Sumner Academy of Arts and Science, located in Kansas City, Kansas, is a public college-preparatory magnet school that continues to prepare urban students for high-level university work. Created in response to a court desegregation mandate, Sumner Academy opened in the fall of 1978 at a time when increasing diversity, poverty levels and decreasing performance on test scores were widespread community concerns. While no longer bound by a desegregation order, Sumner continues to excel despite many challenges:
Five years ago admissions requirements to attend Sumner were relaxed to increase enrollment.
Over the last 7 years the percent of Sumner students receiving free or reduced lunch has increased from 23% to 37%.
Sumner Academy, originally built in 1939 for students of color, is situated in an economically deprived urban district that struggles to improve student achievement.
Despite these obstacles, Sumner Academy established at its conception and continues to maintain high behavioral and academic standards for students.
One key factor that significantly helps in maintaining Sumner Academy’s rigorous academic standing is the International Baccalaureate Program, introduced in 1987. We offer 20 different IB classes and over one third of the faculty has received extensive IB training. Although only juniors and seniors are eligible to take IB classes, the effect of the IB program permeates the Sumner Academy curriculum for all grade levels. For example, it is not uncommon to hear eighth grade teachers explaining the importance of the IB curriculum to their students. Equally common is the array of ninth and tenth graders who take pre-IB courses with the anticipation of enrolling in future IB work. Overall, IB represents an externally held standard that all students and teachers know and recognize; it allows us to maintain and sharpen our focus on academic achievement.
Yet, Sumner Academy is not a place where students and teachers labor endlessly without joy. A refreshing level of energy and excitement uplifts students and faculty. Students and teachers willingly take on additional challenges to improve the students’ experiences at Sumner. Math teachers offer tutorial sessions in the summer to prepare new students; elective teachers offer to teach early morning classes or during their preparation period to accommodate students’ tight schedules; students volunteer numerous community service hours tutoring their peers at Sumner or at a neighboring elementary school; resource teachers willingly add to their case-load to assist borderline students. In addition, there are numerous clubs, sports and activities for students and over 90% of our students belong to at least one extra-curricular group. Teachers willingly sponsor these activities because they enjoy interacting with the students outside the classroom.
The Mission Statement of Sumner Academy states, “Sumner Academy of Arts and Science offers a college preparatory curriculum with educational experiences that promote responsibility, adaptability and lifelong learning to its diverse student body”. Sumner more than fulfills this mission while reaching beyond to create and maintain a haven where students and teachers are excited not only about learning but also about excelling.
