The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools District provides LIFE-CHANGING QUALITY EDUCATION to all district students, and the wider community benefits greatly from this.
KCKPS firmly believes that a well-educated community is more likely to thrive economically and socially, benefiting the community’s overall enrichment. A quality education for KCKPS students is essential for their personal development and future success. To that end, the district invests in hiring and retaining skilled educators, flagship educational programs, and extracurricular activities that shape and equip productive members of society.
“Students can compete and participate in tournaments and experiences outside of the typical classroom environment, which helps to develop their public speaking, communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and civic engagement skills.”
- Ms. Jamelle Brown
Ms. Jamelle Brown, Director of Debate and Forensics at Sumner Academy of Arts and Science, has been voted into the Kansas Speech Communication Association Secondary Level Hall of Fame. The honor is for her fantastic work and service in the speech communication field, for being an expert in her craft, and for being recognized by her peers and scholars. She is a pioneer and leader in speech, communication, and drama.
Brown has also received the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National Speech and Debate Outstanding Educator Citation Award. This award honors individuals who contributed significantly to high school sports and performing arts programs. The NFHS citation is among high school educators’ most highly regarded achievements.
“We are very proud of her accomplishments at the state and national level. She is a fantastic educator, and staff and students are lucky to have her here at Sumner Academy,” said Sumner Academy Principal Rick Malone.
“Over the years, I have been honored to receive multiple awards due to the opportunity and blessing of working with some amazing students and co-workers. Teaching and coaching Competitive Speech, Debate, and Theatre allows me to see firsthand the power of using one’s voice to advocate for positive change,” said Ms. Brown.
Brown’s Forensic and Debate teams at Sumner Academy have won 11 state championships.
“Not having many Latinx teachers causes Hispanic students to believe that people like us don’t become teachers - that the profession isn’t for us. Seeing me in the classroom, creating those bonds, and watching me be acknowledged for the work that I do, squashes that belief. The award is bigger than me.”
- Ms. Anastasia Delgado
Eisenhower Middle School 8th-grade English teacher, Ms. Anastasia Delgado, was selected as the 2022 Latinx Educator of the Year. The Latinx Educational Collaborative’s (LEC) awards celebrate the work of all Latinx education professionals. The LEC honors professionals nominated by a peer who have demonstrated a commitment to one or more core values: Community, Authenticity, Personal Growth, Impact, and integrity.
“Receiving the Latinx Education Collaborative’s (LEC) Educator of the Year award was a tremendous honor. Being recognized by an organization like the LEC was very affirming. There is something special about being acknowledged and rewarded by the people who look like you. This award did more than recognize my work in the classroom and the district’s first Multicultural Student Union; it serves as an example of what my students can be,” said Delgado.
Delgado has been with Eisenhower Middle School for five years and has stepped into several roles. “My biggest goal is to ensure the kids’ voices are heard.” Delgado is also very proud of the school’s multicultural student union, which she started in 2022.
Ms. Delgado is a graduate of KCKPS’ Teaching Fellows Program. This innovative program allows career changers with an accredited Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate to obtain a Master of Science in Education from an accredited alternative certified program.
Special Olympics North America (SONA) has formed a new alliance with The Choose Kindness Project, the nation's leading nonprofit organization on bullying prevention, mental wellness, and intentional inclusion. As a part of this new alliance, SONA received a grant to provide only five educators nationwide with a $4,000 Teacher Appreciation Week award. One of those educators is KCKPS’ Kevin “Coach” Rolston, PE Teacher and Coach at Hazel Grove Elementary.
In a statement released before the award presentation, Special Olympics North America said, “It’s no secret that many educators like Kevin Rolston have faced ongoing challenges over the past several years, including the continuing impact of the global pandemic and other challenges. Despite this, they remain resilient and steadfast in their efforts to go above and beyond for youth. Mr. Rolston’s dedication was evident when our team visited Hazel Grove early in the school year.”
Hazel Grove Elementary and several other KCKPS schools participate in the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools initiative. This strategy involves getting kids with and without disabilities in the same classroom. The system has three components: Inclusive Youth Leadership, Whole School Engagement, and Special Olympics Unified Sports. Special Olympics Kansas (SOKS) provides resources to Hazel Grove. Those resources help school leaders understand how to integrate students with disabilities into mainstream classrooms.
On Friday, April 28th, the SOKS team colluded with Hazel Grove leadership, teachers, and the entire fifth-grade class to surprise Coach Rolston with this generous award while assembled in the school gymnasium. Mr. Rolston was only aware that the SOKS team would visit the school for a sneak peek at the “Spreading Inclusion with Unified Champion City Schools” video. The SOKS team produced this video using footage gathered earlier this year during the Unified Champion Schools Rolling Rally and other visits. Everyone was excited to see Hazel Grove featured in this moving video. A few tears were shed as it played on the big screen, but the presentation following the video made more tears flow.
“I have had opportunities to meet individuals who embody the characteristics we look for as partners and agents of change in the inclusion revolution. Coach Rolston is one of those individuals who is truly all in. Our team gave him the strategy and the resources, and he has gone above and beyond in the opportunity he provides for meaningful inclusion at Hazel Grove”, said Taylor Obersteadt, Special Olympics Kansas Director of Inclusion, as she choked back tears when she presented the award.
“Coach Rolston is one of five educators from all across the country who has been awarded $4000 for the annual Teacher Appreciation Week recognized May 8th through the 12th”, she acclaimed, and the entire gymnasium erupted in applause and cheers. At that moment, Mr. Rolston was in disbelief and complete surprise.
“Thank you for thinking of me. This is something that a teacher never expects ”, said Mr. Rolston with tears in his eyes as he nervously handled the oversized check handed to him along with balloons and a gift bag. “This strategy is a huge benefit to our community. It helps people become better individuals. It’s huge for our students and very rewarding for us as staff to be involved. It’s great for our school district!”
As a result of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools strategy at Hazel Grove, learners with disabilities are getting the exposure and social connection they need with other students. Students who don’t have disabilities are also getting exposure to someone who does, and they are learning that they deserve to be treated correctly.
“We make sure that every kid feels respected and safe. It is work that is not for the faint of heart, but it’s necessary work. For a school to embody inclusion within the classroom, library, and office, that is what being a unified champion school is”, said Jennifer Thornback, Hazel Grove Principal.
A high school diploma is not enough in today’s economy for students to access high-pay, high-demand jobs that transform their lives and their community. To prepare our students for success in a global society, the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is committed to the Diploma+ district-wide initiative.
Diploma+ means that each student will exit high school prepared for college and careers in a global society, and at every level, each student’s performance is on track and on time for success.
Students can earn a Diploma+ by completing one of the following endorsements:
Building a Future with Diploma+
By 2031, KCKPS aims for 100% of seniors to graduate Diploma+, prepared for life after high school. College and career fairs, career pathways, dual enrollment at KCK Community College - the list goes on and on. However, this preparation begins far before students enter high school.
“When kids are in elementary school, they are already thinking about what they want to grow up and be. At that time, their dreams are big and exciting, but they can’t aspire to be something they don’t know exists,” said former Diploma+ Coordinator Elementary Dr. Renee Freers.
It starts right away. All KCKPS elementary students, kindergarten through 5th grade, have eight career presentations throughout the school year, one each month. Students attend the School of Economics in 3rd grade and the Junior Achievement Biz Town in 4th and 5th grade. These are mini towns where they get to run a business, cash a paycheck, and make purchases.
Elementary students watch on Career Day as an electrical lineman demonstrates what he does in his job.
All 6th graders participate in an event called Career Jumping. “We bring in as many professionals as we can into a gym and have students go through a ‘speed dating’ experience with different career fields,” said Assistant Director of Diploma+ College and Career Programs Lisa Martinez. “We prep our students with some questions they can ask, and it’s a truly immersive time.” Fifth-grade students tour a local manufacturing plant called Holland 1916. Diploma+ career exploration ramps up once students enter middle school.
In 7th grade, students take a survey, and career speakers are brought in around the areas of interest. Students go in small groups to visit different industries. Eighth grade is when everything is put together. “We take what they said that they think they want to do, we build an experience around that, and then we try to align it with the pathway system at the high school,” said Martinez. “We try to show them how that trajectory morphs to a high school experience and our career tech and pathways, and what those opportunities can look like.”
Diploma+ College & Career Instructional Programs
Pre-K - Elementary: Learning of Work - Industry & Career Awareness Middle School: Learning About Work - Industry & Career Exploration High School: Learning for Work - Career Preparation Post Secondary: Learning through Work - Career Training
