Growing up, I was always taught by my parents that in most aspects of life the sum of our parts was greater than the individual pieces. I was also taught that servant leadership – the act of leading and being a contributing member to a community by serving that community – was the way to honor those before you, support those around you, and advance everyone together.
When I think about community, unity, and giving back, what resonates the most with me is the need for our community to unite to better serve individuals and populations in Kansas City that are facing inequity in different areas of their lives.
In my childhood household, giving to the community was something that my parents modeled daily. My parents were both teachers – although my dad joined the profession as a second career, after working as an engineer and a farmer in the rural part of England that I grew up in.
Register for Upcoming Webinars on Family-School Partnerships For families and educators, the pandemic put a spotlight on the critical need for partnerships between educators and families as a key factor in student success and wellness. Now as schools, districts and...
President & CEO, Latinx Education Collaborative
Edgar J. Palacios is the President & CEO (founder) of the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC), a nonprofit, start-up organization that works to increase the representation of Latinx education professionals in K-12. Edgar previously owned a nonprofit consultancy (EJPKC, LLC) and has had the privilege of working with organizations such as Community Builders of Kansas City; Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City; El Centro, Inc.; Show Me KC Schools; and the Kauffman Foundation.
It has been a real honor for me to participate in mentoring a student through the Hispanic Development Fund (HDF). Thirty plus years ago I was a recipient of the scholarship, and a message that was given to me at that time has always stayed me, which is: “Your community has given to you, never forget to give back to your community”. Now my son is a recipient and so are other family members.
SSKC has partnered with IBosswell to assist in research of essential social services needed by our students in KCPSS schools who are at high risk of underachieving and/or chronic absenteeism due to out-of-school factors such as inadequate or unstable housing, mental...
By Anne MillerUpdate Courtesy of Anne Miller The KC Pre-K Cooperative, an innovative partnership between early childhood providers and K-12 public schools, continues to grow in the 2021-2022 school year. The Cooperative’s five early childhood education providers and...
Nicole Goodman is the Superintendent at Scuola Vita Nuova Charter School. She graduated from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa with a B.A. in Elementary Education and a minor in Sports Administration.
Megan Jefferson will be beginning her 9th year as a special education teacher this school year. She currently teaches at Kansas City International Academy (KCIA), where she is thankful to be a part of such a wonderful education community!