“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>One day walking on campus at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an undergraduate, Thomas Walker caught a glimpse of U.S. Marines in uniform.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Walker, now the executive director of St. Louis’ Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), thought, “Those were the most beautiful uniforms I had ever seen,” he said.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Next thing he knew, he was signing up for the officer program. He served four grueling years as a U.S. Marine officer.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>At KIPP, teachers also live a rigorous lifestyle – though Walker does not agree with those who say KIPP schools impose a military-like environment.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The St. Louis school, KIPP Inspire, one of 82 KIPP schools nationwide, is chartered by Washington University. Located at 2647 Ohio Ave., it currently teaches fifth and sixth graders.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Teachers work from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and when they go home, they are on call. All the students have their teachers’ cell phone numbers to call for homework questions.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The school’s 155 students – all are black but one – get a minimum of 90 minutes of homework each night and come to school on some Saturdays.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Last year, KIPP’s fifth graders averaged two and a half years of academic growth, according to Missouri Assessment Program tests. They also scored better than St. Louis Public Schools’ fifth graders in both math and science, but not in communication arts.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>With the goal of moving students up two grade levels each year, the teachers tend to be “high achievers in their 20s,” Walker said. Out of 18 staff members, only three are married.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“It takes a very understanding spouse,” he said.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Just like any business with high job demands, the biggest challenge for KIPP is its “human capital,” Walker said. The average teacher only instructs at KIPP for four years.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“It’s understandable,” he said. “It’s not a wise expectation that someone can teach and work this hard for more than four years.”
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Yet the teachers – and administrators, for that matter –are not offered much of a retention plan. Teachers get a Friday off here and there and emotional support, Walker said. But KIPP’s retention plan is more of a succession plan – kind of like the military.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Over the course of four years, soldiers are raked through the mud. After that, they can either choose to make a career out of the military or go use their leadership skills elsewhere.
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“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Son of educators
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“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Walker myself works 10- to 12-hour days. He is also not married, but would like to be. His parents – both educators – were “two of the most in-love people” he had ever seen, he said. Their commitment to one another as husband and wife was stronger than to their children, he said.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“However, I had the richest father/son relationship,” he said. “I first feared my father, not physically but of letting him down. Then he became my mentor and then my best friend.”
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Walker grew up in the small tobacco town of Lumberton, N.C. His father was his elementary school principal. His mother was a middle-school teacher. Growing up, college was always an assumption. The other assumption was that when he left home for college, he wasn’t coming back.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Although he applied himself as an undergraduate, he wasn’t completely focused or motivated. That didn’t come until he interviewed with Charles Temple, the president Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis (now retired).
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Temple told him, “I see you’re a former Marine. Thomas, the only job worth having is mine. You could do this, but you can’t do this with a bachelor’s degree.”
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“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Urban college challenges
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“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Temple mentored him through master’s and doctorate programs. Walker held several administrative positions for community colleges in Tennessee, South Carolina and lastly Kansas City, Mo.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I had a passion for creating college-success programs for urban students and creating bridges to successful opportunities,” he said. “However, creating successful programs for urban students – the success is low.”
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Community colleges are enrollment-driven, he said. Many urban students have to enroll in developmental courses, which consume their financial aid package.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“By the time they finish the courses, they have exhausted their financial aid midway through the academic program,” he said. “Research shows you have to intervene as early as fourth grade.”
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>In 2007, he became the dean of administrative services at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City. In his first week, he became responsible for administrating the sponsorship of a KIPP charter school. Soon KIPP consumed him and brought him to St. Louis.
“font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“It’s the hardest I’ve ever worked, but it’s also the most gratified I’ve felt at the end of the day,” Walker said. “I get more from these kids and their families than they do from me.”
