Kindezi Updates 2013
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by Nia Knowles
- January 14, 2013
- Kindezi, Schools
- 0
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community,
I hope your 2013 is off to a great start. The Kindezi School is feeling quite optimistic about 2013 because, for the moment, we have nothing but good news.
Latest Test Scores
As you know, Kindezi does not “teach to the test” or place a higher primacy on test scores than it does on other indicators of holistic development. However, we do feel that the average score of the entire school is a rough indicator of our students’ level of mastery of the basic skills they will need to excel in high school and beyond. I’m proud to say that our latest test (now using the NWEA MAP) reveals continued progress. Our students started in 2010-’11 at the 48th percentile, made it to the 56th percentile by March of 2012 and in December of 2012 came in at the 62nd percentile (64th percentile if you include grades that were not with us in 2010-11, which are kindergarten and first grade). That is tremendous growth. It demonstrates that our average student is now significantly above the national average. Schools with our demographics are not expected to perform this well. We hope to continue our upward climb relative to the nation at large.
Garden Initiative
The update on our garden initiative is also positive. On December 1st, we had our first volunteer day. Over thirty parents, staff, community members, and students this great endeavor.
In just a few hours we managed to build and fill 10 raised beds. Next steps: build a chicken coup, a pond for aquaponics, and a bin for vermiculture.
Peace
The Kindezi School is teaching students to be in control of their emotions and their fists. Last year Kindezi students only had 1 full “Peace Week”– a whole week where no student in the entire school commits an unpeaceful act. This year, including the first year of 2013, Kindezi has already had 9 Peace Weeks. Each quarter is more peaceful than the last. This means that our students are rapidly and tangibly gaining an ability to think carefully before acting–an invaluable skill that they will need the rest of their lives. We are very proud of them and happy that the whole climate is much safer than it was two years ago at this time.
The Kindezi School is teaching students to be in control of their emotions and their fists. Last year Kindezi students only had 1 full “Peace Week”– a whole week where no student in the entire school commits an unpeaceful act. This year, including the first year of 2013, Kindezi has already had 9 Peace Weeks. Each quarter is more peaceful than the last. This means that our students are rapidly and tangibly gaining an ability to think carefully before acting–an invaluable skill that they will need the rest of their lives. We are very proud of them and happy that the whole climate is much safer than it was two years ago at this time.
Black History Performance: The Harlem Renaissance
Finally, please consider joining us on March 7th at 6:00pm for a whole-school performance celebrating the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and ’30s. Under the inspired leadership of Ms. Shannon Cadres and Ms. Hyla Hardrick, the evening will begin with students hosting a “living museum” and then each grade will perform an informative tribute to the Harlem Renaissance. There will be a ’20s Harlem-styled fashion show, a spirited debate between Dubois, Washington, and Garvey, and much much more. Don’t miss it!
Please be well and keep in touch.
Regards,
Dean Leeper, Founding Principal
The Kindezi School
1890 Detroit Ave., N.W.
Atlanta GA 30314
O: 404-671-4900
F: 404-671-4901
The Kindezi School will pioneer a dramatically different approach to public education including:
- Family-sized classrooms with six students and one teacher
- Tutorial method as a main form of instruction
- Individualized instruction for each student
- A focus on leadership and the arts
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