LOS ANGELES – Sean “Diddy” Combs’ charter school will relocate to a larger campus in New York City.
The music mogul announced Thursday that Capital Preparatory School will move to the Church of All Saints and School building in the city's Harlem neighborhood. The relocation will allow the school’s capacity to grow from 500 to 700 students from grades 6th through 12th beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.
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The school's new campus will feature 40 classrooms and offices, a sports room, science labs, a cafeteria, an outdoor communal courtyard, and an area called the “Great Hall” for all school assemblies and performances.
“The kids of Harlem should have access to opportunity and a quality education and deserve to learn on a campus that reflects the level of excellence we aspire for them to achieve,” Combs said in a statement. “This new campus for Capital Prep Harlem reflects my commitment to empowering as many children as I can and creating spaces for the next generation of leaders to thrive in every aspect of their lives.”
Combs launched the Harlem charter school in 2016. He’s been a longtime education advocate and gifted $1 million to the Capital Preparatory Schools network for a new Bronx location, which opened last year. He is a Harlem native.
The Church of All Saints and School, which was constructed in 1883, was designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2007. The parish and school were closed by the archdiocese of New York in 2015 before the church was deconsecrated two years later.
“We are honored to reinvigorate a landmarked gem of Harlem, revitalizing its original place as a center of education for the community through our new campus,” the school’s co-founder Steve Perry said in a statement. “A prestigious staple of New York City, we are proud to provide the children of Capital Prep Harlem with a learning environment and space that reflects the history and beauty of the community we know and love.”