WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kenilworth Science and Technology School (KST) and Building Hope today announced the closing of the transaction to purchase a 7-acre parcel of land on 8716 Siegen Lane in Baton Rouge where KST will build a new school campus. Building Hope will begin immediately to construct the new 56,000 square-foot school and gymnasium in preparation for a fall 2023 opening. KST will be expanding to include grades Kindergarten through 8th grade and will enroll 756 students at capacity. The K-8 school will offer a new state-of-the-art facility and expand to include a comprehensive computer science program for all students.
“Ever since earning a bachelor of science degree in computer science, I have dreamt about creating a computer science-focused school,” said Hasan Suzuk, executive director, KST. “And since being here at Kenilworth, I have dreamt about making Kenilworth a K8 school since it is a better model to serve our families. This project will make both dreams come true.”
The new campus space features a rich and active ecosystem with beautiful heritage trees and a pond that will serve as outdoor classrooms for the school’s expanded hydroponic, STEM, and garden programs. KST’s new hydroponics classroom and lab will use large fish in commercial tanks to generate fuel and fertilize large hydroponic culinary garden beds. Students will interact and learn, using basic chemistry to monitor pH balance and manage a healthy ecosystem. The school will also keep chickens and maintain beehives.
KST will host a Fall Festival and Groundbreaking Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. Members of the community, including families interested in enrolling next year, are invited to join school leadership, families, and students for a ceremony and fall festival with seasonal games and activities. School administrators will be on hand to provide enrollment information and answer questions.
Suzuk added, “Enrollment for next year kicks off in October, and I invite interested families to join us on Oct. 29 as we celebrate the start of our school’s next chapter.”
Established in 2009 as a charter school, KST today serves 400 6th to 8th graders through an innovative approach and challenging STEM-focused curriculum. The new, two-story school will allow the school to enroll Kindergarten to 8th grade students, and have approximately 30 classrooms, two special education rooms, a library, two STEM labs, two world languages classrooms, a music room and an art room, as well as other specialized learning spaces. The campus will have large green spaces, a dedicated Kindergarten playground, and sports areas, as well as an onsite kitchen facility and outdoor dining area.
KST is an award-winning STEM focused school. In 2021, it ranked third in the Louisiana Region VII Science and Engineering Fair Junior Division. KST students received nine awards, making them the highest ranked open enrollment school in the competition. In addition, the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools honored KST in Baton Rouge as the 2020 Innovative Education Award recipient.
As a non-profit, Building Hope sets charter schools up for success by helping them identify, finance, and construct viable facilities so that all students have access to a quality K-12 education. Building Hope is the leader for investments in and development of place-based charter school facilities customized to the program goals and the school culture, tailored to the market, and sensitive to urban planning and design.
“We are thrilled to help the Kenilworth team with their new facility that will allow them to expand their high-quality STEM curriculum to the elementary grades for families in the Baton Rouge area,” said Allison Serafin, vice president of business development, Building Hope.”
More information about enrolling in KST is available at www.kenilworthschool.org. Additional details for the Oct. 29 Groundbreaking Celebration will be posted to the school website, as well.
For more information about how Building Hope helps charter schools nationwide with facilities, financing, and operational services, visit www.buildinghope.org.
About Building Hope
Building Hope is a non-profit foundation created to support public charter schools. Since 2003, Building Hope has grown the capacity of charter schools nationwide by providing facilities, financial, and operational services, so schools can focus more time and resources on educating students. Building Hope has supported 300 charter school projects and 150,000 students in 20 states and the District of Columbia, by providing more than $363 million in direct loans, credit enhancements, and equity investments to support $1.9 billion in school construction.
