The KCMO School District

[LenexatoKCMO]

For bigger school districts there are not that many people who are actually qualified(?) to handle a school district with many problems.  The good ones stay put, the bad ones go from job to job.  But in some of those cases it is not the Administrator who is the problem it is the school district board and sometimes it is hard to determine which is the case.

I can certainly see the logic in that - if there were lots of magicians out there on the market that had proven capabilities of turning bad districts good, we probably wouldn't hear so much about failing big city schools.  But you would think that if the external applicant pool is weak, they would look for some rising internal star rather than hire someone with a poor history. 

[Highlander]

Former KC Superintendent Amato has been shit-canned 14 months into his new gig with Stockton, CA after causing much turmoil.  http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1464591.html  I never understand why these school districts seem to think it is a good idea to recycle someone who has failed elsewhere.  I believe we have fallen into the same trap here before more than once as well. 

Of course, it could be a problem with the school board and not the superintendent.  I don't know Amato from Adam but I do know the KC District school board is a collective basket case. 

[aknowledgeableperson]

One of the problems with regards to school district supers might be the requirement that they have a background in education - that really limits the field.  The position is more for a business administrator or a CEO.  A school district is a business that happens to be a business involved in education.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Anyone have any thoughts here on the superintendent's proposal to cut the district in half?  Looks like he wants to close ~30 of 60 schools and get rid of a load of employees.  I am not sure what to think beyond the initiall reaction that it is a pretty ballsy move and that he has likely stirred up one hell of a hornets nest.  Good?  Bad? Indifferent?

[KCMax]

Anyone have any thoughts here on the superintendent's proposal to cut the district in half?  Looks like he wants to close ~30 of 60 schools and get rid of a load of employees.  I am not sure what to think beyond the initiall reaction that it is a pretty ballsy move and that he has likely stirred up one hell of a hornets nest.  Good?  Bad? Indifferent?

On the surface it seems like a good idea, but I'd want to know more about the specifics. Expect a major pushback though. If he gets it done, he will have achieved a herculean task.

[loftguy]

I believe that neighborhood elementery schools are critical to the success of both neighborhoods and a childs start in education.  Closing them down and letting them rot (that's what happens) will hold back the success of kids and communities and if we're ever to wake up and smell the solution, it will cost us another whoppin bundle to build them all over again.

[PumpkinStalker]

I think it's completely awesome that one of the news articles I read says that the district doesn't know what to do with the buildings, and some will be demolished.  The article quoted someone with the district as saying they want to avoid any vacant buildings.  Great, so their solution is to demolish them.  Fucktards.

[LenexatoKCMO]

School buildings are often really hard to repurpose - the classrooms are odd sizes for other uses and the interior walls are often load bearing masonry and thus making it difficult to make any significant chages to the floorplan. 

[mlind]

I believe that neighborhood elementery schools are critical to the success of both neighborhoods and a childs start in education.  Closing them down and letting them rot (that's what happens) will hold back the success of kids and communities and if we're ever to wake up and smell the solution, it will cost us another whoppin bundle to build them all over again.

This is so true.  And when the neighborhood schools close, many children end up in private schools. 

[mlind]

School buildings are often really hard to repurpose - the classrooms are odd sizes for other uses and the interior walls are often load bearing masonry and thus making it difficult to make any significant chages to the floorplan. 

If you goggle 'repurposing school buildings' you will see what other communities have done.  Also, school buildings are perfect for pre-schools, child care, & private schools.

[kucer]

I'm going to take a wait and see approach to it. I honestly don't know what the right answer is.  My daughter is a P4 at Border Star and we love it, but I am really apprehensive about keeping her in KCMSD. I guess it will depend on how this shakes out. I really shouldn't have read the comments in the Star article on Sunday...

Throw in this E Tax debacle (I truly believe it's going to go to vote and pass) and my eye is wandering to PVKS. (I hate admitting that...)  

I love where we live, but it just seems like this city will never stop screwing up.

[FangKC]

I don't see that the KSPCD has any choice, but to dramatically downsize.  They still have the infastructure to serve a student population that is twice the size, or more, than the 18,000 students that remain there. The administration is twice the size as needed, when compared to other urban school districts.

I personally think the only solution left is to break up the KCPSD into several smaller districts and rename them all. There should be no Kansas City Public School District left at the end.  The name, itself, is an albatross around the City.  The District, as it stands now, has all the appeal of a public internment camp.

[aknowledgeableperson]

I personally think the only solution left is to break up the KCPSD into several smaller districts and rename them all.

Or should there be an attempt to merge the KCMOSD with the Center and Hickman Mills districts.  Combined these and keep neighborhood schools for grades K-8.  The overall Admin costs should be reduced with the reduction of 3 to 1.

I think your way would leave the education system fractured beyond repair.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I think your way would leave the education system fractured beyond repair.

Not to mention reopen the deseg nightmare.  Good luck breaking up the district in some fashion that doesn't result in further segregation. 

[mlind]

I don't see that the KSPCD has any choice, but to dramatically downsize.  They still have the infastructure to serve a student population that is twice the size, or more, than the 18,000 students that remain there. The administration is twice the size as needed, when compared to other urban school districts.

I personally think the only solution left is to break up the KCPSD into several smaller districts and rename them all. There should be no Kansas City Public School District left at the end.  The name, itself, is an albatross around the City.  The District, as it stands now, has all the appeal of a public internment camp.

Richmond, California, changed the school district name from Richmond Unified to West County.  It didn't help. 

[splash]

Anyone following what's happening with the proposed closing of either Hickman Mills HS or Ruskin HS who can clue me in as to why everyone is so angry? 

[KCMax]

Anyone following what's happening with the proposed closing of either Hickman Mills HS or Ruskin HS who can clue me in as to why everyone is so angry? 

People hate their local schools being closed. They like having a school reflecting their neighborhood, they don't like sending their kids to an enormous school and there may be history associated with the school.

[LenexatoKCMO]

People hate their local schools being closed. They like having a school reflecting their neighborhood, they don't like sending their kids to an enormous school and there may be history associated with the school.

All while likely also bitching that quality of education and facilities are lacking while not recognizing that the problem is the districts are over extended.  The American public has been well conditioned to expect everything while paying nothing - the 21st century American Way. 

[NDTeve]

All while likely also bitching that quality of education and facilities are lacking while not recognizing that the problem is the districts are over extended.  The American public has been well conditioned to expect everything while paying nothing - the 21st century American Way. 

SPOT ON.

[shinatoo]

The constant refrain I keep hearing from the Hickman and KCMO meetings is "Some things are more important than money."

But I would be willing to make a wager that if you put a large enough tax hike in front of those same voters to keep the schools open that the districts want to shut that refrain would change to "Oh, I didn't mean MY money, I meant 'some things are more important than other peoples money."