Citizen Schools is a Boston-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing high quality project-based learning programs to 9-14 year olds. Founded in 1995, Citizen Schools operates in Boston with affiliate campuses in Worcester, Lowell, Malden and Framingham, MA; Houston, TX; San Jose, CA; New Brunswick, NJ and Tucson, AZ. Citizen Schools shares its model with affiliated community-based organizations and school districts through an initial intensive, two year consulting and training relationship. Citizen Schools is committed to building a thriving national network of leaders who share a vision for excellent after school education programming in their communities. Collaborating with the Office of Human Services and the 21st Century Learning Center Grant Program, PAACAbegan operating Citizen Schools New Bedford @ Keith Middle School in 2004 and also offers its programs @ Normandin Middle School.
The Middle School Initiative has four goals:

• Expand high-quality academically based after-school opportunities for middle school students
• Build school capacity and commitment to quality out-of-school time programming.
• Create community enthusiasm and investment in expansion of out-of-school time programs.
• Serve as an important component of a statewide effort to develop a network of academically focused after-school programs in Massachusetts

Citizens School students are part of an initiative that:

• Engages middle school-age children with a campus size of at least 72 students;
• Collaborates deeply with school partners and school districts;
• Operates an enrollment program (not drop-in) open at least 250 hours per school year
• Encourages apprentices to enroll for 2+ years;
• Invests in a robust staffing model
• Participates in the national AmeriCorps Teaching Fellows Program
• Engages community members as exemplified by an active Steering Committee
• Develops program and management structure to ensure high levels of safety for all participants and compliance with relevant state and local laws and regulations.
• Diversifies funding strategy
• Integrates and leverages assets of the affiliate organization on behalf of the Citizen Schools program

Program Elements Include:

• Volunteer-led Apprenticeships culminating in WOWs. Keith offers apprentices at least two apprenticeships per academic year;
• Staff-led Apprenticeships focus on building skills in writing or data analysis and culminate in WOWs where student projects are showcased;
• Explorations that provide apprentices with access to the educational, cultural, civic, and business institutions including at least one visit to a college or university per academic year;
• Homework Investment Time support and planning for academic success, including communication at least weekly by Citizen Schools staff with teachers and parent/guardians of Citizen Schools apprentices;
• Village Building: a team structure and focus on building positive values/esprit de corps through engaging and fun team-building activities and through effective integration of the entire Citizen Schools curriculum.

Contact: Carl Alves
Phone: 508.979.1580
E-Mail: Carl.Alves@newbedford-ma.gov
Info: www.citizenschools.org