LCPA student Rita Cooper recently attended the National Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. and Tyler Cox placed 3rd in the Mayors United Nations Art Contest. Six LCPA students will be presented with a Partnership for Children Honor Roll Award at the Kauffman Foundation next week. The students will be recognized for their literacy project achievement. The LCPA Jazz Ensemble performed at a Get-Out-The-Vote rally with Vice President Gore last week. LCPA students participated in the Kansas City Regional Peace Jam at Rockhurst University October 27 & 28. The goal of this event is to offer students the opportunity to learn about and appreciate other cultures. LCPA is competing against Blue Valley High School in a canned food drive; Mr. Hawkins is sure that LCPA will win.

The gym floor in the High School was repaired last week but there is a 10 day curing period following the repair. The roof has been fixed.

Presentation of Colors by LCPA ROTC Color Guard.

LCPA Jazz Ensemble performed.

Panel Discussion regarding Lincoln Prep's role in the School District of KCMO 2000 and Beyond
S.A.C. Co-Chair Chris Bomah-Swaray introduced the panel of guests: Darwin Curls, assistant to U.S. Congresswoman Karen McCarthy Sharon Sanders-Brooks, Missouri House of Representatives Kay Barnes, Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri Helen Ragsdale, Kansas City Missouri School District Board President Benjamin Demps, Jr., Superintendent Cheri Shannon, Associate Superintendent for Instruction Linda Lollis, Executive Director for School Leadership

Here are some highlights of the topics discussed:

Accreditation
Mr. Demps explained that he is meeting twice a month with the school principals (in clusters of 8 or 9 schools) to keep them up-to-date about what is going on. The District will need to meet a minimum of four accreditation standards in order to receive provisional accreditation. KCMSD has met two of the standards; the data related to the other two standards is being checked. Mr. Demps hopes the KCMSD will achieve provisional accreditation by next spring, however, he feels that while this represents an upswing, we have to stay on the upswing. There are some academically deficient schools in the District (LCPA is not one of them) and Mr. Demps explained that while corrective measures are being taken to help these schools achieve, one thing we must accept is that several schools have not done well.

Charter Schools
Mr. Demps explained that while we cannot legally prevent charter schools from opening, what we can do is perform. Mr. Demps reported that while students are leaving to attend the charter schools, they are coming back to the District, more quickly than anticipated. Mr. Demps urged the audience to think of the charter schools as competition and that the best thing to do is perform. In answer to a question about the money returning with the student, once they re-enter the District, Ms. Shannon explained that the money follows the student and is based on pupil attendance. There is a 30 day time factor so the District does not receive the money right away. Often the District does not know where the child comes from, so tracking the number of students returning to the District is somewhat difficult.

School Safety
Ms. Ragsdale explained that the School Board had scheduled a forum about the armed police topic but that it had been canceled until there is more input from parents. Ms. Ragsdale further explained that while some schools require more protection than others, and parents are concerned about activities going on outside of the schools, the issue has been tabled until there is more input from parents. Ms. Ragsdale added the District is fortunate that the police patrols around Central High School have cleaned up the area.

In response to a question about changing 6:05 a.m. bus pick up times without disrupting the elementary schools, it was explained that safety and security are issues for any age group that is waiting for a bus, at any time. The District will continue to work with the Kansas City Police Department to adjust patrol times, where the Police Department can, to have a security presence while students are waiting school buses. The District is trying to work out a means to supplement KCMSD Security to augment what the police can do.

Recruitment of Teachers
Mr. Demps reported that there is now has a better degree of cooperation between universities and the District to consolidate efforts to recruit and hire teachers. In an effort to "grow our own teachers", Mr. Demps reported that on the state level there are scholarship programs available and a loan forgiveness plan in the works. Additionally the District is working on plans to renovate a building to house the KCMSD Teacher Academy; a place where student teachers could live, continue their studies and provide a source of substitute teachers for the District.

Teachers shortages are not unique to Kansas City and the District plans to continue to implement a strong recruitment plan across the metro, state and nation. Ms. Shannon explained the Teacher Associate Apprenticeship program where the District, in conjunction with D.E.S.E., is providing a vehicle for teacher certification for candidates with a B.A., Masters or Ph.D. in their area of expertise.

Respectfully submitted,

Elizabeth Mayer
S.A.C. Secretary