DENVER, Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA), one of the nation's largest and most innovative health care communities, and New York Achievement First, a network of public charter schools, announced an ongoing partnership to help Achievement First grow its organizational culture.

The first-of-its-kind program for New York kicked off in May 2014 when Dacia M. Toll, co-CEO and president for Achievement First, and Kent Thiry, co-chairman and CEO of DaVita Healthcare Partners, came together to create an intentional culture that would help enhance the relationship between teachers and parents within the school district.

"We wanted to create a special place to work so we asked DaVita HealthCare Partners for help," said Toll. "Our first Leadership Academy included school-based staff and parents and guardians and was so successful that we'll do this with additional schools in 2015."

DaVita HealthCare Partners helped create a two-day program that increased stakeholder engagement, better connected parents to the school culture, and established commitments that participants could bring to life at home and at school.

"Creating a partnership between a for-profit health care company that has a non-profit focus on mission and values and an innovative school system seemed like the right fit for us," said Thiry. "There are many similarities in structure, employee motivation, and service to the broader community and to the world. And, creating a partnership fit into DaVita HealthCare Partners' mission to be solid, contributing citizens in the communities in which we live and work."

Since 2011, DaVita HealthCare Partners has had a unique partnership with Denver Public Schools to design customized leadership and development programs for administrators, principals and teachers. The programs are modeled on longstanding DaVita University training and development courses and initiatives, including DaVita Academy, DaVita Way of Managing, DaVita Way of Team and DaVita Way of Leading.

DaVita HealthCare Partners continues to support Achievement First with strategic advice as they determine how best to scale the program for future offerings.

About Achievement First
Achievement First, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, currently operates 29 public charter schools in Brooklyn, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The mission of Achievement First is to close the achievement gap and deliver on the promise of equal educational opportunity for all children, regardless of race, economic status or zip code. With its college-preparatory focus, the Achievement First approach is attaining breakthrough academic gains throughout its network of 29 public charter schools. In the 2014-15 academic year, Achievement First is educating more than 9,500 students in historically low-performing and underserved neighborhoods. Achievement First's approach to teaching and learning enables every student to succeed at the highest levels.

For more information, please visit http://www.AchievementFirst.org.

About DaVita HealthCare Partners
DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is the parent company of DaVita Kidney Care and HealthCare Partners. DaVita Kidney Care is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. As of Dec. 31, 2014, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,179 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 170,000 patients. The company also operated 91 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. HealthCare Partners manages and operates medical groups and affiliated physician networks in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Florida in its pursuit to deliver excellent-quality health care in a dignified and compassionate manner. As of Dec. 31, 2014, HealthCare Partners provided integrated care management for approximately 837,000 patients. For more information, please visit DaVitaHealthCarePartners.com.

DaVita, HealthCare Partners and DaVita HealthCare Partners are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.

Media contacts:

DaVita Inc.
Kate Wilson Stabrawa
303-876-7527
Kate.stabrawa@davita.com

Achievement First
Amanda Pinto
203-726-0168
amandapinto@achievementfirst.org

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SOURCE DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.

SOURCE: DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.