URBANPROMISE ACADEMY
Since the moment Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) announced their district-wide shift to fully virtual learning during the fall of 2020, we at UrbanPromise have been grounding ourselves in two central questions:
Who do we want to be during this moment?
When they reflect back, what do we want our students, StreetLeaders, and families to be able to say was true for them in this season?
If you were with us during the spring of 2020, you'll recognize these questions — they're the same ones we have been wrestling with since the COVID-19 crisis began.
Throughout it all, our intention has been to hold tightly to WHO we are at UrbanPromise, while maintaining an attitude of flexibility about WHAT we do and HOW we do it. With that being said...
WE ARE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE URBANPROMISE ACADEMY — OUR RESPONSE TO SUPPORTING STUDENTS, STREETLEADERS, AND FAMILIES THROUGH THis SEASON OF VIRTUAL LEARNING!
WHAT IS URBANPROMISE ACADEMY?
Instead of running our typical AfterSchool Program this fall, we are offering a full-day “UrbanPromise Academy” where our K-8th grade students...
Receive support in completing their virtual learning school work
Eat healthy breakfast and lunch
Participate in social-emotional learning activities with StreetLeaders and UrbanPromise staff
Engage in physical education
UrbanPromise Academy is running from 8AM-4PM at all three of our typical site locations and will continue until CMS moves into Plan A, fully reopening for all students.
WHAT about the streetleaders?
UrbanPromise's high school StreetLeaders are continuing to support younger students during hours which do not interfere with their own segments of virtual learning, and they are also continuing to receive college readiness assistance, academic tutoring, leadership training, and spiritual/social-emotional support.
BECAUSE OF YOUR CONTINUED GENEROUS PARTNERSHIP, WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER URBANPROMISE ACADEMY COMPLETELY FREE OF COST FOR ALL 275 OF OUR K-8TH GRADE STUDENTS, AND WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PAY OUR 85 HIGH SCHOOL STREETLEADERS FOR THEIR WORK!
HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE IN URBANPROMISE ACADEMY?
With this shift to a full-day program, UrbanPromise has contracted with CMS as an official remote learning partner. One of the commitments in the CMS contract is that we "limit student exposure to adults as much as possible to reduce the risk of anyone contracting COVID-19."
To honor that commitment, we have officially decided to pause all on-site volunteer opportunities during the 2020-2021 school year.
However, UrbanPromise Academy is still the greatest community-wide effort UP has facilitated to date! As of now, here are the two key ways you can support UrbanPromise Academy:
FINANCIALLY SUPPORT URBANPROMISE: Your financial partnership is literally what makes UrbanPromise possible in ALL seasons. As it relates to UrbanPromise Academy, we will be assuming an unexpected cost of $125,000 per semester in order to hire additional morning staff to help facilitate virtual learning for our students. If you feel led to contribute towards this expense, you can do so here.
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST: This is how we share opportunities and needs with our community as they arise. Sign up here!
There is no way we can possibly express the gratitude we feel for our ability to offer free, full-day support to our students and families this semester The challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic have created are enormous, but they are not impossible to overcome.
THANK YOU for supporting the learning and growth of 360 of Charlotte's most incredible students this fall!
New to UrbanPromise Charlotte? We invite you to learn more about who we are here and take a look at our financial stewardship history and commitment here. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions: jimmy@urbanpromisecharlotte.org or (704) 980-7768.