Empower
The Academies at Central Middle: Empower
Our Mission:
Students in the EMPOWER Academy will become increasingly self-directed in their learning while becoming more actively involved in decisions pertaining to their education.
The Empower Academy is designed to:
- Empower students to know themselves as learners.
- Gradually increase student ownership of their own learning.
- Provide opportunities for student voice and choice.
- Grow student independence and active participation in academic and social decisions.
- Increase student engagement through authentic, real-world connections.
Key Idea 1: Learner Profiles
Students are empowered to learn how to be their best by understanding their strengths and areas of growth as a learner.
Key Idea 2: Student Goal Setting
Students are empowered to set and achieve high academic and social goals.
Key Idea 3: Real-World Connections
Students are empowered to demonstrate learning through real-world problem-solving and applications.
Key Idea 4: Gradual Release of Ownership and Increased Voice and Choice
Students are empowered to take a steadily increasing amount of control over their learning.
The empower academy
| EMPOWER is… | Empower is not… |
|---|---|
| aligned with Parkway and MO State curriculum standards | Curriculum based entirely on student interests |
| guided by educators | all self-paced/online |
| rigorous | “easier” than traditional school |
| intentional about authentic cross-curricular connections | thematic, forced connections between curricular areas |
| focused on meeting and challenging students at their individual levels | tracking students in “advanced,” “average,” “low” levels |
5 Questions That COULD Describe An EMPOWER Student:
- Do you see yourself becoming increasingly self-directed as a learner?
- Do you wish to gain increased ownership over how you learn?
- Do you want to know yourself better as a learner?
- Do you want to find authentic ways to connect your learning to real-world situations?
- Do you wish to have increased voice and choice in your learning?
Possible 6th Grade Schedule: All Class Days
| 1st Hour | Science |
| 2nd Hour | PE |
| 3rd Hour | Social Studies |
| 4th Hour | Math |
| 5th/6th Hour | ELA |
Empower Hour/Lunch (11:20-1:36) | Project Pathways–Students learn to plan, create, and share ongoing, project-based connections to Empower classes. (Empower Key Ideas #3 and #4) |
7th Hour | Elective #1 |
8th Hour | Elective #2 |
Possible 6th Grade Schedule: Block Days
| 1st/2nd Hour | Science/PE Block |
| 3rd/4th Hour | Math/Social Studies Block |
| Lunch | |
5th/6th Hour | ELA Block |
| Empower Daily Meeting | Learner Profiles, Goals, Community Activities, Intervention, Project Check-Ins, Etc. (Empower Key Ideas #1 and #2) |
| 7th/8th Hour | Elective Block |
Possible 7th/8th Grade Schedule: All Class Days
| 1st/2nd Hour | ELA |
| 3rd Hour | Science |
| 4th Hour | PE |
| 5th Hour | Social Studies |
| 6th Hour | Math |
Empower Hour/Lunch (11:20-1:36) | Project Pathways–Students plan, create, and share ongoing, project-based connections to Empower classes. (Empower Key Ideas #3 and #4) |
| 7th Hour | Elective #1 |
| 8th Hour | Elective #2 |
| 1st/2nd Hour | ELA Block |
| 3rd/4th Hour | Science/PE Block |
| Lunch | |
| 5th/6th Hour | Social Studies/Math Block |
| Empower Daily Meeting | Learner Profiles, Goals, Community Activities, Intervention, Project Check-Ins, Etc. (Empower Key Ideas #1 and #2) |
| 7th/8th Hour | Elective Block |
Taylor Wilmas
Math
Melanie Lundt
ELA
Courtney Varner
ELA
Diane Coffey
Science
Bill Coats
Social Studies
