Community Voices
Page 6
Growth and Change are Constants for Grain Valley Schools
Dr. Marc Snow Superintendent of Schools The start of a new school year is always an exciting time. Whether it is simply an advancement in grade levels within the same building, moving up to a new school, starting a senior year in high school, becoming a brand new Grain Valley student, or beginning in kindergarten or preschool, there is a lot of anticipation about the 20182019 school year.
There are some exciting things ahead for Grain Valley Schools as we work to provide an outstanding learning experience for every student, every day. This summer, the district completed an addition to our Early Childhood Center, adding four additional classroom spaces and some much-needed restrooms and storage. The high school also started to look different as we began our $11.5 million in additions to that building. The new front drive will be completed to start the school year, and the building additions will be completed during the year. In addition to the growth and change in facilities, the district will also see many new staff members and students. We welcome them all to the Grain Valley School District. Growth and change seem to be constants for the Grain Valley School District. As I start my 18th year in the district, I am reminded of all of the changes just during my time in the district. During those years, the district
opened many new facilities, including: South Middle School, North Middle School, Prairie Branch Elementary, Stony Point Elementary, Early Childhood Center, Transportation Center, and a maintenance building. That doesn’t even start to recognize the other additions made to each of these facilities and more. In that time, the district has also grown from a 1,700 student population to nearly 4,500 students; and the budget has grown to just over $43.1 million. As a growing district, we tend to look ahead, but this year we will take time look back and reflect as we recognize a special anniversary. Matthews Elementary School celebrates 40 years of excellence this year! The school first welcomed students in 1978. The school has been added on to and updated along the way, and serves as a proud icon for the thousands of Grain Valley children who have been students there over the years. We will host a special reception to celebrate 40 years of Matthews Elementary later
this year. Communication is important to our schools and district. We intend to share as much information as possible this school year. We have recently remade our website to make it easier for families to find the information that is most important to them. We have also added a new app to give families easy access to school supply lists, district calendar, and other relevant information. Other topics we look forward to sharing as the year progresses include: personalized learning for all students, safety and security in our buildings, managing our student population growth, technology in the classroom, and many others. As always, we look forward to the start of a new school year and to serving the children and families of our community. We are proud of our district and the opportunities we can provide to our children. Please contact your school building or our district office if you need anything.
Grow Grain Valley Small Business Resources by Tasha Lindsay, Grain Valley Partnership Are you a small business? Are you wanting to open you own small business? There are many FREE resources available to help take your business to the next level or get you on the right path before taking that leap of faith. Small business owners are the heart of any local economy, your success and retention/ even expansion are what makes a community like Grain Valley thrive. Most small business owners are passionate about the community in which they decide to invest in and want to see that community grow. At the Grain Valley Partnership, we want to make sure that you have all the tools and resources necessary to be successful. One of our partners, Brian Graves with ThriveOn Concepts, is our personal SCORE Mentor. He is here to help you navigate through the steps of turning your dreams into reality or helping you advance your already existing small business to the next level. Brian is a business coach, but loves to give back and donate his time to SCORE KC as a mentor.
SCORE is a valuable network of 13,000+ volunteers who offer small business entrepreneurs confidential business counseling services at no charge. SCORE volunteers have the knowledge and experience to help any small business owner get the help they need. SCORE also provides local workshops and events throughout the country to connect small business owners with the people and information they need to start, grow, and maintain their businesses, as well as online workshops available 24/7. Another amazing opportunity for small businesses is through our very own Mid-Continent Public Library. They have a personalized department for Small Businesses called Square One Small Business Services. They offer one on one meetings, online classes, and business resources such as demographics and business magazines. All of which can be found on the mymcpl.org website under the Square One tab.
Square One Small Business Services also offers free classes at various locations throughout each month. The Grain Valley Partnership has partnered with Square One to have a monthly class offered right here in Grain Valley. Each class is presented by a topic expert. Some of the topics that we have learned about have been: marketing for small business (learning how to get your target audience using the demographic resources), breaking through the Facebook algorithms to reach more potential customers, and creating your perfect brand. These classes are the fourth Tuesday of each month and are held at Acquaint Gathering. The next class scheduled is about Cyber Safety for Small Businesses. Square One Small Business Services at Mid-Continent Public Library supports local entrepreneurs through access to information, programs, and opportunity. Whether owning a business is a brand-new dream, or your life’s work, MCPL is committed to helping you succeed.
Square One seeks to connect local entrepreneurs and small business owners to the resources and services they need to be successful in today’s marketplace. The service also includes business specialists who provide one-on-one attention, help, training, and educational opportunities. Square One provides valuable business tools — such as online databases like ReferenceUSA — as well as vital resources in the community. To date, Square One has helped launch or improve the operations of more than 45 businesses. Square One is funded by a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. If you are interested in hearing more about these resources, interested in getting connected with one our mentors / business specialists for a one on one meeting, or attending one of our free classes here in Grain Valley, please reach out to the Grain Valley Partnership at 816-443-5162.
