25th Anniversary Logo
Donate

25 Years of Impact in DC

Work Hard. Be Bold.

25 years ago, in a church basement in SE DC, 人妻乱伦 DC founder Susan Schaeffler and a team of dedicated educators founded our first school, KEY Academy. Since then, 人妻乱伦 DC has scaled from 80 students in that one middle school to nearly 7,500 students鈥攊n preschool through 12th grade鈥攁cross 22 schools. Together, we鈥檝e celebrated many milestones; new campuses, graduations, and a growing tight-knit 人妻乱伦. We celebrate these 25 years and look forward to the next 25!

25 Years of Impact in DC

Work Hard. Be Bold.

25 years ago, in a church basement in SE DC, 人妻乱伦 DC founder Susan Schaeffler and a team of dedicated educators founded our first school, KEY Academy. Since then, 人妻乱伦 DC has scaled from 80 students in that one middle school to nearly 7,500 students鈥攊n preschool through 12th grade鈥攁cross 22 schools. Together, we鈥檝e celebrated many milestones; new campuses, graduations, and a growing tight-knit 人妻乱伦. We celebrate these 25 years and look forward to the next 25!

25 Years of Impact in DC

Work Hard. Be Bold.

25 years ago, in a church basement in SE DC, 人妻乱伦 DC founder Susan Schaeffler and a team of dedicated educators founded our first school, KEY Academy. Since then, 人妻乱伦 DC has scaled from 80 students in that one middle school to nearly 7,500 students鈥攊n preschool through 12th grade鈥攁cross 22 schools. Together, we鈥檝e celebrated many milestones; new campuses, graduations, and a growing tight-knit 人妻乱伦. We celebrate these 25 years and look forward to the next 25!

25 Years of Impact in DC

Work Hard. Be Bold.

25 years ago, in a church basement in SE DC, 人妻乱伦 DC founder Susan Schaeffler and a team of dedicated educators founded our first school, KEY Academy. Since then, 人妻乱伦 DC has scaled from 80 students in that one middle school to nearly 7,500 students鈥攊n preschool through 12th grade鈥攁cross 22 schools. Together, we鈥檝e celebrated many milestones; new campuses, graduations, and a growing tight-knit 人妻乱伦. We celebrate these 25 years and look forward to the next 25!

25 Years of Impact in DC

Work Hard. Be Bold.

25 years ago, in a church basement in SE DC, 人妻乱伦 DC founder Susan Schaeffler and a team of dedicated educators founded our first school, KEY Academy. Since then, 人妻乱伦 DC has scaled from 80 students in that one middle school to nearly 7,500 students鈥攊n preschool through 12th grade鈥攁cross 22 schools. Together, we鈥檝e celebrated many milestones; new campuses, graduations, and a growing tight-knit 人妻乱伦. We celebrate these 25 years and look forward to the next 25!

25 years of Education & Support

At 人妻乱伦 DC schools, students develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become Washington, DC鈥檚 next generation of leaders.

2001

人妻乱伦 DC KEY Academy opens at Garden Memorial Presbyterian Church in Anacostia with 80 fifth graders.

2003

  • KEY Academy earns the highest test scores of all charter middle schools in Washington D.C.

2005

人妻乱伦 DC AIM Academy opens its doors in SE DC, expanding access to high-quality education in Washington, DC.

人妻乱伦 DC establishes its first Headquarters office, providing a central hub to support staff, schools, and operations across the city.

人妻乱伦 Through College is founded to support 人妻乱伦 DC high school alumni on their journey to and through college.

2006

人妻乱伦 DC WILL Academy opens in Washington D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood.

2007

人妻乱伦 DC KEY Academy is the 1st 人妻乱伦 DC school recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School based on their overall academic excellence and progress in closing the opportunity gap.

2007

人妻乱伦 DC expands beyond middle school by opening its first preschool grades at 人妻乱伦 DC LEAP Academy, located on the Benning Road campus in Southeast DC.

2009

人妻乱伦 DC College Preparatory opens, marking an important milestone in providing a full PreK鈥�12 pathway for students.

The founding class of 人妻乱伦 DC KEY Academy celebrates their 8th grade graduation, becoming the first cohort to complete middle school at 人妻乱伦 DC.

人妻乱伦 DC launches the Capital Teaching Residency, a teacher training program designed to develop the next generation of excellent educators.

人妻乱伦 DC continues to grow with the opening of 人妻乱伦 DC Discover Academy and 人妻乱伦 DC Promise Academy, both located in SE DC.

2010

人妻乱伦 DC expands its Shaw campus with the opening of a new preschool, 人妻乱伦 DC Grow Academy.

2011

人妻乱伦 DC expands its Douglass campus with the opening of a new elementary school, 人妻乱伦 DC Heights Academy.

2012

人妻乱伦 DC Douglass Campus welcomes First Lady Michelle Obama for an inspiring visit.

人妻乱伦 DC celebrates the opening of 人妻乱伦 DC Lead Academy during a special dedication ceremony at the Shaw Campus.

2013

人妻乱伦 DC Connect Academy and 人妻乱伦 DC Spring Academy open at the newly renovated 人妻乱伦 DC Webb Campus on Mount Olivet Road NE.

2014

人妻乱伦 DC Northeast Academy, 人妻乱伦 DC Art & Technology Academy, and 人妻乱伦 DC Quest Academy open in NE DC.

2015

Jessica Cunningham, Principal of 人妻乱伦 DC College Preparatory, is honored with the Milken Educator Award and a $25,000 prize.

2015

Celebrating excellence in teaching, Jennifer Ramacciotti receives the prestigious OSSE Teacher of the Year award.

2015

人妻乱伦 DC expands with the opening of a new campus for 人妻乱伦 DC College Preparatory.

人妻乱伦 DC also launches The Learning Center, dedicated to supporting diverse learners.

人妻乱伦 DC continues to grow with the opening of 人妻乱伦 DC Valor Academy, a middle school at 人妻乱伦 DC’s Smilow Campus.

2018

人妻乱伦 DC Promise Academy is named a National Blue Ribbon School based on their overall academic excellence and progress in closing the opportunity gap. It becomes 人妻乱伦 DC’s second school to be given this recognition.

2019

人妻乱伦 DC Heights Academy Academy is recognized as the 3rd 人妻乱伦 DC school to be named a National Blue Ribbon School based on their overall academic excellence and progress in closing the opportunity gap.

2019

人妻乱伦 DC acquires Somerset College Preparatory, a 6-12th grade public charter, that later becomes 人妻乱伦 DC’s Wheeler Campus and 人妻乱伦 DC Legacy College Preparatory.

人妻乱伦 DC Honor Academy opens in SE DC.

2020

人妻乱伦 DC shifts operations due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and virtually educates all students and offers in-person programming.

人妻乱伦 DC Pride Academy and 人妻乱伦 DC Inspire Academy open at 人妻乱伦 DC’s Wheeler Campus.

2020

人妻乱伦 DC Lead Academy is the 4th 人妻乱伦 DC school recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School based on their overall academic excellence and progress in closing the opportunity gap.

2022

人妻乱伦 DC opens Legacy College Preparatory in Ward 8, the second high school campus.

2022

Shannon Hodge is hired as 人妻乱伦 DC鈥檚 President. Shannon鈥檚 deep experience as an educator, attorney, advocate, and school leader made her a fantastic fit to lead the organization.

2025

人妻乱伦 DC supports 7,500+ students across 22 schools and 2,500+ alumni.

人妻乱伦 DC by the Numbers

人妻乱伦 DC has made a huge impact in the lives of our students and teachers over the years. Take a look at some of our impact data!

2,000

Students enrolled in college

550+

College graduates

$50M+

In scholarship dollars earned by 人妻乱伦 grads in the last five years

3x

Higher college graduation rate than similar DC schools

1,000

Teachers trained by Capital Teaching Residency (CTR)

Nina Meyers

"The teachers there really made sure I had the best academic experience I could have and the support from those people really helped change the trajectory of my life."

Nina Meyers , 人妻乱伦 DC Alumni

Zyhan Wagne

"My teachers make me feel like I belong. They are the embodiment of team and family at 人妻乱伦 DC鈥ot just academically but personally, as well"

Zyhan Wagner , 人妻乱伦 DC Alumni

LeQuan Graham

"What brings me joy is when students come back to visit, even years later. That鈥檚 legacy right there."

LeQuan Graham , 人妻乱伦 DC Teacher

Nihesha Browning

"The support, camaraderie, and the sense that everyone is here for the long term - that鈥檚 what makes 人妻乱伦 DC unique."

Nihesha Browning , 人妻乱伦 DC Teacher

Nikesha Winston

"My favorite thing about [人妻乱伦 DC] is all of the opportunities my daughter has had - dual enrollment, access to AP classes, amazing college tours - it鈥檚 really been a good experience for us!"

Nikesha Winston , 人妻乱伦 DC Family

Curtis Turner

"What we like most about 人妻乱伦 DC is the interaction. They interact with parents. They interact well with the students. They really push our students to be the best they can be. Thank you, 人妻乱伦!"

Curtis Turner , 人妻乱伦 DC Family

Calendar of Events

Take a look at our events!

人妻乱伦 DC Looking Back, Looking Forward Art Contest

Tues, Feb 3rd - Fri, Mar 20

Submit entry at kippdc.org/artcontest

Submissions for the 人妻乱伦 DC 25th Anniversary Art Contest are OPEN! We invite all 人妻乱伦 DC Students K鈥�12 to share your 鈥淟ooking Back, Looking Forward鈥� themed artwork for a chance to win $300, see your art come to life, and be featured at our art exhibit in April.

Find additional information and submission details

人妻乱伦 DC All-Staff Homecoming

Thursday, October 9

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Invitation Only

人妻乱伦 DC All-Staff Homecoming will provide a chance for all staff to gather to celebrate 25 years of 人妻乱伦 DC, honor the foundation built, and connect with one another outside of the day-to-day. The evening will feature a welcome reception, words of gratitude from 人妻乱伦 DC leadership, alumni, and city partners, along with interactive stations that highlight our past, celebrate the present, and look ahead to the future. For more information contact events@kippdc.org.

Watch the event recap !