News by: Hannah Williams

In the Northland, things move forward. Schools have been built; businesses have moved out while others have moved in. The North Kansas City School District is no stranger to change, including advancements in education. One of those proposed advancements the district plans to be a part of is the Northland Innovation Campus.

Announced on Tuesday, March 11 at the bustling Gladstone Community Center, the new campus will be a joint partnership between the City of Gladstone, a few area universities and the school district, with the possibility of future private investors.

“We’re in a partnership,” said Paul Harrell, chief financial officer for North Kansas City School District. “This building will be a building that will really be owned by the City of Gladstone. So they’re actually putting the up-front capital out on the building and we’re, the North Kansas City School District, is just going to lease space, so we’re not actually fronting the construction costs ourselves.”

Because of the leasing, according to Harrell, this will save the district some money in the long run and will also be adaptable to changing needs in future education.

“Really and truly, if we go out and build a building ourselves, we’d probably own it from here to eternity,” Harrell said. “But, with this type of program, what it might look like today will be probably totally different than what it looks like in 10 or 20 years from now. By leasing the space, it gives us more flexibility to allow the program to grow and to allow private businesses to develop in the area.”

Including the partnership with the City of Gladstone, the school district is also teaming up with colleges, such as Northwest Missouri State University.

“Well, right now, what we’re doing is exploring a variety of opportunities with the City of Gladstone and the North Kansas City School District,” said John Jasinski, Ed.D., president of Northwest Missouri State University. “This would include, for example, potentially moving into the proposed building…as well as…possibly offering degree programs.”

The programs in the proposed building could benefit the college transition process for incoming students, according to Jasinski.

“What they’ll be able to do is come to North Kansas City School District, and the Northland schools in general, go through the system of City of Gladstone and the Northland Innovation Campus, certainly get some dual credit and some articulation with community college and then at Northwest Missouri State, they’ll have that gradual or I should say, seamless transition to the university,” Jasinski said.

In addition to a seamless transition, the proposed programs and use of the Northland Innovation Campus could also save time and money for future college students.

“So, it should, if it works according to plan, reduce time, with regard to going to a four-year university and, ultimately, costs,” Jasinski said. “From a student’s perspective, reducing time and reducing costs will get students out into the work force more quickly, reduce their debt and get them to earn money more quickly.”

The 200,000-square-foot building will be a “state-of-the-art facility” according to Todd White, Ed.D., superintendent of the school district. The building, which will house the Students in Academically Gifted Education, SAGE, and the Northland Center for Advanced Professional Studies, NCAPS, will free up 14 classrooms and ease the strain on local businesses, according to White.

“Leasing space not only provides a learning environment tailored to the specific needs of these programs, but it also helps address some of our crowding issues across the district,” said White. “With more open classrooms, we can hire more teachers and lighten the load on class sizes.”

Not only will it open classrooms, but also help students prepare for future changes in Northland education.

“Education is changing,” Jasinski said, “and it has to be relevant for our students.”

For more information click HERE to view a video further describing the project.