HMC-1 School Messenger

January Applause Applause Honorees

Congratulations to our January Applause Applause honorees! This month we are recognizing two students at Ruskin High School.

Deborah A., a senior at Ruskin High School has been accepted into over 10 colleges including Grand Canyon University, Missouri State University, UMKC and the University of Missouri Columbia. Deborah plans on earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences and continue to medical school to pursue a surgical specialty. Deborah works with Cerner Corporations through the Prep KC program and is involved in 20/20 Leadership, Student Council, athletics and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Tomi B., a senior at Ruskin High School has been accepted into multiple colleges including the University of Kansas, University of Missouri Columbia and Rockhurst University. Tomi has also received scholarships from each of those schools and was awarded the Iowa Wesleyan Presidential Scholarship which covers full tuition for up to four years. Tomi is involved in 20/20 Leadership, athletics, National Honor Society and has been on the Principal's Honor Roll consistently throughout high school.

Meet all of our Applause Applause honorees here.

Congratulations to Sa'Nyah C.F. who is Superintendent Obeng’s Above & Beyond honoree. SaNyah is a fourth-grade student at Ingels Elementary where she also attends LINC. Sa'Nyah has really worked to make one of the school's new medically fragile students feel comfortable at LINC and in the school building. She goes out of her way to talk with him at LINC and says hi to him every time she sees him in the building. School staff are noticing that the student is becoming more verbal and believe that his time in LINC with students like Sa'Nyah has had a tremendous impact on his progress. Way to go Sa'Nyah! Keep sprinkling kindness everywhere.

Hickman Mills C-1 School District director of student services Teresa Tanner has been nominated for the 2021-2022 National LifeChanger of the Year award. Sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, LifeChanger of the Year recognizes and rewards the very best K-12 educators and school district employees across the United States who are making a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership.

Tanner was nominated by Carl Skinner, deputy superintendent, for making it her lifetime mission to ensure children with special education needs are included, supported, and encouraged in the general education classroom. She has accomplished this through working in various areas of education and her list of accomplishments is extensive. She spends countless hours building positive relationships and rapport with students, classroom teachers, and parents of students with disabilities and her passion for helping others extends into the community.

She always lends a hand when touring classrooms (i.e., helping a teacher create the best learning environment for students with disabilities). She volunteers her time to serve as a board member on the Community Assistance Council (CAC), a community organization that provides assistance to families struggling with food insecurity, clothing needs, homelessness, emergency rent or utility assistance, hygiene items, and medicine or medical devices. As board secretary, Ms. Tanner has guided the CAC staff in offering classes to families that will support/coach them into having a stable home, (i.e., budgeting, building credit, setting educational goals, connecting to mental, physical, and emotional help, and eviction prevention). Occasionally, Ms. Tanner finds time to work with her husband on rehabbing houses, many for people with disabilities or disabled veterans.

Throughout her career, Ms. Tanner has excelled in writing grants for the district that support the needs of diverse learners. Through writing grants, she brought in several programs which increased the District’s ability to serve preschool students, including the Missouri Preschool Project and Head Start. These additional grant funds increased the number of students who had equitable access to high-quality preschool. Ms. Tanner has earned several degrees, including Master’s and Specialist’s degrees in Administration. Recently, she went back to school and acquired her Special Education Administration certificate.

“Ms. Tanner has had a passion for education focused on prekindergarten and special education since 1991 (30 years). Her dedication and perseverance is evident as she worked her way from being a paraprofessional, to a teacher, to a principal, to a coordinator, to a director," said Skinner.

About LifeChanger of the Year

Each school year, LifeChanger of the Year receives hundreds of nominations from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Eighteen individual LifeChanger of the Year awards will be given during the 2021-2022 school year.

You can support Mrs. Tanner by viewing her profile on the competition website and leaving a comment for the judges to review.

The Student Services Department continues to work diligently to help families in eliminating barriers to assure a productive school year.

To aid in assisting the homeless, or McKinney Vento families, for the holiday season, the Student Services Department hosted their annual “Winter Wonderland” dinner with a twist due to COVID- 19 restrictions. They provided every family, who requested, with a holiday basket. Additionally, the Nutritional Services Department provided meal kits for the extended time away from school over the break. Cerner's First Hand Foundation also sponsored gifts for families.

The Student Services Department was able to provide over 60 families, totaling 134 students/children in the home and 68 adults during the winter break, with aid. The baskets included a variety of items from smoked turkey to board games and laundry detergent.

The Winter Wonderland Dinner was a huge success. A special thank you to Cerner’s First Hand Foundation, Nutrition Services and all who helped to make it a special evening for the Hickman Mills families. Everyone left full with food, joy, laughter and gratitude.

Honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On January 17, HMC-1 celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday is an official day of service and celebrates the life and legacy of the civil rights leader. He is most well-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transportation and for racial equality in the United States.

HMC-1 Welcomes Afghan Refugees

Hickman Mills C-1 Schools is very excited to welcome three new students who are Afghanistan Refugees. The family arrived in the Kansas City area in October. This will be the student's first time in a formal school setting. They are receiving support from the district's English Language Department. Welcome to the Hickman Mills School District!

Thank you to Urban Community Connections and their partners Home State Health, Arvest Bank, and Brooklyn Kutz Barbershop. They distributed holiday toys, gifts and daily essentials to more than 2,500 children and parents in the district.

Thank You to Health Forward

The Hickman Mills C-1 School District is grateful to receive a grant of $40,000 from our community partners, Health Forward. The $40,000 was awarded in support of the district's “Restorative Practice Implementation Initiative.” Health Forward Foundation works to transform communities so that everyone has an opportunity for better health. Each year, Health Forward invests more than $20 million in grants to organizations addressing health needs in the community.

This grant will support HMC-1's district-wide Restorative Justice Initiative. This new grant will include professional development of administrators and school site staff, redesign of district discipline structures and practices. In addition, it will promote alternatives to suspension and placement at every school. Our partnership with local law enforcement and community shareholders will promote a district-wide “Culture of Caring” serving the whole child with both social-emotional and intellectual development, meaningful inclusion of students, parents, teachers, administrators and district leadership. The HMC-1 district will continue its efforts to create and sustain a safe and equitable learning environment where all students are cared for and can excel.

HMEF Raffles Mahomes Jersey

David Jackson is the lucky raffle prize winner of a signed and framed Patrick Mahomes jersey The raffle was held by the Hickman Mills Educational Foundation on Thursday, December 16, 2021. Thanks to everyone who purchased tickets and participated in the raffle fundraiser. HMEF provides grants to teachers for classroom needs and scholarships for students.

• Board of Education Meeting: Thursday, Jan. 27, 6 p.m
• No School - Thurs. & Fri. Feb. 17 & 18
• No School- Mon. Feb. 21- Presidents Day
• Board of Education Meeting: Thursday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m.

Email: PIO@hickmanmills.org
Website: www.hickmanmills.org
Location: 5401 E. 103rd St. Kansas City, MO 64137
Phone: (816) 316-7000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HMC1Proud/
Twitter: @HMC1Proud