Levy Special Education Center

• The facility, built in 1981, meets all accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In 2001, an addition was built to serve our growing population.
• Levy has a unique hydrotherapy pool with a movable floor and state-of-the-art fully accessible playground
• Five levels of prepared food
• Community Based Instruction
• Transition Planning
• Vocational Training

Exit west Kellogg at Ridge Rd. Go north on Ridge Rd. to 2^nd St. Go west on 2^nd St., follow 2nd St. to Woodchuck. Levy is on the east side of street. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

The mission of Levy Special Education Center is to provide a safe and stimulating learning environment which promotes dignity and respect for the students and where individual needs of each student are met by a team of skilled, caring professionals in ways that are functional and meaningful.

Each student’s Individual Education Plan is developed in alignment with the Kansas Extended Standards. The Unique Learning System has been adopted as the curriculum for Levy students.

Motor, communication and social skills are pervasive, and are embedded into all aspects of programming.

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. Staff, parent and community agencies that serve people with disabilities serve on the Levy Site Council.

Meeting Day: First Tuesday of each month
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Levy

The student population at Levy is a diverse group of 82 students, ranging from three to 21 years of age. Twelve classroom teachers and 45 paraprofessionals work with students each day. The Levy staff also includes two nurses and two nurse assistants, one physical therapist, one occupational therapist, one therapy paraeducator, one speech clinician, one assistive technology specialist and other support staff.

Levy students participate in Adapted Physical Education, Swimming, Adapted Music, Homeliving and Library as a part of their program. Participation in Special Olympics is also offered. Levy students also receive vocational training to develop skills that they will use during their community based instruction. We are fortunate to have many companies and organizations in Wichita that provide community based instruction sites for our students. 

Levy Special Education Center was named in honor of Morris W. Levy who was born in France in 1844. He came to Wichita in 1872. Mr. Levy lived in Wichita for 33 years and was active in civic affairs. He served on the Wichita School Board for 12 years and was president 11 terms. Mr. Levy founded the Wichita Library Association, was president of the Kansas Bankers Association, secretary of the Wichita Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Board of Directors of the Board of Trade, and treasurer of the Stock Association.

The original Morris W. Levy Elementary School was located at 2001 East Stafford. It was constructed in 1952 and opened in September of that year with an enrollment of 320 students. Through the years, the student population varied from a maximum of 500 pupils to a low of 200 in 1970-71.

At the close of the 1970-71 school year, the use of Levy as an elementary attendance center was discontinued. However, the facility continued to be utilized for instruction of handicapped pupils in grades kindergarten through 12. In accordance with its new usage, the school was renamed the Levy Special Education Center.

The Levy Special Education Center located at 400 N. Woodchuck was built in 1980 at a cost of $3.8 million to house the severely multiply disabled population for the school district. The school was first occupied on August 24, 1981. The school also serves some Trainable Mentally Retarded and Autistic students. Half-day programs are provided at Levy for three- and four-year-olds, and a full day program is provided for five- through 21-year-olds.

The building was constructed with unique architectural features to meet the needs of severely handicapped students. Some of these features include wider door openings, heated floors in the classrooms, handrails in all hallways, handicapped accessible sinks and drinking fountains, and curtains instead of doors on the bathroom stalls.

In 2001, an addition was added to the existing building to accommodate a growing population of students. The building now includes 22 classrooms with observation/office areas between each classroom. Each classroom also has a restroom. We have a gym for Adapted Physical Education and a hydro-therapy pool which has adjustable depths from deck level to a maximum depth of 4 1/2 feet. The pool water is 91 degrees and the air temperature is 93 which creates a therapeutic effect for students. Levy also has a home-living area with adaptive cooking and laundry facilities, a music room, library, vocational training center, two health rooms and a cafeteria with a kitchen.
From A History of Wichita Public School Buildings, c 1997