Achievement First

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Closing the achievement gap is the civil rights issue of our time. From the moment students arrive at Achievement First schools, they are held to high expectations built around the belief that they can and will achieve academic success.

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All Achievement First students know they can and will go to college.

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The culture at our schools is one of rigor and joy—you can sense the urgency and energy when you enter an Achievement First school. Our lessons are geared to engage students and foster a lifelong love of learning.

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Achievement First schools emphasize the REACH values—Respect, Enthusiasm, Achievement, Citizenship and Hard Work.

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At Achievement First, we believe all children can succeed when presented with the right educational opportunities. Across the Achievement First network, our students—low-income, African-American and Latino students—are outpacing their state and district peers.

For the third consecutive year in as many graduating classes, 100 percent of seniors have gained acceptance to four-year colleges and universities.

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We work hard every day to close the achievement gap and deliver on the promise of equal educational opportunity for all children, regardless of race, economic status or zip code. Our first priority is to provide a truly outstanding, gap-closing education to our thousands of students.

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We believe a great education can level the playing field, break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter future for all of us.

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Achievement First is proud to serve special education students, English Language Learners, talented and gifted students, and all other students accepted through our blind lotteries. We don’t have admission requirements or interviews, and there are no admission or tuition fees.

Students, teachers and parents work as a team to achieve success.

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At Achievement First, we help individual students, entire schools and partner districts close the achievement gap. We are committed to engaging volunteer tutors, increasing public awareness, and advocating for public policies that would support education reform and the expansion of high-quality school choices.

We host hundreds of visitors—including community members, elected officials and educators—in our schools each year.

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People matter mightily at Achievement First. We spare no effort to recruit the best teachers, school leaders, subject-area and functional experts, and operations specialists from around the country, provide them with outstanding professional development, and create opportunities that will inspire and support them in their careers.

We develop, recognize and reward teachers through constant professional development and the Teacher Career Pathway.

About Amistad Academy Middle School

130 Edgewood Avenue
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: 203-772-7000
Fax: 203-776-0229

Opened: July 1999
Grades: Five to eight
Number of Students in 2012-13: 337
Student Demographics in 2011-12:
49% Boys, 51% Girls
97% African American or Hispanic
78% Qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch

Overview

Amistad Academy Middle, the Achievement First flagship, opened in New Haven in 1999 and celebrated its 10th year of operation in 2009. The school was profiled in the PBS documentary “Closing the Achievement Gap” (2004) and was named Connecticut’s 2006 Title I Distinguished School after having the greatest performance gains of any middle school in the state. The school gathers every week for Morning Circle, where students are recognized by teachers and peers for academic achievement and strong character skills. Town Meetings take place every six weeks and build school spirit with music, skits, cheers and awards. Amistad Academy Middle’s robust after-school enrichment program, Encore!, offers students daily expert instruction in theater, karate, dance, orchestra, volleyball, step team, graphic design and other arts and athletic activities.

School Leader

Sarah White is the principal at Amistad Academy Middle School. Ms. White served as a teacher at Amistad Academy Middle for three years and was the SPED chair for one of those years. After earning recognition as one of Amistad Academy Middle’s highest-performing teachers, she served as academic dean for the two years prior to her appointment as principal in the fall of 2011.