North County Innovative School -proposed

We told you WHY. Now, help us bring it to life. 💚💛

On October 3, NCIS is bringing COMMUNITY • EDUCATION • LEGACY to Bella Fontaine Park—a free, family-centered celebration kicking off College Knowledge Month and creating opportunities for our children to experience education, culture, innovation, leadership, service, and possibility.

But this isn't something we want to create for the community.

We want to create it WITH the community.

📣 HELP US CREATE THE EXPERIENCE!

We're inviting:

🎓 HBCU alumni & alumni organizations
💚 Divine Nine organizations
🔬 STEM/STEAM/STREAM & educational partners
📚 Authors, storytellers & literacy organizations
🎭 Performers, artists & cultural organizations
🤝 Nonprofits & community organizations
💼 Local businesses & entrepreneurs
❤️ Health & wellness organizations
🏀 Youth, sports & enrichment programs
🍴 Food & beverage vendors
…and others who want to pour into North County children and families.

And here's the important part:

We don't just want tables. We want experiences.

Teach something. Demonstrate something. Read a story. Conduct an experiment. Introduce a career. Lead an activity. Share your HBCU experience. Showcase your culture. Connect a family to a resource.

Help a child discover something they didn't know yesterday.

Our goal is for families to leave with more than brochures and giveaways. We want them to leave with experiences, connections, memories—and new possibilities.

📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
📍 Bella Fontaine Park
9565 Bellefontaine Rd., St. Louis, MO 63137

Interested in participating?

👉🏾 Contact us directly or comment “TAP IN” below and we'll send you participation information.

And please TAG an organization, HBCU alum, Divine Nine member, business, performer, educator, author, food vendor, or community partner who needs to be there.

Let's build this together, North County.

Missouri’s newly released 2025–26 preliminary MAP results
show year-over-year improvement across ELA, math, science, and social studies, but the data also show how much work remains.

In ELA, a majority of students in Grades 3–6 are still below proficiency, including 58% of third graders and 62% of sixth graders. In math, more than half of students in Grades 3–5 remain below proficiency.

And we cannot overlook the demographic subgroup data. The outcomes for Black students, students from low-income households, students with IEPs, and English learners reveal persistent disparities in who is reaching proficiency and who is not.

We should celebrate progress, but we should not be comfortable with these outcomes.

When large numbers of children remain below proficiency, and some groups of students continue to experience significantly different outcomes than their peers, improvement alone cannot be the finish line.

These results should create urgency around strong foundational instruction, early intervention, equitable access to high-quality learning, and approaches that address the needs of the whole child.

Progress matters. Equity matters. And our children deserve more than incremental improvement.

Preliminary data shows a statewide increase in MAP test scores Missouri Assessment Program results showed steady progress in ELA, government, mathematics and science.

Today, the Missouri Charter Public School Commission officially voted to sponsor North County Innovative School. NCIS is one step closer to opening its doors in August 2027 and bringing a new, community-rooted educational option to children and families in North St. Louis County.

This milestone belongs to every parent, student, board member, community partner, educator, volunteer, donor, and supporter who believed North County’s children deserve access to an innovative, whole-child education designed with them in mind.

The work continues—but today, we celebrate. NCIS is coming! 💚🦅

DID YOU KNOW? 🎓💚💛
October is College Knowledge Month, a time to raise awareness about college, careers, and the opportunities available to students.

At NCIS, we believe College Knowledge Starts Early.
Our children shouldn't have to wait until high school to begin exploring what's possible for their futures. They can start learning about college, careers, leadership, service, and opportunity while they're still discovering who they want to become.

And there's some important history right here at home.
🎓 Did you know Missouri is home to TWO HBCUs?
💙 Lincoln University in Jefferson City
💛 Harris-Stowe State University right here in St. Louis
That's history our children should know and a legacy they should be able to see themselves continuing.

That's why we're kicking off College Knowledge Month on October 3 with NCIS Community • Education • Legacy.

We're creating a day where children can experience HBCU culture, meet college graduates and community leaders, explore STREAM and literacy, discover careers, celebrate culture, and most importantly, begin imagining themselves in places and possibilities they may not have considered yet.

Because exposure matters. Representation matters.
And sometimes a child's future begins with simply being able to see themselves there.

I CAN. I WILL. I BELONG.
📅 October 3, 2026
📍 Bella Fontaine Park - 9565 Bellefontaine Rd., 63137

College Knowledge Starts Early.

Save the Dates!

College Knowledge Starts Early. 🎓

What if we didn't wait until high school to introduce our children to college, careers, leadership and all of the possibilities ahead of them?

At NCIS, we believe big dreams should start early, and children deserve opportunities to see, experience and imagine what's possible.

This October, we're creating something special in North County.

COMMUNITY • EDUCATION • LEGACY

📅 October 3, 2026
📍 Bella Fontaine Park 9565 Bellefontaine Rd, St. Louis, MO 63137

Something BIG is coming. 💚💛

Join NCIS at these upcoming Back to School Events

can always find us in community

🎉 Save the Dates! 🎉

The journey to opening North County Innovative School is about more than opening a building—it's about building a community.

We hope you'll join us for two exciting events this fall:

🌳 Community Festival
📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
📍 Bella Fontaine Park

Bring the whole family for:
✨ Games
🎵 Music
🍔 Food
🎨 Activities
🤝 Community Resources
🏫 Learn more about NCIS and our vision for North County

💚 Emerald Evening
📅 Friday, November 13, 2026

An elegant evening celebrating the progress we've made together while investing in the future of North County Innovative School. Community leaders, families, partners, and supporters will come together for an inspiring night featuring dinner, a silent auction, and a special program.

Whether you've been with us from the beginning or are just learning about NCIS, we'd love for you to be part of what's next.

Together, we're creating more opportunities for children and families in North County.

💚 More details coming soon!