President Jared Campbell called the meeting to order and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mary Kingsley provided a thoughtful prayer as our Invocation. Pete Sotta introduced his guest and friend, Dan Alcazar, both Pete’s and Dan’s sons were in attendance. Our Greeters were members of the Program Committee.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Thanks to the Greeters, the Program Committee members.
Blake Fry announced that the Rotary Bowling League, which bowls at 4:30 Wednesdays, will start up the first Wednesday after Labor Day. There is an August 12th draft.
Marc Horner spoke about the Eastern Independence Wine Fest (Independence Uncorked). Last year they raised $50,000 for our Camp. This scheduled for September 13 and we could use 5 or 6 Club 13 Rotarians from 3 to 6 pm.
Pete Sotta shared with us that the a long standing project, the Westside CAN Back to School Pep Rally is coming up Friday July 25th, from 3:30 to 6 pm, stuffing backpacks etc.
Tom Woolwine reminded us of the Commodore’s Kick-Off Party, and details about the raffle involving a fine painting and other details. (Sunday evening July 20th)
We also have the Rotary Camp Picnic coming up on July 31st with flyers on the table. There will be hamburgers, hot dogs, sides & Snow Cones. Bring a desert to share. BYOB ! Families are welcome. Pool will be open and there will be live entertainment.
Several member shared their good feelings with Happy Bucks.
PROGRAM: Jim Porter introduced our speaker, Rita Cortes, a KC Public School’s Scholl Board Member and a local Kansas Citian. Rita’s personal educational background included Pembrooke / Sunset Hills, then Rice University, then George Washington University Law School. Rita spent 10 years in working for Jack Danforth’s legislative committee and others including Bob Dole’s office. Later Rita got her Masters in Taxation (LLM) at UMKC Law School. Rita’s family background brought her back to Kansas City, namely her father’s Construction Company. Washington had been the center of her universe, but when the family (her Dad) and family business calls you – you return and get involved with running the family business (Hoffman Cortes Contracting Company) for which she served nearly 20 years as president and CEO. But missing the practice of law, Rita became a shareholder with the law firm of Seigfreid Bingham P.C. specializing in the corporate and tax practice.
Rita was elected to KC Public School Board in 2017, for which she now serves as the KCPS Board Chair. Rita wanted to take her experience in private education with involvement with the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, Pembrooke, and Sion, to the public school sector. Rita has also applied her entrepreneurial / business skills to non-profits in general, but now to the KCPSD.
Rita’s goal is to be part of city lifts up all of its citizens. We have a need basic math & reading skills. Rita’s district is generally State Line to Oak Street, Brush Creek south to 75th / 85th Street. This is an area where a substantial portion don’t send their kids to public schools. We can’t be that city if we can’t educate all of children. Under Rita’s tireless efforts, the Bond issue passed with 85% of voters saying yes! As a result, there will be new Schools and School Renovations. The old SouthWest High School will reopen as a neighborhood middle (6 to 8th grades) school, feeding into SouthEast High School.
The arc of improvements at the KC Public Schools District is real and foundational. There is a new H.R. system, various foundational systems, working for accreditation, increasing teacher pay (for retention), and avoiding the revolving door of leaders. A need and goal is for the students to be reading at their grade level. In 2022 KCPSD regained its Accreditation. The 2023 strategic plan included the consolidation of schools, some of which were out of date &/or poorly maintained. On April 8th, we broke ground on new school 34th & Indiana, which will open in 2 years. KCMO has planned investment around the school. All was sailing by, as KCPSD by law was required to set its budget by June 30th and then on July 1st the Federal government began withholding funding.
We have teacher recruitments issues, and students with languages not English. We are in a situation similar to rural school, and we are navigating w/ it. There is Stress to Balance the property Tax Burden between the residential and commercial properties.
Among other things we want to
- Connect KCPSD with the community; having the students learning skills for a life time, along with Business leaders committed to the City & KCPSD, as role models for kids;
- Operate an Educational Foundation to provide $ for activities & extra services; and
- View the KCPSD to be a party with whom the KC business community can feel comfortable do business.
There were Questions and Discussions thereafter.
UPCOMING EVENTS: BRING A GUEST ! (in addition to the above)
July 20th -- Commodore’s Kick-Off Party
July 24th -- NO Meeting
July 25th -- Westside CAN Center Back to School Pep Rally
July 31st -- Camp Picnic (No Lunch Meeting)
Aug 7th -- Meeting: Steve Howe, Johnson County District Attorney
Aug 14th -- Meeting: Kim Carroll, Heart to Heart
Jared Campbell wrapped up the meeting with the Four Way Test.
[as an ongoing scrivener’s note: our local Club 13 Rotary organization is comprised of at least three interrelated groups (like a three-legged stool), each with its own separate board, officers & primary focus. KCRClub 13 comprised of various committees and weekly luncheon meetings with speakers; KCRCFoundation primarily focused on financially supporting the Club 13’s Rotary Youth Camp; and the Rotary Youth Camp*, near Lake Jocomo, at 22310 NE Colbern Road, in Lee’s Summit, MO 64086] (* Rotary’s oldest continuous ongoing project in the world!)
As a separate note - a CALL FOR HELP: the Scribe Committee lost its longstanding Committee Chair and resultingly is down to three scribing members. We could use at least one (or more) additional scribe(s) to spread the dates and provide some depth if a particular scribe has a scheduling conflict with work or travel. Please consider joining up or talking to any of three current scribes, Pat Donnelly, Lee Brumitt or John Gillis for more information.
@rotaryclub13
@rotaryclub13
