Kevin Patrick Allen
Freelancer
Stories by Kevin Patrick Allen
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…
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…
Common Grounds | Immigration
The Take Note team convenes education stakeholders for a conversation over coffee to discuss immigration, entrepreneurship and barriers to learning in a series we call Common Grounds. From language and culture to community engagement to school resources, this lively discussion at Thou Mayest covers it all. Follow Take Note: Our City. Our Schools. Our Future as…
To Be Happy
In many ways Happy Melly is your typical middle schooler who loves to play soccer and spend time with his family. But he also speaks three languages and had to travel thousands of miles to make Kansas City his new home. Happy Melly’s Journey to Kansas City Happy Melly immigrated from the Congo, where he…
School Funding: The Devil’s in the Details
School funding is a topic that regularly makes headlines but isn’t often understood. With so much at stake, Take Note breaks down the complex subject and finds the devil is in the details. Join us as we explore the complexities that make up school funding, and see how the past has influenced today’s funding. Follow Take…
“The Bad Kids” Resonates with Students, Faculty at Kansas City Alternative High School
Before coming to DeLaSalle Education Center, NaKira, who is a high school senior in Kansas City, Missouri, says that she felt like she was a “bad kid.” “I felt like I had a real bad attitude problem; couldn’t nobody tell me anything,” NaKira said. “I felt like nobody was there for me, no teachers were…
The Science of Believing
What is the single biggest factor related to student achievement? You’ll find it buried deep in a 50-year-old document. You’ll also see it on the faces of Kansas City youth who struggle to not let their past hold them back from a more promising future. Follow Take Note: Our City. Our Schools. Our Future as together, we…
How We Got Here
It has taken us more than a century to get here. That’s the first thing we come to realize as we explore the current state of K-12 education systems across the Kansas City metro. A host of interesting characters, challenging times, and complex issues created both the successes and failures we’re currently experiencing in districts from Blue…
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