KIPP Raices Academy grand opening
Los Angeles Times Blog
October 7, 2008

By Carla Rivera

KIPP Raices Academy, East Los Angeles’ newest elementary school, celebrated its grand opening today with student recitals, songs and tours for parents and community members.

KIPP Raices, whose name derives from the Spanish word for "roots," is part of the network of Knowledge Is Power Program public charter schools, which are tuition-free, open-enrollment college preparatory schools with a track record of educating low-income and minority students.

The new school is the first KIPP elementary school in California and the first charter elementary school to open in East Los Angeles. Located at the former site of Our Lady of Soledad Catholic school, KIPP Raices officially opened it doors in August with a founding class of 100 kindergartners. About 97% of the students are Latinos and 90% are low-income. The school will add one grade each year until it reaches 500 students in kindergarten through fourth grade in 2012.

"Our students are eager to learn and it’s never too early to to get them started climbing the mountain to and through college," Principal Amber Young said.

Charters are publicly financed schools authorized to operate independent of many rules that govern traditional schools.

The school will follow the national KIPP model, with hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and a two-week summer session, which allows for more extracurricular activities such as art, sports and service learning, as well as reading, math, writing and science.

Students, parents and teachers are expected to sign a "Commitment to Excellence Pledge," which outlines attendance, behavior, safety and other goals.

KIPP Raices joins two other KIPP L.A. schools, KIPP Academy of Opportunity in South Los Angeles and KIPP L.A. Prep in East Los Angeles, which serve about 700 students. The new school is the first phase of a planned expansion that will total six campuses by 2011, funded by a $12-million grant from the Broad Foundation.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thehomeroom/2008/10/kipp-raices-aca.html?CFID=2762402&CFTOKEN=86551980

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