WEST END ATLANTA

Try the kroger center. They have a room in the back.

Dear Kindezi School supporters,

The new school year is upon us, and in less than 12 months Kindezi School (www.kindezi.org) will open its doors to 96 K-3 students! We are thrilled to be offering an innovative school choice to southwest Atlanta residents and are ready to form a coalition of interested parents, educators and community members. Our first step in this process is to meet and discuss the school model, recent developments, and upcoming needs for volunteer support. Here are the details:

What: Kindezi Support Team meeting
When: Wednesday, September 17 @ 7:00pm
Where: Hammonds House Museum, 503 Peeples St., SW ATL 30310 (in Historic West End)

Topics for discussion:

1. Pre-enrollment for rising K-3 students
2. Facility update
3. Community marketing strategy
4. Volunteer needs/opportunities
5. The Kindezi School model

We want to make a strong start during this pre-operational year, so please make an effort to join us and spread the word about this meeting. If you are planning on attending, please RSVP by replying to this message with a quick "yes."


Thanks, and we look forward to meeting with you soon!

--
Kathleen Jones
www.kindezi.org

Great news! The Kindezi School board found out last week that we have been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation to assist us with various school start up costs during this pre-operational year. The Walton Family Foundation focuses its funding efforts on a number of missions, including addressing K-12 education reform. As a charter school in one of Walton’s targeted districts with an innovative school model, The Kindezi School met the qualifications and desires of the foundation. This funding will provide a huge boost for Kindezi since local and state funding is limited until after the start of the 2009 school year.

To find out more about the Walton Family Foundation, please visit their website at: www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/

Source:http://www.kindezi.org/News/324C00C6-1E79-41AD-81BD-BC16DB846F4B.html

Darek,

That is great news! I am so happy, I think I will go out and get pregnant so my kid can go to Kindezi

Does anyone know whether the location of this school has been finally determined? A couple of months ago I heard that there was a possible problem with the Hunter Baptist facility and that the school might have to locate elsewhere because of that. Does anyone have an update?

Hi there. This is Kathleen Jones, Implementation Coordinator for The Kindezi School. In answer to your question about our school facility, our first choice at this point is to rent space from Atlanta Public Schools in the JC Harris building on Lucille Ave. in West End. We will find out at the end of this week whether or not the facility will be available to lease next year (APS currently has another program residing there). I will send an update to the WEND forum once we receive word on the availability of JC Harris. As for West Hunter Street Baptist, it is still potentially an option, but we found out recently that the third floor of the space would need extensive renovations due to code compliance issues.

Bad news for people who hate bad news.

Info from Kathleen Jones

Dear Kindezi supporters:

I am writing you today with some disturbing news. We found out last night that the Georgia Department of Education will be recommending to the State Board of Education this Thursday that the board deny the Kindezi charter for school opening in August, 2009. They are citing reasons for denial that have nothing to do with our academic model, but rather mainly to do with our Teacher Professional Partnership (TPP). The TPP is a school management structure that dozens of existing charter schools in other states utilize; in this model, the teachers take an active role in helping administrators manage all aspects of the school. This management model is a new concept in the state of Georgia, but one that we believe strongly will empower teachers and help us maintain our 6:1 student-teacher ratio.

This move to deny a charter already approved by a local district (in our case, Atlanta Public Schools) would be unprecedented in the state of Georgia. We hope that you will do what you can to attend this Thursday's Committee of the Whole morning meeting (details below) in order to show support for The Kindezi School. Our school provides a striking and viable alternative to other school options in Southwest Atlanta, and we have earned the confidence of Atlanta Public Schools, so we are asking for your presence and support at this meeting if possible. Thanks, and I will be in touch.


State Board of Education Committee of the Whole mtg.
Thursday, 3/12 @ 8:30am
State Board Room, 20th Floor Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30334
(This building is part of a pair of tall brown buildings downtown next to GSU called the "twin towers" where all of the state offices are. If you enter in the front of the complex, you'll check in with security and ask for the State Board of Education meeting room. They should point you to elevators on your right.)

--
Kathleen Jones
Implementation Coordinator
The Kindezi School
www.kindezi.org
404.247.7514

This is Mary - I'm going to this meeting if anyone wants a ride. I'll probably leave at around 8 AM. Let's go out and let the state know that this is something that is wanted and needed in our community.