Kevin Patrick Allen
Stories by Kevin Patrick Allen
Just This
Kansas City Public Schools District Superintendent Mark Bedell has embraced a three-pronged approach to reduce suspensions and counteract ineffective discipline measures. It involves the implementation of restorative justice, the use of meditation, and a focus on growing the district’s mentorship program. Take Note recently examined restorative justice. In this report, we take a look at…
What Comes Next?
What happens when you can no longer be who you’ve been? Flatland profiles two Kansas Citians — an X-Games champion and a war photographer — who, at a young age, must decide what comes next. — Follow @FlatlandKC on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
How Kansas City Schools Are Using a Restorative Justice Approach to Discipline
Kansas City Public Schools Superintendent Mark Bedell is approaching discipline reform with a three-part plan focused on restorative justice, meditation and mentorship. As Take Note begins its examination of the plan, we explore the components of restorative justice and its potential applications for any school, large or small. Follow “Take Note: Our City. Our Schools….
Creating Change from Tragedy
Nicole Hockley’s son, Dylan, was one of 20 first graders killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012. After the tragedy, she and other Sandy Hook parents founded Sandy Hook Promise to lobby for background checks. That was part of what she spoke about on Monday at the annual Heartland Coalition Against Gun Violence forum, which…
American Graduate Day
American Graduate Day 2017 is a four-hour, live broadcast and outreach event dedicated to engaging our country around the dropout crisis with special celebrity guests, relevant spokespeople and compelling stories from the students themselves. Earlier this year, KCPT and Take Note collected community nominations of local champions of education and profiled two individuals, Ken Heitland…
Understanding Trauma-Informed Care
School districts around the region are embracing the idea that educators must understand underlying issues, such as a violent home life or a history of sexual abuse, that are driving bad behavior or poor academic performance among students. It’s a concept called trauma-informed care, and its proponents include the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care and…
If These Walls Could Talk
Over the course of past month, Take Note has been listening to area youth as we explore the intersection of trauma and education. We went to Blue Valley to learn about their new mental health resources in “We Struggle, Too,” we ventured to Blue Springs where a young graduate shared his remarkable story through “In His…
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…
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…
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…