Andre Agassi helps launch charter school in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Tennis great Andre Agassi helps launch an elementary school in Milwaukee on Monday, September 16th. It is Rocketship Southside Community Prep.

Agassi partnered with Canyon Capital to form the Canyon-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund. They partnered with Rocketship Education out of San Jose, paid to renovate an old 1920s-era commercial building and convert it into a school -- so the Rocketship Charter organization can education low-income children.

"Best-in-class charter schools aren’t the answer to education. They’re part of the answer. So we need to figure out ways to empower those that know how to educate our children because we cannot fail this generation. It’s a crime against humanity for a child not to have a future of their choosing," said Andre Agassi.

Rocketship could eventually open more schools in Milwaukee.

"The plan is we got to deliver on quality. So if we have a great school and the parents are demanding more schools, we’ll definitely open another school. But that’s really, the burden’s on us to prove that this is a great school," said Preston Smith, Rocketship Education CEO & Co-founder.

Rocketship School serves K4 through fourth grade. Next year, fifth grade will be added -- and right now, there are still some openings for students this school year.

Under the partnership, the charter school leases the building -- and once the school reaches full occupancy, the fund will help the school purchase the building.

This is the second school Canyon-Agassi Charter School Facilities has helped start in Milwaukee. The first was North Point Lighthouse Charter School on Douglas Ave.