New Cedar Rapids magnet school to focus on leadership

After community input and ideas generation during the 2013-2014 school year, the Cedar Rapids Community School District moved forward to create a magnet school at Johnson Elementary. Parents and the community were interested in: 1) more choice for families to meet their children's specific learning needs and interests; 2) a place to introduce innovative, future-relevant school models to inform the district's future moves, and; 3) the creation of Magnet schools representing the community's identity and values.

The Johnson STEAM Academy currently serves the families in the Johnson community as well as some 30 students from around the district. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics; students regularly work and learn through projects that integrate multiple disciplines. Student engagement has increased and is a major element in improving achievement. Because of our community's interest in providing more choice for students and families and the potential for magnet schools to accelerate the district's progress on offering personalized learning, we are opening our second magnet school this fall.

The Kenwood Leadership Academy will focus on the development of leadership skills in both students and staff. By developing personal and community leadership skills, KLA students will become strong owners of their learning and future, helping improve their academic achievement as well. Staff will receive five days of training in The Leader in Me© program over the summer so that they can infuse the concepts of leadership into their classroom and lessons every day.

Like Johnson STEAM Academy, Kenwood will remain a neighborhood school while a lottery will allow approximately 60 additional students from across the district to attend. Both Johnson STEAM Academy and Kenwood Leadership Academy have lottery slots open for the 2016-17 school year. The application form can be found at https://cedar-rapids.goodwinchoice.com. Parents who currently open enroll out of the Cedar Rapids District will receive preference. Parents living outside of the CRCSD boundaries may apply for seats remaining after in-district families are served. The deadline to apply to the lottery is April 1 at 4 p.m. Each school has established visit times for parents.

Magnet schools are responsible for all the state mandates, testing requirements, and student learning expectations. ohnson STEAM Academy and Kenwood Leadership Academy students will be able to leverage their personal passions and interests as a vehicle to learn how to read, write, do math, and conduct scientific and historical inquiry. Students will learn important 21st century skills, including personal leadership, collaboration, and how to learn and rebound from failures and setbacks. Students will be engaged in solving real problems at school and in the community. They will work across grade levels and classrooms to learn and discover together.

We are also in the process of writing and submitting a substantial federal grant to allow us to add more choice through Magnet schools. The district will be announcing the schools to be included in the grant this spring. Award notification happens approximately Oct. 1.

We are excited about these new learning opportunities and appreciative that our community is simultaneously pushing us to make new things happen and supporting us as we do so. While it can be scary to think beyond simply improving the existing educational experience, it is imperative that we create for our children what our forefathers built for us: a learning system designed for their future rather than our past. This new way forward ensures the long-term health and success of our children and our community.

To learn more, visit www.cr.k12.ia.us/schools/magnet-schools

' Trace Pickering is the Associate Superintendent for the Cedar Rapids Community School District and a 23 year resident of the community. Comments: tpickering@cr.k12.ia.us