KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School

Joshua Zoia, Principal

25 Bessom Street

Lynn, MA 01902

781.598-1609

www.kipplynn.org

School Overview:

KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School provides an environment where the students of Lynn may develop the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college, and the world beyond. KIPP Lynn is modeled after the nationally-recognized Knowledge is Power Program in the South Bronx, New York and Houston, Texas. KIPP Lynn is a free, public middle school that opened its doors August 9th, 2004 to its first class of fifth graders. KIPP Lynn will be at full capacity, serving grades five through eight in the 2007-2008 school year.*

Students at KIPP Academy Lynn are engaged through an extended day, from 7-5 Monday through Thursday, through bi-monthly Saturday school, and through innovative trips. Teachers are available until 10 p.m. every night for homework help, and a strict discipline code is enforced. KIPP Academy Lynn has a major focus on character development, incorporating the teaching of study skills, healthy habits, and life skills into its daily curriculum. The hard work of KIPP’s employees and students results in an engaged learning environment, where six and a half years of school are covered in four years time, and where students recently out-performed the students of Marblehead and Swampscott on standardized testing. Fun is also highly valued at KIPP. Students took approximately twenty field trips this year and vie for the highest honor, becoming Nerd of the Week. The philosophy of Principal Joshua Zoia is that through turning the current culture of learning on its head, higher education can be attained by all students.

Best Practices:

            -Providing an extended day format, as the hours between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. are critical for an at-risk youth population.

            -Incorporating character development into the curriculum.

            -Exposing students to areas and opportunities outside of their immediate surroundings through field trips around the North Shore and Boston, and through class trips taken to places such as Utah, New York City, and Washington D.C.

Areas of college access it addresses:

            Academic Readiness—KIPP Academy’s extended day and intensive academic focus, as well as tutoring programs, propel students to academic success.

            Social Readiness—KIPP Academy Lynn faculty and staff encourage students to begin thinking about and preparing for higher education.

            College Information Awareness—KIPP Academy Lynn faculty and staff help students think about their collegiate options and how to access them.

*Language taken from www.kipplynn.org