Letter to the editor

My fellow Kansas City, Kansas, residents,

In the recent months, I have been listening to and reflecting on the discourse in our community. The conversations serve as a reminder of the difficulties of transitions in all that we encounter in life.

“It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between we fear … It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to.” (Marilyn Ferguson)

Perhaps these words describe where we are as a community, as a school district, somewhere in between what we know to be true, and the part we each play in our collective journey.

Recently, I stood with our community to dedicate our newest middle school to an educator, a mentor, and certainly a legend, Gloria Willis. Mrs. Willis always knew what to say and do in times of transition and change. Thinking of Gloria Willis reminded me that we have much to hold on to. Throughout her life, she modeled the importance of service before self. Her message was clear: We are all collectively responsible for the success of our students and our schools. Throughout her years of service to the district, Gloria Willis was always a fierce advocate for all children and their families.

Gloria Willis’s actions and decisions underscored that our greatest concern must be the education and welfare of all children, and that decisions must be carefully considered and in the best interests of all. She focused on the strengths of our school district, while working in partnership with board members, administrators, and the community to address acknowledged challenges. She insisted on working in collaboration with community agencies and faith-based organizations, frequently stating that we are all collectively responsible for the success of our students. Gloria Willis understood the enormous impact the Board of Education can have when it functions as a team. A team focused on the tremendous responsibility to set forth the vision and direction of the schools, allocate resources to achieve the vision, establish policies, and monitor progress. She embraced this role, serving with dignity, integrity, and grace.

In just a few weeks, we will come together as a community to elect four members to serve on our Board of Education. As we do so, let’s all take a moment to reflect on the lessons learned from Gloria Willis as we give our support to the next generation of board members. There is much to hold on to. It’s up to us to embrace our collective responsibility to the future of our children. Our community deserves it, and our kids are counting on it.

Sincerely,

Dr. Cynthia Lane

KCK resident