Register

Press Releases

For more information regarding any of these press releases, please contact Eileen Houston-Stewart, Chief Communications and Community Engagement Officer, (816) 379-0385 or Andre Riley, Manager of Public Relations, (816) 442-9337.

  • Families invited to meeting to discuss Hartman-Hale Cook combination

    Posted by André Riley at 5/14/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) will host a meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 21, to discuss how the addition of the new Hale Cook program will impact existing students at Hartman Elementary.

    The meeting will be at Hartman Elementary, 8111 Oak St., Kansas City, Mo. Parents, students, and interested community members are invited to attend.

    For the 2013-2014 school year, students enrolled in the Hale Cook program will attend classes at Hartman Elementary in a school-within-a-school concept. Based on enrollment, some Hale Cook and Hartman students share classrooms. In addition, students will have common cafeteria times, and specialty classes (art, music, computers, physical education, and library).

    This arrangement will continue until renovations of the Hale Cook campus are completed. For more information, please call (816) 418-7420 or visit www.kcpublicschools.org/halecook.
    Comments (-1)

  • Search process for new Lincoln College Prep principal begins

    Posted by André Riley at 5/13/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – Lincoln College Preparatory Academy students, parents and staff are invited to serve on a committee that will help identify the next principal of the region’s most prestigious school. The application process to join the committee opens today (Monday, May 13).
     
    Beginning later this month, a select committee of Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) leaders, experienced principals, and members of the Lincoln Prep community will help interview and ultimately identify the school’s new principal. Students, parents and staff members interested in serving on the search committee may complete an online application at www.kcpublicschools.org/lincoln or pick-up a hard copy of the application from the school, 2111 Woodland, Kansas City, Mo.
     
    The deadline to submit an application is Friday, May 24. The committee will begin meeting on or after May 31, with times and locations to be determined. The committee will meet at least twice in early June 2013, along with KCPS administrators.
     
    The committee will make a recommendation for hire to the superintendent, who in turn will make a recommendation to the KCPS Board of Directors in mid-June.
     
    For more information, call KCPS Public Relations & Marketing at (816) 418-7420.
     
    Comments (-1)

  • Top seniors highlight KCPS Graduation Week events

    Posted by André Riley at 5/13/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) will proudly celebrate another Graduation Week by honoring high-performing graduates from across the school system at the various commencement events and through a special video at www.kcpublicschools.org.
     
    Below is a listing of the KCPS commencement ceremonies, and featured students at each event. A video with these and other featured students will be available for viewing on Wednesday, May 15.
     
    Northeast High School
    Date and time: Tuesday, May 14 – 5 to 6:30 p.m.
    Location: Scottish Rite Temple, 1330 Linwood Blvd.
    Featured student: Erick Acosta – This great student, who has already earned his associate’s degree from MCC-Penn Valley, will begin training to become a U.S. Marine.
     
    East High School
    Date and time: Tuesday, May 14 – 7:30 to 9 p.m.
    Location: Scottish Rite Temple, 1330 Linwood Blvd.
    Featured student: Viviana Ortiz – This great student, who has already earned her associate’s degree from MCC-Penn Valley, will be attending Avila University as a pre-med student.
     
    Southwest Early College Campus
    Date and time: Wednesday, May 15 – 5 to 6:45 p.m.
    Location: Scottish Rite Temple, 1330 Linwood Blvd.
    Featured student: Daejah Martin – This great student, who has already earned her associate’s degree from MCC-Penn Valley, will be attending Northwest Missouri State University to study pediatric occupational therapy.
     
    African-Centered College Preparatory Academy
    Date and time: Wednesday, May 15 – 7:30 to 9 p.m.
    Location: Scottish Rite Temple, 1330 Linwood Blvd.
    Featured student: Aaliyah Deggs – This great student will be attending Spelman College.
     
    Lincoln College Preparatory Academy
    Date and time: Thursday, May 16 – 4:30 to 6:35 p.m.
    Location: Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Blvd.
    Featured student: Caitlin Pettman - This great student, who has already earned her associate’s degree from MCC-Penn Valley, will be attending Rhodes College to study neuroscience.
     
    Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts
    Date and time: Thursday, May 16 – 7:30 to 9 p.m.
    Location: Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Blvd.
    Featured student: Ladarius Jones – This great student will be attending the Kansas City Art Institute.
     
    Central Academy of Excellence
    Date and time: Friday, May 17 – 7 to 9 p.m.
    Location: Scottish Rite Temple, 1330 Linwood Blvd.
    Featured student: Bryant Boyd – This great student will be attending Missouri Western University to study physical training.
    Comments (-1)

  • Hale Cook Elementary to begin with classes at Hartman in fall 2013

    Posted by André Riley at 5/9/2013

     
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS), in partnership with the Friends of Hale Cook, will move forward with plans to re-open Hale Cook Elementary as a neighborhood school in the fall of 2013.
     
    For the 2013-2014 school year, Hale Cook will be housed within Hartman Elementary, and serve students in kindergarten and first grade. Construction and renovation of the Hale Cook building will commence only once interest in the program is sufficient to support two full classrooms of kindergarten students.
     
    Though the Hale Cook students will have their own classrooms at Hartman, the schools will enjoy a close relationship. Hale Cook students will be invited to participate in Hartman school community activities, and some Hartman students may join the Hale Cook classrooms to maintain a fair student-to-teacher ratio.
     
    “The re-opening of Hale Cook is a victory for this school system, the Friends of Hale Cook, and our entire community. We came together, rallied our neighbors, and are now reintroducing a great public education to a group of young families,” said Dr. R. Stephen Green, KCPS superintendent. “We still have plenty of work ahead but this partnership will continue to pay dividends for our families.”
     
    The decision to begin the process of re-opening the school follows a three-year groundswell of support from families in that area for a neighborhood elementary school.
     
    To help determine if there was enough community interest to warrant re-opening the school, KCPS tasked the Friends of Hale Cook with recruiting 35 kindergartners and 20 first graders who do not currently attend KCPS schools by May 3. Though the current inaugural class of 26 falls short of this goal, community support of the project is clear.
     
    A public meeting will be scheduled for Tuesday, May 21 to give Hartman and Hale Cook Elementary parents an opportunity to learn more about the project. Details will be forthcoming.
     
    To learn more about the project to re-open Hale Cook, visit www.kcpublicschools.org/halecook.
    Comments (-1)

  • James Elementary students to celebrate National Bike to School Day by biking and walking

    Posted by André Riley at 5/1/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – Students at James Elementary will walk and bike to school on Wednesday, May 8, in celebration of National Bike to School Day.

    An estimated 100 students at James will join their peers across the nation as well as parents, teachers, and others in walking or biking to school. The event will begin 7 a.m. with students, parents and community leaders riding through the Indian Mound Neighborhood to James Elementary. Bicyclists and walkers will arrive at the school around 8:30 AM for prizes and refreshments. As a lead-up to Bike to School Day, BikeWalkKC will offer bike safety assemblies to all students later this month.

    Last fall every 5th and 6th grade student at James participated in a 4-hour bike safety program called Bicycle Lesson and Safety Training (BLAST). Additionally, approximately 10 students are currently participating in further bicycle education called Earn-A-Bike led by BikeWalkKC.

    Bike to School Day events raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for bicycling and walking and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, reducing traffic congestion and concern for the environment. The events build connections between families, schools and the broader community.

    The event is a collaboration of James Elementary, the Kansas City Public Schools, BikeWalkKC, Indian Mound Neighborhood Association, Mattie Rhodes, KCPD and community supporters. Funding for this and other biking and walking projects comes from the Greater Kansas City Healthcare Foundation.

    For more information, please contact James Elementary at 816-418-3700 or visit www.kcpublischools.org/james. You may also visit www.walkbiketoschool.org or www.saferoutesinfo.org
    Comments (-1)

  • KCPS to celebrate seniors’ college choices with special Decision Day events

    Posted by André Riley at 4/23/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) will recognize the college choices of its high school seniors during special “Decision Day” events at various schools from April 26 to May 10.
     
    In conjunction with the Missouri College Advising Corps, KCPS high schools will celebrate students who are taking the next step in their continuing education. The official Decision Day nationwide is May 1. These events are similar to the signing events for high school athletes, only on a grander scale. A list of the events is as follows:
     
    Southwest Early College Campus, 6612 Wornall Road
    Friday, April 26 – 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
    There will be a free photo booth and props for students to enjoy along with pizza, chips, drinks and ice cream.  All week, students will be able to submit raffle tickets for the prizes; during Decision Day students can claim their prizes. All attending seniors will get a pair of Decision Day sunglasses and Decision Day bags with a transition to college/life packet.
     
    Northeast High School, 415 Van Brunt Blvd.
    Thursday, May 2 - 12:45 to 2:30 p.m.
    Local college representatives will host a pre-college presentation. There will be music and a snack bar with hot chips, cookies, brownies and cake. The school will give away gift cards and baskets through a raffle. There will also be a large banner for seniors to sign and write what institution they are attending in the fall.
     
    Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, 4747 Flora Ave.
    Friday, May 3 - 12:45 to 2:30 p.m.
    The celebration will include a picnic lunch, music, silent raffle, games, and prizes. Northwest Missouri State University will be presenting on helpful hints for students’ transition to college. Announcements will be made for each student’s postsecondary plan. Each student will receive a Decision Day bag.
     
    East High School, 1925 Van Brunt Blvd.
    Tuesday, May 7 – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    Combined with Senior Week festivities, students will start their day with a senior breakfast at 8:30 a.m. After breakfast, student will be invited to the Decision Day event. There we will be a DJ, gift bags, t-shirt give away, raffles and lunch will be provided by a barbecue catering company. At 1:30 p.m., seniors and a select group of underclassmen will be invited to hear a national speaker from the program of Student Leadership Series with the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute.
     
    Central Academy of Excellence, 3221 Indiana Ave.
    Friday, May 10 - 12:45 to 2:30 p.m.
    Activities will include lunch, a senior social, a Hot 103 Jamz DJ, presentations by College Ambassadors, a drill team performance, comments by the senior class speaker and school leaders, an awards presentation, entertainment and presentation by KCPS leaders.
     
    Comments (-1)

  • KCPS students among those honored by local Rotary chapter

    Posted by André Riley at 4/19/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Rotary Club International 13 honored five Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) high school students for service and leadership during its annual luncheon on April 18, 2013. Superintendent R. Stephen Green was the featured speaker and joined Airick Leonard West, KCPS Board of Directors chair, in presenting various awards to a host of Kansas City-area students.
     
    The KCPS students honored included:
    • Marcus Cowley, Southwest Early College Campus – Marcus hopes to become a civil engineer. He is active in the Future Business Leaders of America, 20/20 Leadership, JROTC, and Skills USA.
    • Ny Tran, Northeast High School – Ny aspires to earn a college degree in computer science. He is a member of the Northeast robotics team, volunteers at nursing homes, and serves as a counselor/mentor Unitown.
    • Jorge Calderon, East High School – Jorge’s goal after graduation is to earn a bachelor’s degree in business. He takes mostly advanced placement classes by day and works part-time at a prestigious hotel in the evenings.
    • Kiara Hughes, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy – Kiara is a Kauffman Scholar with plans to attend Kansas State University and major in business and marketing. She is an officer of Lincoln’s Key Club, a member of the National Honor Society, a class officer, and a member of the student council. She is also a track sprinter, and has given her time to Warrior Dash, Upper Room, and the All-Star Fan Jam.
    • Jemina Nesthant, Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts – Jemina is a Haitian-American with plans to become a broadcast journalist. She devotes much of her time to Awesome Ambitions, 20/20 Leadership, and serves as a tutor to younger students.
    Comments (-1)

  • Rotary Club to honor outstanding students at annual luncheon

    Posted by André Riley at 4/16/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Rotary Club International 13 will honor a set of Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) students for increased academic achievement during its annual luncheon at noon Thursday, April 18, in the Tudor Room in The Clubhouse on Baltimore, 1228 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City, Mo.
     
    Superintendent R. Stephen Green will be a featured speaker and join Airick Leonard West, KCPS Board of Directors chair, in presenting various awards to 17 Kansas City-area students.
     
    KCPS will share video and photos of the event through its website – www.kcpublicschools.org – and its social media mediums.
     
    Comments (-1)

  • Superintendent to offer straight talk, answers at community gathering

    Posted by André Riley at 4/15/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – R. Stephen Green, superintendent of the Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS), will provide straight talk and direct answers to questions from community members during a special gathering. The event will be from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Sunday, April 21, at the Bluford branch of the Kansas City Public Library, 3050 Prospect Ave., Kansas City, Mo.
     
    The event, titled “On the Scene with Green,” is designed for parents and community members to have direct access to the superintendent and to get their questions answered. Dr. Green will open the event with commentary about the direction and status of KCPS, followed by a question and answer session.
     
    The event is free to the public.
     
    WHAT: “On the Scene with Green” community gathering
     
    WHEN: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Sunday, April 21, 2013
     
    WHERE: Bluford branch of the Kansas City Public Library, 3050 Prospect Ave., Kansas City, Mo.
    Comments (-1)

  • School Board to receive update on more than $27 million in major school and facility upgrades

    Posted by André Riley at 4/10/2013
    KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Board of Directors of the Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) will receive an update on a series of major school and facility upgrades at its workshop at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10. The meeting will be at the Board of Education building, 1211 McGee St., Kansas City, Mo.
     
    The Board will learn more about “Making Our Facilities Better,” a series of capital projects worth more than $27 million. The presentation will include an overview of funding, rationale, and projected outcomes. Projects underway include:
    • Renovation of Interscholastic League Stadium/Bryan Field – This more than $5 million project includes a new playing surface, sound and communications, running track, aluminum grandstands, locker rooms, press box, and concession stand. The projected completion date is August 2013.
    • Building upgrades, including air conditioning, at East High, Northeast High and Banneker Elementary – This $20 million project will provide a new heating and cooling system at the three schools. This is especially important for East and Northeast, which have experienced a significant number of early release days due to heat. The projected completion date is August 2013.
    • Energy Performance Contract - This project will make KCPS buildings more energy efficient by installing new energy-efficient HVAC units at KCPS campuses along with management controls for lights and water, energy efficient windows and lights, and other alterations. KCPS is currently seeking qualified vendors; the cost will be determined in early 2013.
    • Opening of middle school buildings (project under consideration) - In order to better serve middle school-aged students, KCPS is considering opening some of its previously-closed middle school buildings. The framework for a plan is being developed and will be submitted to the public for input and consideration before moving forward.
    • Upgrades to the auditoriums at Lincoln Prep and Paseo Academy - Auditoriums at both schools host multiple community events annually, necessitating the need for immediate improvements in seating, lighting, and over environment. This $2 million project will be completed by August 2013.
     
    KCPS has launched a webpage to provide the public with up-to-date information about each project. The website is www.kcpublicschools.org/construction. The community may submit thoughts and comments by emailing publicinfo@kcpublicschools.org or by visiting the KCPS page on Facebook (Kansas City Public Schools).
    Comments (-1)

Recent

By Month

Tags

Next

Public Relations


Departments