KIPP Albany: Where the Student Experience Goes Beyond the Classroom
Extended School Days. Community Connection. Meaningful Relationships for Life.
Editor's Note (8/4/2023): Since this article was written, KIPP Albany has formed a partnership with Troy Prep, and they are now called KIPP Capital Region. Formed in 2022, KIPP Capital Region is a new group of seven schools located in Albany and Troy. The following article does not reflect the changes from KIPP Albany to KIPP Capital Region.
Students at KIPP Albany Community Public Charter Schools are more likely than their peers to graduate from college. Why? Because the KIPP Albany student experience is unlike that of traditional public schools, in the way their day is structured, the way they're involved in the community, and much more.
Find out what a typical day is like for a KIPPster, and how the entire experience from the school years and beyond strengthens their connection to the school, each other, and the community at large.
It's a Full Day of Engagement From Breakfast to After-School Activities
School days start earlier and end later at KIPP Albany's four schools in order to better meet the needs of students and their families. Each school provides breakfast and meals throughout the day, and the staff welcomes the kids as they come through the door. From there, the experience will differ by school - here are a few snapshots of what to expect:
Students at KIPP Tech Valley (KTV) Primary and Middle Schools have 90 minutes of math and ELA each day. During the day, the Primary School offers physical education, science, music, dance, theater, and Spanish. Art and STEM projects are frequently incorporated as well, and there's also a computer science curriculum. Plus, students and families are invited to participate in the Science Club or Wellness Committee.
The KIPP Albany Community Charter (KACCS) Elementary and Middle Schools both have 55-minute classes that involve whole group, small group, and individualized instruction. Scholars at KACCS Elementary receive no less than three hours of math and ELA each day, and they also enjoy classes like music, physical education, art, and technology. The Middle School, consisting of nine teams with names of Swahili origin, has adopted the Sankofa symbol as a reminder to be grounded in who we are and encourage scholars to walk in their greatness.
After-school activities can include sports like track and field or basketball, creative arts such as band, step, or dance, and there are leadership development activities too.
Community & Culture Are at the Core of KIPP Albany's Programs
Would you be surprised to hear that to date KIPP Albany has distributed over 250,000 pounds of food to the greater Albany community? KIPP Albany has sponsored multiple community food pantries in recent years, and that's just one example of how they give back and stay connected to the local area.
"KIPP's community engagement happens at the individual, school, and region-wide levels to best meet the needs of our students and the greater community," Kate Better, Director of Development & External Affairs, told us.
Another example would be Sickle Cell Awareness Day, an event KIPP Albany founded that happens every October 4 in memory of an ACCS student, Mai'Everi Moses, who passed away from the disease during the 2017-2018 school year. Staff and community members raise funds in her honor for the foundation Sick Cells.
When it comes to emphasizing cultural connections and education at KIPP Albany, this is achieved through incorporating Black history into the curriculum and by organizing major events like a Festival of Nations.
KIPP Sees Kids Through Kindergarten, Graduation & Beyond
Just as the KIPP Albany day-to-day life at school goes beyond what traditional schools offer, so too does the entire experience. Their schools are K-8, but KIPP staff and alums continue to keep in touch with, guide, and mentor KIPP kids as they enter high school, college, and beyond.
KIPP Albany welcomes alums back to campus to visit with staff and educators, and to connect with current students through mentor and volunteer opportunities. Alumni are regularly in the classrooms at KIPP Albany Community Charter Middle School, serving as mentors for younger scholars, and keeping a strong connection with KIPP's schools after they graduate.
"The KIPP Forward program has advisors support students as they prepare for and select the right college and career based on their interests and passions," Better told us. "Advisors help KIPPsters navigate the academic, social, and financial challenges of college."
And, according to Better, this continued involvement results in KIPP alumni graduating from college at a dramatically higher rate than their peers. Wow!
Apply Today for the School Year
If individualized attention and significant connections with others and the world at large sound good to you and your child, then check out full details about each school on KIPP Albany's website.