What is a charter school?

A charter school is a public school that relies on federal and state public school funding but is allowed more flexibility by the government in the way that it functions and teaches students. All charter schools are held to the same public school standards for student achievement, and are not allowed to charge any sort of student tuition.

Will The Kindezi School charge tuition for its students who attend?

No, The Kindezi School is a free public charter school open to students in the Atlanta Public Schools district.

How will enrollment work at The Kindezi School?

Kindezi School will be open to enrollment for any family within the Atlanta Public Schools district. If more students apply for enrollment than there are spaces, enrollment will be determined using a random lottery system.

When will The Kindezi School open, and what ages will it serve?

The school opened in August of 2010. Currently we have 120 students in kindergarten through 4th grade. Each year we will add a grade until we have expanded to grade 8 with 216 students.

What time will school start and end?

The school day will start at 7:45 am and end at 3:00 pm.

Will Kindezi provide transportation to and from the school site?

No, Kindezi will not provide transportation for students. Carpools and ride-sharing will be arranged by parents.

Will there be an after school program at Kindezi?

Yes, Journey Performing Arts is providing an after care program that runs from the end of the school day until 6 pm. The after school program will cost at most $12 per day per child with a sliding scale.

Will students be required to wear uniforms?

Yes. Students will wear khaki bottoms with embroidered kelly green or white tops from Optima Uniforms.
Optima Uniform contact information:
2841 Greenbriar Pkwy, Ste X302
Atlanta, GA 30331   
(404) 349-3100  

How much does breakfast and lunch cost at Kindezi?

The full cost of breakfast is $2.00 and lunch is $3.10. We do offer free and reduced lunch as well. All students are provided daily snacks, free of charge.

How can a charter school exist financially with only six students per class?

Many public schools have a low staff-student ratio, but still have 20+ students per classroom teacher. While Kindezi will have a principal, a business manager and an administrative assistant, many of the administrative duties will be shared between the teachers themselves. Using this design, we allow for a more democratic school design and a smaller administrative staff, which frees funding to hire more teachers and create smaller class sizes.

What does "Kindezi" mean?

Our school's approach to pedagogy, school organization, community-building and much more is inspired by the principles and practices of the Bantu people of Kongo, Africa. Their indigenous pedagogy, Kindezi, literally means to take responsibility for the care and holistic development of other people's children. They express their commitment to collective responsibility in the following proverb: "The child in the mother's womb is the burden of one person; outside (born) it belongs to everybody (in the community)."