Saved Schools

Kairos Academies

Kairos Academies, nominated by Transcend, is a elementary/middle/high school in St. Louis, Missouri that describes itself as a public charter school serving learners from a primarily urban area.

Location St. Louis, Missouri

Governance Public charter school

Grades Elementary, High, Middle

Students 500

Locale urban

Chief Strategy Officer + CoFounder Jack Krewson

Demographics

Percentage of students*

24%

Students with Disabilities

68%

Free/Reduced Lunch

2%

English Learners

White

Hispanic/Latino

Black/African American

2+ Races

American Indian

Asian

Hawaiian National

Why Kairos Academies was nominated

Kairos has a commitment to educating St. Louis children for their future. Their teaching and learning philosophy includes highly personalized learning, teachers as coaches and guides, project-based learning, and civic learning. They support this philosophy by adapting flexible school schedules that are year-round, tech-enabled softwares to further individualize instruction, as well as sustainable adult roles and training to ensure their talent stays.

Student experience design

At Kairos, we believe now is the opportune moment to rethink public education. That's why we replace lectures with engaging projects and dictatorial ""behavior managers"" with 1-1 executive functioning coaches who help students learn how to manage their own schedule and work habits. Kairos students practice navigating real-world choices (such as when, where, how, and with whom to work) within a safe, supportive school environment. Kairos develops students not just into freethinkers, ready to thrive in a modern economy, but self-governing citizens, ready to lead both themselves and their communities. Personalized Learning Some students excel at English; others struggle with math. Our multimedia coursework adapts to meet kids where they are. It's like giving every student a textbook tailored to their exact questions and learning style. Paired with one-on-one tutoring, the differentiated instruction challenges everyone but leaves no one behind. Mentoring & Choice Students meet with their mentor every week to develop the mindsets, skills, and habits of productivity. Working with families, mentors gradually transition students to college-style self-directed learning. Students guide this transition, earning more scheduling choice as they make responsible study decisions. Project-Based Learning To prepare students for 21st-century careers, Kairos coursework trades mindless memorization for creative, hands-on projects. The world is our classroom, and students learn about it firsthand through experiential field trips and internships. Civic Leadership Kairos students do more than just talk about leadership. They practice it by leading study groups, extracurricular clubs, and student government. From mediating peer discipline to advising our school board, students own more than just their schedules and education—they own their community.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Career Prep And Work-based Learning

1-2 years

1:1 Mentoring

5+ years

Project-based Learning

5+ years

SEL Curriculum

5+ years

Student-led Goal Setting

5+ years

All Practices

Advancement On Mastery

Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning

Assessments For Deeper Learning

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Community And Business Partnerships

Competency/mastery-based Education

Culturally Responsive Practices

Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

Hiring For Equity And Inclusion Values

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies

Mental Health Services

Multiple Opportunities To Demonstrate Mastery

Performance Based Assessment

Restorative Practices

SEL Integration School-wide

Student-led Conferences

Students Access Their Own Data

Self-paced Learning

Students Develop Projects

Trauma-informed Practices

Tutoring

key reasons for innovating

Systemic inequities

Date Updated: April 2024

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.