Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet Elementary School

Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet’s mission is increased student achievement through an enriched curriculum, parent involvement, a nurturing atmosphere and a strong discipline plan. Minneha, a neighborhood magnet, blends exciting curriculum with lots of staff expertise. Teachers strive to teach students to be intelligent, responsible citizens who will contribute to the community and add to the beauty of the world. Daily, Minneha invites its diverse student body to be a group of committed learners by accepting a personal challenge. “My future depends on my actions today, so I will do my best to be my best.”

Minneha’s test scores have risen steadily in the past five years. Teachers and staff focus on individual needs and learning styles and teach the aligned Core Knowledge curriculum, which is based on classic content. The core knowledge curriculum itself is an enriched classic curriculum, exposing students to such content as the beginnings of civilization in Mesopotamia, Shakespeare, world cultures and the table of elements. Core Knowledge is a rich curriculum that makes connections across subject areas and emphasizes a respect for topics related to our diverse learning community.

Minneha also offers the Gifted Program, all day kindergarten, a before- and after-school program, standardized dress and an extensive tutoring program with over 80 tutors and mentors from Hawker Beechcraft and the surrounding community, computer learning integrated into the curriculum, and in-school closed circuit TV.

Every day our students hear reiterated the reason they attend Minneha: to LEARN. Many community partnerships (Hawker Beechcraft, MKEC, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Sedgwick County, etc.) have been formed at Minneha to provide resources and support for our students and families.

Exit east Kellogg at Webb Rd. Go north seven blocks to Minneha, which is on the west side of Webb Road. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

To help our students practice and believe; “My future depends on my actions today, so I will do my best to be my best."

Our school goals focus on increasing student achievement in reading, writing and math problem solving skills, using the Core Knowledge curriculum integrated with the district and state educational goals.

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. The Minneha Site Council liaisons closely with the Technology Committee, which is composed of interested parents and teachers. The Minneha Site Council was also instrumental in developing Parent/Teacher/Student contracts, which will be implemented during the 2006-2007 school year.

Site Council:
Meeting Day: 1st Monday of Month
Time: 6:00 p.m.

Minneha is a neighborhood magnet school with many options and choices on one campus. We use the Kindergarten through fifth grade Core Knowledge curriculum that is very specific and sequenced, eliminating many of the gaps and redundancies found in other curricula. It emphasizes classical themes and interdisciplinary instruction. Minneha also offers special needs programs and the gifted program. Approximately 80 tutors and mentors provide help to students who need reading or math remediation or a caring adult in their lives.

In an effort to give every student an equal opportunity for success, Minneha offers a wide variety of educational and extracurricular programs structured to focus on individual needs and learning styles, thus allowing teachers to maximize classroom achievement. 

• The Gifted Program
• Extensive Tutoring/Mentoring Program
• Battle of the Books
• DARE for 5th Graders
• Standardized dress
• Wireless computer lab and computers in every classroom
• In-school student TV production
• Music, PE, Art, Strings
• Robotics
• Pre-Kindergarten program
• Baxter, Therapy Dog
• Accelerated Reader
• Community Connections Program
• Birthday Book Club
• Outstanding PTO, which is very involved in helping Minneha become the best that it can be. They work diligently to provide extra resources to our staff and students. In the past year, Minneha PTO purchased new, state-of-the-art playground equipment and a new copier.

Art and Physical Education are taught as an integral portion of the Core Knowledge curriculum for all grade levels. Music is available in the form of vocal, band and string/wind instrumental instruction. There are ongoing displays of student art, field day, musical productions and many special events showcasing students' projects and talents. In addition, Minneha is proud to have one of the finest libraries in the city with library classes at the center of learning at every grade level. The Accelerated Reader program is available in every classroom and supervised Internet and e-mail access and instruction is offered in the media center. The campus is fully networked and closed circuit TV is in every classroom.

Kindergarten

Pre-Kindergarten Program:  9:00-11:55 and 1:00-3:55
Half-Day Kindergarten:  None
All-Day Kindergarten:  9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Music is available in the form of vocal, and string/wind instrumental instruction. There are ongoing displays of student art, field day, musical productions and many special events showcasing students' projects and talents.

Minneha is a Pawnee Indian word meaning “Happy Waters.” Minneha Elementary School was originally Minneha School District 134. The district was formed on February 17, 1883, and elected its first three-man school board in April of that year (Director H.C. Buck; Clerk Henry Oliver; Treasurer R.T. Leach). A frame building was constructed on the northeast corner of what is now the intersection of Webb Road and Central. Lillian Howard was hired as the one teacher for the fall term.

Minneha will celebrate its 125 year as a school community during the 2008-2009 school year.

In February of 1918 the frame school house burned. The building was replaced by a brick structure with a basement large enough for pupil programs and community social gatherings. The people of the district met each month for a social evening at the schoolhouse where oyster soup, chili or covered dish suppers were served. This building later became the Beech Aircraft print shop, and then a credit union. In May 1996 it was razed to widen the intersection at Webb and Central.

The red brick building served the community until 1949. On October 21 of that year an open house was held in the newly constructed building at 701 North Webb Road. This building was the first phase of the present Minneha north building and was heralded as one of the most advanced rural school buildings in the state of Kansas. Facilities consisted of four fluorescent lighted classrooms and a kindergarten room, spacious auditorium and playroom, dining room, kitchen, library and offices. In 1950 the City of Eastborough consolidated its school district with the Minneha District, and in 1951 the north wing with four additional classrooms was completed.

Minneha School operated as a rural elementary school for children in kindergarten through eighth grade until the fall of 1952 when the second addition was completed. It was then reorganized as a grade school serving children from kindergarten through sixth grade and as a junior high school for children in grades seven, eight and nine. As the district increased in population, a new building program was begun and the Minneha south building was completed in 1955. A band room was constructed on the west end of the north building in 1960.

In July 1965 Minneha District 134 was unified with Wichita District No. 1 and other rural districts adjacent to Wichita to form Unified School District No. 259. Minneha continued to operate as organized until the fall of 1966, when all pupils in grades seven, eight and nine were assigned to the new Coleman Junior High School. The two Minneha buildings were reorganized for children enrolled from kindergarten through the sixth grade. 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 425.

On July 13, 1998, the Board of Education approved a name change for Minneha. Minneha Elementary was changed to Minneha 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.

Minneha received a new addition including eight classrooms and student support area during the Bond project. Robl Construction, Inc. completed the project in accordance with plans and specifications prepared by Howard and Helmer  Architects, P.A.

The Bond project dedication ceremony was held April 30, 2003.