Academy for Global Citizenship

Demographics

Percentage of students*

Why Academy for Global Citizenship was nominated

Environmental sustainability roots AGC’s education in the natural world. We believe that learning in harmony with nature provides opportunities to understand the relevance of our education. Learning from natural processes is a powerful vehicle for teaching our students about the connection between their everyday choices and the health of the community, the environment, and themselves., The Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC) in Chicago stands out for its holistic, innovative approach to education, emphasizing sustainability, health, and global citizenship. Its dual-language immersion, International Baccalaureate curriculum, and focus on cultivating the whole child provide a rich, student-centered learning environment. AGC advances equity by offering inclusive, tuition-free education and integrating restorative justice practices to support diverse learners. The school's commitment to equity is also evident in its nutrition programs, urban agriculture initiatives, and efforts to empower students as changemakers in their communities and beyond.

Student experience design

The Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC) was founded in 2008 with a commitment to providing a relevant, engaging and challenging educational program for all children while simultaneously fostering environmental stewardship, international mindedness, and positive nutrition. While this is a big mission, the pillars of AGC's program form a school Wellness Wheel that drives planning and vision. A day at AGC starts with a morning meeting or advisory in a village learning space to welcome students and get a pulse on social emotional needs. Then classes dive into inquiry based, transdisciplinary learning through our International Baccalaureate units of study. AGC offers a two way immersion English/Spanish Dual Language program so students engage in both languages throughout various subjects each day. Students and staff at AGC enjoy meals prepared on site with plant forward ingredients sourced locally - some grown in our school garden, hoop houses and geodesic domes. AGC elementary students work in multiage classes within the Early Childhood, K-1, 2-3 or 4-5 Villages. Teachers collaborate closely to plan and group students for differentiated learning. The MYP (6-8) village includes an advisory model, engaging and relevant curriculum studies, student course choice and 1:1 technology. Village spaces include options for flexible seating and furniture arrangement to best suit the day's lesson, teaching kitchens and plazas where all students can gather for community connections. From preschool to 8th grade, students have multiple opportunities daily for structured and unstructured time outside for recess, outdoor lessons, brain breaks and wellness activities. Students have opportunities to be stewards of the building by working in our school garden, caring for tech equipment in our makerspace “ecotones” or reshelving books in the Heart Library. Our Student Council, Green Team, affinity groups and student internships build student agency and offer pathways for student voice. At AGC, we want to inspire the way society educates our future generations and are consistently working toward our dream of producing a replicable model for learning in the 21st century.

Core Practices

Core Practices	Length of Use
Dual Language Programming	5+ years
Extended Learning Time	5+ years
Multi-age Classrooms	3-4 years
Project-based Learning	5+ years
SEL Integration School-wide	5+ years

All Practices

Adaptive Learning Software

Student Advisories

AI For Learning Materials

AI For Teacher Productivity

Anti-racist Practices

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Co-leadership

Family And Community Support Services

Culturally Responsive Practices

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Individual Learner Profiles

Mental Health Services

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

Performance Based Assessment

High Quality Instructional Materials

Restorative Practices

Service Learning

Student-led Conferences

Students Access Their Own Data

Student-led Goal Setting

Trauma-informed Practices

key reasons for innovating