About Us
Frequently Asked Questions About Our School
How is Gordon Parks different from other charters?
How is the school held accountable?
What is the school's philosophy regarding discipline?
What is the length of a regular school day?
What is expected of me as a parent?
What about the Academic Program?
How does "The No Child Left Behind" act affect Gordon Parks?
How can I give a Helping Hand?
A. An independent public school that is an alternative to the regular public school system. Charter schools are alike in the following ways:
- They receive public tax support
- They cannot charge tuition nor discriminate in student enrollment
- They are non-profit organizations governed by a board that assumes legal, financial, and program oversight responsibilities
- They must satisfy their sponsor (ours is CMSU) and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) that students are progressing academically
- Each has the capacity to hire and fire its staff
- Each may determine its system for reaching the state curricular goals
Q. How is Gordon Parks different from other charters?
A. Gordon Parks mission is to serve urban-core at-risk children. A family-like school, it has only 200 students, no more than 17 in each classroom, and all the adults know every child by name. Its experienced and certified staff discovers how each child learns and instructs him/her, individually, in that way. There is at least twice the time, given by other public schools, to art, music, physical education and library science. The enriched program is ideal for helping at-risk children be successful. It's a program for every child.
A. To academically prepare urban-core Kansas City children to enter the middle school of their choice.
Q. How is the school held accountable?
A. By DESE (the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of the State of Missouri); CMSU (Central Missouri State University), our sponsor; our annual independent audit; the federal government; the state government; and the several hundred individual, corporate and foundation contributors.
A. Gordon Parks has site-based management. Lunch preparation is the only outsourced service.
A. A prolific world-renowned African-American photographer, poet, author, composer, film director, and painter born in Ft. Scott, Kansas in 1912. He lives in New York City and gave his name to our school. Read more . . .
Q. Where is the school located?
A. In a 1914, former Volker School, building at 3715 Wyoming, Kansas City, Missouri, above Roanoke Park. The 32,000 square-foot building houses 13 classrooms, art and music rooms, library, gym, and cafeteria. It is filled with light, pouring through ten foot high windows, and is surrounded by generous grounds with a playground and student garden beds.
Q. How do I get to the school?
A. From 39th and Wyoming, turn north onto Wyoming, right onto Valentine, and left onto Roanoke. The parking lot is directly ahead and the entrance is adjacent to the flagpole. View map.
A. Anyone living within the Kansas City Missouri school district may apply for kindergarten through fifth grade. Call Miss Sandy, in the school office, (816)753-6700, or Mrs. Mallory, (816) 753-6711, Community Liaison, for information. Or use our Contact Form
Q. What is the school's philosophy regarding discipline?
A. School-wide and no blame, involving every adult and child, BIST (Behavior Intervention Support Team) and PBS (Positive Behavior Support) are the guides. The goals are to create order within the school and especially to help students build lifelong skills to take responsibility and to respect themselves and others.
A. Brightly-colored tee shirts and sweatshirts with the school logo are worn with black, navy, or khaki pants. New students receive 2 free shirts. Others are available, at cost, from the school.
A. Door to door transportation is provided to our students within the parameters of the district. Transportation is not provided to students within walking distance.
Q. What is the length of a regular school day?
A. 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. About twice each month classes are dismissed at 12:30 for staff professional development. Our summer program is during the month of June and begins at 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
A. We have an after school program with choices in activities which includes care on early dismissal days also. It begins right after school until 5:30 p.m.
A. All teachers are certified and urban-experienced.
A. Class size is limited to no more than 18 students in each classroom.
A. There is no tuition fee. Our school invests more than $14,000 a year per student. The expenses beyond tax support are provided by contributors.
Q. What is expected of me as a parent?
A. To see that your student arrives on time, in uniform and with plenty of rest. By seeing that your child is present every day, unless he/she is ill with a fever, you show your child that you value education. You are expected to watch for and respond to notes from school, to spend 20 minutes each day listening and reading with your child, come to school meetings, and volunteer at school when possible.
Q. What about the Academic Program?
A. We have unlimited expectations and the conviction that every child can learn. We honor a child's individual learning pace, and, when the child's future is best served, he/she is welcomed to remain an additional, seventh, year.
There are no textbooks. Children's literature is the teaching tool for every discipline. The program, called Balanced Literacy, builds attentive listeners, articulate speakers, devoted readers, eager writers, and strategic thinkers. Teachers, including art, music, physical education, dance and library, are facilitators, helping students become responsible for their learning. Curricular goals conform to state and national standards. Our 6-week Summer Program is a continuation of the yearlong program.
Q. How does "The No Child Left Behind" act affect Gordon Parks?
A. Being a public school, we are under its jurisdiction. We certainly embrace the goal for every student to become proficient in math and communication arts. Our highly trained staff has that as a goal for every child.
A. We strive to gain and maintain racial diversity on our boards, staff and student body.
Q. How can I give a Helping Hand?
A. Call our volunteer coordinator at (816)753-6700. There are regular and episodic opportunities, all of them important and fun. To participate on the board or to make a donation, contact our development director at (816) 931-8580.
A. We are proud to say that North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement accredited Gordon Parks Elementary in the 2006-07 school year. We are one of the few charter schools that have been accredited.