education and to become leaders in society.
O The VISION of University Academy is to be the
best K-12 charter public school in the country
with an emphasis on college preparation,
career development, community service and leadership.
University Acadmey Board of directors
David Dickey Treasurer
Barnett C. Helzberg, Jr. ChairMan eMeriTus and Founder
Bush Helzberg ChairMan
Nicole Jacobs-Silvey MeMber
Christine Kemper PresidenT
Dear University Academy Stakeholders,
On behalf of University Academy’s Board of Directors, I am thrilled to share this annual report for the 2016-2017 year. As you will read in the report, it was a banner year! Here are two big highlights:
In 2017, the US Department of Education named University Academy’s Upper School a National Blue Ribbon School. This award is based on exemplary performance over the last 5 years and is considered the highest honor an American K-12 school can receive. Less than 1/3rd of 1% of eligible schools receive this award in any year. University Academy is the first charter public school in Missouri and the only high school in Missouri this year to receive this recognition.
In 2017, University Academy also celebrated the opening of its new athletic field. Having our own wonderful athletic field has already had meaningful positive impact on our athletic program and our school community. I would like to give special thanks to Superintendent Tony Kline for his commitment to being excellent in not only academics, but all program areas. I would also like to thank Shirley Bush Helzberg who diligently helped oversee the construction project.
University Academy’s performance is a reflection of the dedication and talent of the fabulous teachers, administration, and staff at University Academy. I would also like to recognize the incredible commitment of University Academy’s amazing students, families, and supporters.
Thank you to all of University Academy’s stakeholders who make this possible!
Sincerely,
Dear UA Families, Friends, and Students,
2017 was a magical year for University Academy. We were honored to receive many state and national awards which were based on the incredible accomplishments of University Academy students and staff. In 2017, University Academy received a 100% Annual Performance Report score from the State for the second year in a row. UA is one of just 18 K-12 districts in the state to earn that score in 2017. UA’s Upper School was named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School and a 2017 Missouri Gold Star School. In addition to the accolades, we witnessed the Class of 2017 set a new total scholarship record with more than $6.8 million earned between the 47 graduates! It is important to note that each and every one of these accomplishments was driven by STUDENT achievement. At University Academy, it’s about the students!
Some other highlights of 2017 include: 24 students participated in study abroad programs and 5 students participated in National Outdoor Leadership School courses. Our Middle School Debate team finished the regular season ranked #2 in the country in policy debate and 8 students traveled to Birmingham, Alabama to compete at nationals. Lower School followed a successful 2016 school year with a strong 2017, with student achievement continuing to rank in the top 25% in the state. In the spring, we opened our new athletic field with help from the Kansas City Chiefs and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. In the fall, the Middle School football team went 6-0 and the Varsity football team went 7-2 and won the Crossroads Conference Championship in our first season with a home field!
Even with all the good news, there is still room to improve. This year, we are adjusting our curriculum at the Middle School to better reflect changes to the Missouri Learning Standards. That work will be hard for both students and staff, but we will provide the best resources we can to succeed. We will also be looking to solidify our extra-curricular offerings, while also balancing federal and state budget cuts.
As always, our success is a reflection of a larger community effort. I want to thank all the parents for their continued involvement, donations, and dedication to their children’s education. I want to thank Friends of UA and each and every one of the donors from this past year. Finally, I want to extend our collective thanks to the founders and board members of University Academy for having the vision of creating the best college prep charter school in the country, and providing excellent support and oversight along the way.
Sincerely,
T
On April 25 we celebrated the grand opening of the Gryphon Athletic Complex with a ribbon cutting ceremony
for the entire school to see. We also formally accepted a $250,000 grant from Greater Kansas City LISC and
The Kansas City Chiefs. Special guests in attendance included Stephen Samuels, Executive Director of LISC;
Bill Chapin, Senior VP of Operations for the Chiefs; and Dan Crumb, the Chiefs’ Chief Financial Officer. Mayor Pro Tem Scott Wagner and Councilman Kevin McManus also
joined the festivities. Three Chiefs players even stopped by to check out the field and interact with our students! What a
memorable day for our students, staff and community.
2017 National Blue Ribbon School
2017 Missouri Gold Star School
NATIONAL TITLE 1 DISTINGUISHED
grand opening
Named an Exceptional Charter School in Special Education by the
National Association of Special Education Teachers
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The V I S I O N of University Academy is to
be the Best K-12 charter public school in the
country with an emphasis on college preparation, career development, community service
and leadership.
2 01
7 A
W A
R D
GRAND TOTAL 1066
ETHNICITY OF STUDENTS
ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER 0.3%
U A
M O
YEARS EXPERIENCE 9.7 12.3
ADVANCED DEGREES 45.3% 58.6%
Di st
ri ct
O ve
ra ll
We did it again! 2017 Annual Performance Report Score For the second year in a row, University Academy received a 100% APR score from Missouri.
2017 APR Top 10 School Districts in Jackson County
UNIVERSITY ACADEMY 100% EWING MARION KAUFFMAN SCHOOL 100% BLUE SPRINGS 99.6% ACADEMIE LAFAYETTE 98.8% LEE'S SUMMIT 97.9% LONE JACK 96.8% OAK GROVE 95.4% GRAIN VALLEY 94.6% GORDON PARKS 93.0% INDEPENDENCE 89.6%
APR is a calculation performed by the state. It takes into account a combination of student test scores, college and career readiness, attendance, and graduation rates.
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Friends of Zoo Grant
H & R Block Foundation
Kauffman Grant - School Improvement
Kauffman Grant - School Leadership
J. E. Dunn Construction Company
Hall Family Foundation
Julia Irene Kauffman Donor Advised Fund
Lois and James* Lacy
William T. Kemper Foundation,
* of blessed memory
University Academy gratefully acknowledges special contributions from these organizations and foundations during the 2016-2017 school year. These donations and partnerships support UA’s academic programs, operations and athletic programs. This investment in our students and belief in our mission have helped the dream of University Academy become a reality.
EXPENDITURES PER STUDENT (ADA)
UA PARTNERSHIPS
Best in Country $25,000 Mr. and Mrs. Barnett C. Helzberg, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Bush Helzberg Ewing Kauffman Foundation - Cathy and Michael Schultz
Nationally Recognized $15,000 Mr. Robert Epsten Trudy and John Jacobson
Record-Breaker $10,000 Mr and Mrs. G. Kenneth Baum Mr. and Mrs. Irwin* Blitt Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Bloch Mr. and Mrs. Barnett C. Helzberg, III Helzberg Diamonds Mr. Ed Milbank Sherman Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wolff
Top Ranked $5,000 Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Angrist Bartlett and Company Grain Charitable Foundation Ms. Ann Canfield and Mr. Stanley J. Bushman Mr. and Mrs. Marlin Fiola Gerson Family Foundation & Liz and John Hjalmarson Ms. Sandra Baer and Mr. Charles Helzberg Mr. and Mrs. Richard Helzberg Ewing M. Kauffman Foundation Kelly Family Foundation Mrs. James T. Lacy Virginia B. McCoy Mr. and Mrs. James Nutter, Jr. James B. Nutter & Company Mr. and Mrs. William Reed Sunflower Foundation Teresa and Tom Walsh Jay & Beverly Wolfe Charitable Lead Annuity Trust
Best in State $2,500 Lynne and Peter Brown Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brown Commerce Bank Mr. and Mrs. David Dickey Ellis Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Frank Friedman Mr. and Mrs. William Gautreaux Susan and John Goodman Mr. Paul S. McKie Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Mos Mr. Richard Pearson Mr. and Mrs. William Reisler
Best in City $1,500 Barbara and Richard Atlas Mr. and Mrs. Tom Barnett Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Bash Children’s Mercy Hospital The DeBruce Foundation JE Dunn Construction Mr. and Mrs. James E. Ferrell Shirley and Kirk Goza Mr. Donald J. Hall Michael and Marlys Haverty Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hoffman HOOPLA Hunkeler Family Fund Kansas City Zoo Dr. Jan-Marie and Mr. Brad Kroh Lacy & Co Mr. and Mrs. Brian Landers Lathrop & Gage The McMeel Family Foundation Metropolitan Community College The Mixx Nicholas Kuehn Powell Family Foundation Proof Positioning / Mr. & Mrs. Grant Gooding Ellen Miller and Irv Robinson Mr. David Rucker Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences Mr. and Mrs. Tom Schoenfeld/ Lockton Companies Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Straub Mr. and Mrs. James Stowers, III Ms. Irene Thomas Mr. and Mrs. James Threatt UMB Financial Corporation UMKC - University Advancement Mr. and Mrs. LeRay Warrior (UA Class of ‘04) Dashini Jeyathurai and Byron White (UA Class of ‘04) Mr. and Mrs. Josh Wilson
High Achiever $500 Mr. and Mrs. Don Alexander Mary & Alan Atterbury Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Berg Mr. and Mrs. Mark Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Copaken Mr. and Mrs. William Coughlin CTC | MyCFO Mr. and Mrs. Bert Darling Mary Stahl and Sam Devinki Courtney Earnest and Kenneth Fligg Mr. and Mrs. Gary Forsee Mr. and Mrs. Stacy Graff Mr. and Mrs. Ted Greene, Jr. Mr. Howard Haas, Head of School, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy Mr. and Mrs. Steve Harmon Mr. and Mrs. Randall Hendricks Hickok Family Foundation Mr and Mrs. Mark Hrinya Mr. and Mrs. Larry Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kipp Mr. and Mrs. Tony Kline Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lazorow Thomas Martin Foundation Susan and R. Alexander Masson Janet and Phil Miller Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Neighbor Dr. Gersham Nelson Mr. Aaron North Dr. and Mrs. Douglas Pearson Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Powell Ann and Bob Regnier Betty Scott Lynda and Robert Shapiro Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Shifrin Slagle, Bernard & Gorman Swope Health Services Ursula Terrasi & Jim Miller Mr. and Mrs. Don Trigg
as of 6/30/2017
2017 GALA DONORS
* of blessed memory
High Achiever $500 Mr. and Mrs. Don Alexander Mary & Alan Atterbury Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Berg Mr. and Mrs. Mark Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Copaken Mr. and Mrs. William Coughlin CTC | MyCFO Mr. and Mrs. Bert Darling Mary Stahl and Sam Devinki Courtney Earnest and Kenneth Fligg Mr. and Mrs. Gary Forsee Mr. and Mrs. Stacy Graff Mr. and Mrs. Ted Greene, Jr. Mr. Howard Haas, Head of School, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy Mr. and Mrs. Steve Harmon Mr. and Mrs. Randall Hendricks Hickok Family Foundation Mr and Mrs. Mark Hrinya Mr. and Mrs. Larry Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kipp Mr. and Mrs. Tony Kline Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lazorow Thomas Martin Foundation Susan and R. Alexander Masson Janet and Phil Miller Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Neighbor Dr. Gersham Nelson Mr. Aaron North Dr. and Mrs. Douglas Pearson Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Powell Ann and Bob Regnier Betty Scott Lynda and Robert Shapiro Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Shifrin Slagle, Bernard & Gorman Swope Health Services Ursula Terrasi & Jim Miller Mr. and Mrs. Don Trigg
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CARTHAGE COLLEGE Jahlil Abdullah
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY Jada Glover FISK UNIVERSITY Dominique Moss
HIGHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE Fajr’ Allah Marcus Bigby Jordan Foster Rayonn Jackson
JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY William Powell°
JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Tyrese Newton
LANGSTON UNIVERSITY Jurnie Scott
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE– PENN VALLEY Faith Bell Saymoni Brown Kennedy Daniels Keith Williams
MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY Ajshaina Clark
MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY Avionne Jones Passion Pace M’Kiylah Pearson Shyriahana Ward°
MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE Rashaud Mansaw Deonaven McKinzy
NEWMAN UNIVERSITY Everette Johnson
PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE NaKyla Holoman
TEXAS SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY Jovanni May°
TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY Jacenta Stewart
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI Thomeira Tounzell-Clark
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO Jeffrey Draper
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Mykiya Malone
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – COLUMBIA Omobude Eke° Breauna Roberson
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY Amiya Rice Jordan Sanders
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Che’ Williams°
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY JaSean Bowens D’Angelo Kelly-Young
XAVIER UNIVERSITY Mya Garrett°
Most of the photography in our annual reports and other publications is the work of Larry eichner who has been with UA for 10 years and in education for 40 years. He has been a Volunteer Photographer for TWP (The Whole Person network) in KCMO and Midwestern Adaptive Sports, an organization that sponsors Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC, Spinal Cord Injuries Golf Tournament for persons with Ability Needs. We want to acknowledge his work and express our appreciation for his commitment to sharing his time and talent.
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