New website ready for KC families caught in scramble for summer and after-school programs

Finding affordable local summer and after-school programs can be a frantic scramble for Kansas City families. A new non-profit site — InPlay — has launched in KC to make that search easier. The Kauffman Foundation-funded site is open for business and seeking listings.

In championing education equity, the 2019 EPFP fellows say: We're just getting started

What the Kansas City fellows in the 2018-2019 Education Policy Fellowship Program presented in their final scheduled time together this summer was more of a launch party of things to come.

When it comes to their chosen mission of championing education policy through a lens of equity, these EPFP fellows made it clear: We’re just getting started.

'Bug House' and bishops on attack: LINC's chess camp delights in strategy

LINC’s Chess Camp gathered some 26 kids and its companion Chess University some 16 adults to steep themselves in new strategies in the week-long programs at Genesis School.

The history of LINC’s two decades of promoting chess suggests that today’s students may well be tomorrow’s teachers.

'We have to talk about these things': LINC students confront race, identity in '30 Americans' exhibition

Students from Wendell Phillips Elementary School toured the Nelson-Atkins Museum’s provocative “30 Americans” exhibition of works by African American artists, taking on its challenging questions of “Race, History, Identity and Beauty.”

Fort Osage team goes deep into schools to combat youth mental health crisis

A mental health crisis is shadowing the nation’s children and the Fort Osage School District is taking a step that many experts are saying needs to happen with urgency in communities throughout the country: Putting therapists inside their schools.

'For the sake of the children and our city,' Turn the Page looks ahead as Mayor James leaves office

Turn the Page KC’s Summer Reading Splash at the Sprint Center thrilled 2,000 children with new books, while outgoing Mayor Sly James took stock of the work still to be done as Kansas City chases its goal of every child reading at grade level by the third grade.

Ruskin neighborhoods know: Saying 'goodbye' to schools will be hard

The Ruskin Heights and Ruskin Hills neighborhoods are losing two elementary schools. The Hickman Mills School District is holding ceremonial open houses Saturday, June 8, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. because people want to come and remember.

Songs of their lives; KC East High School refugees, migrants tell their stories in music

East High School teacher Diane Mora challenged her students — many of them refugees or migrants — to find the emotions of their lives in the songs they love — and then write about it.

'Game changing' bill passed to help more Missourians clear criminal records

A Kansas City campaign to help hundreds of people clear their names of old criminal records got a “game changing” boost from Missouri lawmakers this week. The bill needs to be signed by Gov. Mike Parson to become law.

'I know an angel'; Girls on the Run finds heroes among the young and old

The Girls on the Run program in several LINC Caring Communities sites had already changed lives long before the teams of girls and their partners took on the season-ending challenge at Children’s Mercy Park May 4.

Overwhelming stories flood 'Clear Your Record' expungement campaign in KC

Nearly 800 people with old criminal records have registered for help in the Clear Your Record expungement campaign in Kansas City. Their stories are hard, and personal. There is a simple reason the volunteers are trying so hard to help these hundreds navigate the law, spare them onerous legal expenses and digitally speed up the process.

Survive and thrive; how KC charter Tolbert Academy made it 20 years

Anxious. On their knees. In prayer.

Bishop Mark Tolbert knew enough about start-up businesses and Dr. Vivian Roper knew enough about running an urban school to know hard moments would come.

The brother-and-sister team behind Kansas City’s Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy public charter school knew that launching the school 20 years ago meant jumping into water over their heads.