacher Niara Sutton has been instrumental in making the school a great place to teach and learn for the past six years. This year, Sutton created an opportunity for students to demonstrate their reading and speaking skills during Black History Month by launching a school news channel where students teach their peers about Black history via a morning announcement video on YouTube. The initiative continued into March and will likely become a Life tradition.
“We wanted students to be able to learn about not only historic Black icons, but also current celebrities like Lebron James or Beyoncé, in order to make that legacy more tangible for our students,” said Sutton, who added that another goal of the program was to help both more confident and more introverted students find their voice. Fourth grader Donnell-Melody Redding was one of the students who presented. “At first, speaking out loud in front of everyone made me nervous, but as soon as I started speaking more, I got more confident,” said Redding.
For over a decade, Harold Brown, Chair of NCA’s Department of the Creative Arts, Innovation, Technology & Engineering (CITE), has sparked curiosity in students through lessons in everything from robotics competitions to cybersecurity. This year, his students tackled the challenges of building and coding small and large robots as well as learning cryptography to crack ciphers while learning cybersecurity. Next year, NCA will partner with the City of Newark to launch Tech Academy. Located across the street from NCA, the Tech Academy will offer students hands-on experiences with everything from coding to building servers and fixing hardware. “This new partnership will give students experience in learning different aspects of coding and computing. We want them to be confident in their abilities to have a voice in any room they walk into as adults,” said Brown. “The way these students will change the world is by being at the forefront of the technology industry. I want our students to be in the room when the next best thing is created.”
Visitors to KIPP Lanning Square Primary probably don’t need a classroom number to find Kyle McKay’s music class. Instead they’ll hear the drumbeats echoing from the hallway. “When I was a kid, music was my favorite thing, and I used to get in trouble all the time for tapping on my desk,” said McKay. “But my music teachers always supported me. As a drummer in my high school marching band, I realized how much I enjoyed teaching my classmates who struggled.”
Today, McKay inspires the next generation of musicians in his classes to find joy through music. He hopes his students remember highlights from his classroom like the “Walk of Confidence” he hosts at the end of his classes, where students can show off their dance moves and rhythm. “I want my students to learn how to do things even when they’re hard, to develop muscle memory, and to be mindful and present in everything they do in life,” said McKay.
On March 31st, KIPP Justice Academy celebrated their second annual Influential Women’s Day, bringing together a panel of women from diverse professional backgrounds with the goal of offering students a window into career choices. March is Women’s History Month, so the event, organized by assistant school leader Yundeh Fisher, celebrated women in traditionally male-dominated careers. Justice welcomed panelists such as the City of Orange’s West Ward Councilwoman Quantavia Hilbert, Nicole Sunwabe (the first female Dean at KIPP TEAM Academy), entrepreneurs, and police officers. Speakers shared their experiences as women of color breaking barriers in their professional lives.
As a Newark resident, Fisher knows the importance of positive role models and advocates as young women and young men define their own career paths. “When you come from Newark, you deal with negative commentary and statistics. For our gentlemen, we encourage them to expand their career horizons and do whatever they put their minds to, be it a nurse, teacher, or artist. Our kids can literally change the world,” she said.
When English teacher Georgeann Stewart started hosting KIPP NCP’s Spelling Bee last year, she didn’t anticipate the level of investment her school would demonstrate in the competition. But soon after the ‘Bee’ was announced, everyone from the school nurse to students was all-in on spelling.
“At first, it was an opportunity to encourage literacy in small moments. It gave students a chance to be seen in a new light. Some scholars with behavioral challenges or who had anxiety were top spellers in their homerooms, and staff supported them as they faced their fears of public spelling,” said Stewart.
The best part of the Spelling Bee? It’s student-led. From creating flyers to hosting practice rounds to reminding parents of competition dates, students lead the charge while developing leadership and planning skills they’ll carry into the future. Stay tuned on social media (@kippnj) to learn the winners of this year’s spelling bee, planned for May!
A group of KIPP High School students teamed up with local partners to spread a love of reading in their community this year. Working with Tom Martin of The Free Books Project and Larry Abrams of BookSmiles, students painted and distributed threeshelf libraries called Book Arks to neighborhoods throughout Camden.
Junior Eniyah Boyd helped lead the project. “I really enjoy reading, and it’s important to me that my community has access to books. A lot of people in Camden don’t have access to libraries, and the Book Arks will allow them to discover their love of reading.”
Boyd and her classmates used their artistic skills to paint the little libraries, each one representing a different time of day. “Art brings joy to communities, and I believe aesthetics make a difference in how happy people are in their communities,” said Boyd, who hopes to become an illustrator in the future.
The persistence of KIPP Hatch Middle boys basketball players paid off this year; the team won the Camden City Basketball Championship. Coach Shakoor Woodson said the season was full of lessons in hard work and skill development. “This has been the best coaching job in the last six years. I watched this team improve in so many ways over the season, from becoming better players and developing sportsmanship to being better young men off the court as well,” said Woodson, who added that KIPP Lanning Square Middle’s team played an excellent championship game against Hatch.
Hatch eighth grader and student-athlete Kyle Scott was named the Most Valuable Player. “I improved my overall game. Rebounding and playing defense are what I worked on the most this season. But I’ve also developed as a person, I’m more disciplined and I’m starting to take my schoolwork more seriously,” said Scott, whose ‘plan A’ is to be an NBA player and ‘plan B’ is to start his own business.
When KIPP Rise Academy dean Rashawn Ricks launched a new chess program in January, many of his students had never played the game before. “Our first few classes involved reviewing all of the pieces, their strengths, weaknesses, and how they move across the board,” said Ricks. Today, the club is thriving, having grown from 15 to 26 members.
One of those members is fifth-grader Shemaiah "JJ" Jackson. “I had taken a chess class before, so I knew how to play. I really enjoy being part of the chess club and also helping my friends learn how to play,” said Jackson. Ricks’ vision for the program is to teach students problem-solving, patience, strategy, and creative thinking through chess. “In chess and in life, when we're faced with challenges, we have to think ahead, be patient, and not rush our decisions,” said Ricks.
When Rilwan Adeniran offers his students free time in class, many of them huddle to start answering math facts at lightning speed, attempting to beat their classmates in speed and accuracy. As a track coach and a teacher at KURA, Adeniran says that’s the kind of intrinsic motivation he hopes his students will demonstrate throughout their lives. “I want my kids to be a part of the lesson. When we learn about equivalent fractions, I have them move around physically on a number line, so they can see why 2/4ths is equivalent to 4/8ths. My goal is to make math feel applicable,” said Adeniran.
Infusing his classes with real-life examples, competitions, and the occasional ‘secret’ (he closes the door to preview fourthgrade math with his third graders!), Adeniran strives to be a role model for what it means to love math unapologetically. “I call myself the ‘Master of Math' with my students,” said Adeniran. “I think it’s important for them to see someone who looks like them showing their love for math. That’s what I want them to take away from my class,” he added.
I want my students to learn how to do things even when they’re hard, to develop muscle memory, and to be mindful and present in everything they do in life.
KYLE MCKAY Music Teacher
KIPP Lanning Square Primary
KIPP Truth Academy science teacher Gia Bethea’s classroom is full of hands-on activities and interactive group work. Bethea’s approach to science learning is inclusive and engaging. “Fourth grade learned about inheritance and traits, so scholars created a family tree. It was interesting for students to share more about their families, students were really engaged through that assignment,” said Bethea. Second-grade students explored patterns of night and day, which gave them opportunities to create graphs, draw pictures, and explain their hypotheses, while first grade observed how sound waves moved by studying the vibration of cups through rubber bands.
Bethea’s young scientists can show their knowledge through drawing, reading, and describing observations. Her goal is that students apply these skills as they learn to think through problems and develop persistence in the face of challenges. “Giving elementary school students the opportunity to engage in group work and critical thinking will prepare them for academic success in the years to come,” she said.
Enter Sakia Crawford’s classroom, and you’ll find students hanging on her every word during her daily read alouds. But Crawford knows that reading skills must be nurtured outside the classroom, too. As the school’s Culture of Achievement Coordinator, she is always finding ways to celebrate students' growth and success.
During Sumner’s winter break, she pushed for students to participate in a reading contest and was sure to shout out and highlight the students who participated and excelled. “I believe reading is the cornerstone for education and academic success. Cultivating a love for reading shapes the way children see the world and those around them. Creating a winter reading challenge at Sumner invited scholars and families to share priceless moments of bonding, learning, and competition,” said Crawford.
The KIPP Newark Lab High School girls' basketball team may only be in its second season on the court, but already the team is making waves: This year, they went 13-1 in their conference, winning the Freedom Division Championship and ending their season in the quarter-finals of the NJ State basketball tournament. According to Lab principal Danielle Burroughs, “Coach Ariel Smith worked so hard to develop players not only as athletes, but also as young ladies.”
Coach Smith pointed to not only her player’s development on the court but in the classroom as well. “Heading into the season, we rounded up our GPA requirement for eligibility, and our players really stepped up to meet that challenge as student-athletes,” she said. “Our motto is ‘character first,’ and this year so many players embodied that, demonstrating discipline, keeping their cool in tense situations, and having break-out seasons.”
A new community partnership at KIPP Purpose Academy is helping students cultivate their creativity. This year, with support from a generous KIPP NJ Board member, students partnered with Montclair Film. They worked with two of their filmmakers to come up with a storyline and storyboard that they then filmed and edited to create a short movie. Montclair Film’s Axel Ortiz and Ross Stearn started the semester by showing the students examples of different types of films, highlighting different angles and techniques, and
Cultivating a love for reading shapes the way children see the world and those around them.
—SAKIA CRAWFORD
BOLD ELA teacher Megan Schenauer has taken literacy to the next level for her eighthgraders by ensuring that students learn the importance of test-taking strategies and critical thinking they need to succeed in high school. “Last quarter, students debated whether Claudette Colvin should have received more recognition for staying seated on the bus months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Strong arguments were built on both sides with counter-arguments, and students had prepared reasons and supporting evidence,” said Schenauer.
Schenauer, along with all ELA educators at BOLD, focus on strategies that help students identify and apply standards-aligned skills. Why? “Students need to have the confidence to do hard things. When faced with obstacles, academic or real-world, they need coping strategies and skills that will help them walk with their heads up high so they can move forward in their journey,” said Schenauer.
sharing the effects these angles and shorts have on an audience. Students then acted, directed, and produced a short film.
Director of School Operations Lauren D’Angelo helped to coordinate the program. “Film is a vessel for people to get messages across, and our students have a lot to say. Our partnership with Montclair Film makes students feel that film and production is achievable and attainable for them. Through this opportunity, student voices are heard, and they are able to experience the intricacies of film production, gaining skills that will open up doors for them in the future,” said D’Angelo.
At KIPP Lanning Square Middle, teachers Rahim Shiver and Christopher Collins are making math come alive for their students by sharing their love for problem-solving (and some corny jokes!). “Growing up, math and history were my favorite subjects. I loved to find different ways to arrive at a solution,” said Shiver.
Their approach has made math more enjoyable for students like Rayanna Torres. “Math challenges my brain. But Mr. Shiver is always there to support me—and make jokes. He pushes me to try my best, and I can apply math to things like helping me spend my birthday money,” said Torres.
“So much of the math we teach is applicable to life. We teach everything from card playing and probability to calculating interest on loans and down payments,” said Collins. “These are practical skills we want our students to carry forward from our classroom, and making math feel applicable and engaging is really important to us as educators,” he added.
Every Tuesday, a dozen KIPP SPARK Academy girls gather after school with Assistant School Leader Inayah Williams. Their goal? To learn how to use their voices effectively, build relationships with one another, and practice teamwork. The ‘Lift a Queen’ group began in 2019, when Williams recognized a need to support second through fourth grade girls in building their social skills and confidence. “It’s so important at this age that girls learn to build healthy peer relationships and have a safe space to encourage one another,” said Williams.
Each club meeting has a different topic like identifying emotions or navigating conflict within friendships. A ‘word of the day’ offers a prompt for conversation. Afterwards, physical activity is incorporated. A recent meeting saw the girls working together to move a hula hoop around a circle, hand-in-hand. “These skills will impact their future. Whether they’re having a difficult conversation with a coworker or leading a meeting, I want them to be able to express themselves, hear other opinions, and continually grow,” said Williams.
TEAM English teacher and seventh-grade team leader Gaetan Bondoa is making strides to increase student leadership through soccer. Bondoa and assistant coach Stefon Bowman lead the school's soccer team. “Our vision for the soccer program is that students who may not be seen as leaders in the classroom have a space to develop those skills in a different setting,” said Bondoa, who shouted out players like Mohammed, Sean, Aminah, and Shakhi for their development during the past school year.
Bondoa’s vision is that students leave their soccer season knowing they can achieve anything they set their minds to through persistence and teamwork. “I want them to carry forward the lesson that even when you work hard in life, sometimes you have to be able to withstand failure. But failure can mean you’re getting closer to your ultimate goal,” said Bondoa.
This January, KIPP THRIVE Academy’s ‘Literacy Night’ demonstrated what happens when schools partner with families to help every child fall in love with reading. Assistant Principal of English Language Arts, Naquana Haynes helped organize the evening, where families, students, and staff came together for dinner and reading workshops. Families walked away with literacy resources to support their children at home.
“Reading unlocks the door to many opportunities for our students. Literacy Night encouraged families to discuss reading habits in order to build community and create a growing space for young readers,” said Haynes. This year, THRIVE also initiated a challenge that offered students incentives for meeting their reading growth goals. In small reading groups, teachers celebrate students as they progress through their F&P reading levels (A-Z). “If we make literacy knowledge accessible for our kids and families over time, we can foster student independence, a love of reading, and prepare students for reading level Z and beyond!” said Haynes.
There’s a new club in town at KIPP Seek Academy, and scoring an invite isn’t easy. When it launched this school year, Seek’s after-school Game Club received more than 40 applications to join, and ten students were selected to participate. The criteria? Scholars had to answer two questions that spoke to their character and why they valued game play.
According to music teacher ‘Music Makil,’ who leads the program, “Game Club is a space where students can come together and learn about important aspects of competition like failure, camaraderie, and sportsmanship.” Students play a variety of board games and card games—and sometimes the competition gets heated. But under the guidance of Makil, they learn the importance of coping with loss and the nature of friendly rivalry. “My goal is to help students learn valuable strategy and conflict resolution skills that they can carry with them as future leaders in their communities,” said Makil.
I want them to carry forward the lesson that sometimes, even when you work hard in life, you have to be able to withstand failure. But when you fail at something, it means you’re getting closer to your ultimate goal.
GAETAN BONDOA
English Teacher + Soccer Coach KIPP TEAM Academy
FAMILY SUPPORT
Promise Neighborhood Family Support Team @ KIPP
Contact: Paola Nova pnova@kippnj.org
609-828-9146
FOOD
Hope Mobile Food Distributions
In-person food distributions on the third Wednesday of every month in the KIPP Lanning Square gym. Available for all KIPP families and residents of Cooper Plaza and Lanning Square.
Kroc Center Food Pantry
856-379-4871
Monday: 9:00am - 11:30am and 1:00pm - 3:30pm
Thursday: 1:00pm - 3:30pm
Friday: 9:00am - 11:30am and 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Mighty Writers Food and Diaper Distributions
1801 South Broadway, Camden, NJ
Monday - Thursday, 11:30am - 1:00pm
HEALTH
Cooper Health Center @ KIPP Lanning Square
856-536-1511 (request an appointment at KIPP when calling)
Monday - Friday: 7:30am - 3:30pm
Full-service health center, available to all KIPP and Head Start families.
Gracious Smiles Dentistry
609-744-1200
gracioussmiles73@gmail.com
Full-service dentist every week at KIPP Lanning Square. Patients can also be seen at the Gracious Smiles office in Marlton.
Vaccine Appointment Support
855-568-0545
8:00am - 8:00pm
MENTAL HEALTH
PerformCare
performcarenj.org
State-wide system hotline for children’s psychiatric care (24/7): 877-652-7624
Center for Family Services centerffs.org
Access Center contact: 877-922-2377
HOUSING AND HOME SERVICES
Camden County Board of Social Services
Rental assistance and other resources. 856-225-8800 | njhelps.org
Camden County OEO
Rental assistance and other resources. 856-964-6887
St. Joseph Carpenter Society
Assistance with homeownership or home repairs.
856-966-8117 | sjcscamden.org
UTILITY ASSISTANCE
Camden County OEO LIHEAP and other resources. 856-964-6887
Hispanic Family Center LIHEAP and other resources. 856-964-6887
LEGAL AID
South Jersey Legal Services
856-964-2010 | lsnj.org/sjls
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
LogistiCare
Free transportation to and from medical appointments for Medicaid participants. 866-527-9934
EMPLOYMENT & JOB TRAINING
Camden Works
Job postings for Camden employers, as well as resources for residents looking for work. camdenworks.net
Hopeworks
Job training for young adults in technology. hopeworks.org
