Growing Unbound Stockton

Unbound Stockton has been committed to bringing our diverse students and communities together through education. Over the past year and a half, we have been able to provide diverse and innovative educational experiences to over 150+ students located in San Joaquin County rooted in knowledge from our community.

After this year’s successful programming and conversations with over 250 family and community members, we have received the support and interest in developing this community-based education model and expanding it into a full school. By founding Unbound Stockton Community School, we will be able to expand our ability to serve students and foster a generation of leaders helping to create a more inclusive and equitable community.

Click the button above to view and sign our charter petition or continue scrolling to learn more about our proposed school model.

Our Foundations

Our Mission

Unbound Stockton Community School will be a unique addition to the community by creating an exclusively diverse, by design, 4th-8th grade school that supports students during critical student years for academic engagement, identity development, exploration, and choice. Unbound Stockton Community School will draw students from all across our Stockton and San Joaquin County community and represent students of all races, socioeconomic statuses, and locations in our community. Our students will have authentic experiences working in diverse teams and developing cultural competence, which they will apply and enact in the high schools of their choice.

Unbound Stockton Community School proposes to locate in the county seat of San Joaquin County (Downtown Stockton). This location provides both equal access for diverse students from across San Joaquin County to attend, but also enables access to community partners and learning experiences. Our school plans to open in the 2023-2024 school year serving 56 fourth and 56 fifth-grade students and will continue to expand until we are fully operational serving students in grades 4-8.

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Students at Unbound Stockton Community School will not simply learn a pre-packaged curriculum within the four walls of their classrooms. Students will experience a highly immersive curriculum driven by the community that incorporates local knowledge and is tied to real-world issues prevalent in the community. Students will have the opportunity to connect weekly with leaders and organizations throughout Stockton to enhance their rigorous Common Core State Standard-aligned instruction.

Our Culture

As a community school, we also understand that a student’s support network needs to work in partnership with one another to develop their leadership. Our program is intentionally designed to create ways for everyone to work together, including: 

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Parents

Home visits, weekly family communication, monthly family events, and our Family Council are just some of the strategies we will use to have a strong relationship with every family we serve.

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Educators

Our educators will have ample time for both planning and professional collaboration throughout the week to build rich curricular learning experiences to best design their teaching for their students.

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Community

Weekly student community engagement will deepen everyone’s love for our community by having students be immersed in learning experiences where students will apply their academic knowledge.

Our Commitments

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Intentionally Integrated

We will be a racially and socioeconomically diverse 4th-8th grade community school that allows students across Stockton to not learn about themselves but also how to work across lines of difference. We create safe, affirming, and inclusive spaces for students, and ensure our staff and board are likewise diverse and representative of our community.

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Enduring Success

Students will be immersed in a rich academic program that is not only interdisciplinary and connected to real world partnerships, but they will learn the content knowledge and leadership skills necessary to be ready to learn and live in our 21st Century society.

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Community Stewardship

Through frequent community engagement, students will develop a deep sense of care for the community and believe that they can use their skills and talents throughout their lives to foster a vibrant home for everyone.

Our Journey

The journey to expand our impact as a school has been over a decade in the making. Informed by years of learning and exploration of the interconnected components of an effective school, we are finally ready to move forward with bringing our dream to reality.

2008-2011
Our team began our journey exploring models for high-quality community schools. The idea for a diverse and inclusive school model for Stockton was born.

2011-2014
High Quality teaching was modeled and tested, learning and testing strategies that lead to student academic success. Our team members demonstrated strong records of success impacting student outcomes in both classrooms and entire schools.

2014-2018
We learned and tested strategies to cultivate diverse, equitable, and inclusive school cultures, including restorative practices, and deep community building. We piloted initiatives to connect students’ current school experience to the broader community as well as social emotional learning protocols.

2018-2020
We explored the operations processes that are critical to effectively run a school. We were invited to pilot and test our model through a number of education incubators and pilots such as 4.0 Schools, and the Diverse Charter School Coalition which promotes and supports Diverse By Design Schools across the nation. Research and movements in communities across the country sparked interest and demand for more diverse and inclusive school that serve students of diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

2018-Present
Despite the pandemic we piloted programming for over 150+ students, held focus groups, participated in community events, and learned from over 250+ parents and community members what was most important in a new community school model. We are currently towards the submission for authorization of Unbound Stockton Community School to the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

Your Support

We are excited by the opportunity to expand our efforts, but we cannot do it without you. If you would like to show your support for Unbound Stockton Community School, you can view our petition below and fill out our form to show your support.

Co-Creating With Community

With over 30+ letters of support from leaders across the community, we believe Unbound Stockton Community School holds tremendous public value by:

  1. Fostering Community Partnerships - Unbound Stockton Community School will be a central hub for professional learning by connecting schools and curriculum with the community.

  2. Retaining Local Talent - Students at Unbound Stockton Community School will develop a deep love for our city and will be invested in building a stronger community for the rest of their lives.

  3. Creating Change Today - Youth have the capability to create impact from an early age. Unbound Stockton Community School will help students gain the knowledge and skills to be active contributors to local issues to make change happen today.

 Testing Our Learning Approach

WINTER CAMP Our students activated their design thinking skills through the help of community. Students redesignied different spaces and reimagined new possibilities for education in our city.

WINTER CAMP
Our students activated their design thinking skills through the help of community. Students redesignied different spaces and reimagined new possibilities for education in our city.

UNBOUND SUMMER Unbound Creation Kits helped students stay active and engaged over the summer to prevent summer learning loss.

UNBOUND SUMMER
Unbound Creation Kits helped students stay active and engaged over the summer to prevent summer learning loss.

FIELD TRIPS Community Field Trips at Boggs Tract Community Farm helped students see firsthand how organizations in the community help address local issues like sustainability.

FIELD TRIPS
Community Field Trips at Boggs Tract Community Farm helped students see firsthand how organizations in the community help address local issues like sustainability.

COMMUNITY MENTORS Community teachers like Hatch Workshop help students see how STEM knowledge can help the community.

COMMUNITY MENTORS
Community teachers like Hatch Workshop help students see how STEM knowledge can help the community.

CONTINUITY OF LEARNING When the pandemic began, we shifted our summer camp to provide educational activities that could be done at home.

CONTINUITY OF LEARNING
When the pandemic began, we shifted our summer camp to provide educational activities that could be done at home.

CO-PLANNING WITH COMMUNITY We worked with 10 local organizations to co-develop lessons that combine academics and community knowledge for a tailored education experience unique to Stockton students.

CO-PLANNING WITH COMMUNITY
We worked with 10 local organizations to co-develop lessons that combine academics and community knowledge for a tailored education experience unique to Stockton students.