Purdue Polytechnic High School - Keystone     

     

February 5, 2019

Purdue Polytechnic High School partners with Keystone Group to secure location for second school next to Broad Ripple High School

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 4, 2019 – Purdue Polytechnic High School announced today its second charter school will open in the summer of 2019 in Broad Ripple, solidifying its commitment to Indianapolis’ north side and expanding its unique educational model to more urban high school students.

The STEM-focused innovative high school will occupy a 12,400-square-foot building at 1405 Broad Ripple Avenue, formerly home to the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF).  Following minor renovations, the second location of Purdue Polytechnic High School will open in July with an inaugural class of up to 150 freshmen for the 2019-2020 school year. 

The building will be owned and operated by Indianapolis-based Keystone, and will serve as a temporary location for Purdue Polytechnic High School while a permanent facility in Broad Ripple is secured in partnership with Keystone.

“We have worked diligently with the residents and community leaders in Broad Ripple to ensure students and families on the north side of Indianapolis have an accessible, high-quality educational option. We’re thrilled that we have found a centrally located building and can deliver our unique curriculum to more Marion County students,” said Purdue Polytechnic High Schools Head of Schools Scott Bess. “Purdue Polytechnic High School focuses on teaching students the skills and knowledge to succeed in a 21st Century economy through hands-on, STEM-focused curriculum and paves the way toward admission to a post-secondary institution.”

“Once we learned about Purdue Polytechnic High School’s desire for space in Broad Ripple, we were immediately excited to help in purchasing and developing a building to fit their needs,” said Ersal Ozdemir, CEO of Keystone Group. “As a Purdue Engineering alumnus, I am deeply connected to Purdue and also Purdue Polytechnic High School’s mission of equitable access to quality education. Our team will work through renovations quickly to ensure a successful opening for the high school this summer and over the next 12 months identify a permanent home for Purdue Polytechnic High School in the Broad Ripple Village.” 

Purdue Polytechnic High School opened its first Indianapolis charter school in 2017, and today has more than 250 freshman and sophomore students in its downtown Indianapolis location at the Circle Centre Mall. The school’s second location was approved by Indianapolis’ Charter School Board in June 2018 based on the success of its downtown campus, unique teaching model and demonstrated community support for an innovative school in Broad Ripple.  

“This is the Broad Ripple I know and love,” said Colleen Fanning, Indianapolis City-County Councillor for District 2. “Innovative educators team up with a local entrepreneur and developer to bring secondary education back to our community. Working to bring the parties together, I was able to see this approach firsthand and consider this a gamechanger for Broad Ripple’s future. For too long, young families have left our community in droves to seek better public education options. No more. What was once our community’s most glaring weakness could soon become the main reason families choose Broad Ripple.” 

“This is wonderful news for Broad Ripple,” added Josh John, president, Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA). “Following the closure of our neighborhood high school, citizens expressed strong support for a high school option in Broad Ripple. BRVA and Purdue Polytechnic High School worked together to find a suitable facility and can now move forward to offer Broad Ripple families an innovative, attractive public education model.

“When the school’s interest in Broad Ripple became public last year, citizen feedback was overwhelmingly positive. This announcement shows what can be accomplished given effective collaboration and a shared commitment to making our community the best it can be.”

Keeanna Warren will serve as the founding principal for the second location of Purdue Polytechnic High School. She previously worked with the Excel Center in the Meadows neighborhood since 2013 and was school director from February 2015 to July 2017. She began her career teaching fifth grade at the Andrew J. Brown Academy charter school and Washington Township’s Nora Elementary School.

Purdue Polytechnic High School is a tuition-free public charter high school. Interested applicants should visit https://pphs.purdue.edu/apply.

Media contacts:

Laura Miller, for Purdue Polytechnic High School

Phone: 317-332-3306

Email: Laura@lauramillercommunications.com 

Jasmin Shaheed-Young, for Keystone

Phone: 317-636-2000

Cell: 646-660-5131

Email:  jsyoung@keystone-corp.com