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2019
Private School Profiles If you’re a parent, you want what’s best for your children. When it comes to their education what could be more important than choosing the right school? Finding the right school for your child can seem like a big task to take on for any parent. In this special section you can look closer at what makes each of these local private schools unique; from religious philosophies, preferred learning methods and class size, you can find the school that’s best for you and your family.
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School Profiles
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The Barstow School 11511 State Line Road Kansas City, MO | 816.942.3255 | barstowschool.org
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he Barstow School provides the region’s premier college and career preparatory education for students from preschool-grade 12. Barstow’s innovative, inclusive and globally connected learning environment cultivates the potential in every student through differentiated instruction and dedicated faculty mentorship. Barstow students come from 67 zip codes in Missouri and Kansas. They are part of a richly diverse school community that “promotes sound scholarship and gives symmetrical development to mind, body and character” since 1884. Our Early Childhood program offers experiential and play-centered learning that allows teachers to develop individualized instruction guided by the child’s imagination and interest. Daily movement and PE keep them active and engaged as they build the skills that prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. Barstow’s STEAM program uses science, technology, engineering, the arts and math as the conduits to 21st century skills including critical thinking, collaboration and communication. STEAM principles are applied in daily learning as early as preschool. The school’s acclaimed robotics team won its division and placed third overall in the 2019 FIRST Robotics World Championships in Hous-
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ton, Texas. Many robotics team members are also part of Barstow’s 2019 state championship soccer team, signature broadcast and theatre programs or other athletic teams, academic groups and service clubs. Barstow students don’t have to choose one interest; they are encouraged to explore everything. Barstow is the founding member of the Hybrid Learning Consortium, a blended and online learning community that offers hundreds of courses for middle and upper school students. About 70 percent of students in grades 4-8 participate in championship math clubs open to students of any skill level. Our Global Education program provides opportunities for cultural exchanges with students at partner schools around the world, including visitors from Argentina, Spain, Costa Rica, China, France and Australia. Barstow’s College Counseling office is staffed by two experienced faculty members who get to know every student individually, beginning as early as a family wishes, to help them choose the post-secondary school that is the right fit academically, financially and socially. From their earliest explorations through commencement, Barstow invests in the whole student and prepares them for leadership in a rapidly changing world.
School Profiles
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Cristo Rey Kansas City 211 West Linwood Blvd Kansas City, MO | 816.457.6044 | cristoreykc.org
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risto Rey Opens Doors to Private College-Prep Academics for Students Willing To Work. More than 20 years ago, Father John Foley was looking for a solution to the lack of educational opportunities available to low-income families in the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods of Chicago. As a Jesuit who was familiar with prep education, Father Foley knew there was a significant barrier; “How can we provide a private, college-prep education for low-income students from families unable to afford tuition payments?” Foley’s solution came in the form of a question, “What if every student has a job?” Modeled after this successful Chicago experiment, the Cristo Rey Network now encompasses 37 schools and serves more than 12,000 high school students across the country. The schools integrate four years of rigorous college preparatory academics with four years of professional work experience
that enable each student to earn approximately half of the cost of their education. The gap that exists for each student is funded with support from the community. Located in Midtown, Cristo Rey Kansas City opened in 2006 and is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, a religious community with more than 150 years of experience in education. Students commit to a longer school day and year, tackle ambitious coursework, and miss no academic time while at work-study assignments. More than 120 area businesses partner with the school to create this opportunity for students. Teams of students from each grade job share and perform the duties of a full-time, entry-level position. With 10 years of graduates, Cristo Rey Kansas City is proud to report that 100 percent of its graduates have been admitted to college, and 60 percent of its graduates have earned degrees or remain in college.
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School Profiles
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The Pembroke Hill School The Pembroke Hill School provides wonderful opportunities for students, age 2 years through 12th grade, to experience excellence in their educational journeys within one school. Small class sizes, with an 11:1 student teacher ratio, allow for individual attention. From early years to grade 5, two outstanding teachers lead each classroom. Pembroke Hill’s 1,165 students enjoy a robust curriculum, including STEM opportunities, foreign language choices and art options, along with an extensive extracurricular program. Pembroke Hill is a caring and diverse community. Families reside in 73 zip codes; 30 percent of students are students of color. The 106 members of the Class of 2019 are attending 72 colleges. Transportation is available from Johnson County and south Kansas City.
400 W. 51st St. Kansas City, MO 816.936.1200 | www.pembrokehill.org
Get Smarter Prep At Get Smarter Prep, we help students and families manage the College Prep process better than anyone else. We focus on the individual needs of each student to develop a customized plan. Our teachers are passionate about learning, knowledgeable in every facet of the exam, and experienced in helping students reach their goals. We cap our classes at eight students to preserve a focused and personal environment. We also offer the best 1-on-1 test prep in the Midwest. Our classes feature questions and practice exams written by the test makers. We customize your learning experience to help you score better, and the techniques and methods we teach will help you as a student going forward. Build up your confidence, beat test anxiety, identify your strengths and areas you want to improve. We help you discover ways to study better and retain knowledge to ultimately achieve the score they need for the school they want. Providing the same level of personal attention as our test prep instructors, our college counselors are focused on helping students find the right college fit. From determining a major to finding the right school to writing the right essays, we’re here to serve your unique needs and expectations.
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Leawood: 13400 Briar Dr. Suite A, Leawood, KS Mission: 5920 Nall Ave #300, Mission, KS 913.322.3400 | getsmarterprep.com
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School Profiles
Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool is a facility that provides preschool and early childhood education. They provide a magical learning experience enabling each child to develop their imagination and social skills while preparing them for their education journey. Little Sunshine’s distinctive services set them apart from other preschools and have been designed to meet specific connection, communication, security, nutrition, and convenience desires of their families. Their proprietary curriculum, Creatively Shine, was inspired by Reggio Emilia, an Italian philosophy that supports the fact that children are full of curiosity and creativity, ready to explore the world with a sense of wonder and awe. The curriculum approach at Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool is a comprehensive collaboration of predictable themes that allow individualization within the classroom, based on several guiding principles that will foster and cultivate a passion for learning and exploration that will last throughout their lives.
Leawood: 15117 Rosewood Dr. Leawood, KS 913.814.0444 | Littlesunshine.com Overland Park: 9090 W. 135th St. Overland Park, KS 913.737.0807 | Littlesunshine.com
Summit Christian Academy Summit Christian Academy (SCA) is one of the top five private schools in the Kansas City area serving students in preschool – 12th grade. Since 1989, SCA has been committed to bringing excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts steeped in a biblical worldview. Situated on a 36-acre campus, we are conveniently located just fifteen minutes from downtown Kansas City and Kansas. The mission of Summit Christian Academy is to inspire students to achieve their Godgiven potential through excellent academics and Christian training in a compassionate environment. An SCA core value is “inspiring excellence in learning.” SCA faculty members inspire students to excel academically in a community where students can think creatively, learn to discern truth, think critically, and influence the marketplace of ideas for Christ. In academics, arts, and athletics, SCA upholds a standard of excellence that encourages students to achieve their individual best.
1500 SW Jefferson Lee’s Summit, MO 816.525.1480 | summit-christian-academy.org
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Kansas City Academy
Whitefield Academy As Kansas City’s premiere classical and Christian school, we seek to cultivate students who are Christ-honoring critical thinkers, clear communicators, and compassionate leaders, through the pursuit of academic excellence, in the tradition of a classical Christian education. Our students, ranging from Pre-K to 12th grade, enjoy a family-like atmosphere with small class sizes and close relationships between faculty, students, and parents. Because of our effective and engaging classical curriculum and strong emphasis on training students to know how to think rather than what to think, we are consistently ranked among the three top private schools in Kansas City. It’s no wonder that families from all across the KC metro attend Whitefield Academy. 8929 Holmes Rd. Kansas City, MO 816.444.3567 | whitefieldacademy.org
Northland Christian Schools
Kansas City Academy is an accredited, independent private grade 6-12 school. Serving Kansas City for 35 years, KCA is a personalized learning community that respects individuality, encourages independent thinking, and values creativity in all disciplines. KCA graduates are active, responsible participants in a diverse world. We prepare learners for responsible participation in society by encouraging critical thinking, a broad world view, an awareness of global interdependence, a passion for social justice and a commitment to serve as change agents in creating a new future for themselves and others. Our school is a community committed to inclusivity and creative expression. Students at KCA are respected for their whole selves and are expected to practice responsible freedom and to value resourcefulness, curiosity, perseverance and collaboration. 7933 Main St. Kansas City, MO 816.444.5225 | kcacademy.org
Accelerated Schools of Overland Park
Northland Christian School (NCS) is a nondenominational, Christian school located in three locations across the Northland. NCS is a Kingdom school partnering with churches and parents to disciple students in the love and knowledge of Jesus Christ. The vision of NCS is for our students to learn, love, and lead the world to Christ. Our Platte City and Liberty campuses are pre-school thru 5th grades. KC North hosts pre-school thru 12th grades. For more information, please call, email, or visit us.
Accelerated Schools of Overland Park works with students and their families to provide a unique learning environment that maximizes individual success. Students, grades 4 -12, from throughout the greater Kansas City area attend the school, which is accredited by the State of Kansas and AdvancED. Located near Metcalf and I-435, the school offers students a chance to excel with individualized instruction. For more information visit our website at www. AcceleratedSchoolsOP.org, or call the school at 913-341-6666.
KC North & Admin Offices: 10500 N Arrowhead Trafficway Kansas City, MO
10713 Barkley St. Overland Park, KS 913.341.666 | www.acceleratedschoolsop.org
Platte City: 15275 92 HWY, Platte City, MO Liberty: 7700 N Church Rd. Kansas City, MO 816.548.2222 | northlandchristianed.com
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School Profiles
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Notre Dame de Sion High School: 10631 Wornall Rd. Kansas City, MO | 816.942.3282 | ndsion.edu Grade School: 3823 Locust Street Kansas City, MO | 816.753.3810 | ndsion.edu
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here is something special about every Sion student. In our more than 100 years of providing an exceptional educational experience to families in the Kansas City metro area, Notre Dame de Sion has proven its impact by transforming the hearts and minds of our students. We are committed to building openminded, inclusive learners that graduate as self-confident, critical thinkers with a desire to learn. We settle for nothing less than academic excellence and our curriculum is built with this in mind. Rooted in the Catholic, interfaith tradition of the Sisters of Sion, our school is part of an international network through which our students engage in a global exchange of ideas and cultures.
By understanding students’ individual gifts and inspiring their passion, Sion forms servant leaders who engage in social justice that matters. Our grade school serves both boys and girls grades Pre-K through Eighth and is located in midtown Kansas City at 39th and Locust. Our all-girls, college-preparatory high school is located in South Kansas City at 106th and Wornall and boasts a 100-percent college acceptance rate. Our philosophy for both campuses centers around educating the whole person, which is why classes and coursework are challenging, well-rounded, and engaging. It’s all part of what we call, The Sion Difference. We invite you to discover it for yourself.
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