Wolfe Street Academy is a Baltimore City Public School with Conversion Charter Status and a long-term member of the Baltimore Community School Strategy 

 

Wolfe Street Academy is a Community School and Conversion Charter School operated by the Baltimore Curriculum Project.  We serve students and their families in the Upper Fells Point neighborhood, providing high-quality academic programming and helping families develop resources that allow them to overcome barriers to success.

 

Quality Academic Programs

 

Wolfe Street Academy, supported by The Baltimore Curriculum Project, provides high-quality educational experiences for all our children. With 27 years of experience in developing teacher effectiveness in providing the best-researched curriculum to all students, The Baltimore Curriculum Project trains the full-time academic coach, tasked with maintaining highly effective instruction throughout the school. 

 

In reading, we implement the Reading Mastery Signature program which provides over 900 lessons, Pre-Kindergarten through Fifth Grade, to students.  Along with highly effective instruction, the program guides students from learning their letter sounds in Pre-K to reading Jack London novels in 5th grade.

 

In mathematics, our staff and faculty work with nationally recognized consultants to tailor the MyMath program for our students.  Taking a careful look at the sequencing and depth of instruction in each unit, we craft the curricular arch over the years for a consistent and effective learning experience.

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In addition to the classic core subject areas, Wolfe Street Academy offers physical education or visual arts every day of the week to all students throughout the year.  Students also receive 15 minutes of recess every day.

 

Conversion Charter Status

 

In Maryland, all charter schools are public schools but there are two basic types of charter schools, completely new charters, and conversion charters.  Both are afforded more flexibility and site-based management of budgets, curriculum, and professional development.  Both are required to follow all Maryland public school law, including the use of the local teachers' union.  

 

A Conversion Charter School is a school that used to be a traditional public school which, at some point, sought the responsibility and right to take on the greater independence of charter status.  But, unlike other charters who fill all seats by lottery, Conversion Charters maintain the enrollment zone that they previously served as a traditional school, serving all students in their zone regardless of lottery timelines.  As a Conversion Charter School, once we have served all in-zone students, we can then fill empty seats through a lottery.

 

The Community School Strategy

 

 

Community Schools are a strategy to ensure that students succeed academically, socially and emotionally. They are a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources.

A Community School's integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leads to:

 

• improved student learning

• stronger families 

• healthier communities

 

Community Schools offer a personalized curriculum that emphasizes real-world learning and community problem-solving. Schools become centers of the community and are open to everyone.