Superintendent Guides School System Through Modern Era
education, national school boards association, north kansas city schools,
When Tom Cummings came to North Kansas City Schools in 1985, the school district was struggling. Only half the classrooms had air conditioning, and it had been 14 years since a new school had been built despite a growing population.
Things have changed tremendously in the past 23 years, and much of the credit goes to Cummings.
Cummings served as district superintendent for the last 13 years. As he enters retirement in 2008, he leaves behind a period of vast improvement and phenomenal growth in the school district.
Today, the schools are not only all air-conditioned but are recognized nationally as being on the cutting edge of technology. The National School Boards Association has honored the school system as one of the nation’s outstanding districts for the use of technology.
In addition, every high school in the district participates in a program that gives students the opportunity to get a complete two-year scholarship to a state vocational school or college.
As superintendent, Cummings led the push to commit more community resources to education. Over the last 13 years, the district built two new schools and will add two more by 2010.
The student population has grown and is now made up of 28 percent minorities, many of whom have limited English skills.
“That’s a great strength of our school district,” says Cummings, who was recently honored as an Outstanding Missourian by the state House of Representatives.
“Regardless of economic conditions, or limitations in language, or whatever kind of race or ethnic or cultural background you come from, we’ve been able to demonstrate that all our kids can achieve high levels.”
Story by Sheila Burke
Photo by Jesse Knish
