Mentoring

The Mentoring Program Coordinator and Site Based Coordinator are available to answer any questions or concerns you might have. The Site Based Coordinator is based at the school and helps facilitate the mentoring program at their specific school site. The Mentoring Program Coordinator oversees the whole program. 

Yes, you can select your preferred meeting day and time. If you are mentoring a student in grades 7th-12th, meetings can occur anytime during the school day (typically between the hours 8am-2pm). If you mentor a K-5th grade student, meetings can occur any day of the week over the student's lunch period (typically between 11am-1pm). 

We ask that before you head to the school for your meeting that you call the front office and check to see if your mentee is in school that day. The school’s phone number is provided on your match notification email, and you can request a direct phone number/extension to the attendance secretary if you would like. 

Absolutely! A couple of recommendations: 

• Bring lunch or a small gift as part of a celebration or recognition of good grades, behavior or even attendance.  
• Inform your mentee that just because you brought a snack/gift this meeting does not mean that this is an every-meeting occurrence.
• If you can, let them know when you will bring lunch, so they know they do not need to get lunch/bring lunch from home that day.
• Ask the student or Site Coordinator if the student has any dietary restrictions or allergies.

• If you suspect, or your mentee has told you that they need specific support that is in line with their health and safety, please notify the Site Based Coordinator. They will be able to get the student connected with the appropriate resources.
• In the case of a student expressing a need for a tutor, an after-school job, etc. and you have some sort of idea/connection you know of that might be helpful, please feel free to share that with your mentee.
• If you are ever unsure and want to double check what is ok/not ok to share with your mentee, do not hesitate to ask the Site Coordinator or Mentor Program Coordinator.

• The KCPS mentoring program is designed to operate during school hours, at the school site. We do not coordinate or manage off-site meetings, and the student permission slip does not cover off-site meetings with mentors.
• Any off-site visits with mentees must be done outside of the scope of the mentoring program and be coordinated with the guardians of the student.
• The mentoring program may have field trips activities that are planned for all mentors and mentees to attend/participate in, but that will be the only instance of an off-site, coordinated meeting by the mentoring services team.

Yes! We recommend mentors have no more than three mentees to ensure you are able to build meaningful relationships with each student. 

Definitely! We have mentor/mentee relationships that have been going on for over four years! 

Yes. If you would like to speak or get report/feedback from your mentee’s teacher(s), please let the Site Coordinator know and they can help facilitate that. We do recommend you ask your mentees to permission/let your mentees know that you will be reaching out to their teacher before doing so. 

If your mentee transfers to a new school in the middle of the year, we will notify you as soon as the Mentoring Services Team is aware of the transfer. You may choose to follow the student to their new school site or request to remain at the original school site and be matched with a new mentee. 

Meetings between mentors and mentees can look a lot of different ways – it’s up to you and your student! Many of our matches choose to spend their time playing games, reading or working on a craft project. Others chat while eating lunch or a snack.  

Absolutely. These requests can be made to the Mentor Program Coordinator. Please email mentoring@kcpublicschools.org.  

Anyone who is over 18 years old and can pass a criminal background check is welcome to volunteer. 

Yes, every mentor in our program is required to attend training. We have two standing training dates per month that can be done virtually. To register for a training session, go simply go to https://www.kcpublicschools.org/mentoring. If you are part of a group that would like to get involved, we are happy to schedule a separate training session in-person or virtually on a day and time that works best for your group. These requests can be made to mentoring@kcpublicschools.org.  

Once you have completed training, you will be emailed a link to complete your mentor profile. The Mentor Program Coordinator will review your profile and once it is approved, you will be sent a separate email with a link to complete a background check and your references will be contacted. Your profile is not 'active' until you have completed the background check and there has been a response from at least one reference. 

We ask that our mentors meet with their mentees for 20-30 minutes, 2-4 times per month for the entire school year. 

We do not offer a virtual option for our program. 

Yes! Our program operates at 31 of our district schools. We are happy to provide a recommendation if you are unsure what school is closest to you or would be the best fit. 

Sure! While our mentor/mentee relationships are typically 1:1, you are welcome to invite your friends and family to join our team and get connected with a student at the same school site as you. 

No! You just need a genuine interest and desire to build relationships with students. Mentoring just one child can truly make a positive difference in the life of a child. 

KCPS strives to ensure all mentors and mentees who would like to participate in this program can do so in a meaningful way. We welcome you and we will make accommodations to ensure all mentors and mentees receive the support they need to go through training, meet with their mentee/mentor in a comfortable environment, etc. 

• This program makes a big impact, with a small-time commitment asked of you on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. We ask that you make a commitment of 30 minutes, 2-4 times per month during the school day.
• Our mentors are not there to serve as case workers, tutors, or therapists. If you are hoping to build a meaningful and honest relationship with a student, then this is for you!

We do not require our mentors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We do encourage all our mentors and mentees, despite their vaccination status, to exercise caution and ensure to wash their hands, wear a mask if they choose, and practice health safety protocols recommended by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the Kansas City Missouri Health Department. 

Absolutely. These requests can be made to the Mentor Program Coordinator. 

Sure! We hold training throughout the entire school year and make new matches up until spring break. 

Kansas City Public Schools was selected by the Obama Administration as 1 of 30 school districts in the nation to participate in and implement a groundbreaking campaign to address chronic absenteeism in public schools: the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Success Mentors Initiative. The MBK Success Mentors program aims to connect students with dedicated Success Mentors in the first-ever effort to use an evidence-based and data-driven mentor model to support students and tackle chronic absenteeism.

Success Mentors serve as motivators, problem solvers, connectors, and advocates for students in grades 6-9. They form supportive relationships, identify and celebrate students’ strengths, promote their attendance every day, and connect them with the necessary resources to keep them on track and thriving.

What Can Success Mentors Expect?

Success Mentors will:

• Be matched with a student in grades 6 – 10 at Kansas City Public Schools
• Attend an initial 2 hour, pre-match training
• Serve as a positive role model and friend, promote good attendance and goal setting
• Commit to supporting their mentee for an entire school year
• Check in with their mentees for 30 minutes on a weekly basis; at minimum
• Invest in the present and future success of a student in Kansas City Public Schools

For more information, please email mentoring@kcpublicschools.org.

The KCPS Lunch Buddies is a program in which a mentor is matched with an elementary school student in grades K-5 and visits the school each week to eat lunch with their mentee. Lunch Buddies provide guidance, support, encouragement, and friendship.

What can a Lunch Buddy Expect?

Lunch Buddies will:

• Be matched with an elementary school student in grades K – 5 at Kansas City Public Schools
• Attend an initial 2 hour, pre-match training
• Serve as a positive role model and friend
• Commit to supporting their mentee for an entire school year
• Check in with their mentees over one lunch period on a weekly basis; at minimum
• Invest in the present and future success of a student in Kansas City Public Schools

For more information, please email mentoring@kcpublicschools.org.

The KCPS Career Mentoring program matches working or retired business professionals to students in grades 11 – 12. Career Mentors provide career guidance, career exposure, and career planning support for them as they begin their transition into college or the workforce.

What Can Career Mentors Expect?

Career Mentors will:

• Be matched with a student, or group of students, in grades 11 – 12 at Kansas City Public Schools
• Attend an initial 2 hour, pre-match training
• Assist students with learning more about the knowledge and skills required to be successful in your career field
• Commit to supporting their mentee for an entire school year
• Check in with their mentees once per month; at minimum
• Connect students to workshops, internships and networking opportunities when possible
• Invest in the present and future success of a student in Kansas City Public Schools

For more information, please email mentoring@kcpublicschools.org.

Audience: 9th-12th Grade Students  

Program Description 

The R.I.S.E. Program is a college and career readiness mentoring program that has an intentional focus of preparing students to attend post-secondary institutions and/or technical schools. Students become part of the program beginning their freshman year of high school and obtain mentorship: academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally over the course of their time in high school. In addition to the mentorship and support, R.I.S.E. Students also participate in monthly workshops that reinforce the importance of community, authenticity, resiliency, and excellence. During monthly workshops, students navigate between sessions of their choice, that help them reach their own academic, personal, and professional goals.  While the R.I.S.E. Program is open to any participant of any: race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or sex; the design of the program has been developed with intentionality on students of color.  

Our Vision

With the guidance and support of a dedicated R.I.S.E. Mentor, all student participants will be provided the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral supports to thrive. R.I.S.E. Participants will be equipped with the tools necessary to not only gain acceptance into a college or postsecondary institution/technical school, but also successfully graduate from a secondary institution/ technical school and obtain a career that they are both passionate about and prepared to lead.   

Program Goals

• Empower historically marginalized students to successfully graduate from high school.
• Aid students in high-school course planning and graduation. 
• Provide active mentorship that both encourages and challenges students.
• Assist students and families through the college/technical school admissions process.
• Provide students with experiences to visit colleges/universities and technical schools.
• Inform, practice, and register for college entrance exams.
• Increase student's sense of belonging while nurturing the cultural, social, and linguistic identities of students of color.
• Develop an individualized plan to help students achieve their goals.

Core Values

• Community
• Authenticity
• Resiliency
• Excellence