KBI Monthly news, updates & joy
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As we look ahead to the rest of the school year, we are continuing to plan and prepare to ensure that our students who most need our support have it through partnerships with Baltimore City Schools such as the student learning centers described below; providing mental and social emotional supports to our students and staff coordinated through our new school counselor; and creating as much space within our synchronous learning time for students to engage with each other as possible, because we know that this is where the most authentic learning happens.
KIPP Baltimore staff show up and show out every day because we know how much potential and power our students have inside them, and we are committed to helping them unlock it; simultaneously, our students are proving themselves more committed and focused than ever in owning their own learning.
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1 | Healthy Operations: Reopening Strategy |
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When schools closed in March, the KIPP Baltimore team got to work. Under the guidance of Principals Adamson and Reese, our staff developed three workgroups: Academic Acceleration; Health and Safety; and SEL (social-emotional learning) and Families. Our workgroups included teachers, school leaders, KIPP parents and guardians, and critical partners, like our Rales Health Center staff. This inclusivity allowed us to consider as many perspectives as possible.
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KIPP Baltimore's Reopening Vision
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We will adopt a hybrid distance learning approach (a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning) to ensure targeted, data-driven instruction that is designed for special populations making it accessible for all student. All staff, students, and families will be able to access and engage in rigorous learning while staying healthy, safe, and joyful. All learning opportunities will ensure continuous accelerated rigorous learning that is trauma-responsive and culturally-relevant.
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While most of our students are currently engaged in virtual learning from home, 35 KIPPsters were deemed eligible to participate in City Schools' "Student Learning Centers", where caring, professional adults monitor student learning and ensure that our KIPPsters have access to technology, internet, daily breakfast and lunch, and related services. We've been learning from these SLCs in Baltimore - as well as our KIPP network around the country - to prepare for in-person instruction as soon as possible! |
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2 | Meet Deon Rosado, KIPP Pride of 2020 |
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Deon Rosado, Pride of 2020, has been paving his way his first four weeks as a college freshman at Dickinson College, even virtually! He has risen to the top as a Staff Writer for the Dickinsonian, a student newspaper established in 1872, which is published every Thursday highlighting current world news and events.
He has written and headlined articles around the journey and passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Presidential election, and the Democratic and Republic National Conventions. We honor Deon's commitment to a career in journalism, and celebrate his early successes!
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3 | KIPP Mission & Vision in Action |
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Our Countdown to College program is a critical lever to students building the skill and confidence required to pursue their own, self-selected paths to success.
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This summer's CTC program took place virtually from July 13th -August 14th.
Sixty-two of our rising Seniors, the Pride of 2021, successfully completed the program. We hired seven summer Instructors who held virtual sessions and supported KIPPsters to complete their exit portfolios – including their college essay, resume, and college wishlist. Staff utilized a combination of Zoom (online meetings and webinars) and Google Classroom to engage our students.
We kept class sizes small to ensure that students received individualized attention despite the inability to meet in person. Two KIPP alumni - current college students - joined each class as Teaching Assistants to provide additional mentoring and guidance to the rising Seniors.
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Throughout the program, we created authentic opportunities for students to hear from guest speakers who addressed unique college and career experiences. |
100% of CTC participants agreed or strongly agreed that they saw themselves going to college after completing the program. |
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4 | Fundraising Update: KIPP Awarded the MSDE GEER Grant
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KIPP Baltimore is thrilled to announce and celebrate our receipt of one of the Governor’s Emergency Educational Relief (GEER) Fund’s innovation grants. With this grant, we were awarded up to $355,000 to purchase classroom technology to enhance both our virtual and hybrid classrooms.
This grant spans a two year period and provides us with funds to place OneScreens in each Math and ELA classroom, as well as tools to create model video lessons which will ensure that all students have access to our best instruction - whether learning takes place from home or in a hybrid environment. You can read more about the grant and our fellow recipients here.
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5 | This Month's Moment of Joy |
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The Joys of Teaching at KIPP |
When we came back together at the start of the school year, we were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm with which our teachers approached virtual learning.
Fifth grade math teacher Benyka Mitchell wrote a powerful poem that expresses the complexity of this time, as well as the passion that each of our staff members has for our work with KIPPsters and their families.
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Every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities.
2000 Edgewood Street Baltimore, MD 21216 • p: 410-291-2583 f: 410-826-5513 • www.kippbaltimore.org
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