WEST END ATLANTA

Make a call, they are on the adgenda this coming Wednesday. Please come out to support.

Hi there,

Kathleen Jones here. A quick update about Kindezi School-- the APS school board votes this next Monday, May 12 yay or nay for final approval of our charter school (and a number of others). We are encouraged by the signs and will post to this website as soon as we know APS's official answer!

Kathleen

Hi WEND members,

Kathleen Jones here, with Kindezi School. I have great news! Last night at the APS Board of Education legislative meeting, the board voted unanimously to approve our charter petition (along with one other KIPP school). That means that Kindezi School will be opening its doors in August of 2009 to students in grades K-3, and will add a grade level each year until we are a K-8 school. Dean Leeper and I will make every attempt to attend the next WEND meeting to give you more details.

Many thanks to WEND for your curiosity about and support of Kindezi School. You helped us to prove that we have community support, which was a critical part of our application.

More soon,
Kathleen Jones

Kathleen,

Congratulations! I'm so happy for you guys because I know how hard you've worked on your charter, and I'm also excited for our neighborhood! Please let me know what I can do to help from here on out - I'm fairly available and would love to be involved!

Mary

Congratulations to you guys. I and Darek are very excited about your school. Let me know if I can help. I would love to get involved, too.

Ewelina

Dear Kindezi School supporters,

Greetings, and we hope that this email finds you well. We have had a busy and productive few months with Kindezi School, and I want to update you on how you can become involved during this crucial pre-operation year. First, however, let me summarize a few exciting pieces of news since our Atlanta Public Schools charter school approval in May:

* As of this week, we are in the final stages of negotiating a lease and facility partnership with West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Historic West End (1040 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, 30310). This wonderfully-located church has ample space on their building's third floor for a thriving school, and they are also open to us utilizing their dining room and gymnasium as well. Last night, on 7/22, the church's Board of Deacons and Board of Trustees voted to approve the proposed facility partnership. westhunterstreetbaptist.org/

* We have solidified our Founding Board with 11 members either representing the southwest Atlanta community or contributing as area educators. In our initial meeting, we have identified the following five focus areas for the next year: facility, fundraising, curriculum/instruction, strategic planning (marketing), and hiring. After forming task-forces in these five areas, we will be asking you, our active community, to get involved and help us make progress in these areas.

* Given our probable location in West End, we have begun approaching various organizations about community partnerships with Kindezi School, including the Wren's Nest, historic home of Joel Chandler Harris (next door to the church facility). Lain Shakespeare, executive director of the Wren's Nest, is excited to partner with our school by providing access to their beautiful grounds, encouraging their storytellers to work with our students, and eventually helping our students develop their own newspaper and blog publications. Very exciting! www.wrensnestonline.com/

While there is exciting progress underway, we have miles to go before we rest! That's where you come in. We will be holding our first Kindezi Team organizational meeting in early September after the start of the public school academic year. I will send out a final date and time for the meeting in mid-August. At that meeting, we will ask you to evaluate how you can best utilize your time, resources, and expertise for Kindezi School as we prepare to open our doors in August of 2009. Please respond with a general idea of whether a weeknight or weekend-day meeting would work better for you.

I am now working full-time as Kindezi School's "implementation coordinator", so don't hesitate to email me with any thoughts or questions. Keep spreading the word, and I look forward to seeing you in September!


Sincerely,

Kathleen Jones
www.kindezi.org

I am happy to hear that. I know many in the neighborhood will be happy as well. Please keep in contact with WEND. Also, I am sure there are parents here that would love to be on your board.

Kindezi School is looking to have a public meeting in the community in a couple of weeks, on Wednesday the 17th. I've been asked to help find a place to have this meeting, but as I'm newer to the neighborhood, I'm not sure what places are 'friendly' to community groups. The library is already out as they close at 6 PM. Does anyone have any suggestions of places that we might be able to have this meeting?