Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, will preside over a ribbon-cutting ceremony for KIPP Jacksonville Schools. KIPP Jacksonville has the distinction of opening the first KIPP School in Florida, KIPP Impact Middle School. The event will begin at 10:50 a.m., Wednesday October 13, 2010, at KIPP Jacksonville Schools, 1440 McDuff Avenue North, Jacksonville, FL 32254 (formerly the Jacksonville Kennel Club.)
Joining Secretary Duncan will be The Honorable Corinne Brown, who has worked tirelessly for improvements in public education in Jacksonville.
Tom Majdanics, Executive Director of KIPP Jacksonville Schools envisions three KIPP Schools to be located at its McDuff Avenue facility. The recently renovated facility was donated by Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, Inc. last year. KIPP Jacksonville’s first school, KIPP Impact Middle School, opened this past August. KIPP Jacksonville anticipates opening an elementary school and a 2nd middle school in the facility by 2014. Overall, KIPP Jacksonville plans to open five schools in Jacksonville in the coming years.
Last month, Secretary Duncan announced 12 grants totaling $50 million to replicate and expand high-quality charter schools that have demonstrated success. The KIPP Foundation received $14,550,084 for 21 new schools – including KIPP Impact Middle School — and 11 expanded schools serving an additional 15,000 students.