KIPP North Carolina is a network of free, non-profit, high-performing, college-preparatory public charter schools providing an academically rigorous and joyous school experience to 3,100 students in grades K-12 in Charlotte, Durham, Halifax, and Gaston.
Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.
We hold ourselves, each other, and our students accountable to high academic and personal expectations. We strive to do what’s right, especially when it’s difficult to do. We believe excellence is a habit and a sustained pursuit, not an endpoint.
We believe that knowledge is power, and we believe teaching is the ultimate act of love. We believe that a well-rounded education is life-giving and life-nurturing. We create spaces for students to grapple with concepts and problems to arrive at a solution “on their own.” We believe great educators are made, not born, that they facilitate learning only after thorough preparation, meaningful practice with colleagues, and deep understanding of the content they teach.
We continuously increase our awareness, knowledge, and skills to identify and dismantle oppressive systems in our schools and communities. We believe in creating liberatory cultures, where the success of the whole group is defined and achieved by creating conditions for every member to thrive, innovate, and experience acceptance and belonging. We believe our schools must be homeplaces for our students.
We believe teaching and learning are fun. We appreciate who we are and what we do, and we take time to celebrate our successes big and small. We create joy and build connections through authentic and purposeful praise, recognition, and rewards that are aligned to our mission and values.
We are responsible for all the students in our buildings and across the state, not just the ones in our immediate care. We all contribute to and are responsible for our Team & Family’s success. We believe Team always beats Individual. We continually self-reflect to improve our craft, looking honestly at our past and present to plan our future. We believe our best days are ahead of us, and that we chart our destiny together.