Citizens of the World Charter Schools - Kansas City

ACE (or After Class Enrichment) is CWC Kansas City's before and after-school care program. It offers basic care for any student who remains on campus beyond class hours including meals, homework help, supervised free play, and a variety of learning activities. In addition, various clubs are offered each trimester. Students who qualify for the NSLP receive ACE basic care and at least one club per trimester for free. Students who arrive early in the morning can receive free breakfast between 7:00-7:45 am. Students staying after school can receive a healthy snack and supportive care until as late as 6:00 pm.

“Math is the language of logic,” explains Dr. Jie-Qi (Jackie) Chen, professor of Child Development at the Erikson Institute and co-author of Big Ideas of Early Mathematics: What teachers of young children need to know. “Math builds reasoning, which leads to comprehension, developing a mentally organized way of thinking is critical. Educators need to provide high-quality math education at an early age. The middle school Mathematics Lab is a learning space that operates on multiple levels. Students will demonstrate growth and achievement in mathematical concepts, skills, standards and applications and appreciate the role of mathematics across a broad range of life activities, daily practices, college and career options.

As a school focused on raising the next generation of active, engaged citizens, there is no greater skill required to be a meaningfully engaged citizen that literacy. The ability to read and write is fundamental to full participation in American society. Those who are low in literacy are paid less; more often out of work; less likely to vote; less informed about civic affairs; less able to meet the health-care needs of their families; and are more likely to have trouble with the law or to become ensnared in other socially harmful activities. Literacy is implicated in virtually every sphere of our daily lives, no matter how mundane or profound— from following a prescription to taking part in a religious service to sending an email to buying something over the Internet to reading a sign for directions to reading a book to one’s children.  CWCKC is developing a multi-tiered reading program for grades K-4 to reach readers at all levels.

School nurses play an important role in the health of students and can provide them with daily and emergency health care support during the school day, helping students avoid unnecessary absences.

KC Care Health Center assists CWCKC in providing a safety net of care through a certified registered nurse to serve as CWCKC’s school nurse during school hours. By working with an experienced health care provider partner, CWCKC students have direct access to a litany of benefits, including family access to case workers and community navigators who can help families with Medicaid enrollment and ensure families are aware of and connected to all eligible benefits. The CWCKC school nurse and KC Care Health Center health services staff help students with preventive care such as providing flu shots, conducting vision and hearing screenings, and addressing acute and emergency care needs such as injuries and illnesses requiring short-term or immediate attention.

The Learning Fellowship is a series of nested, spiraled, and integrated learning experiences over the course of three years, a daily experience where students meet in a consistent, small group to practice specific social and emotional learning skills and develop strong relationships within a diverse group. Modules include learning in mindfulness, leadership, digital citizenship, cultural competency, community service, peer coaching, and study skills. Students are involved in the creation and/or delivery of the program.

CWCKC’s Learning Fellowship is devoted to the development of their ongoing self-actualization and evolving leadership skills as they claim their own story; navigate challenges in their present lives; and be empowered to be agents of change in the world. The goal is to not only provide tools to cope with extreme situations but to create an underlying culture of safety, respect and support. Students form a sense of identity and belonging within a community where they feel safe and seen. They are learning how to work deeply with peers; where they develop perspective taking; and leverage the diversity within the group.


Multiple instructional methods include: Peer coaching, group coaching, artifact creation, art, music and movement, content integration, field trips, protocols, among others.

Research indicates that meaningful family engagement is the most powerful element to increasing student academic achievement and closing the achievement gap for low income and higher risk populations. The goal of CWCKC’s Family Learning Program is to increase student achievement as well as to support the well-rounded development of CWCKC students, socially and emotionally.

CWCKC’s Family Learning program is focused on creating meaningful, accessible, and varied opportunities to attract families into learning experiences with their children. Multi-layered components of the program include:
Surveys for Understanding:
CWCKC will regularly survey CWCKC families to understand interests and availability for participation in learning programs.

Family Learning Clubs:
Scheduled after work hours and on Saturdays, CWCKC offers an assortment of ‘family clubs’ (mirroring CWC’s highly successful after school student club program) in which families can come together – students, parents, and siblings – to take part in activities that support academic growth, including Family Literacy, Family Math, Science Through Cooking, Creating Toys and Games at Home, Science in Nature, etc.

School-wide Family Events:
CWCKC's portfolio of school-sponsored, family-focused events bring parents and students together to enjoy varied opportunities in a supportive, inclusive, school community. Starting with the annual Friendship Dance in winter, the Director of Family Learning partners with the Family Council, staff, and faculty to add a School Carnival in early fall and additional activities for the entire school and/or specific grade levels.