Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NATCHEZ — Applications are now open for Adams County’s first charter school for the 2023-2024 school year.

Instant Impact Global Preparatory Charter School (IIGP) will have a new float joining the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade at 3 p.m. in Natchez today, helping to make the new school’s presence in the community known.

“We’re getting prepared to be in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade,” JoAnn Rucker, the executive director of Instant Impact Global Prep, said. “As our float goes by, we will have two messages. Other than celebrating MLK Day, we’re also letting people know that if they’re interested in working with us, they can apply.”

Applications are for students in kindergarten, first and second grade. Rucker anticipates a grade being added each school year until the charter school serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The address of the school, which will be in Natchez, has yet to be determined.

“We’re in negotiations and have not signed our lease yet,” Rucker said. “We’re excited and prefer to have everything official before we release that.”

Charter schools are free public schools funded by local school districts based on student enrollment. IIGP has a maximum enrollment of 450 students with 50 students per grade level, Rucker said. In addition to student applications, job listings are also posted on the school’s website, instantimpactglobalprep.org, she added.

At the time IIGP applied with the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board in 2022, the

Charter school applicants planning to open in a D or F district do not require local school board approval.

In September, the Department of Education announced that Natchez-Adams School District earned a B rating.

“The state put out and made it clear that, while we are very proud of NASD in earning the B rating, at the time of our application that was not the case,” Rucker said.

The charter school was approved in the nick of time and with that, its opening is moving forward, she said. Rucker said the school is interested in partnerships with Natchez Adams School District to offer students an alternative learning approach.

“For some students, traditional learning works. But for others, they need a hands-on, innovative approach that we can provide them with,” she said.

“Of course, our school is a free school for students to attend and we use a lottery process,” Rucker said. “We’re opening with kindergarten through second grade with 50 students per grade level, and starting today (Jan. 16.), applications are open.”

To apply, visit instantimpactglobalprep.org and click on the “apply now” button to start filling out an application.

Rucker also said there would be opportunities for the community to learn more about the charter school at public events. More details will be announced at a later date, she said.

For more information, email info@instantimpactglobalprep.org