Genuine Community Engagement

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is investing in and strategically thinking about strengthening family-school partnerships. Knowing that Family-School partnerships are most impactful when the approach is anchored in community voice, KCKPS partnered with Coaction Collective in March 2023 to conduct a listening tour of educators and families. Coaction Collective is an organization with expertise in family engagement and works with school districts and state agencies nationwide to build strong family-school partnerships. 

“By hearing directly from families, school-leaders and district stakeholders, KCKPS will be better positioned to design a genuine approach to family-school partnership that builds on strengths and solutions for the right challenges, ensures that family engagement practices and strategies complement existing district priorities, and build district-wide family engagement infrastructure for sustained impact.” - Justin Stephens and Kyle Evans or to Coaction Collective 

KCKPS and Coaction Collective facilitators gathered qualitative data during virtual interviews. Transcripts of the interviews were utilized to identify themes and recommendations that will inform future time and resource investments in district-level family-school partnership initiatives. 

KCKPS is committed to data-driven decision-making and will ensure that the themes that were discovered through this process will be given the appropriate attention. More information will become available soon on the following themes: 

• Creating a Shared Vision 
• Examining the Family Experience 
• Modeling Consistency 
• Building Trusting Relationships 
• Elevating Invisible Supporters 
• Enhancing Communication Strategies 
• Creating Authentic Partnerships 
• Living out a Universal Customer Service Ethos 

With a rousing round of applause, the new Welcome Center for Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools officially opened!

Dozens of smiling faces crowded the front lobby in Central Office on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, to help usher in the center’s new beginning.

“I’m just beyond excited. I’m excited about the people who came out to support the Welcome Center,” said Director of the Welcome Center and Engagement Dr. Octavio Estrella.

Dr. Estrella says the center’s goal is to help create a more accessible, more equitable, and welcoming school district using the center as the vehicle that helps drive that sensibility home.

“Our long-term vision is to become the true family resource center,” adds Dr. Estrella. 

Specifically, the center helps families navigate the enrollment process at KCKPS. When families come to KCKPS, they will receive the information needed to help kick-start a student’s academic experience. Services also include orientation workshops for both parents and students. 

But the assistance won’t stop there. The center aims to provide a series of follow-up phone calls or in-person conversations with students and parents to ensure things are going well. 

The Welcome Center offers programs for parents new to the Kansas City, Kansas community, or the United States. “In both cases, they’re trying to understand our system. This will help their children’s educational journey,” said Estrella.

The new Welcome Center is the evolution of a previous center that used to be near the ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) space in the Central Office. It was developed years ago after several board members and executive leadership visited schools in Iowa. 

They brought back from their visit the welcome center idea focused on welcoming newcomers to the country. The new version of the Welcome Center is more expansive and aims at assisting all families.

Preschool students from KCKPS Schools gathered on the sidewalk in front of Leah’s Laundromat to announce the unveiling of a brand-new “Read, Play, Learn” program during a special ribbon-cutting event.

This initiative was the first of its kind in Kansas City, Kansas, and was launched in partnership with the Laundry Cares Foundation, Lakeshore Learning and Scholastics, and the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library (KCKPL). This is a new partnership that brings together public-private and philanthropic collaboration. 

“The Laundry Cares Foundation is proud to partner with the KCKPS Department of Early Childhood. We share their vision to bring early literacy into community settings and everyday places like the laundromat. We believe this project helps break down barriers and increases access to critical early language and literacy interactions,” said Dan Naumann, Executive Vice President of Laundry Cares Foundation.

“The ‘Read, Play, Learn’ space provides a much-needed literacy resource to children in our community, which helps build critical school readiness skills,” said Dr. Megan Cook, Director of Early Childhood. 

Sheleah McPherson and her husband John are owners of the laundromat. McPherson is a former educator who knows the importance of literacy and is giving back to her community by providing access to a special place for youth to read, play, and learn.

“I am so excited to be part of this awesome program that will encourage reading and enhance our young people’s imaginations while they are here with their parents,” said McPhearson. “I want to do my part to enrich my community.” Families are allowed to take the books home to encourage continued learning.

KCKPL is donating 300 books, which will be replenished regularly through book donations from the library and other community-based organizations. 

“We are truly grateful for all these organizations coming together to promote the importance of literacy. Our collaboration reinforces the importance of learning outside the classroom. When children are encouraged to read independently, it can enhance classroom learning,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Anna Stubblefield. 

• The Alternative Licensed Pathway Programs are alive and well.
• KCKPS Fellows Program – received a $1 million dollar grant from the Halls Foundation to pay for up to 75 career changers to receive a Master of Arts in Teaching for 6-12 grade content areas. 
• HR selected several classified employees to join Wichita State’s Alternative Elementary Teacher License program. Teacher Associates, Instructional Aides, Paraprofessionals, and Building Subs may enter a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Unified/Elementary Education degree program and begin to teach preschool, elementary, or special education unified classes. 
• HR held a Fall Football Tailgate theme event for KCKPS Student Teachers and practicum students to engage with Central Office administrators, Human Resources, and the recruitment team. This was a chance to get to know them in a relaxed setting The HR team was onsite to discuss salaries, benefits, mentorship, and professional development opportunities. 
• HR created a“Rise and Retain” journal for principals. The journal is interactive and provides monthly activities and reflection responses so principals can be intentional about rising to success and retaining our KCKPS Staff.
• HR hosted community spotlight recruitment fairs at two local churches for classified and certified staff. Over 50 candidates from the community attended these events. HR wants to be in spaces where it can learn more about the KCK community.
• The KCKPS hired a Human Relations Specialist in February 2023. This position develops and implements ideas for creative marketing campaigns. The specialist also advises all prospective employees regarding job postings, district information, and the interview and hiring procedures. This position ensures that we stay in constant contact with future employees.