Lee’s Summit R-7 district announces replacements for two key positions
The Lee’s Summit R-7 school board has approved the hiring of two administrators to replace employees who are retiring at the end of June.
Kelly Wachel, now the executive director of public relations for the Center School District in south Kansas City, will replace Janice Phelan as executive director of public relations beginning July 1.
Jeff Scalfaro, principal at Trailridge Elementary School in Lee’s Summit, will return to Bernard Campbell Middle School where he once taught, replacing Sherri Lewis as the building’s principal.
Wachel joined the Center district in 2005 after working in corporate public relations, marketing and sales in the Kansas City area. She is president-elect of the Missouri School Public Relations Association, has been a presenter at state and regional conferences and is a published author on education topics.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas and recently obtained accreditation from the National School Public Relations Association.
Scalfaro has worked in education for 22 years, including 14 years in the R-7 district. Before becoming principal at Trailridge, he was an assistant principal and principal at Grain Valley South Middle School, a Bernard Campbell social studies teacher and a director of secondary summer school for the Lee’s Summit district.
Scalfaro also has presented at regional, state and national education conferences. He earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education (social studies and history) from the State University of New York at Cortland. He also has obtained a master’s in education administration and an education specialist degree in K-12 superintendency, both from the University of Central Missouri.
Dancer from SCA selected for summer program
Elizabeth Miller, a seventh-grader at Summit Christian Academy, has been accepted to the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensive program.
Elizabeth has been dancing at Heart of America Dance Centre since she was 2 years old and is now on its competitive team. She will participate in the Joffrey Heartland Kansas City Summer Intensive in late July.
Not all cars were imaginary at STEM event
A group of eighth-grade industrial technology students designed dream cars recently during a hands-on learning experience that combined science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills with marketing and sales.
Eighteen students from Bernard Campbell Middle School visited the Specialty Equipment Market Association STEM Expo on Feb. 9 at the Kansas City Convention Center.
Working in pairs, the students designed their dream cars and then toured the World of Wheels showroom floor. They got a look at automotive innovations and could question experts before the showroom opened to the public.
After seeing the latest in automotive technology, the students re-examined their designs and made modifications. In addition, they developed a 30-second “elevator speech” to pitch their design to engineers at the event.
All nine pairs from Bernard Campbell advanced to the final round in the design competition from among more than 300 middle-school students.
Painted rocks symbolize kindness
Children at Hazel Grove Elementary School recently participated in kindness talks through the Kindness Rocks program sponsored by Unity World Headquarters, which is nearby.
Volunteers from Unity painted hundreds of rocks and then visited the school, presenting a rock to each student.
During Random Acts of Kindness Week earlier this month, Hazel Grove students took part in several presentations on kindness. After the kindness talks, they were encouraged to place their painted rocks throughout the community to spread the message of kindness and compassion.
Summer school enrollment opens March 26
Online enrollment will open March 26 for the Elementary Summer Learning Institute offered to elementary school students in the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District.
For the first time, incoming kindergartners will be able to participate in summer school.
The institute will be in session Mondays through Thursdays from June 4-28 at six elementary schools. Classes will be from either 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., depending on the school site.
The class locations are Sunset Valley, Cedar Creek, Meadow Lane, Westview, Trailridge and Highland Park elementary schools. Programs for students with special needs will be offered at Sunset Valley and Cedar Creek.
Additional information about offerings will be available on March 26, too. The last day to enroll will be April 16.
Transportation will be provided for students living in the Meadow Lane attendance area who attend summer sessions at Meadow Lane, as well as for students living in the Westview attendance area who attend Westview summer school. Families of all other students must provide their own transportation.
Parenting classes offered
Lee’s Summit CARES will present several workshops and parenting classes in the coming weeks to help families learn practical strategies for raising children who are respectful and responsible.
The offerings:
▪ Stress Management for Busy Families, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on March 12 at Prairie View Elementary, 501 S.E. Todd George Parkway. Cost : $10.
▪ Parents’ Guide to Youth Mental Wellness and Resilience, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on April 3 at Lee’s Summit North High School, 901 N.E .Douglas St. The session is free thanks to a partnership with the Greater Lee’s Summit Healthcare Foundation.
▪ Mindful Parenting 101, an online streaming class offered free through May 30.
▪ Parenting the Love and Logic Way, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Mondays, April 2-30 at Prairie View Elementary. This class is designed for parents with children of any age. The cost is $42, but free for those who have taken the classes previously. Scholarships are available for residents of the R-7 school district.
For more information, to register or to apply for a scholarship, visit www.lscares.org. Click on Parenting and then scroll down for the course descriptions and registration links.
Compiled by Elaine Adams, Special to the Journal
This story was originally published February 27, 2018 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Lee’s Summit R-7 district announces replacements for two key positions."