Minnesota Early Learning Academy, Margaret Solomon Kephart Campus

On October 9, 2015, we welcomed parents, local media, and a host of community leaders to our campus to celebrate Minnesota Early Learning Academy’s grand opening. The well-attended event featured much of the fanfare typically associated with grand opening celebrations – musical performances, wreath building, remarks from civic leaders – except for one distinction: a heartfelt naming dedication in memory of Margaret Solomon Kephart.

Margaret Solomon Kephart (1920-1999)

Dean Kephart (Executive Director of Distinctive Schools, Minnesota) learned many a lesson from his late mother, Margaret. A first grade teacher in rural Iowa for over thirty years, her influence spanned beyond the classroom as she watched her son Dean pursue a career in teaching and education technology. Ms. Kephart’s belief that no first grade child should go on to second grade until he or she could read at grade level was fundamental to her educational philosophy. “From her point of view, a good education was not a privilege but a civil right, whether they were city kids or country kids,” says Mr. Kephart.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Dean elaborated, “[My mother] believed that every child not only could learn, but would learn. She accomplished this by individualizing instruction, adjusting learning approaches based on learning styles, and providing remediation based on individual need.” Dean experienced firsthand his mother’s resolve to support young readers, as he joined other students at the kitchen table each summer, happily receiving extra reading instruction.

Margaret Solomon Kephart embodied many of the values we hold here at MELA, most notably a commitment to high-quality education and personalized instruction. So, it is only fitting that we honor her work by naming our school in her memory – Minnesota Early Learning Academy, Margaret Solomon Kephart Campus.
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As the gusto of our grand opening reached a conclusion, Dean paused, looked upward, and reminded the crowd why they had congregated, “My mom is watching and I know she is delighted.”