Kellom Elementary School

Last updated
Kellom Elementary School
Address
1311 North 24th Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68112
United States
Coordinates 41°16′17″N95°56′46″W / 41.27139°N 95.94611°W / 41.27139; -95.94611
Information
Type Public elementary school
School district Omaha Public Schools
Grades Pre-K-6
Website http://www.ops.org/elementary/kellom/

Kellom Elementary School, formerly called the Paul Street School, is a public school located at 1311 North 24th Street in the Near North Side neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Alumni of Kellom include Fred Astaire, Roger and Gale Sayers, Bob Gibson Dr. Catherine Pope, and Brenda Council. [1] Still maintaining a largely African American student body population, the school was regarded as a "black school" in pre-Civil Rights Movement-era Omaha.

Omaha, Nebraska City in Nebraska, United States

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 10 miles (15 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 40th-largest city, Omaha's 2018 estimated population was 466,061.

Fred Astaire American dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and television presenter

Fred Astaire was an American dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and television presenter. He is widely regarded as the most influential dancer in the history of film.

Gale Sayers All-American college football player, professional football player, running back, College Football Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame

Gale Eugene Sayers is a former professional American football player who earned acclaim both as a halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). In a brief but highly productive NFL career, Sayers spent seven seasons with the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1971, though multiple injuries effectively limited him to five seasons of play. He was known for his elusiveness and agility, and was regarded by his peers as one of the most difficult players to tackle.

Contents

About

Kellom School has 425 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The school has a variety of special programs, including English as a Second Language programs and classes for gifted and talented students. There is an active Parent Teacher Association, and numerous community partners, including local businesses and universities. [2]

Sixth grade is a year of education for students ages 11–12. In many nations, it is the first year of middle school or the last year of elementary school. In other countries like Finland if you are in sixth grade you are 11 or 12 if there are no changes.

Kellom's current population is 380-400 students. 75% are African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic, and the remaining 25% are Sudanese, Asian, Native American and Somali. 88% of the current population receive free or reduced lunches qualifying Kellom as a schoolwide Title I school. The mobility rate is 67.5%, which offers unique learning challenges for the staff and students. [3]

Sudan Country in Northeast Africa

Sudan or the Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea to the east, Ethiopia to the southeast, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, and Libya to the northwest. It has a population of 39 million people and occupies a total area of 1,886,068 square kilometres, making it the third-largest country in Africa. Sudan's predominant religion is Islam, and its official languages are Arabic and English. The capital is Khartoum, located at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile. Since 2011, Sudan is the scene of ongoing military conflict in its regions South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Asia Earths largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres

Asia is Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres. It shares the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa. Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometres (17,212,000 sq mi), about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the site of many of the first civilizations. Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population, but also dense and large settlements, as well as vast barely populated regions. Its 4.5 billion people constitute roughly 60% of the world's population.

Native Americans in the United States Indigenous peoples of the United States (except Hawaii)

Native Americans, also known as American Indians, Indigenous Americans and other terms, are the indigenous peoples of the United States, except Hawaii. There are over 500 federally recognized tribes within the US, about half of which are associated with Indian reservations. The term "American Indian" excludes Native Hawaiians and some Alaska Natives, while Native Americans are American Indians, plus Alaska Natives of all ethnicities. Native Hawaiians are not counted as Native Americans by the US Census, instead being included in the Census grouping of "Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander".

The school is home to a basketball program sponsored by the City of Omaha's Parks and Recreation Department. [4]

History

The Paul Street School was the original frame building erected in 1892 at the corner of 24th and Paul. The present Kellom opened in 1952 as a "community school", and included a community center as well as regular facilities. [2] It was the first new school in the Omaha district in 27 years. It was named after John H. Kellom, an early educator who arrived in Omaha in 1857 and was on the first Omaha Board of Education in 1859. Kellom was on the Board of Trustees for Omaha High School, and throughout his career in Omaha worked as a teacher, a principal, and the first superintendent of schools in the city. [3]

Omaha Central High School

Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, is a fully accredited public high school located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is one of many public high schools located in Omaha. As of the 2015-16 academic year, Omaha Central had an enrollment of 2,552 students.

According to author Tillie Olsen, in the 1920s the school hosted a number of classes for adult immigrants in the neighborhood. [5] In the early 1950s renowned Civil Rights Movement leader Whitney Young was the leader of the Urban League of Nebraska, based in North Omaha. Young was well known in the neighborhood for operating basketball and other community outreach programs at the new Kellom School. [6]

Tillie Olsen American writer

Tillie Lerner Olsen was an American writer associated with the political turmoil of the 1930s and the first generation of American feminists.

Whitney Young American civil rights leader

Whitney Moore Young Jr. was an American civil rights leader. He spent most of his career working to end employment discrimination in the United States and turning the National Urban League from a relatively passive civil rights organization into one that aggressively worked for equitable access to socioeconomic opportunity for the historically disenfranchised.

In 1964 Kellom participated in the Assistance for Interculturally Deprived program, and later in the Title I program of the U.S. Department of Education. [7] Kellom became the site of the first free breakfast program in Nebraska in 1967. [8] The school was also targeted by a number of school desegregation plans from the 1970s through the 2000s. Since 1999 Omaha Public Schools has included the school in a special program that ensures small class sizes at both the primary and intermediate grades.

Alumni

Alumni of Kellom include Fred Astaire, Roger and Gale Sayers, Bob Gibson, Bob Boozer, Michael Anania, Brenda Council, [2] and Rosenblatt Stadium namesake/Omaha mayor, Johnny Rosenblatt. [9]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Kellom Elementary School. Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 9/9/07.
  2. 1 2 3 "Elementary School Details". Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 9/9/07.
  3. 1 2 "Kellom History," Archived 2007-12-20 at the Wayback Machine Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 9/9/07.
  4. ↑ "Youth and Adult Programs". City of Omaha Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 9/9/07.
  5. ↑ Olsen, T. (1995) Tell Me a Riddle. Rutgers University Press. p 117.
  6. ↑ Dickerson, D.C. (1989) Militant Mediator: Whitney M. Young, Jr. University Press of Kentucky. p. 84.
  7. ↑ "Elementary School Details". Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 9/9/07.
  8. ↑ (2004) ["Four Young Women Honored by Heartland Family Service Solomon Girls Center"] Heartland Family Service. Retrieved 9/9/07.
  9. ↑ (2005) "Lenn Zonder looks at the modern Jewish sports scene!" Sports Track. Retrieved 9/9/07.
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