Season 1: The Way We Are
Take Note Season 1: The Way We Are takes an in-depth look at education in the Kansas City metropolitan area, where we are, how we got here and where we need to go.
Summer Meal Programs Work, But …
The quest to address childhood hunger in the Kansas City region unites concerned citizens of all types around one of the most admired programs in our area: BackSnacks Run by Harvesters — The Community Food Network, the program sends 19,000 needy children home from school with backpacks filled with weekend meals. As the largest program…
We Struggle, Too
There’s a perception that the grass is greener in the Blue Valley School District. That may be. After all, the academic scores are consistently high, the facilities are immaculate, and incomes are significantly above average. But when students return for the fall semester they’ll find a major new investment has been made in treating mental…
Preparing for College | Common Grounds
The “Take Note” Team convenes 2017 high school graduates from around the metro to discuss their opinions on school quality and advice to next year’s graduates. See what factors they feel contributed to their success, and whether they’d recommend their path to their peers. Follow “Take Note: Our City. Our Schools. Our Future” as together,…
In His Shoes
Eighteen year old Josh Metje has a prestigious scholarship awaiting him at NYU, but to get there, he’s faced his own share of tragedy. After his brother was murdered, Metje struggled with overwhelming grief. He credits his teachers with helping him through the trauma and with his academic success. Follow “Take Note: Our City. Our Schools. Our…
United Way Program Propels Students To College, Beyond
Graduating from Park University would’ve been a stretch for a child of immigrants, if not for the United Way of Greater Kansas City. That child, Wendy Medina, 25, of Kansas City, received invaluable financial assistance through United Way’s Launch program. Started six years ago, the cost-sharing program has generated approximately $670,000 for 160 students, including…
Building From Within
It took three years and two superintendents, but in 2013, a band of Kansas City Public Schools parents achieved the unthinkable: the reopening of an elementary school in a rapidly contracting district. The school was Hale Cook, which began with kindergarten and first grade in borrowed space at Hartman Elementary, at 81st and Oak streets….
Working Toward a Solution
Summer internships and jobs might be a rite of passage. But often inner-city kids lose out to well-connected families that cash in favors to land their child a primo position at the bank headquarters. Hire KC Youth — an employment-training program that Mayor Sly James started to place urban teenagers in City Hall jobs —…
Defining “Our” with Nicholas Dorn
At Take Note we like to say, “This is Our City. Our Schools. Our Future.” but, as we’ve been noting, the word “our” is used differently by different people. This week, we asked Nicholas Dorn, director of education with the KC Social Innovation Center, what “our” means to him. Too often, he says, we think of the…
Student Voices | The Perks of College in High School
Take Note partners with Johnson County Community College’s Promotional Writing class for stories of JCCC students who pursued college classes while in high school. The College Now program allows high school students to the ability to earn college credits through concurrent enrollment while completing high school courses. These stories explore the many factors students weigh. Why Would…
Defining “Our” with Charles King
At Take Note, we like to say, “This is Our City, Our Schools, Our Future,” but the word “our” is used differently by different people. We asked Charles King, executive director of the Kansas City Teacher Residency Program what “our” means to him and why it’s important. Follow “Take Note: Our City. Our Schools. Our…