Bryant Core Knowledge Magnet Elementary School

Bryant Core Knowledge Magnet’s theme is “Learning Today…Leading Tomorrow.”  Students learn through a common core of concepts, skills and knowledge. Bryant’s mission is to meet individual instructional needs by allowing students to progress in a safe, supportive and academically challenging environment.

Program highlights include alternative tutoring in math and reading, Accelerated Reader and STAR reading and math programs, Battle of the Books, Bala-Vis-X. Brain Gym, and other educational activities that support the Core Knowledge program.

Bryant also offers Pre-kindergarten, all-day kindergarten, child care before and after school, and special education classes.

Exit west Kellogg at West St. Go north on West St. to 9^th. Go west on 9^th to Bryant, which is on the north side of the street. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

To meet individual instructional needs allowing students to progress in a safe, supportive environment to achieve success at appropriate developmental levels.

1. All students will demonstrate effective reading comprehension skills.
2. All students will demonstrate growth in math problem solving.
3. All students will generate, select, rethink and review ideas resulting in effective written communication.

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 needs 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. The Bryant Site Council has 15 members. 

Meeting Day: Fourth Tuesday of each month, as needed
Time: 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Location: Bryant Library
Chairperson: Doug Warren

• Pre-Kindergarten
• All-day Kindergarten
• Categorical Mentally Retarded
• Interrelated special education
• Small group instruction
• Bala-Vis-X
• Brain Gym
• Battle of the Books
• Book Buddy Program - pairing low primary and upper intermediate classes for weekly reading and writing activities
• Enrollment is 435 students: Pre-kindergarten - 5th grade

Bryant school hours are from 9 a.m. to 4:10 p.m.
(The building is open to students at 8:50 a.m.)

Kindergarten

Pre-Kindergarten: Morning and afternoon sessions
All-Day Kindergarten: 9 a.m. - 4:10 p.m.
           (Bryant does not offer half-day kindergarten)

• PTA provides funds and services for children as well as many fun activities during the school year:
              Donuts with Dad and the Holiday Gift Shop
              Muffins with Mom and the Scholastic Book Fair
              Fun Night
              Pop Corn sale bi-weekly on Fridays
• Volunteer Program
• Bryant interacts with both the Orchard Park Board Agency and Hadley Middle School, which are located nearby.
• Field Day is a special yearly event that features U.S. Marine Corps Reserve volunteers.

John B. Bryant Elementary School was built to alleviate overcrowded conditions at three other elementary schools: Black, Dodge and OK. Ash and Harrison were the architects for the structure.

The school opened its doors in January 1957 at the start of the second semester to students who lived between Newell Street on the south to 13^th Street on the north, and from West Street on the east to the "Big Ditch" on the west. The number of students entering was 430, and they were taught by 14 teachers. All were housed in the one building.

In the years Bryant has been in operation, its enrollment has climbed as high as 732. The addition of portables to the school site began in the 1958-59 school year and continued until in addition to the 14 classrooms of the original building in 1970 there were 11 portable classrooms.

In 1976 an addition consisting of eight classrooms, three classrooms for educable mentally handicapped, a multipurpose room, and a new mechanical room for the entire building was constructed. The old multipurpose room was remodeled into a media center, and the office areas were renovated. Architects for the addition were Carmichael/Associates.

In 1981 all windows were replaced with thermal pane steel windows. In 1985 a stone room was added, and in 1987 a computer lab added.

Enrollment has been declining since the late 1980s. At the beginning of the 1988-89 year, sixth-grade students were incorporated into the middle school program, leaving a K-5 enrollment of approximately 400 students.

Bryant School was named for John B. Bryant, a well-known Wichita lawyer who served many years as a member of the Wichita Board of Education. On July 13, 1998, the Board of Education approved a name change effective with the 1998-99 school year. Bryant Elementary was changed to Bryant Core Knowledge Magnet.

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.

As a result of Bond project construction, Bryant received a new addition that includes five classrooms. Renovations were also made to student support and other classrooms, and a covered loading/unloading area for special education was provided as well.

Working on this project were Spangenberg Phillips Architecture and construction company Hahner, Foremen and Harness, Inc. The addition and renovation project was $1,596,363. The Bond project dedication ceremony was held January 27, 2005.