Power Center Academy Elementary - Southeast

Charter School 415 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Nexus STEM Academy, located on East Shelby Drive in Memphis, is a public charter school operated by the Gestalt Community Schools network. The school focuses on providing a rigorous academic environment with a specialized emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). By integrating these subjects into daily instruction, the academy aims to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a "scholar-mindset" in elementary-aged students, preparing them for success in an increasingly tech-driven world.

Beyond its academic curriculum, Nexus STEM Academy is deeply committed to the concept of community-based education. As part of the Gestalt network, the school operates under the philosophy that schools should serve as anchors for their neighborhoods. This approach involves fostering strong partnerships with local families and community organizations to support the "whole child," ensuring that students receive not only a high-quality education but also the social and emotional support necessary to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

415

Total Students

22.8

Full-Time Teachers

18.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Power Center Academy Elementary - Southeast
Demographic	Student Count
White	4
Hispanic	43
Black	365
Two or More	2
American Indian	1

Black
365 (88.0 %)
Hispanic
43 (10.4 %)
White
4 (1.0 %)
Two or More
2 (0.5 %)
American Indian
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Memphis-Shelby County Schools
Phone:	(901)352-6226
Website:	http://gestaltcs.org/schools/
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	415
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	22.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	18.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 69

Grade 1 67

Grade 2 66

Grade 3 59

Grade 4 68

Grade 5 86