Our City. Our Schools. Our Future.
In the Kansas City region, the story of education has many chapters. In this series, we’ll ponder questions like, What does the classroom of the future look like? How will we protect our students in the school of the future? and How will we measure success? We hear an expert say, “There are big questions — huge questions.” Together, hopefully, we can start to craft some answers.
Season 2: The School of the Future
With the launch of season two of our Take Note project, Flatland picks up the story again.
Using a “school of the future” lens, we ask students, school leaders and parents what school should look like 10, 20 or 50 years from now, and what that means for future generations of students.
Season 2: The School of the Future
Money Issues Hamper Progress In Some School Districts
What’s the best way to ensure that future generations get the best education possible? For many people, the answer is simple: money. More specifically, these proponents argue that additional funding must go toward attracting and retaining quality teachers — arguably…
There Is A Way To Boost Achievement of Low-Income Students
The economic divide is a big driver of educational inequality around the country and here in the Kansas City area. But does that have to be a given? The hope is that the school of the future can narrow the…
School Shootings Pit Safety Vs. Pedagogy
In the aftermath of World War II, amidst Cold War tensions with the Soviets, U.S. students practiced “duck and cover” drills to prepare for nuclear attack. Fast forward more than half a century, and one of the most common safety…
Kansas City Public Schools Takes Big Step Toward Full Accreditation
The Kansas City Public Schools district is one of just a handful throughout Missouri that is not fully accredited by the state, but that could change based upon annual performance results released today by the Missouri Department of Elementary and…
The Death of Cursive
Heather Kincaid remembers learning to write cursive at Raymore Elementary School back in the ‘90s. The curlicue method of shorthand excited her — it was something grownups could do. Through the repetitive classroom exercises, complete with wide-ruled paper resembling newsprint…
Fueling the Body and Mind in the School of the Future
A healthy diet. Regular exercise. Unplugging from technology. Sound familiar? Those are all things that adults know they should do. The same goes for kids, but just like grownups, they can fall short — sometimes through no fault of their…
Southwest High was Once a Premier School. What Happened?
It boasts notable graduates, including acclaimed rapper Tech N9ne, the wealthy founders of H&R Block and celebrated journalist Calvin Trillin. Now Southwest High School is in decay and part of a heated debate about the future of public education in…
A Digital Downside: Cyberbullying
In the old days, the mean kid at school would rough up people on the playground or shove them out of the way at the water fountain. But the advent of technology has brought with it the person who harasses…
Grading the Soft Skills
It’s the time-honored question from students: when are we going to use this in real life? But as we have seen in this season of Take Note, schools are increasingly focused on the “soft” skills that are relevant for the…
Are School Buildings Obsolete?
A “school without walls” is typically a euphuism for a building that substitutes collaborative learning for the standard approach of stationing teachers in front of a classroom full of students. But the internet age has brought us to a point…
Season 1: The Way We Are
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.
In the Kansas City region, the story of education has many chapters. Take Note uncovers where we are succeeding, asks how we can improve, and reports with an eye toward the future. From programs and policies that are shaping education across the nation to how they affect us here at home, we are committed to our city, our schools and our future. Together, we’ll tell the stories that matter, the stories that make an impact.
Season 1: The Way We Are
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…
School Tours | A Simplified Guide to Investing in Our Schools
Choosing which school to send your child to can be a complicated process. Depending on where you live, your options may include private, charter or public schools, but many parents in Kansas City aren’t aware of the options available to…
New KC Education Nonprofit Announces Next Round of Funding
A new Kansas City, Missouri, nonprofit has announced the second round of funding as part of a decade-long effort to improve academic achievement among public school students in the city. SchoolSmartKC, a project that started as part of the Ewing…
Kansas City Week in Review | Take Note Superintendents Roundtable
With education stories making the news both nationally and locally, this Take Note Special addresses education issues in the metro, from funding to how changes in Washington impact area school districts. Nick Haines talks to area superintendents Dennis Carpenter, Hickman…
Cracking The Code For Immigrant Students
Tucked within a quiet Kansas City community, Crestview Elementary School is pretty unassuming. But once inside the building, at 4327 N. Holmes St., it’s impossible to miss the multicultural faces in the classrooms or the international flags lining the hallway….
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…
Ruckus | Show Me KC Schools’ Tricia Johnson
Ruckus' Mike Shanin interviews Tricia Johnson, executive director of Show Me KC Schools, about her organization's efforts and the year-long KCPT education project, Take Note | Our City. Our Schools. Our Future. Johnson is a member of the Take Note advisory council. —…
Common Grounds | School Choice
The Take Note team convenes education stakeholders for a conversation over coffee to discuss school choice options around the Kansas City area in a series we call Common Grounds. From homeschooling to charters to public schools, this lively discussion at Mother Earth Coffee…
Perspectives
These vignettes are part of a collaboration between "Take Note: Our Schools. Our City. Our Future." and Johnson County Community College’s Advanced Reporting class. Reporting students, directed by Professor Mark Raduziner, interviewed and photographed their subjects, gathering stories from international…
Volunteer Opportunities: Mentoring
At-risk students who meet regularly with a mentor are less likely to skip school and more likely to enroll in college, according to youth.gov. Other benefits are a decreased likelihood of drug and alcohol use, improved behavior and increased self-esteem,…
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