| McCollom
Elementary school is one of west Wichita’s finest treasures. Built in
1959 with renovations and additions in 1976 and 2002, McCollom
Elementary has an outstanding reputation for student achievement. The
faculty is a dedicated group of educators that strive to meet the needs
of all learners. At McCollom a nurturing learning environment with an
emphasis on developing life long learners provides high standards of
excellence for all children.
McCollom serves as the
home base
for two of our district's special education programs. The autistic
program serves the special needs of children identified with autism
spectrum disorder. The gifted program serves students identified as
gifted. In addition, the interrelated classroom serves students with
other special learning needs.
We are very proud of
the active
and vibrant parental involvement at McCollom. A strong PTO and Site
Council support the mission of the school through tutoring,
fundraising, and teacher support. A strong sense of community
stimulates and enhances this parent partnership, from which all of our
students benefit.
- Staff
works cooperatively to ensure students are meeting district
standards through innovative instructional strategies and support.
- Active
parental involvement through tutoring, fundraising and teacher support
serves to benefit all students.
- An active PTO and
Site Council provide valuable input on decisions affecting the school.
- Community
volunteers tutor students needing additional support.
- McCollom
has a before- and after-school program which operates
from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. in order to serve the childcare needs of working
parents.
- Staff utilize brain based learning
strategies such as Brain Gym.
- Standardized dress
Exit west Kellogg at Tyler Rd. Go north on
Tyler Rd. to 11th St. Go west on 11th
St. two blocks to McCollom. See Maps
for all USD 259 locations.
It
is our shared vision that all students be proficient in a
standards-based curriculum that is challenging, relevant, integrated
and shared with the community. Staff will enhance students'
performance
using research-based instructional strategies that include multiple
intelligences, hands-on and real world experiences. Assessment data
will identify student needs and drive instruction. All
students will
feel safe, physically and emotionally. The learning
environment will be
structured on clear expectations and respect for others. Staff will
work collaboratively and welcome community involvement.
Therefore,
the mission of McCollom Elementary is to educate all children to
achieve their fullest potential.
Each
school has a site council, which is a group of parents, community
members, business representatives, teachers and other school staff.
Site councils identify, consider and discuss educational problems and
issues at the school. Councils provide advice and counsel for
evaluating state, school district and school site performance goals and
objectives. Councils may also recommend methods that may be employed at
the school site to meet these goals and objectives. Site
Council Meeting Day:
Time: Location:
School Library
Chairperson:
- Autistic Special Education
Program, Pre-K through 5th
- Gifted Program, K - 5th
grade
- Fine Arts Education through Art, Vocal
Music, Instrumental Music and Arts Partners
- Full
time staffed computer lab
- Targeted Intervention
program
Kindergarten
Pre-Kindergarten
Program: None All-Day Kindergarten
The
C.H. McCollom School opened its doors to students on February 1, 1960,
the fourth elementary school of School District 69. The rapid growth in
the school population within the district, which included Peterson,
Mary Benton and Pearl Kensler schools, created the need for an
additional elementary school. The architectural firm of Hibbs and
Pettit was engaged to design the building. The eight-acre site in the
north Westlink area was located on the fringe of the existing housing
development, and during the early years McCollom enjoyed a pastoral
setting of open wheat fields and native grassland with abundant small
animal and bird life.
The school name was chosen by
the PTA
units of the three existing schools of the district to honor C.H. "Hub"
McCollom who had been active in the west Wichita community as a school
board member, director of the school board from 1955-1958, a township
trustee and as an originator of youth recreational facilities for the
area.
The eleven-classroom school opened in February
1960, with
an enrollment of 272, a staff of ten classroom teachers and two special
services teachers, principal, part-time secretary, and one custodian.
In July 1960, School District 69 was attached to the Wichita School
District for school purposes, and most of the improvement districts
were annexed by the City of Wichita during the following year.
With
the increasing enrollment, portable classroom units were moved to the
school site beginning in 1962 and continuing until 1966 when six units
were in use. To accommodate the continuing and projected growth of the
McCollom residential area, the school board voted to construct a
permanent major addition to the existing school. Ramey and Jones,
architects, designed the new addition with ten classrooms, two
kindergarten rooms, library, commons room, special services facilities
and renovation of the existing building. A delay in the completion date
of the new addition necessitated scheduling classes in shifts for
several weeks at the beginning of the 1966 school term. Regular school
hours were observed by the younger students while upper grade students
were divided into early and late shifts to share the available space
until the new addition was ready for occupancy in October 1966.
During
the school terms of 1967 and 1968 several classrooms of children from
Kensler School were bused to McCollom to utilize the extra classrooms
space. In the summers of 1967 and 1968 McCollom was used as a Headstart
Center and has also been used as a summer school center, in the summer
library program and for Park Board summer recreation.
An
addition consisting of a new multipurpose room and a new classroom was
completed in 1976. One classroom was remodeled, and a surveillance
system was installed. The architects for this addition were Calvin,
Jones, Jelinek and Gegen.
At the beginning of the
1988-89 year,
sixth grade students were incorporated into the middle school program,
leaving a K-5 enrollment of around 450.
In April
2000, the
voters of the Wichita School District approved a $284.5 million bond
issue. The projects began in the fall of 2000 and were completed over
the next five years. The plan built 19 multipurpose rooms, upgraded
science labs, replaced portable classrooms with permanent construction,
improved handicap accessibility to all buildings, rebuilt five existing
elementary schools, added a new elementary and middle school,
expanded seven other elementary schools and provided
nine new
libraries as well as the expansion of nine others.
Building
infrastructure in 82 buildings was also upgraded, including
the replacement of antiquated plumbing, updates and expansion
of
electrical systems, replacement of inefficient or broken
windows and
doors, upgrades of heating and cooling systems, and asbestos
abatement
when required.
The district entered contracts with
PBA
Architects, P.A. and Brecko Construction Co. to complete the McCollom
upgrades. The school received a new addition including four special
education classrooms, as well as renovations for student support.
The
Bond project dedication ceremony was held October 10, 2002.
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