WALIPP-TSU Preparatory Academy is a unique HISD Charter School founded by the William A. Lawson Institute for Peace and Prosperity, WALIPP. It was conceived by Mrs. Audrey Lawson, and was founded to meet the critical academic and social development needs of inner-city youth. Targeting middle school males, the Academy is an authentic (real-world) learning community. It uses a creative academic and experiential curriculum to build student success and to develop the total person.

WALIPP recently learned that there is a charter that has been returned to the State Board of Education for award. We are competing with the seven other schools that were left in the ‘pool’ after the November 2008 Committee and full Board meetings. You already know how much we want to receive this award.

1) Will you make a phone call to the key players in this decision – and send a letter of support? The group that is responsible for recommending our name to the full Board of Education is the Committee on School Initiatives, listed below:

• Bob Craig, Chair (College Station)
• Mavis Knight, Vice Chair (Dallas)
• MaryHelen Berlanga (Corpus Christi)
• Pat Hardy (Fort Worth)
• Don McLeroy (College Station)

2) Your call of support can be directed to the Texas Education Agency, office of Charter Schools, (512) 463-9575. Each call is an opportunity to ‘voice your support’ for WALIPP. Share the number with others and continue to make calls on our behalf this week and next.

3) Since time is of the essence, we don’t want you to mail a letter of support this time. The committee doesn’t publish the individual email addresses of its members, but all of them can be reached through sboesupport@tea.state.tx.us. I am attaching the contents of a note you may want to use. Will you please share a copy of your letter with us by email or by fax (numbers, below)?

Dear Committee Members:

I am a supporter of WALIPP-TSU Preparatory Academy, in part because of the work they are doing and in part because of the work I know they will do if you award them with the State Charter.

Nothing is more critical than the successful matriculation of our students. WALIPP-TSU has made tremendous progress in giving its students academic and social support. These are important because the Title I children they serve need to have their learning girded by more than just a classroom. They need a community that mirrors excellence in achievement.

On the campus of Texas Southern University, this school is doing all that it can to make a difference in these children’s lives. I have seen the impact on young men who started without a vision but with WALIPP-TSU’s guidance are now eagerly advancing toward their college careers. They are more than just graduates – they are our future.

This is the kind of transformation that the State Board of Education should want for all our kids. Please provide your vote of support for the WALIPP-TSU charter in the July meeting.

4) We will be taking a number of supporters to Austin for the State Board meeting this Thursday, July 16th. The Committee meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm and it is the physical presence of supporters that may help to demonstrate how important WALIPP-TSU is in our community. CAN YOU JOIN US? We will feed you and give you lots of encouragement – but we definitely want to give WALIPP-TSU every possible chance to be successful in our application to become a state charter. Call our office at (713) 741-3600 and tell us you are willing to ride to Austin…

Thank you for what you already are doing – please give us a call (all the numbers are below) or bounce this note back to let us know that you are willing to join us next Thursday in our MARCH TO AUSTIN!

THE DATE FOR OUR TRIP IS THURSDAY, JULY 16 AND WE’LL PROVIDE THE TRANSPORTATION AND FOOD! PLEASE COME WITH US – WE NEED YOU TO BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM AS WE SEEK THE STATE CHARTER AWARD!