Tulsa's KIPP college prep school

Tulsa's newest charter school wants its students to hit the ground running. Tulsa's KIPP College Preparatory School doesn't officially open until this fall, but students are already getting

Thursday, July 28th 2005, 10:38 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa's newest charter school wants its students to hit the ground running. Tulsa's KIPP College Preparatory School doesn't officially open until this fall, but students are already getting a taste of what it means to be KIPP and some parents say they like what they see.

News on 6 reporter Ashli Sims has more on the new program.

2013, that is the year fifth-graders at KIPP will go to college. And the KIPP philosophy says all of these students will go to college. KIPP founder and principal Millard House: "Our expectations are very high and they're going to get higher as we move forward. Our whole focus is climbing that mountain to college."

KIPP stands for the Knowledge is Power Program. Itâ€™s a nationwide network of schools committed to providing quality college preparatory education to under-served communities.

The school at 2740 East 41st Street North is the first one in Tulsa. KIPP's door will open earlier and close later than any other school in the district. Their day starts at 7:45 AM and ends at 5 PM. Students will also go to class every other Saturday. Millard House: "we're going to get a chance to spend summers with our kids, Saturdays with our kids and almost three more hours a day. So we have an unfair advantage. But itâ€™s important during that time to make sure our kids don't burnout."

That's where the chants and the songs come into play. Students are clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and also learning their times tables. KIPP parent Joyce Williams: "awesome education is important for our kids for this community. And finally we have a school that wants to take another step in their education."

KIPP's not just a school; itâ€™s an attitude, desire, discipline and dedication. And these kids already seem converted.

KIPP is starting its first year with 90 fifth-graders. The summer session had 97 percent attendance. Millard House says all of the absent students were sick. And KIPP staff followed up with each of those students at their homes.