Genesis School petitions court to keep doors open

Genesis School’s fight to stay open is heading to court. The Kansas City public charter school filed a petition this week in Cole County Circuit Court after the Missouri state school board on Monday, without addressing admitted flaws in the process, upheld the state’s charter school commission’s decision earlier this year to revoke the school’s charter.

Genesis School charter revoked; expects to appeal to state school board

By a 6-to-1 decision, the Missouri Charter Public School Commission voted to revoke Genesis School’s charter Feb. 15 — a decision that Genesis expects it will appeal to the state school board.

Genesis supporters crowd public hearing in defense of community school

For the life of a community school, nothing could be more dire than what brought a tense and overflowing crowd into an east Kansas City meeting room Monday night. Genesis School, attorney Chuck Hatfield said, is staring down a “death penalty.”

Remembering 2022: Our year in photos

Take a look back. LINC celebrates a full year of Caring Communities, with great appreciation for so many partners and volunteers who all came together to help strengthen children, families and neighborhoods.

Operation Toys for Tots: LINC, U.S. Marine Corps spread holiday cheer

It’s not a simple operation, bagging up 200 toys for every LINC Caring Communities site. But the U.S. Marine Corps and LINC managed it again, packing the big red sacks of toys into an assortment of LINC staff’s pickups, vans, SUVs and one fully loaded U-Haul to cap off another Toys for Tots mission.

LINC, First book team up to send children home with three thousand new books

Three thousand and four, to be exact. LINC made sure children and their Caring Communities families had new books to take home for the holidays, continuing a collaboration with the non-profit First Book to help inspire a lifetime of reading.

Boom! LINC's Lights On Afterschool 2022 events are rocketing, now with video

Our annual Lights On Afterschool celebrations got off to a world-traveling start at Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy, painting and chili-eating at J.A. Rogers Elementary, rocket-fuel explosions at Warford, a fashion show at Faxon . . . and there is so much more throughout LINC’s Caring Communities. Check out our video and photo gallery.

'This is our heart': Building schools of character

Character Counts is foundational. Speaking the program’s name invokes the six pillars of moral living that LINC’s team members learn and carry into their Caring Communities. It guides the lessons and meaningful moments they share with children in their classrooms every day.

Welcome back! This is what Caring Communities look like

Yes, there will be plenty of all the creative fun that kids enjoy in LINC’s before- and after-school programs, but just as reliable are the broader supports LINC’s Caring Communities bring to the children, families and neighborhoods.

Simon says: Start your pre-enollment for LINC now!

We’re getting ready for you. LINC’s free before- and after-school programs are now starting the pre-enrollment process for the coming school year. Find out what you need to know about our Caring Communities programs and start your pre-enrollment today.

Simon says: No stopping the possibilities for LINC's big summer

“Do your favorite dance move!” was the Simon Says command, and in a moment LINC children launched into an dazzling array of gyrations, spins and leg kicks — as varied and entertaining as LINC’s menu of summer recreational and educational fun.

Sign up for Summer! Pre-enrollment open for LINC's before- and after-school programs

Here comes summer. It’s time for families that are planning to have children in summer school to pre-enroll for LINC’s before- and after-school programs. We’ll be ready with games, activities and fun learning opportunities at 15 school sites in our partner districts.

Lee A. Tolbert Academy board names Mitchell as superintendent

New Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy superintendent Dr. Donnie Mitchell has served as the school’s principal since 2020 after many years as a teacher and administrator in the Kansas City, Kan., School District and other major area districts.

Genesis' Project Sankofa shows children what they can be, eye-to-eye

This is how ideas can wiggle into children’s heads and take shape as they grow. “We’re talking about not only allowing them to dream,” says LINC’s Keith Brown, “but really imagining that these realities can happen.”

'We see you. We hear you.' Tolbert Academy students speak to community in mural challenge

It was quite a day: Teenagers working with artists and entrepreneurs, stretching their imaginations in a mural design as broad as the community they love — and as close as the fear and joy in their hearts. Lee A. Tolbert Academy students poured their heart and soul into the Startland MECA Challenge, and now they wait.

Seven years after Kaboom, Genesis School plans community fair, makeover in 'Project Prepare'

It’s been seven years since Genesis School and neighbors came together to build the playground provided by Kaboom! Now, the playground is in need of a makeover, and this time around Genesis is planning a community fair and rally Aug. 7 to get everyone primed and ready for the coming school year.

'Find your community'; In critical year ahead, schools want you back, welcomed and safe

It doesn't matter how well — or not — you and your child managed Covid’s hard time. A common message is brewing. Children, however much they struggled with online learning, will be advanced with their peers into the next grade. Everyone will recover together. Schools’ plea: Just come back.

On your marks! LINC's summer session takes off

There’s a serious side to summer after-school programs now. There’s increased attention to academic skills coming out of the pandemic. And an awareness of children’s social and emotional well-being after so much separation and so many families still hurting. But this is still summer. And LINC’s not going to let kids down now.

Updates: Students returning to classrooms as Covid cases fall, with new CDC guidance

t’s been a long road. That’s for sure. But continued declines in Covid-19 cases plus more aggressive advice from the Centers for Disease Control are opening the doors for Kansas City Public Schools, Hickman Mills and Center to bring students back into in-person classrooms in the weeks ahead. And other districts hope to bring more students into already-open buildings.

Calling all KC hands to rescue education system 'on verge of collapse'

The “frightening” expanse of unenrolled or disengaged children across the Kansas City area can be rounded into large numbers — or bared one-by-one. An enrollment and drop-out task force is issuing a call to educators, business leaders, policy makers and anyone else who wants to join in the work.