To achieve its mission, KIPP Heartwood Academy opened its doors to 73 fifth grade students in July 2004, becoming the first public charter school in Alum Rock. KIPP Heartwood Academy provides fifth through eighth grade students in Alum Rock and East San Jose with a rigorous, college-preparatory education that prepares them for success in the nation’s most rigorous high schools, colleges, and universities. By partnering with parents, teachers, community members, and the Alum Rock Elementary School District, KIPP Heartwood Academy proves that with the necessary desire, discipline, and dedication, East San Jose children can perform at the same high levels as their more privileged peers in Santa Clara County and be on a solid track to success in high-school, college, and the competitive world beyond.

The school's culture centers on creating an environment that maximizes student learning and academic growth. In addition to academic rigor, KIPP Heartwood Academy builds students’ character skills and teaches them responsibility, thereby equipping them with the tools necessary to be successful in life. Every student, parent, and teacher who joins the KIPP Heartwood Academy team and family is welcomed into a school culture where everyone commits themselves and each other to excellence.

• 72% are Latino or Hispanic
• 22% are Asian
• 5% are African American
• Over 60% are designated as English Language Learners when they begin attending KIPP Heartwood Academy
• 86% qualify for the federal free and reduced-price meals program

The mission of KIPP Heartwood Academy is to deepen in the students of East San Jose the knowledge, skills, character, and intellectual habits needed to excel in college and to make positive change every single day.

Honor | Excellence | Absolute Determination | Responsibility | Team

KIPP Heartwood Academy derives its name from the redwood tree. The living tissue, or core, of a redwood tree is called the heartwood. When a redwood tree is damaged, it rebuilds itself from its heartwood. KIPP Heartwood Academy scholars will understand that no matter what happens in their lives, they will be resilient because they always have their core—education, values, family, and culture—to keep them strong and from which they can rebuild themselves. Moreover, redwood trees grow in a circle, where they each have a role in keeping the others healthy and alive. At KIPP Heartwood Academy, hard work will be crucial, along with the other values of the school.

By values, we mean specific words, actions and visible daily habits which students cultivate each day. Each value exemplifies a quality necessary to excel in college, develop a good character, and create positive change in the world and in our lives. In order for students to learn to live the values, all faculty members at KIPP Heartwood Academy must model all values at all times. The values guide all aspects of KIPP Heartwood Academy, from the culture to the academic program.

Honor encompasses respect and integrity. Students learn that at KIPP Heartwood Academy, we honor each other, our school, our families, our community, and ourselves. Faculty model honor by treating students, each other, and parents with respect. Further, faculty maintain neat, tidy appearances as a way to model to students that they honor themselves. Students honor each other by treating all members of the KIPP Heartwood Academy team and family with respect and courtesy. For example, every Friday afternoon during Team and Family, students honor their teammates by recognizing the outstanding deeds of their teammates in front of the entire school (shout-outs). A student may thank another student for help on homework or a teacher may applaud another student for hard work. In addition to honoring each other, through class work, field lessons, and activities, students learn the importance of honoring their families and their cultures. Extra curricular activities focus on honoring students’ cultures. Students also learn to honor themselves. By doing so, they learn to be true to themselves and maintain integrity even in trying situations. Furthermore, students take care of their health and appearance and always do their best in every situation.

Students and staff strive for excellence in both academics and character. Students and staff are held to the highest standards and results do matter. Students and teachers do whatever it takes for every child to be successful. For instance, students learn to apply critical thinking skills in every situation, and go above and beyond to make sure their homework is done well, is neat, and is turned in on time. If a student’s work is untidy or not completed to the best of his/her abilities, the student is asked to redo the assignment after school. To model the importance of excellence and honor those who excel, KIPP Heartwood Academy purposely places a large value on honoring faculty and student success. The school rewards teachers who excel with greater freedom, latitude, responsibility, and trust. In the same manner, students are rewarded for achieving excellence in character and academics. Awards are given at the end of each trimester for students earning Cum Laude (academic honor roll) as well as for those exemplifying HEART. A “student of the week” is designated at each grade level. Fifth and sixth grade students who receive a score of $47 or higher on their paychecks in a given week are rewarded by being allowed to wear jeans on Fridays. Even in extra-curricular activities, teachers teach both content and life skills.

In light of the daunting challenges that some KIPP Heartwood Academy students face in their lives, it is very important that they remain determined and persevere through even the most trying situations. Each semester, students set goals for themselves for which they are held accountable. Together with their teachers, students work toward these goals; students learn that any hurdles and difficulties that may arise should not sway them. When a student is struggling, s/he is constantly being reminded by faculty and peers of the importance of absolute determination. KIPP Heartwood Academy develops a culture where students and faculty believe in each other and therefore encourage each other to keep on persevering to meet their goals.

Service and taking ownership for making positive change every single day is key at KIPP Heartwood Academy. Students take responsibility for their own learning, their actions, and for helping teammates to ensure that everyone learns and succeeds. All students work hard and take responsibility for maximizing their class time by actively participating in class, thinking critically, and asking and answering questions. For example, older students mentor incoming fifth graders and younger students, taking responsibility for their younger teammates. In addition, KIPP Heartwood Academy has established a culture where students take responsibility for helping their struggling peers. If a child is being disciplined, KIPPsters learn how to take responsibility for helping out their teammate in need. For example, the child’s homework buddies may call him every night or another child may check the struggling student’s agenda at the end of the day to ensure the child has his/her homework. In addition, students learn the importance of making small and large positive changes everyday, such as saying thank you to someone who helps them. All students participate in community service learning projects. Giving back to the community and helping those in need is an important value instilled in students at the school, but one that, as stated in the mission, students are expected to carry out throughout their lives.

The saying “team beats individual” is central to the culture of every KIPP school; the concept is central at KIPP Heartwood Academy as well. Team is larger than teamwork. While teamwork suggests that teammates work together to help each other, team implies that every student and staff member must always remember that s/he is an active member of one or more teams. Engaging in teamwork sometimes is not good enough; instead, students and staff members are always encouraged to make decisions that benefit the entire team. Students work together as teams to plan and complete passion projects. Teachers work closely together with other staff members so that together they can all achieve the mission of the school. As a result, for example, teachers collaborate with other teachers to evaluate student work and maintain a common standard for student writing across the subjects. In addition, much of the school’s discipline and reward system is public—taking place with the understanding that we are one team and one family. Teammates are expected to help each other through difficult times, supporting each other and helping everyone maximize their learning potential.

KIPP Bay Area Schools is the regional support office for all seven KIPP schools in the Bay Area. Its mission is to facilitate the long-term sustainability and success of KIPP schools in the Bay Area, enabling them to become institutions of lasting excellence that will provide their students with a pathway to success in college and in life.

The KIPP Bay Area Schools organization was launched in the spring of 2006 by Sehba Ali, Lydia Glassie, David Ling, Jason Singer, and Molly Wood—the five founding Bay Area school leaders. By centralizing common back-office operations such as fundraising, teacher recruitment, accounting, finance, and technology, KIPP Bay Area Schools is able to capture efficiencies and leverage economies of scale. These efforts allow school leaders to focus on what they dobest: ensuring high-quality instruction and positive school cultures. In addition to providing shared services, KIPP Bay Area Schools facilitates greater collaboration and sharing of best practices across all six schools. Additionally, the organization manages the growth of new KIPP schools in the region.

The five KIPP Bay Area middle schools are located in the under-served neighborhoods of Bayview Hunters Point and the Western Addition in San Francisco, East San Jose, West Oakland, and San Lorenzo. In the fall of 2007, KIPP King Collegiate, one of the first KIPP high schools nationwide, opened in San Lorenzo. This fall, KIPP San Jose Collegiate—the second KIPP high school in the region—will open to the students of East San Jose. In the 2008–2009 school year, these seven campuses will serve more than 1,800 students.

These schools are closing the academic achievement gap between low-income students and their more advantaged peers. To watch a video about KIPP Bay Area Schools, please click here.

The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) began in 1994 when two Teach for America corps alumni, Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, launched an intensive 5th grade academic program at Houston's Garcia Elementary School. Feinberg and Levin's students achieved such academic success that the following year Feinberg founded KIPP Academy Houston and Levin founded KIPP Academy in the South Bronx, NY. Their schools' achievements received national attention when the television program 60 Minutes aired a special on the KIPP schools.

In 2000, Don and Doris Fisher, founders of GAP, Inc., formed a unique partnership with Feinberg and Levin to replicate the success of KIPP. Stemming from the belief that great schools require great leaders, they established a school leadership training program called the Fisher Fellowship Program to train school leaders. The program recruits, selects, and trains excellent educators to plan, open, and lead their own KIPP schools.

There are currently 57 KIPP public schools in 17 states and the District of Columbia enrolling more than 14,000 students. Across the KIPP network, 55 of the existing 57 schools are charter schools. The majority of KIPP schools, 48 of 57, are middle schools designed to serve fifth through eighth grade students. The remaining nine are five high schools, three pre-kindergarten/elementary schools, and one prekindergarten through eighth grade school.

Over 90 percent of KIPP students are African American or Hispanic/Latino, and more than 80 percent of KIPP students are eligible for the federal free and reduced-price meals program. Students are accepted regardless of prior academic record, conduct, or socioeconomic background.

KIPP schools share a core set of operating principles known as the Five Pillars:

1. High Expectations. KIPP schools have clearly defined and measurable high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that make no excuses based on the students' backgrounds. Students, parents, teachers, and staff create and reinforce a culture of achievement and support through a range of formal and informal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior.

2. Choice & Commitment. Students, their parents, and the faculty of each KIPP school choose to participate in the program. No one is assigned or forced to attend a KIPP school. Everyone must make and uphold a commitment to the school and to each other to put in the time and effort required to achieve success.

3. More Time. KIPP schools know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics and life. With an extended school day, week, and year, students have more time in the classroom to acquire the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare them for competitive high schools and colleges, as well as more opportunities to engage in diverse extracurricular experiences.

4. Power to Lead. The principals of KIPP schools are effective academic and organizational leaders who understand that great schools require great school leaders. They have control over their school budget and personnel. They are free to swiftly move dollars or make staffing changes, allowing them maximum effectiveness in helping students learn.

5. Focus on Results. KIPP schools relentlessly focus on high student performance on standardized tests and other objective measures. Just as there are no shortcuts, there are no excuses. Students are expected to achieve a level of academic performance that will enable them to succeed at the nation's best high schools and colleges.