Core elements of the educational design include:




Many students beginning 5th grade are reading substantially below grade level. If this central issue is not immediately addressed, students will be at a huge disadvantage in all subjects. The ultimate academic success of WCCS students is tied to mastering this fundamental skill. The curriculum is designed to provide explicit instruction in literacy skills and to inculcate the habit of reading through a number of daily required reading activities.




WCCS does not use an off-the-shelf curriculum. The school develops its curriculum directly from the New York State Learning Standards that ensures students master a core set of basic academic skills before they can master higher-level, abstract material.




To ensure that every student masters each and every standard, WCCS provides more time on task. This means a longer school year, a longer school day, mandatory homework help and afterschool tutoring, required four-hour Saturday School for struggling students, and double periods of English and Math daily.




WCCS uses internally developed, Interim Assessments to diagnose student needs, measure instructional effectiveness, adjust curricula, and build a culture of continuous reflection and improvement.




WCCS begins educating students about the importance of college from day one in 5th grade and continues doing so through college readiness activities throughout middle and high school. The goal is for freshman year of college to become a natural extension of graduating from high school.




Students need a safe and orderly environment to be productive. WCCS creates a calm, composed, and disciplined environment to maximize the amount of time on-task, including a strictly enforced school dress code, a merit and demerit system that defines clear expectations for and immediate responses to positive and negative behavior, a rubric system that provides constant feedback to classes, and a common Blackboard Configuration consisting of a Do Now, Focus, Agenda, and Homework.