“I wanted it to be unique and something special." Concord Middle Charts New Path with Academy of Global Innovation
New initiative aims to bridge STEM, IB, and career pathways while redefining Concord Middle’s identity and preparing students for a global future.
When Dr. Adam Auerbach stepped into his new role as principal of Concord Middle School this summer, he knew he was taking on a challenge. The school had long struggled with leadership turnover and low academic performance — issues that had eroded consistency and morale.
Determined to set Concord Middle apart from other high-achieving schools in the district, Auerbach and his team began exploring ways to give the campus a fresh identity and renewed purpose.
Their solution: the Academy of Global Innovation, a new Program Choice initiative designed to attract students from across Cabarrus County and launch at the start of the next school year.
The new initiative, approved by the Cabarrus County Board of Education on Monday, is designed to bridge the gap between the district’s elementary STEM programs and the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) academies offered at Concord High School.
Many assumed Concord Middle would take the familiar STEM or IB route — following STEM middle schools like J.N. Fries or its own short stint as an IB campus — but Auerbach envisioned something bigger and bolder.
He wanted a program that would make Concord Middle stand out from every other school in Cabarrus County Schools — one that would be inclusive rather than exclusive, open to all students, and built around a shared sense of purpose.
“I wanted it to be unique and something special to Concord Middle and not just copy somebody else,” Auerbach said.
The Academy of Global Innovation, still in development, will serve as a magnet-themed program aimed at reimagining Concord Middle and strengthening student recruitment.
It will be open to all current CMS students, with additional magnet seats available to students from across Cabarrus County.
Students enrolled in the academy will have the opportunity to earn up to four high school credits while still at Concord Middle — in Computer Science, Civics, Spanish I, and Math I. According to Auerbach, CMS will be the only middle school in the district to offer that many high school-level courses.
Although Auerbach has been one of the program’s key champions, he credits his teachers and staff for helping design the academy and believing in its potential.
“I want us to build something that’s great, where all the teachers have buy-in and all the teachers are helping to make this happen,” Auerbach said.
That enthusiasm is already taking root among the faculty.
“This is a great opportunity for our middle school students,” said social studies lead teacher Katie Cronin, noting that the civics course aligns well with the eighth-grade social studies curriculum. “It’s going to be so fantastic.”
The new academy will blend rigorous academics in math and science with engaging coursework in technology, global studies, and hands-on, project-based learning.
“I don’t want to overwhelm kids, but I also think any opportunity you can give a kid that shows that they’re ready for it — so much the better,” Auerbach said.
The curriculum is designed to connect lessons to real-world challenges such as climate change, space exploration, artificial intelligence, and healthcare — helping students understand the why behind what they’re learning.
Concord Middle will also partner with The Pearl, Charlotte’s new medical innovation district anchored by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Officials from The Pearl are expected to visit Concord Middle to collaborate with students on future projects.
“We’re really excited about that,” Auerbach said, noting that some of the partnership details are still being finalized.
Students will also explore world cultures and take on projects with both local and global impact — preparing them for life beyond middle school.
“Soft skills like collaboration and teamwork and problem solving — those are skills that work for whatever career you’re going into,” Auerbach said.
As part of the “Concord United” ethos, Concord Middle will partner closely with Concord High School. Several high school civics teachers and other staff members are already helping to develop the new academy’s curriculum.
“We can learn and work together,” Auerbach said of the partnership between the two schools.
The school’s leadership team has been planning the new academy in collaboration with current teachers, who will ultimately lead the new courses.
Auerbach said his goal is for students to think globally while staying rooted in their community.
“We have to think bigger than we used to,” he said. “The skills we’re learning can be applied to anything students do down the road.”
Students will also complete collaborative innovation projects — capstone-style experiences that allow them to apply classroom lessons to real-world topics.
“We purposely want to create it so that it builds upon each other,” Auerbach said, noting that projects completed in sixth grade will help students as they prepare for projects in seventh and eighth.
Participating in the Academy of Global Innovation, he added, will help prepare students for success whether they choose to pursue the IB program at Concord High or another high school pathway.
“I think it will really open the door for many of them for when they go on to high school,” Cronin said.
Auerbach promoted the new academy during the district’s Futures Fair on Wednesday, which featured all of Cabarrus County Schools’ academic choice programs. He spoke with parents of elementary students from across the county who were eager to learn more.
“We had a ton of people out there talking to us and asking us about it,” he said.
Auerbach has also been visiting local elementary schools to talk with fifth-graders about the new academy. He wants every student — whether they’re more creative and artistic or math- and science-minded — to see that there’s a place for them at Concord Middle.
“I want kids, wherever they come from, to know that they can do this,” Auerbach said.
Ever the optimist, he’s confident that the Academy of Global Innovation will be a catalyst for transforming Concord Middle’s future.
“If you’re buying stock in schools, buy stock in Concord Middle right now because in a couple of years, you’re going to be able to sell it really high,” he said.
Dr. Auerbach is truly visionary. How refreshing to imagine a new way to educate and inspire students at these challenging ages.
And congratulations to the school board and superintendent for approving this exciting endeavor.
Noelle Rhodes Scott