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.
Failing To Succeed
Few industry leaders want to point out why their great ideas ultimately fell flat. Jobs, grants, money and pride could be at stake. But on Monday, national education leaders from across the ideological spectrum gathered at a Kansas City conference – “Eye on Education: Failures to Fixes” – to discuss flaws in charter schools, state…
Common Grounds | Mental Health
On this episode of Common Grounds, the family and friends of Ryan Hill, an Olathe High School alumni who died by suicide shortly after graduation in 2013, discuss Ryan’s life, mental health and the implications of the new Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. For immediate help for you or someone else, call the National Suicide…
Research Says ‘Voucher’ Programs Can Help Students
The drawings depict rainbows, hearts, flowers and crosses — thank-you’s to the Catholic Education Foundation in Kansas City, Kansas, from pupils attending parochial school on need-based scholarships. The money is coming from the Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship Program, a 3-year-old Kansas initiative where businesses provide funding through tax-deductible contributions. Since its inception,…
Leading With Heart
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. If you haven’t heard Mark Bedell’s story, it’s well worth your time. The Kansas City Public Schools superintendent is the first to admit he leads with…
Focus On: School Choice
Here at Take Note, we’re asking: How do you create school choice through (blank)? For people in the Kansas City metropolitan area, school choice can be both a blessing and a curse. It provides an array of education options, but the system can also be confusing, or perhaps even detrimental to existing school districts. From…
Excuse Me, Do You Have a Moment To Talk About Education In Kansas City?
What do you know about education in Kansas City? Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just a Kansas Citian, education matters. This is our city, these are our schools and this is our future, so take note. Follow Take Note: Our City. Our Schools. Our Future as together, we tell the stories that matter, the…
Mental Health Resources for Area Families
A child’s mental health affects success in school. Mental health disorders can result in poor school performance and attendance, according to The Journal of School Nursing. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that in the United States, approximately one out of five adolescents have a mental disorder. With May as Mental Health Awareness Month,…
Weighing The Choice Of Charters
Charter schools have traditionally filled a hole left by underperforming districts in Missouri. But what if that structure was radically changed? What if charter schools were allowed by states at the earliest sign of trouble – one lagging school – instead of waiting for an entire school district to slip? Would it help or hurt…
However You Say It, Kansas City is Home
Whether they speak Nepali. Spanish, French, Bermese or another language, these Gladstone Elementary students call Kansas City home. The Kansas City Public School District is home to more than 55 languages, and some children speak more than two. Hear them introduce themselves in their native langauge, followed by a phrase in English. — Follow “Take…
All Smiles
It’s not the most academically rigorous benchmark, but Linda Hinkley, a longtime teacher in the Hickman Mills School District, remembers her students for how they looked when they were happy. That is, perhaps, an apt metaphor for the south Kansas City district, as it looks to a brighter future. Its new superintendent, Yolanda Cargile, is…