Kansas City, Mo. – A New School on the Horizon!
Great news, Kansas City! There’s a lot of buzz in the air as Park Hill Schools has announced the opening of a brand new elementary school next year. This exciting move comes in response to a growing population in the southwestern part of the district, and it’s intended to help make sure that all kids have a great place to learn.
Balancing Boundaries and Busy Families
As part of this plan, the school district is taking a deep dive into examining the boundaries for elementary and middle schools. The goal? To thoughtfully decide which students will attend this shiny new school while minimizing any disruptions for families. For high school students, though, there’s no need to worry – those boundaries will stay just how they are!
On a recent evening, parents gathered at Plaza Middle School for an open house to get a first glimpse at proposed boundary maps. The changes could affect a sizable number of students—between 1,500 to 2,000 kids might find themselves heading to new schools next year! That’s a big shift, especially since proposals suggest that up to 30% of elementary school students and 25% of middle school students could be switching schools.
Room to Grow
With the opening of this new elementary school—a twelfth in the district—the plan is to establish a feeder system that helps balance the number of students at each school. This means they’re aiming for approximately 450 students per elementary school and around 680 students for middle schools. In addition, the district is keeping a careful eye on socioeconomics, transportation distances for families, and importantly, keeping neighborhoods together.
Kelly Wachel, the chief communications officer for Park Hill School, offered insights into their thoughtful planning. “We’re looking at these metrics to ensure that we are trying to move the least amount of kids at the same time we are also following the weight of other metrics we have,” Wachel shared.
Voices from the Community
Parents are passionate about these proposed changes, and some have already voiced their concerns. Liz Martin, a parent from English Landing Elementary, was worried about the initial maps splitting her Riss Lake neighborhood. “Thinking of having the neighborhood potentially split down Riss Lake Drive where my child had very good classmates who live on the other side just gives you a little heartburn from a parent perspective,” she expressed. After sharing her feedback, Martin was relieved to see that new map options came up and felt optimistic about the revisions.
However, not all neighborhoods are feeling as optimistic. Parents from the Monticello community showed up at the open house wearing badges labeled #MoveMonticelloBack. Their concerns are quite straightforward—they want to maintain their close-knit community feel and safe walking routes for their kids. “Right now we are so close. So many of our students walk and if they move us to this other school, we won’t be able to walk because it crosses a very dangerous intersection of 64th Street and Highway 9,” said Melissa Almuttar, another devoted parent.
A Collaborative Approach
Rather than just raising concerns, parents like Almuttar are eager to be part of the solution. “It’s one thing to complain about things, but we really want to be a part of the solution,” she noted as she discussed their alternative proposal that aims to keep Monticello at its current school.
Looking Ahead
For parents wanting to stay involved, another open house is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, at Lakeview Middle School from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It’s an excellent opportunity for families to express their thoughts and collaborate with the redistricting advisory team. The advisory team will finalize their proposal for board approval during the December 12 meeting, so there’s still time for feedback!
Kansas City, we’re excited to see how this all unfolds for the school district and its families. Change can be challenging, but with community involvement, it surely has the potential to bring great things for the students in the area!
