Thank you for your interest in Worcester Cultural Academy! Our application for the 2023-24 school year for grades K-4 is open now. Admission is by lottery. If applications exceed available seats for any grade (K-4) as of the enrollment deadline of 5:00 p.m. on April 11, 2023, we hold a lottery for those grades on April 13, 2023 via Zoom. We will continue to accept applications after the April 11th deadline; however, they will be included in the next application cycle, which has a deadline of April 25, 2023. Any school-aged child in the state of Massachusetts may apply. Preference in the lottery is given to students who reside in the city of Worcester. Worcester Cultural Academy is free for all students! 

APPLY TODAY!

Smiling Academy StudentsWorcester Cultural Academy (WCA) is a free charter public school located in Worcester, MA opening in August 2023 with grades Kindergarten through 4th grade, and will grow to a K-8 school. The school is partnering with EL Education (formerly known as Expeditionary Learning) to grant students an opportunity to connect what they are learning in classrooms to real-world applications through high-quality learning experiences. Through project-based learning, case studies, and fieldwork conducted with the leading cultural institutions and museums of central Massachusetts, WCA fosters intellectual curiosity and encourages students to become articulate communicators, critical thinkers, and skilled problem solvers who care for themselves, others around them, and their community. A culture of quality permeates the school and our students will graduate with an understanding of how they learn best and how to advocate for the resources they need for success.

Follow us on Facebook

 

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School founding team members, Stacey Luster and Jasmin Rivas.

 

 

I want to learn more!

Sign up for a zoom information session!

Learn More

Mission

Worcester Cultural Academy educates, inspires, and uncovers the inner genius of all learners through real-world and project-based experiences, to prepare them to be the cultural leaders of tomorrow.

Vision

When students graduate from Worcester Cultural Academy, they will do so as articulate communicators, critical thinkers, and skilled problem solvers who care for themselves, others around them, and their community. Through project-based learning, they will discover other passions and crafts as well – from music to painting, and woodworking to gardening. They will produce academic work that is “museum quality”, engaging in real-world learning at every grade level. They will be able to describe how they learn best and advocate for the tools they need when they are struggling. Worcester Cultural Academy students will have the academic skills they need to produce beautiful work to make the world a better place.

About Worcester Cultural Academy

Worcester Cultural Academy (WCA) is a free charter public school located in Worcester, MA opening in August 2023 with grades Kindergarten through 4th grade. The school is partnering with EL Education (formerly known as Expeditionary Learning) to grant students an opportunity to connect what they are learning in classrooms to real-world applications through high-quality learning experiences. Through project-based learning, case studies, and fieldwork conducted with the leading cultural institutions and museums of central Massachusetts, WCA fosters intellectual curiosity and encourages students to become articulate communicators, critical thinkers, and skilled problem solvers who care for themselves, others around them, and their community. A culture of quality permeates the school and our students will graduate with an understanding of how they learn best and how to advocate for the resources they need for success.

Worcester Cultural Academy is based on the success of Old Sturbridge Academy Charter Public School, located in Sturbridge, MA, where a successful school and museum partnership has flourished. Old Sturbridge Academy has seen this model work with a diverse range of students and learning styles. WCA will utilize the blueprint of this school/museum partnership model along with Old Sturbridge Academy’s best practices and lessons, differentiating itself by its location in the culturally rich, urban environment of Worcester.

Worcester Cultural Academy, in partnership with families, students, and staff, will provide the following:

A Typical Day as a Worcester Cultural Academy Student

The Day Begins

At 8:15 AM, the school bus pulls up to the school building and students disembark and thank their bus driver for getting them to school safely. Students are greeted warmly by both their peers and school staff. They enter the building and go to their classrooms to unpack their materials and then head to the eating area for a nutritious breakfast.

Crew

After that, it is time for “Crew” where students greet their peers and teachers, collaborate in an activity, look at the calendar and schedule for the day, and participate in the news and announcements. WCA’s Habits of Character and mission are infused throughout Crew. For example, Crew may focus on celebrating perseverance as a Habit of Character when students created multiple drafts of a scientific drawing as part of their Learning Expedition. Students share with their Crew how they used a photo of a frog from the Amazon rainforest to create an accurate drawing. During Crew, students are able to forge productive relationships to support their mastery of knowledge and skills, character, and high-quality work.

Classes

Throughout the day, students take part in the core subjects of English Language Arts, Math, Expedition (Science and/or Social Studies driven Learning Expeditions), and Physical Education/Wellness/Health.

Closing the Day

At the end of the day, students participate in Closing Crew. The teacher invites students to give classmates shout-outs. One of the students gets a shout-out for their stewardship because they picked up litter on the playground at play that day. This student beams with pride and feels like they are seen and validated as a member of the Crew. Finally, the teacher reminds all students of what to bring for Monday’s field study including study shoes that can get wet as they look for frogs. At 2:30 PM, they say goodbye to their Crew and teacher as they make their way to the bus to head home.

About Old Sturbridge Village

As one of the nation’s leading living history museums, the Village has been providing educational programs to students, teachers, and families for more than 70 years. With a campus of more than 200 acres, the museum offers an idyllic setting with hundreds of resources to support learning.

How to Apply

Admission is by lottery. If applications exceed available seats for any grade (K-4) as of the enrollment deadline of 5:00 p.m. on April 11, 2023, we hold a lottery for those grades on April 13, 2023 via Zoom. We will continue to accept applications after the April 11th deadline; however, they will be included in the next application cycle, which has a deadline of April 25, 2023. We will continue to accept applications after the April 11th deadline, however, they will be included in the next application cycle which has a deadline of April 25, 2023.

APPLY TODAY!

Information Sessions

To help us plan accordingly, please sign up for an Information Session by filling out the form below. Additional dates will be added soon so please check back.

In-person sessions

Enjoy dinner and dessert on us while you attend the in-person session! We offer supervised child care so please bring your kids to enjoy games, books, arts & crafts, and other fun activities while you attend the session. We’ll have plenty of pizza and cookies for the kids too.

In-person sessions take place on the first floor of the school at 81 Plantation Street in Worcester. Parking is available in the lot off of Chrome Street. The school entrance is on Chrome as well. 

Zoom Info for April 6th:

Click here to join

Meeting ID: 832 3624 9496
Passcode: 568194
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,83236249496#,,,,*568194# US

 

Jobs

We’re hiring! Click the titles below to learn more and apply.

Vice Principal

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School seeks an outstanding culturally competent educator to serve as its founding Vice Principal. We are looking for a leader who will bring a deep commitment to the school’s mission and who possesses experience working in diverse schools with English Language Learners and students with disabilities. This is an exciting opportunity to lead teachers, and partner with families and students, who are all passionate about this pioneering charter public school. We seek a leader who will work closely with the school staff to execute the school’s vision and support the community to learn and grow into the future. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced educator, who believes in the power of project-based learning and is committed to EL Education, to be a leader at an innovative charter public school in the city of Worcester. We welcome candidates to apply who reflect the cultural diversity of the Worcester community.

Mission

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School will provide students with rigorous, real-world learning experiences in a supportive and nurturing school community, helping all students to become reflective inquisitors, articulate communicators, critical thinkers, and skilled problem solvers. Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School’s mission is to educate, inspire, and uncover the inner genius of all learners through project-based experiences. In partnership with local cultural institutions, we will provide Worcester students with educational opportunities that match their varied learning styles and needs, and prepare them to be the cultural leaders of tomorrow.

About the School

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School is opening in August 2023 and will serve students in grades K-4 during the 2023-24 school year. We are chartered for grades K-8. As an EL (Expeditionary Learning) Education school, we believe in hands-on learning that focuses on three levels of student achievement: mastery of knowledge and skills, character, and high-quality work.

Visit our school website www.WorcesterCulturalAcademy.org.

Qualifications

Responsibilities

Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

Instructional Leadership

Teacher & Staff Development, Leadership, & Support

Safe, Supporting, & Inclusive School & Community Culture

Authentic, Anti-Racist, Mission-Driven Vision & Leadership

Finance, Development & Operations

Join Our Adult Crew

At Worcester Cultural Academy, our faculty and staff collaborate and support one another and our students through a number of school-wide activities, events and celebrations. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to lead and participate in these events, ranging from student and family orientation activities to celebrations of learning to graduation. We work together to support the safe and happy arrival and dismissal of our students, collaborate and plan together and use data to guide decision-making.

We are intentional about engaging our faculty and staff in the development of the Academy and of themselves. School-wide professional meetings happen before the start of the school year and throughout.

Compensation: Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience.

Application Instructions

To apply for this position, email the following to jobs@osv.org:

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation/gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

 

Office Coordinator

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School seeks its founding Office Coordinator. The successful candidate will possess experience working in diverse schools with English Language Learners and students with IEPs. The Office Coordinator will believe in WCA’s approach to education, which will provide students with engaging and challenging real-world learning experiences in a supportive and nurturing school community. This is an exciting opportunity to partner with cultural institutions and community partners, teachers, families, and students as an operational leader at an innovative charter public school in the city of Worcester. We welcome candidates to apply who reflect the cultural diversity of the Worcester community.

Mission

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School will provide students with rigorous, real-world learning experiences in a supportive and nurturing school community, helping all students to become reflective inquisitors, articulate communicators, critical thinkers, and skilled problem solvers. Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School’s mission is to educate, inspire, and uncover the inner genius of all learners through project-based experiences. In partnership with local cultural institutions, we will provide Worcester students with educational opportunities that match their varied learning styles and needs, and prepare them to be the cultural leaders of tomorrow.

About the School

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School is opening in August 2023 and will serve students in grades K-4 during the 2023-24 school year. We are chartered for grades K-8. As an EL (Expeditionary Learning) Education school, we believe in hands-on learning that focuses on three levels of student achievement: mastery of knowledge and skills, character, and high-quality work.

Visit our school website www.WorcesterCulturalAcademy.org.

Qualifications

Responsibilities

Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

Join Our Adult Crew

At Worcester Cultural Academy, our faculty and staff collaborate and support one another and our students through a number of school-wide activities, events and celebrations. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to lead and participate in these events, ranging from student and family orientation activities to celebrations of learning to graduation. We work together to support the safe and happy arrival and dismissal of our students, collaborate and plan together and use data to guide decision-making.

We are intentional about engaging our faculty and staff in the development of the Academy and of themselves. School-wide professional meetings happen before the start of the school year and throughout.

Compensation: Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience.

Application Instructions

To apply for this position, email the following to jobs@osv.org:

Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation/gender identity, or \any other characteristic protected by applicable law.


Location

81 Plantation Street
Worcester, MA

Contact

Jasmin Rivas
jrivas@osv.org
(508) 347-0340

Map showing address of Worcester Cultural Academy

Translate »