HISTORICALLY BLACK CHARTER SCHOOL IN LOUISIANA SELECTED FOR FINTECH INITIATIVE & STRATEGIC PARTNERS


Posted May 28, 2021 by DoneciaPea

J.K. Haynes Charter School, one of the oldest black charter schools in Louisiana, has been selected to participate in a national FinTech initiative.

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE ART OF THE PIVOT: HOW J.K. HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL IS SUCCEEDING
WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS DESPITE PANDEMIC; PLUS LAUNCH OF NEWLY FORMED FOUNDATION HONORING THE J.K. HAYNES LEGACY, FUNDRAISING KICKS OFF

Even before the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board announced in late summer 2020 how the 2020-2021 learning environment would look in the middle of the COVID pandemic, J.K. Haynes Charter Schools (JKHCS) began positioning, pivoting, to adapt a virtual learning protocol about 4 months into the pandemic - staying ready for unchartered territory.

J.K. Haynes Charter Schools, named to honor Civil Rights and Education Leader, Dr. J.K. Haynes, Sr., is one of the pioneering charter schools in Louisiana. Founded by Baton Rouge Attorney Maurice Haynes and wife Educator Diana Haynes in 1997 (a game changer for public education options at that time), JKHCS continues to stay ahead of what’s next in providing innovative methods to keep children excited and engaged in learning and on track with grade-level skills and curriculum, especially during what is now the indefinite new normal due to the pandemic.

Principal Mary Mason says, “Once we realized the public health crisis was not going to be easy for any of us to shake, we immediately started revamping the website and getting plans in position to be able to hit the switch at any moment for kids to do virtual learning. We began putting together accessibility and a system, for students, teachers and parents for whenever the kids had to learn away from the physical classroom setting.”

Despite the absence of face-to-face interaction to pitch potential external engagement for the school, JKHCS has cultivated numerous gains in local and national strategic partnerships, positioning the school to once again blaze trails with innovative learning for its students.

“Keeping our kids safe while learning is largely due to an amazing faculty and staff that has allowed us to build some key community relationships and initiatives with local partners. The local partnerships range from our favorite UPS delivery guy “Big Brown” in conjunction with Gerry Lane Enterprises providing PPE to The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity book giveaway, and The Zeta Phi Beta Sorority providing COVID care packages for our teachers,” says Attorney Kimberly K. Haynes, Director of The J.K. Haynes Charter Schools.

JKHCS has now expanded its partnering reach into the digital space after becoming involved in a pilot program in a national partnership with GoalSetter.co., a financial literacy app designed for children which has attracted support from the likes of professional basketball player Chris Paul.

The project will begin by teaching as many as 100 of our students about banking, saving and investing. “We are super excited about the GoalSetter partnership. For our students to be recruited and exposed to #FinTech learning is groundbreaking,” says Kimberly Haynes.

Another partnership which speaks to the impact these partnerships and initiatives can make for the students is B.O.S.S. Mentoring, created by a former JKHCS student paying it forward.

More growing partnerships (literally) which JKHCS is hanging its hat on include:
● The J.K Haynes Garden in partnership with The Southern University Agriculture Center.
● The Avon Honey Public Service Academy
● The J.K. Haynes Jazz Ensemble with community musicians.

Enter now the newly-formed J.K. Haynes Charter Schools Foundation.

The legacy of Dr. J.K. Haynes, Sr. continues with the introduction of the new foundation in his honor. With a mission to build on the solid momentum of these strategic partnerships and initiatives, The J. K. Haynes Charter Schools Foundation Inc. (JKHCSF) has now launched and is developing a multi-year plan, which includes creating an endowment.

The school’s very existence birthed from being ahead of the teaching-model curve as one of the pioneering charter schools in the state when it opened its doors in 1997. It was pivoting at the time, changing the landscape as a nearly unheard of option in education. And now JKHCSF represents - what may become a pioneering move, again, for independent charter schools - the creation of an external, non-profit entity dedicated to raising funds and resources to support new initiatives at the school. The Foundation is one of only a few known separate entities in the Baton Rouge area created for that purpose.

The Foundation takes as its mission to be a robust external support system built to assist students in bringing out their next-level talents in Science, Arts and Humanities while at the same time grooming the next generation of creative young teachers.

JKHCSF announces the launch of its first-ever Fundraising Campaign happening now through April 30, 2021.

The Foundation also seeks Ambassadors, a village of supporters and stakeholders, both individuals and the business community, to rally around this initiative.

“Now, more than ever, we are looking for the community at large to rally around this aspirational initiative where we are not only providing top-flight education for our students, but also developing the next generation of leaders and future educators who are prepared to provide creative new approaches,” says Dr. J.K. Haynes II, Chairman of The Board. “We are seeking not only financial gifting, but timely gifting from, among others, retired teachers who worked alongside my father in a Jim Crow South and who knew what he stood for and business and community leaders who recall his fight for a balance in resources for area students and teachers.”

JKHCSF will pursue several #STEAM initiatives, including:
● Initiative One offers the students of J.K. Haynes Charter Schools (elementary and sixth-grade middle) a first-rate education in the Sciences, Mathematics and the Humanities.
● Initiative Two will involve recruiting junior and senior high school students, preferably male, who will serve as teaching assistants for the elementary and middle students in the charter school. This will serve to groom next-gen future educators as they develop teaching skills - guiding the JKHCS students in various areas ranging from Coding and Graphics to Mathematics and Music.

Kimberly Haynes, says, “We plan to recruit male high school students who are considering a career in education in order to assist the nation in addressing the paucity of black male teachers at the elementary and middle school level. These young people may be able to interact with our students in some interesting new ways. Our goal is to eventually hire them as full-time teachers when they finish college. We hope that this initiative will ultimately lead to a more representative group of teachers for our young people.”

If you are interested in financial gifting and/or volunteering as an Ambassador, visit JKHaynesLegacy.com or call 225-256-7477.
###

Available for interviews:
Mary Mason - Principal, J.K. Haynes Charter Schools
Kimberly K. Haynes, Esq. - Director, J.K. Haynes Charter Schools
Dr. J.K. Haynes II - Chairman, JKHCS Foundation Board of Directors

Follow and Engage - J.K. Haynes Charter Schools Foundation Inc.:
Facebook: @JKHaynesLegacy IG: JKHCSFoundation Website: JKHaynesLegacy.com

Photos are available upon request. Please include photo credits when applicable.

Hashtags:
#JKHaynesLegacy #EaglePride #StrivingForExcellence #JKHaynesEaglesStayReady #STEAM #STEM #DraftedToFinancialFreedom #UPS #GerryLane #OmegaPsiPhi #ZetaPhiBeta #CharterSchools #Education #BatonRouge #ArtOfThePivot #Giving #Fundraising #Philanthropy #nonprofits

Contact:
Todd L. Sterling, (225) 229-1906, [email protected]
Jennifer C. Johnson, (225) 405-4611, [email protected]

7980 Scenic Highway | Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70807 [email protected] | (225) 256-7477
-- END ---
Share Facebook Twitter
Print Friendly and PDF DisclaimerReport Abuse
Contact Email [email protected]
Issued By Donecia Pea
Country United States
Categories Business , Education , Technology
Tags african american , charter school , education , fintech , louisiana , nonprofit , technology
Last Updated May 28, 2021