Kimberley Park Elementary School staff spent Monday preparing for the new school year in style with their Harlem Nights event.
The event was an opportunity to start professional development activities and sort out last-minute details before students return to the classroom next week. However, it was also a chance to eat together, play some games, make some music during Harambee sessions, get dressed up in costumes, and have a good time together as a team. The roaring 20s casino aesthetic was a direct reference to the school’s theme of the year: “We Don’t Gamble with Success – We Earn It!”
“There are a lot of people out there today who are gambling with their futures, and we want to make sure our kids are prepared to do things the right way,” said Third Grade Teacher Atiya Bey. “We want to make sure they know how to work hard and earn the life they want.”
Harlem Nights was hosted by Salem Chapel, who lent the team their Innovation Center for the day and even had a collection of donated school supplies ready for them to take back to campus. Salem Chapel is one of the school’s most valued neighborhood partners and frequently collaborates with them for projects like this. Discipleship Pastor Mark Duncan says the church and the school share a mission of making sure every child in the area feels secure and cared for.
“The two organizations in a community that impact the most people are the church and the school, so we see a lot of value in what Kimberley Park does,” Duncan said. “The kind of care they provide is greater than I think a lot of people realize.”
Principal Diamond Gwyn says that programs like Harlem Nights are important because they make sure the school’s morale is high right from the beginning of the year. When teachers feel inspired and valued by their community and the team at their school, they’re motivated to do their best in the classroom, and their motivation can energize their students as well. Leading with a positive mindset is essential to the banner year that Kimberley Park is preparing to have.
“We try to start off every year on the right foot,” Gwyn said. “We want this to be the best year it can be.”