Frontier News

We have some exciting news to share, Frontier Family!

SchoolSmart KC has officially announced the finalists for their prestigious 2025 Charter Excellence in Education Awards—and we are thrilled to share that several outstanding members of our Frontier staff have been recognized for their excellence and dedication!

Here are the Frontier finalists by category:

• Star Rising Leader: Alexis Mueller (FSE)

• Star Support - Certified: Logan Park (FSI Middle)

• Star Support - Classified: Elia Galvan (FSI Middle)

• Star Teacher K–6: Rochelle Breslin (FSI Middle)

• Star Leader: Lauren O'Connor (FSI Elementary) & Resul Geyik (FSHS)

• Star Teacher 7–12: Cameron May (FSE) & Merve Cevik (FSHS)
  
  

These educators exemplify what it means to go above and beyond for their students, their schools, and the broader community. Their passion, leadership, and hard work continue to inspire everyone around them.

The winners will be announced during the awards ceremony on Tuesday, August 5th at 5:30 PM, hosted at Royals Stadium – Diamond Club. We can’t wait to cheer them on!

To all our finalists: Congratulations! We are so proud of you and so grateful to have such incredible talent and heart within our Frontier Family.

We are proud to celebrate a major milestone in our first year of launching in-house transportation—and it’s been a tremendous success! Under the leadership of Mr. Luu, our Transportation Department has earned two prestigious awards recognizing the outstanding quality and maintenance of our school bus fleet.

Missouri State Highway Patrol – Total Fleet Excellence Award
This honor means our entire fleet met the highest standards during inspection, and each of our buses will proudly display the “Total Fleet Excellence” sticker—signaling to the public that our buses are maintained with top-tier care and attention.

DESE – Exemplary School Bus Maintenance Award
This recognition further cements our program’s reputation, highlighting our team's dedication to safety, reliability, and exceptional service.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Luu and the entire Transportation Department for their incredible work, attention to detail, and commitment to student safety. Your efforts are truly appreciated—and recognized statewide!

At Frontier Schools, we are proud to enhance our Pre-K reading literacy program with the generous support of the Ronald D. Deffenbaugh Foundation and the Hall Family Foundation. Thanks to these long-standing partners, we are able to add a certified reading specialist to further support our youngest learners, with a special focus on English language learners."

“The foundation of Frontier’s success lies in early English instruction, which is critical in empowering students to excel in math, science, technology, and the arts as they progress,” said Superintendent Demircan. “We are deeply thankful for the continued commitment of our community partners. Their generosity enables us to provide vital educational, health, and wellness resources to our students."

On April 26th, FSI Middle School proudly made its fourth consecutive appearance at the Science Olympiad State Competition—and achieved its best results to date!

Our students competed with determination and teamwork, representing our school with excellence. We’re thrilled to share the following standout accomplishments from the awards ceremony:

🏅 J. Bui and J. Canala Diaz earned 4th place in Mission Possible
🏅 Harry Aung and D. La took home 3rd place in Scrambler

This year’s performance marks a new high point for FSI Middle’s Science Olympiad program. Congratulations to all of our incredible students and coaches for their hard work and dedication. We can’t wait to see what you achieve next!

We’re excited to share a major milestone for our school community!

On Saturday, April 26, Frontier’s newly formed high school Science Olympiad team participated in the State Competition at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO. This was a historic moment—our school’s very first time not only creating a Science Olympiad team, but also qualifying for the state level in our debut year!

Competing against 43 of the top high schools across Missouri, our students made us proud by securing 6th place in the Electric Vehicle event, earning a bronze medal. Congratulations to Kristofer C. and Jonathan R. for their impressive performance in this event!

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who supported our team throughout this journey. We look forward to building on this success and inspiring even more students to pursue excellence in STEM! 🚀🔬🏅

We are thrilled to announce that our high school band earned an “Outstanding” rating—also known as a Silver Medal—at the April 3rd festival! This rating is the second highest of five possible scores and reflects an “outstanding performance of distinctive quality, with only minor defects in music expression and fundamental technique.”

We could not be prouder of the dedication and talent shown by our students, especially our 14 seniors. Seven of them have been part of the program for all four years, and their commitment has helped elevate the band to where it is today.

A special shout-out goes to Mr. Banks, our incredible band director, whose passion, leadership, and tireless efforts continue to inspire and guide our students to greatness. He has done a phenomenal job building and shaping a program that consistently performs at such a high level.

Congratulations to all 43 FSE high school band students! Their hard work, discipline, and passion truly deserve to be celebrated!

We’re thrilled to share that Frontier STEM High School and Frontier School of Innovation–Middle delivered outstanding performances at the TSA (Technology Student Association) State Championship!

Our talented students competed with creativity, innovation, and skill—and brought home some impressive awards:

• 🥇 1st Place – Junior Solar Sprint (Middle School)

• 🥈 2nd Place – Fashion Design
  Victoria A., Dulce C., Luciana C., Nancy E.

• 🏅 4th Place – Manufacturing Prototype
  Dominic R., Iusuf A.

• 🏅 4th Place – Technology Problem Solving
  Xiangchi D., Isaac A.
  
  

But that’s not all—our journey continues! These incredible students will now advance to the TSA National Conference, where they’ll proudly represent Frontier Schools on the national stage. 🌟

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our dedicated supervisors and chaperones, whose support was essential to our success:

• Mrs. Cevik – Fashion Design Supervisor

• Mr. Nurlan – TSA Middle School Advisor

• Mrs. Chikuru – Chaperone
  
  

Your commitment and encouragement helped our students shine!

Let’s cheer them on as they head to Nationals! 🎉

On Saturday, April 15th, FSI Elementary hosted a fantastic Ice Cream Social in the FSI Middle gymnasium—and it was a day to remember!

Families and students enjoyed a wide variety of activities, including delicious ice cream and food, exciting bouncy houses and slides, colorful face painting, and so much more. The event was filled with laughter, smiles, and a strong sense of community.

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day such a sweet success. We loved seeing our families come together for fun and connection, and we can’t wait to do it again!

On April 25th, Frontier School of Excellence had the pleasure of welcoming students from Kansas City International Academy (KCIA) for a special visit. Since KCIA serves students through 8th grade, this visit gave them a valuable opportunity to explore their high school options.

FSE student ambassadors, along with Ms. Griffin, led the group on a guided tour of the campus. They shared insights about FSE’s academic programs, extracurricular opportunities, and school culture, helping the visiting students get a feel for what life is like at FSE.

It was a great day of connection, curiosity, and future planning. We hope to see many of these bright young students as part of the FSE family in the years to come!

On April 16th, FSI Elementary welcomed a special guest—author and mental health professional Vladimir Sainte—who read his inspiring book Just Like a Hero to our 2nd-grade students.

Mr. Sainte's story teaches that everyday kindness, courage, and helping others are what make someone a true hero. Students were fully engaged, asking questions and sharing their own ideas of heroism.

We’re so grateful to Mr. Sainte for visiting our school and sparking inspiration in our young readers. Thank you for showing our students that they have the power to be everyday heroes!

On April 16th, FSI Middle proudly hosted a School Spelling Bee for 4th and 5th grade students, bringing out their best focus, confidence, and vocabulary skills. The competition was intense and inspiring as students worked their way through increasingly challenging words.

The winning word—“Amnesia”—secured the final victory, and our top three spellers earned well-deserved recognition:

🥇 1st Place: Jocelyn Z.
🥈 2nd Place: Vivian N.
🥉 3rd Place: Mahir D.

These outstanding students will go on to compete against FSI Elementary winners in an exciting schoolwide showdown on April 25th. We’re proud of all participants and look forward to more spelling success!

On Friday, April 18th, FSI Elementary held its annual Schoolwide Spelling Bee, bringing together the top 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade spellers for an exciting and inspiring afternoon of academic competition.

Finalists from each grade level competed in a championship round using a shared word list, showcasing their spelling skills, poise, and determination. The competition was fierce, but three students rose to the top:

🥇 1st Place: Eli M. (3rd grade)
🥈 2nd Place: Kourtney L. (3rd grade)
🥉 3rd Place: Taamir S. (1st grade)

The winning word that clinched the title: Ocelot!

Trophies were awarded to the top three spellers, and all participants were celebrated for their incredible effort and focus. We are so proud of our young scholars for their hard work and enthusiasm—congratulations to all!

On April 25th, in an exciting and historic event, students from FSI Elementary and FSI Middle came together for the first-ever schoolwide spelling bee featuring 4th and 5th graders from both campuses. The competition was fierce, the words were challenging, and the energy was electric!

After several intense rounds, the winning word—“Foist”—secured victory for our top speller. Congratulations to the champions of the bee:

🥇 1st Place: Vivian N.
🥈 2nd Place: Mahir D.
🥉 3rd Place: Jocelyn Z.

We’re incredibly proud of all the students who participated and represented their schools with confidence, courage, and a love for language. This friendly competition not only showcased their spelling skills but also brought our campuses together in the spirit of learning and community.

Great job, scholars! 🐝📚👏

On April 23rd, the College & Career Readiness Department hosted a special Alumni Luncheon honoring Frontier School of Excellence graduates who have returned to work within our schools.

These dedicated alumni—now valued members of our staff—enjoyed lunch together and bonded over a fun round of Alumni Feud, filled with laughter and friendly competition. It was a great way to celebrate their continued commitment to the Frontier community and recognize the full-circle impact they’re making every day.

We’re so proud to have these former students as part of our team and thankful for the passion and experience they bring to their roles!

We are thrilled to announce that Kendra R., a talented student from FSI Elementary, has earned 3rd place in the K-2nd grade category of the Discovery Center’s 2025 Nature in Your Neighborhood Student Art Contest! Congratulations, Kendra!

All participating students were invited to celebrate at the Awards Night on April 1st, where they enjoyed refreshments and had the opportunity to admire artwork from fellow students. It was a wonderful evening recognizing creativity and artistic talent!

On April 10th, FSI Elementary hosted its annual Kindergarten Round-Up, giving future students and their families a warm and exciting introduction to their new school community.

Three sessions were offered throughout the day, allowing families to explore the building, meet some of our amazing kindergarten teachers, and get a feel for what’s ahead. Incoming kindergartners enjoyed hands-on craft activities, and each child got to pick out a book to take home—a perfect way to spark a love of reading right from the start!

Thank you to all the families who attended! We can’t wait to welcome our newest learners to FSI Elementary this fall.

We’re proud to announce that students at Frontier have begun taking their certification exams for Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro—and several have already passed on their very first try!

Please join us in congratulating the outstanding students listed below who earned their Adobe certifications on the first attempt. This is a significant accomplishment that reflects their dedication, skill, and hard work. These industry-recognized credentials will undoubtedly open doors to exciting opportunities in their academic and professional futures.

Digital Video Using Adobe Premiere Pro (Juniors)

• A. Rodriguez

• D. Mitchell

• C. Galan

• D. Espinoza

• J. Jackson

• J. Garcia
  
  

Graphic Design & Illustration Using Adobe Illustrator (Sophomores)

• K. Sanchez

• F. Esteban Rios

• T. Nguyen

• 
  

Visual Design Using Adobe Photoshop (Freshmen)

• E. La Pham

• V. Contreras

• E. Camacho

• G. Furat

We are so proud of their achievements—congratulations to all! 👏🎉

On April 17th, Frontier School of Excellence hosted its annual Senior Banquet to honor the incredible achievements of the Class of 2025. 🎓✨

Seniors, their families, and staff gathered for a meaningful evening filled with laughter, gratitude, and celebration. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner while reflecting on the students' journey and all they’ve accomplished along the way.

As graduation day approaches, we’re cheering you on—your future is bright, and your hard work is paying off! 🌟🎉

On April 25th, Frontier STEM High School proudly hosted a memorable Senior Banquet in honor of the Class of 2025. 🎓✨

Graduating seniors, along with their families and teachers, came together for an evening of celebration, reflection, and shared accomplishments. Over a special dinner, guests enjoyed meaningful conversations, heartfelt moments, and recognition of the hard work and dedication that brought these students to this exciting milestone.

Seniors, the finish line is in sight—keep going strong! 🏁🎉

On April 18th, Frontier STEM High School students celebrated Prom 2025 at The Luxe Event Space, where the theme “Under the Stars” created a magical and unforgettable evening.

Students arrived dressed to impress and enjoyed a night filled with dancing, laughter, and lasting memories. The highlight of the evening was the crowning of Prom Queen K. Bustillos and Prom King J. Garcia—congratulations to both!

Thank you to all the staff, students, and organizers who helped make this night so special!

On April 26th, Frontier School of Excellence students stepped into a night of wonder as they celebrated Prom 2025 at the beautiful Industrial Event Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

With the theme Enchanted Forest, the venue was transformed into a dreamy woodland filled with twinkling lights, lush greenery, and whimsical décor. Students arrived dressed to impress and enjoyed an unforgettable evening of music, dancing, laughter, and memories with friends and classmates.

It was truly a night to remember—filled with joy, elegance, and celebration. Thank you to everyone who helped make this magical evening possible!

On April 11th, FSI Middle turned up the fun with a lively Spring Fling for 6th–8th grade students! The gym was buzzing with energy as students enjoyed music, dancing, games, and refreshments—the perfect way to celebrate the season.

Laughter filled the air as friends made memories and let loose after a busy semester. From favorite songs on the playlist to tasty snacks and good vibes all around, it was a spring celebration to remember!

Thanks to everyone who helped make the event a success—we’re already looking forward to the next one!

Frontier School of Excellence, Frontier STEM High School and FSI Middle School participate in several college visits throughout the year. During their visits, students learn about the academic programs offered, campus activities, the admissions process, financial aid, and how to apply for scholarships.

April 1st: FSHS Freshman visit Northwest Missouri State

April 2nd: FSHS Juniors visit Mizzou

April 11th: FSE Seniors visit MCC (Advanced Technical Skills)

April 19th: FSHS Sophomores visit Washington University in St. Louis

There are many opportunities for students to get involved in after school clubs, such as: Advanced Research Club, Gateway Readers' Club, Girls on the Run Club, Health Occupations Students of America Club, Writer's Workshop Club, Math Club, Fishing Club, Cooking Club, I.T. Club, Kindness Club, Art & Craft Club, Video Game Design Club, Chess Club, Fitness Club, Environmental Club, etc.

Featured this month:

• Wilderness Explorers Club at FSI Elementary
• Music Appreciation Club at FSI Elementary

Teachers and school staff have visited 871 students in 473 homes since the start of the 2024-25 school year. Home visits are paramount in bridging cultural gaps that might exist. These visits also provide opportunities for staff to understand their students better by visiting them in their home environments.

A SHOUT-OUT to our teachers & staff! Thank you for everything you do!

Discover rewarding careers at Frontier Schools. Join our passionate team in fostering student success with competitive pay and benefits!

Exciting News: Our commitment to educators was featured on Fox 4 News KC, showcasing our starting teacher pay of $60K! Read the article here.

Click here to explore our career opportunities now!

Email: fsi@frontierschools.org
Location: 6700 Corporate Drive, Kansas City, MO, USA
Phone: (816) 363-1907
Facebook: facebook.com/frontierschoolofinnovation

Email: fsi@frontierschools.org
Location: 1575 Universal Avenue, Kansas City, MO, USA
Phone: (816) 241-6202
Facebook: facebook.com/frontierschoolofinnovation

Email: infostem@frontierschools.org
Location: 6455 East Commerce Avenue, Kansas City, MO, USA
Phone: (816) 541-8200
Facebook: facebook.com/frontierstemhighschool

Email: fse@frontierschools.org
Location: 5605 Troost Avenue, Kansas City, MO, USA
Phone: (816) 822-1331
Facebook: facebook.com/frontierschoolofexcellence

Website: frontierschools.org
Location: 6800 Corporate Drive, Kansas City, MO, USA
Phone: (816) 982-4052
Facebook: facebook.com/frontierschools
Twitter: @frontierschools