There is a beautiful, large old brick building on Main St in Waldo you have probably driven by many times…perhaps you wondered, what is this place?  Surrounded by residential homes and across from a church, Kansas City Academy is an arts focused middle and high school, located at 7933 Main St.  KCA has a 40th birthday this year, and everyone is invited to celebrate with them.  I stopped by the school earlier this summer and spoke with Development Director Katie Wells to find out more about this unique school.

KCA was started by a group of runs and lay persons when Loretto Academy in Westport closed.  The Loretto (now an event venue) was a girls only day/boarding school with a reputation for personalized educational instruction and religious and racial tolerance.  The original KCA founders first opened a school in a basement on Troost when they left Loretto, incorporating it as a “learning cooperative” .  After several years they purchased the current building, formerly an engineering school, on Main St.  Fun fact:  one of those founders is still teaching at the school!

Wells explained there are several aspects of this tuition based school that make it unique:  classes are under 20 students each, with about 75-80 teens total enrollment.  The majority of teachers have worked at KCA over ten years, creating their own accredited curriculum emphasizing cooperation between classes along with a social justice component.  Students with a creative streak appreciate the emphasis on music, theater, art and culinary classes.  LGBTQ kids feel especially comfortable here.  Wells is also proud of the fact that KCA is a “trauma informed school” with several specially trained teachers equipped to deal with sensitive situations.  “We try to prepare students for actual life, not just teach facts and figures.  I love to see how these incredibly dedicated teachers work to bring out each student’s individual talents.”  Prospective students take an entrance exam and participate in a shadow day to be sure the school is a good fit.  

Kansas City Academy’s 40th birthday celebration kicks off on Saturday September 7  with a Pancake Breakfast from 9:30am-11am on the school grounds–only $5! If you are interested in KCA, stop by to check it out!