The Prep Story
The School’s founders are profoundly committed to school choice and its potential to revitalize public education. When students and staff attend a school by choice, not assignment, they are likely to embrace its mission and philosophy, and as a result, unleash a collective energy to the realization of its goals.” The over-arching goals of the school are to:
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Demonstrate the heights of academic achievement that economically disadvantaged students can routinely attain when the advantages of charter school governance are coupled with ambitious new academic standards
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Provide a challenging core curriculum for all students, based on practices proven through the best available evidence of effectiveness in attaining superior academic
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Provide each student with a accelerated academic achievement to close learning gaps and advance while giving them the motivation and support to excel in school, college and life.
The school enjoyed success in its early years, but lost its original building in the flood of Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Eventually, the board secured financing for its beautiful campus in north Rocky Mount across the street from North Carolina Wesleyan College.
An Updated Vision
In the summer of 2016, Rocky Mount Prep’s Board of Directors decided to refocus the school’s strategic direction to restore its original vision of providing a “world-class education” updated for the 21st century learner under the direction of Todd Pipkin, Head of School. In just a few months, the school made sweeping, state-of-the-art changes to the school’s facility, staffing model and technology infrastructure to dramatically improve student achievement and operating efficiency.
Under the leadership of Todd Pipkin, a new vision of the school was put into place at Rocky Mount Prep. We continue to work hard every day to learn new things, innovate and improve the school and ourselves so that we will fulfill our mission to “inspire scholars to expect excellence, express excitement, extend education, and experience Prep”.
Vision Message to our team members from Mr. Pipkin:
I envision a place in our school, where educational excellence is a proven practice! I envision a school culture where all team members, scholars, parents, and community stakeholders respect and value each other to reach the common goal of academic excellence!
I envision a place where as a team, we take calculated risks that push the educational boundaries of learning. Where as a team we look to think outside the box when solving educational challenges!
I envision a place where as a team member, you believe and feel that you are making a difference. I want each team member to believe that if “they” were not here, our school would not be able to reach its goals collectively! I want our scholars to see how working together creates opportunities that we never knew existed!
I envision a place where our parents trust and believe that how and why we teach is best for their scholars. I want our parents to see/feel the passion and fire that drove us to pursue the field of education!
I envision a place where all scholars believe that our school will provide them every opportunity to succeed and reach their dreams no matter their social-economic status, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, race, or academic standing!
I envision a place where we always conduct ourselves in a moral and ethical manner! Where personal agendas are not the norm, but what is best for the team and scholars take precedent!
I envision a place where we become the model training facility for schools looking to improve their academic performance, community integrity, and school culture!
This is my vision message to our team, but without you the vision message is nothing but a vision! The vision message will take hard work, long-hours, commitment to each other, working collaboratively, passion, being innovative, taking calculated risks, stepping out of your comfort zone, love, and finally the willingness to get it done!
I believe in you and need you to reach our goals! Can I count on you?