Urban Community School is an independent, non-graded, elementary school serving 430 students from preschool (age three) through eighth level.

The mission is to provide an individualized, Catholic/Christian, quality education to the children of Cleveland's Near West Side neighborhoods, primarily to those who, otherwise, might not have access to such an education.

UCS offers an alternative to traditional education to better meet the needs of an unstable, volatile and sometimes violent community.

History
UCS was established in 1968 by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland, concerned teachers, community activists and two inner city parishes, St. Patrick and St. Malachi. Both St. Patrick and St. Malachi parish schools were experiencing declining enrollment. The two schools closed and PM Foundation, Inc. an independent non-profit that operates as Urban Community School, was created.

In 1976, the St. Patrick's school building was demolished and St. Wendelin, another neighborhood parish school experiencing declining enrollment, merged with UCS.

UCS is regarded as a model of urban education. The school has received both local and national recognition for excellence and leadership in developing an educational program that effectively motivates inner city children to achieve success in the classroom and beyond. In 1987, UCS was the first school in Cleveland to receive the Excellence in Education Award from the U.S. Department of Education.

In 2000, the UCS Board of Trustees unanimously voted to expand the school to serve more children. UCS opened the 2005-2006 school year in the new building with an additional 50 students. For more information on the new building, please visit the New Building page.

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