Story and photo by SUSAN ENLOE, KCKPS

The November 10 meeting of the Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education was held at Grant Elementary School. 

At the meeting, members of the Board of Education recognized (l-r) Eugene Rodriguez, head custodian at Douglass Elementary School; Marli Brandt, teacher at Stony Point South Elementary School; and Stephen Brandt, math instructor at Washington High School as November 2009 Employees of the Month. 

Eugene Rodriguez was nominated for Employee of the Month by Douglass principal Marguerite Martinez. 

Recognizing the task of getting a new building ready for the opening of school, Martinez said of Rodriguez, “Mr. Rodriguez worked many days from six in the morning until 11 or 12 at night getting our building ready for occupancy … He was seen many evenings way after the end of his scheduled work time, making sure that staff had what they needed . . .”  Martinez spoke of his commitment to the students and staff at the school, and of the many ways that Rodriguez has been a help to her as the new principal for the school.

“He knows many families and truly considers the whole child. Students look up to him, and for many, he is a positive male role model.”

Washington teacher Joe Graham and instructional coach Scarlett Sherretts-Risley nominated Stephen Brandt.   “ … Master Sergeant Stephen Brandt recently returned from serving a year in Iraq as a medic. He has been employed by the district since 1999, serving as a math teacher, SLC coordinator, cross country and track and field coach. While in Iraq, Stephen served on the Sustainment Brigade, which worked on fostering relationships and communications … Even in Iraq, Stephen continued to demonstrate his commitment to education by reading to the Iraqi children.”

When a soldier serves his country, away from his family and home, the spouse must assume all of the parenting and household duties.  MSgt. Brandt’s wife, Marli, was nominated for her efforts on the “home front”. 

Introducing Mrs. Brandt, David Smith, Assistant to the Superintendent for Communications said, “Marli is a 4th grade teacher at Stony Point South Elementary.

This is her 11th year with KCKPS. She is being recognized for maintaining a positive attitude in her position during the stressful time of having her husband serve in Iraq for the past year. She is commended for maintaining high quality work and managing her household in the absence of her husband.”

The Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education formally approved of the public-private partnership fund for a new Argentine Branch Library last night.

Under the plan, the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District would be responsible for 60 percent of the costs, while private fundraising would result in the remaining 40 percent required.

The new library would replace the current library, which is 7,000 square feet in size and has issues with handicap accessibility.

Depending on fundraising efforts, the library will be between 17,000 – 25,000 square feet in size.

"A good library reflects the community its in," said J.D. Rios, an assistant superintendent for the school district. "A library's not just a place to check out books but to help people who are seeking employment. We try to do that on a small scale but now it's about expanding."

So far, without a final construction plan or even a location to publicly announce, fundraising has went well.

Neighborhood leaders have raised $181,578 so far into the campaign. The goal is to raise a total of $2 million from the private sector before May 2010.

"We are very much encouraged by the support we are receiving," said Ramon Murguia, who's leading the efforts on the fundraising. "The library will remove blight from the neighborhood and could serve as a catalyst for further development."

Once fundraising is complete, a schematic design and the finalization of funding for the library will be announced.

The current library, which is a Carnegie Library, will be "repurposed" under the plan and will remain in standing.

The news keeps on getting worse for area school districts regarding state revenue and funding.

Early estimations and speculation from Topeka indicates that school districts will likely be hit with another budget cut within the next two weeks. The cut could range between $150-200 per student.

Should the cut be at its maximum, the per-pupil funding rate would be near $4,000 a student, which would be lower than the rate prior to the Kansas Supreme Court ruling approving over $460 million in new education funding years ago.

Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools would take the toughest hit. Assistant Superintendent Cynthia Lane said the district could lose an addition $5 million in funding.

So far, in order to counteract the expected cuts, the board increased its mill levy, used $2 million in emergency board contingency funds and cut members of its facility and library staff.

Bill Reardon, lobbyist for the school district, said the decision and amount would likely be determined "before Thanksgiving."
 

The Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education is expected to name the replacement for outgoing Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools Superintendent Jill Shackelford before the next calendar year.

Board President Gloria Willis made the announcement following this evening's board meeting. There appears to be four candidates.

"The Board received four applications for the Superintendent vacancy," she said. "The application and packets have been distributed and thoroughly reviewed by all board members. The Board has reached concensus regarding the next step and will be conducting personal interviews before the end of the month. The Board anticipates announcing the new superintendent before the winter break."

Shackelford announced her retirement last summer.

(Photo by SUSAN ENLOE, KCKPS)

The Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District had 10 schools meet the "Standard of Excellence" mark in the 2008-09 Kansas State Assessments.

McKinley Elementary School, Eugene Ware Elementary School, Hazel Grove Elementary School, Bethel Elementary School, Claude Huyck Elementary School, Quindaro Elementary School, Stony Point North Elementary School, White Church Elementary School, Arrowhead Middle School and Sumner Academy of Arts and Science all had at least one grade level meet the standard.

The amount of schools represented – ten – are a district high.

"I can remember when we would have just one or two classes" said Jill Shackelford, superintendent of KCK Public Schools. "I'm so excited about these numbers."

In order to receive the 'Standard of Excellence' award, various grades or buildings have to meet the following criteria in reading and math:

Reading

• Grades 3,4,5 and 6: At least 25 percent of students must test in the exemplary level and not more than five percent of students can be on academic warning.

• Grades 7 and 8: At least 20 percent of students must test in the exemplary level and not more than 10 percent of students can be on academic warning.

• High school: At least 15 percent of students must test in the exemplary level and not more than 10 percent of students can be on academic warning.

Math

• Grades 3,4,5 and 6: At least 25 percent of students must test in the exemplary level and not more than five percent of students can be on academic warning.

• Grades 7 and 8: At least 25 percent of students must test in the exemplary level and not more than 10 percent of students can be on academic warning.

• High school: At least 15 percent of students must test in the exemplary level and not more than 15 percent of students can be on academic warning.

The F.L. Schlagle Marching Stallions are looking for some help from the community in order to raise money for their trip to Washington D.C.

The Stallions have been invited to march in the National Independence Day Parade next July 4 in Washington, D.C. However, the trip will cost the band $75,000 and members are looking for some assistance.

“This is such a tremendous honor,” said Reginald May, director of the well-known KCK band. “We are elated to have been asked to represent our state in an event of this magnitude on Independence Day. But to take our students and staff on this trip, we need to raise $75,000.00—and that’s a lot of money.”

The good news – about $15,000 of it has been raised already. The trip would pay for 80 students and 20 staff members (along with other adult chaperones) to travel to the nation's capital.

Currently, the band is selling trash bags, sausage, cheese and other items to generate revenue for the trip.

"We’re getting donations by performing at a few events," May said. "Anything we can do—we’re going to do.  But without community support, I don’t think we can raise all of the funds needed. We are appealing to the community to help us get to Washington. Every donation, no matter how small, will help.”

Any community support would benefit the band, May said, because of the economic situation for many of his students.

Anyone interested, whether they be businesses, organizations or individuals, can make tax-deductible donations to:

Schlagle Band Support Group (ATTN: Reginald May)
2214 N. 59th Street
Kansas City, KS 66104

May can be reached at (913) 627-7544.

“It would be an incredible experience to perform on the nation’s stage and see the sites in Washington. Most of our students and their families have never been there, and many haven’t traveled far outside of Kansas City. This is a terrific opportunity to expand their horizons and allow them to see an important part of America.”

The band would be a personal guest of U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS).

The good news: The Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District had an increased enrollment of over 300 students from last year.

But the bad news: KCK Public Schools has over 1,000 new "at-risk students" from enrollment last year.

At-risk students are those who have a greater risk in failing to finish high school and obtain other academic accomplishments for various reasons, including being academicaly disadvantaged, having a low socioeconomic status, disabled or those who have behavior issues.

Within the district, there are 15,550 who can be classified as "at-risk," which is over three quarters fo the district's overall enrollment total.

Throughout the state, there are 1,700 new at-risk students, meaning well over half of the total can be found within KCK Public Schools.

Three schools within the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District were awarded a Kansas State Challenge Awards.

Eugene Ware Elementary School, West Middle School and Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences were presented Certificates of Merit for the award on Tuesday.

The awards, given by the state, are provided to schools who show a "notable difference in student achievement" based on Kansas Assessment results, the sample size and the current socio-economic status of students who take the test.

Absences and sick time among faculty members in the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District is up 26 percent from this time last year.

And while it's not the only reason, H1N1 flu and the seasonal flu are contributing factors to the increased time, district officials say.

"We have had a 26 percent increase in the district of time taken off," said J.D. Rios, assistant superintendent. "There are some peaks. We have certainly had an increase in requests."

Overall, teachers and other staff within the district have taken off 6,634 hours so far this year. Last year at this point in the school calendar, the number was 5,284.

In the last week of August alone, the amount of time taken off increased by 93 percent from that point in 2008. The last week of September, the amount of time increased by 38 percent.

Still, there is good news coming from the situation.

"We have found adequate substitutes to fill the gap," Rios said.

(Photo and information provided by Susan Enloe, Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools.)

Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education members recognized (l-r) Kenia Medina, Micailah McRoy, Sara Dominguez, and Denise Garcia as October 2009 Students of the Month.

Micailah McRoy, a 5th grade student at T.A. Elementary School was nominated by her teacher Michelle Michalski.  In her nomination letter, Michalski says "Micailah is a very sweet and hard working young lady!  She is not only an excellent student, but is a compassionate and loving person.". 

Nominated by teacher Janis Dow, Kenia Medina is a 7th grade student at Central Middle School.  Dow, also Kenia's advocacy teacher says that Kenia exhibits many positive and mature traits. "This young lady comes to school each and every day enthusiastically embracing what lies ahead."

An 11th grade student at J.C. Harmon High School, Sara Dominguez was nominated by teacher and coach Steve Howard.  "Sara is a unique young lady.  She has been blessed with athletic abilities... As accomplished as her career has been, she always finds time for others.  When needed, she will help tutor and interpret to her classmates and younger students."  Sara has lettered in three sports, is active in Student Council, and has competed and won vocal music awards.

Washington High School senior and Air Force Junior ROTC Cadet Lt. Colonel Denise Garcia was nominated by ROTC Instructor, Lt. Colonel Patrick McCormick.  Denise, McCormick reports, "is a standout performer and leader in all areas; academics, athletics, citizenship, and community involvement.  She is Operations Squadron Commander.  Denise represents the best of Washington High School, USD 500, and this community."

Fundraising appears to be off to a solid start for a new library in the Argentine Library in Kansas City, Kan.

Ramon Murguia, a resident in the area and attorney in Kansas City, has led a 23-member committee in fundraising for the library.

So far, so good, as the library has raised just over $180,000 in private funding.

"It's just to show we can deliver on our promise in raising necessary funds," he said, informing members of the Kansas City, Kan., Board Education tonight. "The community needs this new kind of library and the surrounding community has a need for a library."

The new library, depending on fundraising success, would be between 25,000–30,000 square ft. Sixty percent of the funding would be provided by the library, while 40 percent would be funded through public fundraising efforts.

No official plans have been drawn up for the library yet.

"We believe despite the economic times, we have a lot of good initial contacts made already," Murguia said. "We're hoping the designed works can be completed by early November so we can do a lot more of our fundraising."

Members of the committee are looking to raise around $2 million.

Here is the agenda for tonight's Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education meeting. Note, if the embedding of the file is causing problems, please comment. It's a new trick I'm working on so I can post the agendas directly onto the Web site for everyone to look at.

The Fairfax Alternative School will be closed today.

The school will be reopened in the old Central Elementary School location at 8th and Barnett tomorrow.

View Larger Map

Students from Wyandotte High School, F.L. Schlagle High School and the Fairfax campus will take art in the 2009 Life Savers Rally at the Plaza Library's Truman Forum today.

The event is being put on by the Gift of Life, a local nonprofit organization that encourages awareness of organ and tissue donation.

Former news anchor Anne Peterson will be the keynote speaker.

More from a press release:

The Life Savers Rally also encourages students to learn how to organize an event promoting education about organ and tissue donation in their home school. The rally is part of the larger Life Savers program that offers classroom education to sixty-five area high schools at no charge. Kim Harbur, Director of Education and co-founder of Gift of Life, leads the program. Her son, Luke, received one of the first successful liver transplants in Kansas City thirteen years ago. Anne Peterson covered that story in a series entitled, “Angels Among Us” , for which she won a Emmy Award.

Along with the Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City, Mo., the Kansas City, Kan., Public Library will hold the grand opening of the new Plaza Comunitaria.

The Plaza Comunitaria will hold its grand opening at the KCKPL main branch this Thursday at 3 p.m.

"Through the Plaza Comunitaria the government of Mexico will offer adult education courses for students seventeen and older allowing them to complete their education free of charge," a press release about the event said. "Students will take classes online to obtain their primary or secondary education certificates issued by the Ministry of Education in Mexico."

The class schedule for the Plaza Comunitaria will on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-4 p.m.