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Camden’s Whittier School To Reopen Under KIPP – Philly.com
February 24, 2016 – by Allison Steele
The century-old building that housed Camden’s J.G. Whittier Family School, which was closed last year after falling into a dangerous state of disrepair, will reopen this year as a new KIPP school, Camden City School District officials said Tuesday.
KIPP, the nonprofit that operates the KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy in nearby Lanning Square, where Tuesday night’s school board meeting was held, will invest in major renovations and open it as a charter-public hybrid “Renaissance” school, said Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard.
“We heard from residents who said they want students back in the building,” said Rouhanifard, who was appointed by Gov. Christie to run the district in 2013.
Few in attendance spoke against the decision, which Rouhanifard said was driven by demand from parents. The Lanning Square KIPP school, which will eventually serve students in pre-K through 12th grade, is near capacity.