Kansas City, Kansas Public School will begin the 2025-26 school year with four new principals.

They will start their new roles on or near July 1, 2025.

The district is pleased to announce the hiring of:

• Dr. Brian Guliford, Wyandotte High School
• Ms. Sharon Bedolla, Quindaro Elementary School
• Aaron Pence, Stony Point North Elementary School
• Dr. Amber Block, Bethel Early Childhood Center

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is pleased to announce that McKinley Elementary School Principal Dr. Marica Rhone will transition to the new role of Assistant Director of Recruitment in the district’s Human Resources Department.

Dr. Rhone has successfully served as McKinley Elementary School’s principal for two years.

She has been an educator for 24 years, with 18 of those years spent with KCKPS.

Dr. Rhone will begin her new role on July 1, 2025.

A new cohort of educators have proudly graduated from the Aspiring Principals Academy, marking a new wave of transformative leadership in education at Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. 

On Wednesday, May 7, 11 passionate, dedicated, and aspiring principals were proudly introduced during a special ceremony at Central Office, celebrating their commitment to leadership and their bright future in shaping schools and student success.

The academy was an intensive course in which each candidate was required to complete a series of episodes, or modules.

In April 2023, Jamie Craig, a cherished Wyandotte High School teacher and dedicated anti-violence advocate, was tragically taken by the very violence she devoted her life to preventing.

Every year since her passing, Craig’s family, friends, and students have come together to celebrate her life and legacy at the annual Jamie Craig Legacy Food Truck Festival, held on the campus of Wyandotte High school.

On Thursday, May 22, the festival featured food trucks, free snacks, interactive games, inflatables, refreshments, booths from local help organizations, prizes for students, and more.   

The Sumner Academy (Lady Sabres) Girls Soccer Team capped off their 2025 regular season with a perfect 16-0 record. 

According to Sumner Academy Principal Rick Malone, the team went undefeated for the first time in school history. “We have had some great seasons recently, but this one is by far the best start I have ever seen,” he shared.

Led by head coach Megan Schmidt, the team didn’t just win, they dominated. During the course of the season, they scored an impressive 100 goals while giving up just five.

The Kansas City, Kansas School Foundation for Excellence is thrilled to celebrate a major milestone- awarding over $100,000 in college scholarships, affirming its ongoing commitment to supporting academic achievement for students in our community.

On Wednesday, April 30, close to 40 students from Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools were honored with scholarships during a special ceremony held at Central Office, recognizing their academic dedication and future potential.

The scholarships range between $1,000 and $5,000, allowing KCKPS students the opportunity to pursue higher education.

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools’ M.E. Pearson Elementary School was one of 220 schools from 38 states across the country to receive a $5,000 grant through the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries.

This year, the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries awarded over $1 million in library grants.

Many of the libraries will use the funds to update and diversify their collections. "Books have the power to spark curiosity and inspire lifelong learning. We are thrilled to provide these grants so that librarians can refresh their shelves — opening the door for students to discover new interests and endless adventures," Mrs. Laura Bush said.

For nearly eight decades, the sound of sweet melodic music has marked the arrival of spring in Kansas City, Kansas. 

What began in the hopeful years following World War II has grown into a cherished tradition: the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools' annual Spring Orchestral Festival.

For the second year in a row, the 2-day festival (April 28-29) has taken place at KCK’s famed Memorial Hall after previously occurring at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

The time-honored tradition featured hundreds of 4^th and 5^th-grade students, the Rosedale Middle School Mariachi Band, and the All-City Honor Orchestra.

They may have seen themselves as underdogs, but the scrappy robotics team from Wyandotte High School proved they have that competitive spirit.

The ambitious team qualified and participated in the prestigious FIRST World Championship Robotics Competition held in Houston, Texas.

The three-day event (April 16-19) celebrated science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), bringing together more than 600 schools from around the globe, 19,000 students, and more than 1,000 robots to compete.

The summer months can be a much needed break for many students after they’ve undergone the rigors of school.

But it’s also important that students remain sharp so when they return to school, they’re not starting from scratch.

The following information is something families should keep in mind to help students during summer break.

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools proudly invites educators, parents, and community members to the 4^th annual When You See Me Conference, a powerful gathering dedicated to celebrating student identity and elevating their voices.

The conference will take from noon to 3:00 p.m., Friday, June 13, at Carl B. Bruce Middle School, located at 2100 N. 18^th Street, KCK.

Join us for an afternoon of inspiration, learning, and collaboration as we explore what it truly means to see and support every student and help build a stronger school community.

Mayor Garner visited with members from the Voters Right Network where he enjoyed detailing his role as Mayor/CEO.

At the meeting, he discussed the joys, challenges, opportunities, as well as limitations to the position.

Mayor Garner concluded his presentation by encouraging community members to staying informed about their government, leadership, and decisions that are made, and to be sure to utilize the power of our democracy by voting!

The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) is warning customers about a surge in utility scams, targeting area residents. 

Scammers are impersonating BPU employees, both in person and over the phone, to demand immediate payment for allegedly overdue bills. 

The organization will never ask for payment over the phone or threaten to disconnect services due to non-payment.

BPU urges customers to be cautious and verify the identity of anyone claiming to be from the utility company.

Fires safety in a home can make all the difference in the world when it comes to surviving an incident.

The American Red Cross is offering FREE in-home fire safety visits.

Representatives will come to your home to test any smoke alarms currently installed in your home, and will install new battery-powered smoke alarms on every level of your home.