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HOTEP!

Sankofa Freedom Academy is a college preparatory community based K-12 freedom school that empowers its students to take their rightful places in the world as educators, leaders and agents of change. Sankofa Freedom Academy (SFA) builds on the Philadelphia Freedom School Junior Servant Leader model to establish a public charter school that brings together high school servant leader scholars with elementary school scholar activists to increase literacy and numeracy levels throughout the community, promote respect for scholarship, servant leadership, conflict resolution, personal, social, and environmental responsibility.

Using the essential components of the Philadelphia Freedom School model, SFA engenders in its students, staff, and community a love for learning, respect for scholarship, pride in heritage and a commitment to personal and societal transformation. At Sankofa, learning is done in a safe family oriented setting, where children and adults of all ages will teach and learn from one another. By operationalizing the adage, “each one / teach one”, Sankofa Freedom builds inter-generational learning communities in which each and every person is responsible to learn in order to teach, and teach in order to build a better world.

Peace and Blessings from Dr. Mama:: STAND UP!!!!

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On March 10th a busload of our Sankofa High School servant leaders answered a call from their senior leaders from the nation of Nubia to stand up for public education in the city of Philadelphia. We were being asked to call for a moratorium on the closing of 27 schools in Black and Latino neighborhoods. I was so very proud of our students for understanding something that far too many of us forget. Charter Schools are public schools. Our destiny is tied to the destiny of other public schools all over the city whether they be in the School district of Philadelphia or a fellow public charter organization.
Working feverishly around the clock as student organizers were our senior interns: Antonio Dill, Kashan Johnson, Robert McKenzie, and Najla Ross-Green. We should be proud that here at Sankofa, we really have raised up a generation of young people who believe that they can and should make a difference.
We see our students making a difference in themselves and in their academic performance. This is evidenced by the great numbers of students we have on the honor roll for second report. Our students are challenging themselves in class and are entering competitions locally and regionally. In this edition, you will read about our student representatives in the Regional Spelling Bee, Black History Bowls, and Carver Science Fair.
In this edition we also are celebrating the ways we have challenged ourselves athletically. In just its 4th year of operation, Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School has made the PIAA state championship and are moving forward to the second round.
Our children are establishing themselves as reader, writers, and thinkers. They are able to do so because we believe in them and partner with you to push them to stand on both their feet and do the very best work they can do. Our children deserve the best education we can give them. The reality is that every child in the city, in every school in the city deserves the very same thing. We must stand up for our children at Sankofa and throughout this city. We must push for creative solutions to our problems that reflect our willingness to invest in our schools and children, not divest.
We invite you to read this edition of the Sankofa Bird; share our pride in what our students are accomplishing. We hope you will be so inspired by their accomplishments, and their fortitude that you stand up for children all over this city and hold our elected officials accountable for saving all of our schools.
Dr. Ayesha Imani

News From the Sankofa Bird...

Title I Parent Notification

Greetings Parent/Guardian,

Sankofa receives Title I funding and is included under the regulations of the “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB) that was signed into law by President Bush on January 8, 2002. NCLB is designed to improve student achievement by increasing federal involvement in public education both at the state and local level. NCLB requires significant changes to schools that receive Title I funding. To see the details, please click the link to the left titled "Title I Parent Notification".
 

PSSA IS On The Way: Absence is not an OPTION!

It’s that time again. It’s time for our students to take their state assessment. We know so very much depends on how they do on this one particular assessment. While we don’t agree that one test should determine so much of a child’s fate or the fate of his or her school, we acknowledge that presently, we must do all that we can to make sure that our students are successful based on this particular measure.

The first and most important thing is that your child must be in attendance and on time for the PSSA test. At Sankofa, absence is simply not an option during this time, if you expect to remain a Sankofa student in good standing. The 5th grade reading test was given this week, Tuesday, March 12th and Wednesday, March 13th. The reading and math PSSA will be given April 8th to April 26th. Please make sure that your child is in attendance each day! That’s the Sankofa Way!
 

Parent Wazuri Celebrates Black History Month with Movie Night!

During Black History Month the Sankofa Freedom Academy Wazuri Council gathered for a Family Film night.  The night was complete with popcorn, juices, and lots of snacks. The children gathered and watched the Ruby Bridges movie. The parents watched the movie Rosewood, which gives an account of an actual historical event. Rosewood was primarily a black self sufficient town in Florida back in the 1920’s, which was destroyed by whites in a race riot. Many years later, the descendents of the victims of Rosewood were actually given reparations for the injustice that had been done. If you didn’t get a chance to see the movie, it really is a must see. Unless we know our history, we may well repeat it.
 

News from the Mighty Middle: Black History Celebration

On March 1, 2013 the Middle school scholars and staff hosted an African American History celebration. Ujima Hall was transformed with rhythmic drumming, chants, cheers and even a live Blacks and Wax Museum, which was sponsored by the scholars of Bambara Literacy. Scholars came dressed from head to toe in unique costumes which represented famous African Americans. Greats like Bayard Rustin, Harriet Tubman, Spike Lee, Fredrick Douglas, Langston Hughes and many more were represented.

The choir elective performed a song called “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson. The science exploration class gave very informative presentations on African American scientists and they also had a guest speaker from the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation. As a collective we donated all of the proceeds from our Black Love dressed down day to help people who suffer from the Sickle Cell disease. Last but not least there was the Soul Stepping Sisters who performed a black History routine. Our Black History Showcase was so much fun and we learned a lot.
 

April 2013

5/8/2013

Early Dismissal - 1:00 pm


5/14/2013

Parent's Home & School Meeting - 6:00pm

5/20/2013

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING 6:00pm

5/22/2013

Early Dismissal - 1:00 pm

05/24/2013

Senior Prom - 8:00 pm

5/27/2013

SCHOOL CLOSED - MEMORIAL DAY

Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School 4256 Paul St. Philadelphia, PA 19124 - Phone: 215-288-2001 Fax: 215-288-2099