More education options for Midtown parents as new schools open and programs expand

Foreign Language Academy Principal Joell Randell says his schools has started a Mandarin Chinese immersion program.

Foreign Language Academy Principal Joell Ramsdell says his school has started a Mandarin Chinese immersion program.

Parents got a crash-course in the new schools and new programs available to them in Midtown Wednesday at a new school principals’ panel.

With several new schools and programs opening, parents have more options, with neighborhood schools, charter schools, public signature schools, and private schools available.

Two Midtown groups, Show Me KC Schools and Operation Breakthrough, invited five principals to give an overview of their schools and programs. Audience members also questioned the principals about their interaction with students and how the schools can do more to reflect the diversity of the community around them.

Here’s an overview of the information presented. For more information about all of the educational options available to Midtown parents, visit the Show Me KC Schools website. 

Citizens of the World-KC: This school, formed after a group of Midtown parents sought out a school for their children, will open this fall. Douglas Smith, newly-hired principal of the school, sent a taped message from his current school in Brazil. “We love the diversity and vibrancy of the Midtown area,” he said.

Details

  • Grades K-1 this year, expanding to 8th
  • 288 students
  • Charter school
  • Location has not been announced
  • website

Foreign Language Academy: FLA is a signature school of the Kansas City, Missouri school district. Principal Joell Ramsdell explained “that’s a fancy name for a magnet school.” FLA is a full-immersion language school, where students do almost all of their learning in a foreign language. The school had offered immersion in French and Spanish. It is going to discontinue French because that program is available at nearby Academe Lafayette. And this year, FLA added Mandarin Chinese as a program.

Details

  • Grades K-8
  • 718 students
  • 3450 Warwick
  • website

K.C. Neighborhood Academy: New principal Robin Henderson explained that this school is a partnership between the Urban Neighborhood Initiative (UNI) and the Kansas City Public Schools. It is open to all families who live within the district, with a priority on the area between 18th and 52nd streets, from Troost to Prospect. In keeping with the goals of UNI, Henderson said the mission of the school is to improve both education and the community. “Neighborhood schools help to develop strong children and strong children help develop strong neighborhoods,” she said.

Details

  • Grades pre-K-2 this year, will expand to 6th grade
  • 180 students first year
  • Charter school
  • 1619 E. 24th Terrace
  • website

Kipp: Endeavor Academy: At Kipp, according to Principal Jana Cooper, the focus is on preparing students for college success. The school opened in 2007 and serves grades 5-8, but is expanding in the fall of 2016 with K-4th grade classes.

Details

  • Grades 5-8 (K-4 opening fall 2016)
  • 282 students
  • 2700 E. 18th
  • website

Quality Hill Academy: This new school opening in the fall is a sister school to the downtown Crossroads Academy. Quality Hill will be a second school, opening with K-3 classes and expanding to K-8. “Our kids use the city as their classroom,” said Principal Lindsay Yates taking advantage of city parks for recess, public libraries for research and arts performance spaces as the auditorium.

Details

  • Grades k-3 this year, will expand to K-8
  • 186 students
  • 1080 Washington
  • website

 

 

 

 

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