Central High School (Kansas City, Missouri)

Central High School (formerly Central Academy of Excellence) is a high school located at 3221 Indiana Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. It is part of the Kansas City Public Schools.[2] Central was established in 1884 in order to help educate the growing population of Kansas City. The school colors are blue and white and the school's athletic teams are referred to as the "Eagles". Central has an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students annually.

Central High School
Location
3221 Indiana Avenue
Kansas City
,
Missouri

United States
Information
TypePublic
MottoBegin With the End in Mind
Established1884
School districtKCMSD
PrincipalAnthony Madry
Teaching staff32.24 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment499 (2017-18)[1]
Student to teacher ratio15.48[1]
Color(s)Blue and White
MascotEagle
Websitewww.kcpublicschools.org/central

School background

The high school is located in front of Central Middle School building at the corner of Linwood Boulevard and Indiana Avenue. It features a large, one-acre square field house, Greek-style theatre, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool with one- and three- meter diving boards.

Central Academy was also part of the now defunct magnet program which was a response to a court-mandated, forced desegregation plan that was designed to try and lure students from the suburbs with targeted programs. As part of this effort, Central High School was rebuilt and renamed to Central Computers Unlimited / Classical Greek Magnet High School.

The two magnet themes were not complementary to each other and most of the money spent on the new facility went to the Classical Greek theme for sports-related facilities like a fully outfitted weight room (inspired by the weight room of the Kansas City Chiefs), two indoor racquetball courts, a field house, a fully equipped gymnastics training facility, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

The Computers Unlimited theme brought with it a fully networked classroom environment with computers in most classrooms and a Novell NetWare v3.11 network. There was also a small robotics lab; a video, photography, and graphics lab; and a CAD lab. The cost to taxpayers for the new facility was over $32 million. It was completed in 1991. Unfortunately, the new facilities and programs were not enough to bring in and retain suburban students in this and other magnet program schools. The program was an abject failure by any measure and was abandoned. The references to the magnet themes were removed from the school's name, and it was returned to a normal curriculum.

Name change

In July 2012, KCPS unanimously approved the proposal to change the school's name from Central High School to Central Academy of Excellence. The name change officially went into effect for the 2012-2013 school year.[3] The proposal had been heavily promoted by the school's current principal Linda Collins, who strives "to put a new name on what the principal hopes will be a transformed school on the inside." There are also hopes for getting more technology into the classrooms and instilling stronger discipline.

Notable alumni

References
  1. "CENTRAL ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  2. "Achievement First". Archived from the original on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  3. Robertson, Joe. "KC's Central High School renamed". KC Star. Archived from the original on 2012-07-29. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  4. SWE (13 March 2008). "Irene Peden". Engineering Pioneers. Society of Women Engineers. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  5. Peden, Irene (2 March 2002). "SWE Pioneers" (PDF). Society of Women Engineers (Interview). Interviewed by Kata, Lauren. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  6. Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.), 04 July 1897. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86063615/1897-07-04/ed-1/seq-3/>

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