background-color: #003388; Some of our schools have already begun doing this. } Recently, the school board unanimously approved a nearly $40,000 contract to continue the work with the consultant firm next school year. The district is having a hard time getting enough substitute teachers as cases rise in the schools. It's been 12 years since Barnes has worked in education. The Kansas City Defender, a Black-owned news outlet, . Park Hill has also done a good job of maintaining financial sustainability. I want to take a step back and make sure were making decisions based on how much we can know. Duane Bartsch, an attorney and active duty Army officer, argues that the district has lost track of its mission., NKC defends and approves of graphic pictures of oral sex and masturbation in the kids libraries, he said, while academic achievement is falling behind. Candidate Shereka Barnes said that she decided to run for school board because she saw dysfunction in how racially sensitive issues were managed and decreased transparency. She also was inspired by her own experience attending Park Hill schools 30 years ago, for example, when she tried out for a school play. Were trying to make a place where all students feel safe, all students are accepted and all students are respected.. If we are going to succeed, we must be aware of the differences and embrace them as we work toward an outstanding education for each student, he said. Mondaine said that Independence has long been known as a place that isnt so welcoming to people of color, and he wants to change that in the district and ensure there is more diverse representation across all staff. Kimbrel is currently the Park Hill assistant superintendent for academic services with more than 20 years of education experience. Many of the candidates running in larger school districts Independence, Park Hill, North Kansas City and Lees Summit are starkly divided on those issues, with some conservatives arguing that their districts diversity work has gone too far and reeks of critical race theory, a graduate-level academic framework not taught in K-12 schools. display: block; The district also has a solid reputation of scoring high on tests. I am happy Park Hill livestreams the board meetings because 6:30 on Thursday evenings is not the most convenient time for parents with children in multiple activities. So, instead of returning to the classroom, she decided to run for school board. Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. The Beacon in your inbox. .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { .results_text { If you are elected, what are the top two or three things you think you can realistically accomplish to improve the school district? Inmates say 'we've got hell coming', Lee's Summit choir remembers the Holocaust through musical storytelling, Park Hill High School teacher who said the N-word to a student will retire, after threat of firing, Judge rules against Park Hill South students who circulated 'start slavery again' petition, Slavery petition incident at Park Hill South High School was not what it seemed, federal lawsuit claims. It is not enough to have resources in place, the district must prioritize how to access the resources for families and students, he said. Wartick, former principal of North Kansas City High School, said he decided to run to bring the perspective of a classroom teacher and school administrator to the board. The Beacon listens to diverse perspectives and shines a light on systemic issues and grass-roots solutions through original fact-based reporting. .non_result_row div { The filing deadline for this election was December 28, 2021 . .votebox { She was divorced and had two kids under the age of 3. font-weight: bold; Who would you like the school district to partner with to better serve families and students? But hes become more aware of ways the districts actions could be mischaracterized. View a sample ballot by clicking View Candidates and Issues after finding your polling place. Who are the candidates running for school boards in Cass, Clay and Platte counties on April 5? .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper { } Vote between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m on April 5. .electionsectionheading { font-size: 12px; font-weight: 300; These materials are inappropriate., Bechthold has campaigned with the slogan, Make education great again.. .election_results_text { I feel this is one of the areas that has dissipated significantly through the years and there is a direct correlation to how the district has let facilities and student resources fall to the wayside. .votebox-results-cell--check { Thompson: I would like to see the school board improve transparency and be more receptive to public suggestions. within DEI programs, I believe this is a disservice to our students being supported as individuals with varying cultural experiences, capabilities, and needs that are unique to them as people, separate from their immutable characteristics.. Its easy to break down this issue as just a matter of school materials, but issues of race are much more complicated than that, he said. The Park Hill School District voted 6-1 Thursday night to extend the district's mask mandate through Feb. 11. font-size: 2em; I didn't want to take that out on the students because I wanted to be true to myself.. The drama teacher stated, The school could not deal with the controversy of a black girl kissing a white boy. Therefore, she could not give me a part. Eight candidates are running for two seats on the Park Hill school board. .percentage_number { ElectronicSchoolBoard ic-BOARD2023 Were learning from incidents that have happened in the past, and things that are coming up now, they said. I am all in favor of teaching accurate history but there is no evidence that Ive seen literally no evidence that diversity and equity initiatives improve academic scores. As a district we should be striving for excellence in all facets of education, demanding accountability and proper oversight, improving our facilities so that they are at the forefront and making sure our educators and students feel safe, well supported and are excited about coming to school. margin-right: 10px; Include the following at the end of the story: If you share the story on social media, please mention @. I am running for Park Hill School Board to work toward an inclusive school district that strives to meet the needs of. Ballot measures, Who represents me? } On DEI initiatives, she said, they bring to light issues of equitable access that prevent students from having an equal opportunity for success in education. In my professional life as an attorney, litigator and business owner, I understand the importance of active listening, keeping an open mind when communicating with others, generating fruitful discussions, analyzing all sides of an issue and making well-informed decisions. There need to be available forums for more interaction. .results_row td:first-child { The proposed levy transfer would allow the district to transfer some funds currently allocated to pay off debt to increase the operating property tax levy for maintaining and staffing schools. In addition, our district has done an excellent job in hiring exceptional teachers who have or are in the process of obtaining advanced degrees. There were no consequences for the teacher, Barnes said. Return Park Hill to Greatness - Jason Keck for Park Hill School Board Johnson has a child with Down syndrome and said that shes seen firsthand how the district needs to improve its services for special education. Feel free, however, to publish it on a page surrounded by ads youve already sold. The Park Hill School Board voted 6-1 in favor of a mask mandate for everyone age 3 and older inside all district facilities. letter-spacing: .04em; Platte County R-III School District, Missouri, elections (2021), Kansas City, Missouri, Question 1, Earnings Tax (April 2021), Platte County R-III School District, Missouri, Question 1, School Bond Issue (April 2021). The Park Hill school board approved Sullinger's retirement at its meeting Thursday night. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Top row from left: Jason Keck, Shereka Barnes and Diona "Kelli" Johnson. Olathe schools to cut $20 million, eliminate jobs. Election guide to school board candidates and issues - The Kansas City Star document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. } One struggle for those doing diversity work in the district is pushback from some community members. State executives | Candidate Christopher LaCour did not return The Stars requests for an interview. It actually applies a lot more pressure to it all, he said. Maria Benevento is the education reporter at The Kansas City Beacon. Public policy. Park Hill School District, Missouri, elections (2021) She believes the district can move faster with its equity work, especially with development training, allocating resources, bringing student perspectives to discussions and implementing more equitable hiring practices. .results_row { .race_header { Podcast to Elect Jason Keck for School Board Taking Care of Our Students with Special Needs and Their Curriculum, Podcast to Elect Jason Keck for School Board The Importance of Supporting Teachers in the District Who Are One of Our Most Valuable Assets, Podcast to Elect Jason Keck for School Board The CRT Conversation. width: 100%; Terrell, a deportation officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a real estate agent, declined to answer The Stars questions, but provided a statement: Im running for school board to bring more transparency to the decision making, bring a parents bill of rights to our school and divert our district from its critical race theory efforts.. We amplify community voices, share resources and investigate systems, not just symptoms. Media|Press 816.490.7034 padding-left: 0; In addition, how can we pay staff members more? She also prioritizes removing partisan politics from the school board and focusing on the needs of students, better supporting teachers who feel like they are drowning after the past couple of years, and ensuring that district administrators and board members spend more times in schools talking with staff and students. She tells me about her day. If youre in line at 7 p.m. you can vote. 11,878 students Two seats on the Park Hill School District school board in Missouri were up for general election on April 6, 2021. Keck: The Park Hill School District has a strong curriculum for the majority of its students and those students are meeting or exceeding expectations. We each need to engage each other. Candidate William Lindsey did not respond to The Stars questions by deadline. } Dominick Williams / The Beacon (From left) Park Hill school board members Brandy Woodley and Shereka Barnes and administrators Paul Kelly and Mike Kimbrel attend a school board meeting May 12. If you dont have an ID or forget to bring one, you can cast a provisional ballot. LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKRC) - Lakota's new interim superintendent is officially on the job, ready to face a divisive school board. | Theyre getting mistreated by (the) legislature social media, everywhere, she said. The district is very strong financially with consistent growth and brand new buildings, but has also let some of the existing facilities fall behind those of benchmark districts. Tammy Thompson for Park Hill School Board. When neighboring school districts have a higher base salary and better benefits, is our reputation enough to bring in new, quality candidates and keep the ones we currently have? Voters also will consider two ballot propositions to help the district build new schools and make improvements. overflow-y: hidden; And I feel like I have something to offer to make a difference in the lives of our children and staff members in our district.. left: 0px; font-weight: 200; Candidate Anne Geanes, though, has stopped campaigning and instead endorsed Melissa Kelly-Foxhoven and Larry Anderson, according to a news release. Its fine to change the story to suit your in-house style (for example, using Lawrence, Kan. instead of Lawrence.), If you make changes that are more significant than style tweaks such as adding a comment from a local official you need to include a note like this: Additional reporting by Joe Reporter.. } Everybody wants to act like a lot of the stuff thats going on now is new, but I think the difference is that its just (on) social media and more recorded, she said. padding-left: 8px; } position: absolute; There are two open spots on the Park Hill School Board. In Lees Summit, eight candidates, including one incumbent, are running for two seats on the school board. The Beacon attempted to reach Jeff Runyan through an email listed on a Park Hill candidate information page but did not receive a response. 302 talking about this. I would like to bring back shop class to middle and high school levels. Its only one example of the tense environment surrounding education as Missouri voters head to the polls on Tuesday. font-size: 12px; And Avyon is at the University of Missouri-Columbia studying to be a doctor. In February, a teacher was allowed to retire after he repeated the N-word to a student. That is not my effort. Our schools are already diverse and learning how to be inclusive, curious and compassionate toward others, especially those who are different from you, are critical life skills for good global citizenship.. Jason Keck for Park Hill School Board. How could it improve academic scores? Brandon Ellington thinks he can. Current events in society and in our nation and in our community have definitely proven to us that we have greater work to do, said Terri Deayon, the districts director of access, inclusion and family engagement. Research: Josh Altic Vojsava Ramaj display: block; Park Hill School District, Missouri, elections (2020), Largest school districts in the United States by enrollment, List of school districts in the United States, Analysis of spending in America's largest school districts, United States school shootings, 1990-present, School board salaries in America's largest school districts, Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy, Michelle Robinson, Senior Product Manager, Education & School Boards, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Park_Hill_School_District,_Missouri,_elections_(2021)&oldid=8391069, Pages using DynamicPageList3 dplreplace parser function, United States school district elections, 2021, contact our editorial staff or report an error, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) policy, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. Challenges are the issues that have been happening lately due to racial issues and the delays in learning due to COVID-19. The candidates won election to the school board by default. Their passion and advocacy woke me up, she said. Podcast to Elect Jason Keck for School Board Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. top: -1px; But that hasnt stopped a crowded field of candidates from running in Kansas City area school board races, where like in Independence, contests have largely focused on politically charged issues like the teaching of race in schools, banning books, and diversity and equity initiatives. Lake Wylie preservation board accused of mismanagment | News
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