Skip To Main Content

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 standardsCurriculum based entirely on student interests
guided by educatorsall self-paced/online
rigorous“easier” than traditional school
intentional about authentic cross-curricular connectionsthematic, 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 HourPE
3rd HourSocial 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 MeetingLearner Profiles, Goals, Community Activities, Intervention, Project Check-Ins, Etc. (Empower Key Ideas #1 and #2)
7th/8th HourElective Block

Possible 7th/8th Grade Schedule: All Class Days

1st/2nd Hour ELA
3rd HourScience
4th Hour PE
5th HourSocial Studies
6th HourMath

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 HourElective #1
8th HourElective #2
1st/2nd Hour ELA Block
3rd/4th Hour Science/PE Block
Lunch
5th/6th HourSocial Studies/Math Block
Empower Daily MeetingLearner Profiles, Goals, Community Activities, Intervention, Project Check-Ins, Etc. (Empower Key Ideas #1 and #2)
7th/8th HourElective Block

Taylor Wilmas
Math

Melanie Lundt
ELA

Courtney Varner
ELA

Diane Coffey
Science

Bill Coats
Social Studies