Kuumba Academy is a school with a heart, serving students in Wilmington Delaware, from predominantly low-income families.
Kuumba Academy Charter School’s mission is to provide an innovative learning environment for the whole child from kindergarten through eighth grade. Our directors, staff, and families share the core belief that parents are children’s primary educators. KACS parents, in partnership with teachers and administrators, believe that every child can maximize his or her learning potential given the opportunity to do so.
"Kuumba Academy Charter School (KACS) is a school with high expectations for students both academically and behaviorally. The teachers and staff believe that every child can succeed. They also do a fantastic job of making KACS a positive, caring, and fun place to be."
- Nicole Lancellotti, Second-Grade General Education Teacher at KACS
Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Natakie Chestnut-Lee
Chief Operations Officer: Sally Maldonado
Number of Homeroom Teachers: 28
Grades: K–8
Enrollment: 600 students
School Hours: 8:00a.m.–3:30p.m.
After Care: 3:45p.m.–6:00p.m.
Founded: 1999
Rigorous School Year Curriculum
6-Week Summer Program
After School Program
Beforecare
Aftercare
Various Social Services
Arts Integration
Expeditionary Learning
Family Engagement
Community Involvement
Nurturing Individual Learning Styles
SMART Boards and computers in all classrooms; computerized MAP testing to monitor progress and tailor instruction three times a year; iPads for students in grades four and five.
African American: 91.1%
American Indian: .9%
Hawaiian: .1%
Hispanic/Latino: 7.3%
White: .5%
From Low-Income Households: 84.7%
*Source
Environment: Innovative, arts-integrated learning with small class sizes
School Hours: 8:00a.m.–3:30p.m
After Care: 3:45p.m.–6:00p.m.
Uniforms: Yes
Academic Focus: KACS students learn problem-solving, critical thinking, and number sense through an Expeditionary Learning (EL) model, which organizes student learning around a project-based, learning-by-doing approach.
Kuumba Academy Charter School (KACS) is a dynamic learning environment where teachers, families, students, and community partners work together.