another "Kansas City high schools" thread (Center: home, neighborhoods)

[powerconverters]

I'm about to move back to Kansas City after completing my teacher education in Chicago. I'm not 100% sure I want to teach in a regular school setting right out of college, but I'll have a Type 09 Illinois Secondary teaching certificate in visual arts in about a month. High school art teacher. I've started putting in online applications with KCK and KCMO school districts.

I've been student teaching in a Chicago public school on the south side for a few months now and wouldn't mind finding a similar (but smaller!) environment.

In my current situation, some pro's are:
Supportive, high quality art teachers
Friendly, respectful, intelligent students
Students don't seem as separated from the "real world" as I've seen in other high schools. I guess I could chalk it up to, "family and community ties are strong; finances are weak." The kids aren't spoiled or boring.
Huge variety in courses offered

Some cons are:
Low, low budget that shrinks drastically every year
3600 students! too big for me
At least half my students don't really care if they pass or fail their classes; school's just not important.
Students choose or are placed in majors as soon as they enroll freshman year. Half my art majors chose to be there.
The new principal focuses most of his attention, energy and resources on meeting NCLB MYP in reading, math and science-- not a con in itself, but the art department, formerly a magnet program, is shriveling.

I'd love to hear from teachers, parents and students in the KC area high schools. Looking up schools on the internet hasn't given me much of a feel for 'em. (I left KC in an awful hurry after graduating from Shawnee Mission, and most of my high school friends attended private Mo schools. I've a pretty limited perspective for a KC native.)

Thank you!

[Samantha S]

What kind of information are you looking for?

[powerconverters]

Thanks for replying.

I'm looking for pro's and cons, what the teachers, students, administration and neighborhood are like, and if possible what the art department is like.

Thanks.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by powerconverters

Thanks for replying.

I'm looking for pro's and cons, what the teachers, students, administration and neighborhood are like, and if possible what the art department is like.

Thanks.

In what school or school district? There are so many schools and districts in the metro and they vary widely. Even schools within districts can vary widely. Neighborhoods within school boundaries can vary widely ... see what I mean?

If you want to list specific schools or districts to which you've applied you might get some responses from people familiar with them. But unless a responder happens to have kids in that district or school, it will be difficult for you to get reliable and specific information.

But I'm not trying to discourage you! Hum a few bars and we'll fake it ...

[powerconverters]

All right. What I'm trying to get here is, "I'm a teacher/parent/student at ______. It's like this:_______. Students there _______. They have/don't have a lot of support at home. Teachers _________. There are ____ art teachers who ________."

Something along those lines. I listed what I like and don't like about my home school here in Chicago.

I came here precisely because of the huge spectrum, variance, rate of change among schools and districts. Where would you definitely recommend I apply or not apply? Why? (I'm applying to as many as possible, but should I prioritize?)

I went to a Shawnee Mission school, knew kids from Rockhurst, St. Theresa's, a few from Center, Park Hill and Blue Valley. I'm pretty much clueless about KCK and NKC except what I find on their and other websites. I'm looking for more personal, anecdotal/impression-based information. Any of these schools! Why do you love them/hate them? What would you change?


(And what is it like at this fancy new Staley high school?!)

Thanks.