CityView High School students run project-based learning, plan student coffee cart and community exhibits

CityView High School, a project-based magnet program of the Cedar Rapids Community School District located on the ground floor of the Economic Alliance building in downtown Cedar Rapids, is using internships, community partnerships and small classes to give students hands-on experience, teacher Trevor Templeman and student Allison Klosterman said on the district podcast.

The school’s model centers on self-directed projects and community engagement, Templeman said, and officials are using community partnerships and courses at Kirkwood Community College to expand students’ real-world learning. “We could spend a lot of time with students, engaging in the community more broadly, getting students as often as possible to leave the school building to learn from professionals,” Templeman said.

Why it matters: CityView is intentionally small and designed to offer alternatives to traditional high school coursework for students who want hands-on or self-paced learning. The program’s current enrollment, partnerships and student-led ventures aim to provide work experience, college credit opportunities and community-facing projects that the district says can reduce barriers to postsecondary options.

Current size and goals:…