By: Rachelle Minix, School Leader

Seeing the joy on parents and students’ faces back on campus has been heartfelt! It’s been an incredible month since we launched our Hybrid Learning, where we opened the doors to our relocated, permanent campus and welcomed back our first cohorts of students to attend in-person learning, while continuing to provide a comprehensive distance learning program.

It’s beautiful to see — our students are engaged, and excited to be back in their learning community, and the teachers and team have really created a learning environment that not only keeps our students healthy and safe, but that’s also welcoming and inspiring — whether in-person or distance learning.

KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy (KAPA), a tuition-free, college preparatory charter public middle school in Southeastern San Diego, is a school where every child is deeply cared for — as a learner and as a person.

In Spanish, “Adelante” means “to progress” and it is what we will continue to do during this COVID-19 pandemic, safely and together! What continues to inspire that drive comes from some of my early experiences in school — as a former student attending San Diego Unified School District schools, I was fortunate enough to have some amazing teachers who brought the magic of learning alive. What’s more, they made me feel loved and included in the warmth of their classrooms.

And, for the past 18 years, we have and continue to educate students from the Southeastern neighborhoods of San Diego and help them graduate college at a rate 3x higher than the national average for systemically under-resourced communities.

HYBRID LEARNING

Q: What are some of the key ways in which you have returned to a safe learning environment for your students and families? 

A: KIPP Adelante takes the Health & Safety of our community very seriously. In  preparation for our students’ return, our Operations team worked closely with our regional KIPP SoCal Public Schools Operation team to learn more about the San Diego County Health & Safety guidelines to ensure that we implemented them at our school. Our students are placed 6 feet apart, and if at a shared table 4 feet apart with a plexi shield. Our students were each provided with their own individual supplies, laptops, backpacks, water bottles, and face masks. Each day our team conducts a health screening, and temperature check, as well as ensures students wash their hands before entering school. At the end of each day, our cleaning team sanitizes all the rooms and surfaces to ensure each space is clean and disinfected for next day use. And, as an additional layer of protection, our students and team members have the ability to participate in a weekly COVID Test Screening.

COMMUNITY/ NEW CAMPUS

Q: As a San Diegan for over 18 years, what are some of your community goals?

A: With KIPP Adelante being a part of the Southeastern San Diego community we want to become not only another great school option for students and parents, but a school that can also provide and connect our community to the resources that are needed to every household.

For instance, our Hybrid Learning model is helping to change the way we think about education and break down barriers that have traditionally existed in the education system ranging from technology access and support, community education resources to meal distribution and mental health services.