June 2011

On Saturday, June 11, 2011 KIPP Charlotte’s founding class, the Pride of 2015, will be officially promoted from the eighth grade! We are extremely proud of all that this wonderful group of students has accomplished while helping to shape the culture of KIPP Charlotte. Members of the Pride of 2015 will continue to high schools across the country, including:

Carolina International School, Charlotte Country Day School, Choate-Rosemary Hall, Christ School - Arden, Davidson Day School, East Mecklenburg High School, Harding University High School, Kennedy Charter School, Mallard Creek High School, Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, Providence Day School, Queens Grant Community School, Rocky River High School, West Mecklenburg High School, and West Charlotte High School IB.

We look forward to seeing what their futures hold. Congratulations, 2015! We are so proud!

Warm regards,
Keith Burnam and Tiffany Flowers-Washington
(co-founders and school leaders)


KIPP Charlotte Loses a Valued Team Member
Mr. Faruq Asaad - Gone but Never Forgotten

On May 17, 2011, beloved friend and teacher Mr. Faruq Asaad passed away suddenly. For the past two years we were fortunate to have Mr. Asaad (7th grade math) as a member of the KIPP Charlotte team and family. He stood out as a fantastic educator, both in and out of the classroom. The news of his untimely passing has weighed heavily on the hearts of staff, students, and parents. His passion and dedication will not be forgotten.


Pride of 2015 Has Grown in Leaps and Bounds!
The Pride of 2015, KIPP Charlotte’s founding class, has shown what can be achieved when students, staff, and parents dedicate more time and effort to education. The graph below shows the percentage of students in the Pride of 2015 that passed the End of Grade tests in math and reading at each grade level. When students entered KIPP Charlotte, less than 50% had passed their math EOG, and less than 30% passed in reading. This year 79% of eighth grade students passed the reading EOG, and an unprecedented 92% passed in math! In addition, 92% of eighth grade students passed the End of Course test in science! Way to go, 2015!
Pride of 2015 EOG Growth


Call to Action
Volunteers Needed to Coach Extra-Curricular Activities

KIPP Charlotte is seeking dedicated individuals to volunteer their time in the coming year for competitive extra-curricular programs.

  • Robotics Club - Work with Mr. Zimmerman (EC Coordinator) to teach students the mechanics of building working robots.
  • Assistant Coaches for Cross Country running, Basketball, and Track - Assist Mr. Gates (Associate Director of High School Placement) to establish cross country and track teams, and/or build on the existing boys’ and girls’ basketball teams.
  • Science Olympiad - Coach students as they prepare to compete in the Science Olympiad. Go to soinc.org for more information.

We are also always recruiting volunteers in other capacities, including math mentors, reading buddies, lunch helpers, and more. Please click here for more information on volunteering at KIPP Charlotte.


Farewell, Mr. Burnam!
Co-founder Moves On

As the school year ends, we bid a friendly farewell to Mr. Keith Burnam. Mr. Burnam co-founded KIPP Charlotte in 2007 and has acted as School Leader for the first four years of the school’s operation.

Dear Mr. Burnam,

I want to thank you for showing leadership and starting KIPP Charlotte. You really changed my life by giving me more knowledge. When I came to KIPP they pushed my grades to extraordinary levels. You contributed to teach us and show us what it is like in college. You encourage me and everybody else to do our best and learn more. You push us to our limit and make us work even harder to be great. You worked with us to improve our grades and achieve more. I want to thank you for everything you did for us to impact our futures.

In 2017 I’m going to be in college because of you.

Sincerely,
Anthony L.

Mr. Burnam will be continuing to work in the educational movement to close the achievement gap in the American North East. Tiffany Flowers-Washington, co-founder of KIPP Charlotte, will take over as school leader.

Good Luck, Mr. Burnam!


Congratulations, Mr. Plum!
Teacher Honored by Teaching Fellows Institute

Mr. Joey Plum (8th grade Algebra) is once again being recognized for his dedication to students both in and out of the classroom. Mr. Plum has been selected as a 2011 Teaching Fellow by the Teaching Fellows Institute at Charlotte! As part of this distinct honor, Mr. Plum will attend a five day symposium with other outstanding teachers in Charlotte. Congratulations to Mr. Plum for this well-deserved honor!