All About Midtown Community School

Hello from Midtown Community School (formerly Citizens of the World - Kansas City)! We're so happy that you're enrolling or are interested in enrolling your child at our school!

This summer we are sharing a series of emails for families of newly enrolled students and those interested in enrollment. Each newsletter features a different aspect of our program and will hopefully help you feel informed and more at ease with your family’s transition into Midtown Community School!

In this volume of All About Midtown Community School, Ms. Latasha Roland, our Director of Curriculum and Instruction, explains how we use project-based learning to encourage student curiosity around solving real-world problems.

If you need help completing your family's registration or have any questions at all about next year, please call or text Katy Lineberry, Enrollment Coordinator, at (816)550-5276 or email her at katy.lineberry@cwckansascity.org

Also, don't forget - many of your questions about uniforms, dropoff/pickup, before/after-school care, school supply list, etc., can be answered by exploring our Family Dashboard on our website!

Previous newsletters:

Volume 1 - History & Culture

Finally, if your plans for next year change, please be sure to let us know as soon as possible so that we can release your child's spot and invite another family to join the community!

What is Project-Based Learning (PBL)?

Project-Based Learning is a constructivist learning approach, where the students build knowledge instead of passively taking in information. Over the course of a PBL unit, students actively engage in knowledge in order to apply it to find solutions to real world problems. At the center of the learning is the driving question (problem being addressed) that grounds the students' learning as they actively work together in groups to develop a solution to the problem. The learning culminates with the students' creative artifact (students’ solution to a problem), which is presented to an authentic audience during a public showcase.

Conversely, this year our students at the primary level (K-2) will start their journey in project based learning, by focusing one of the PBL instructional core practices in two integrated Social Studies and Science units. While these units are centered on a constructivist learning model, they are not full project-based learning units. Students will explore and engage in a range of concepts/topics and they will be able to apply what they learned to a project at the end of each unit. This experience prepares our young learners to effectively make the transition from a project to project-based learning.

PBL in Action at CWCKC!

This past school year, our 3rd thru 8th grade students explored the impact human behavior has on our environment in both PBL units. In the fall, each grade level explored how human behavior impacted our local water supply in Kansas City. We partnered with the City of Kansas City (MO) Water Department to learn and explore the methods and systems utilized to maintain our water. As our students learned physical science concepts, they were able to apply their knowledge to bring awareness, prevention, or solution campaigns to water quality here in Kansas City. For example, our middle school students designed campaigns ads aimed at helping the community ways they could protect our water source. Through project-based learning, our students develop and refine skills that stretch beyond the classroom.

Please click the Facebook posts below to see more photos of our past PBL Showcases!

Email: info@cwckansascity.org
Website: www.cwckansascity.org
Location: 3435 Broadway Boulevard, Kansas City, MO, 64111
Phone: (816)499-8000

Facebook: www.facebook.com/midtowncommunityschool

Instagram: www.instagram.com/midtowncommunityschool