MISSION

VISION

To provide a world-class neighborhood school whose students thrive in a culture of academic rigor, character development, and caring relationships.

We envision a vibrant, close-knit, neighborhood-based school where all students reach for and attain their highest goals.

HISTORY

A Neighborhood School Rooted in Community and Excellence

Hope Leadership Academy was born from the dreams of neighborhood children and their families—to have a high-quality school in their own community, one that nurtures strong relationships and delivers academic excellence.

Our Story

In 2008, the Kansas City Public School District announced the closure of 29 out of its 61 schools. Two of those schools served our local community. With their closure, neighborhood children were suddenly bused across the city, losing the chance to learn and grow together.

Determined to restore that sense of community, Hope Leadership Academy opened its doors in Fall 2011, reuniting neighborhood children in a school they could call their own.

Who We Are

Hope Leadership Academy is a public charter school serving students in Kindergarten through 5th grade who reside within the Kansas City Public School District boundaries.

We are deeply committed to:

Small class sizes to ensure personalized instruction and stronger relationships
Academic excellence grounded in care, community, and high expectations
Neighborhood pride and family partnerships that empower student success

What Makes HLA Unique?

We are a neighborhood-based school serving as a vital anchor in our community. Schools are the heartbeat of any neighborhood—and we are proud to contribute to the revitalization and strength of Kansas City’s east side.

Hope Leadership Academy isn’t just a school—it’s a family, a vision, and a pillar of hope for generations to come.

Why the Falcon?

In 2010, as our founding team worked to bring Hope Leadership Academy to life, our first principal witnessed a peregrine falcon land on the school’s roof.

It was an extraordinary sight in our neighborhood—and we instantly felt that this powerful, determined bird symbolized everything we hoped our students would embody:
Strength. Resilience. Vision. Soaring Potential.

That moment inspired our mascot—the Falcon—and it has proudly represented HLA ever since.

Let me know if you’d like this formatted into a flyer, one-pager, or for your school’s website—I can design that next!

PILLARS OF SUCCESS

We at Hope Leadership Academy strongly believe in our mission statement: to provide a world-class neighborhood school whose students thrive in a culture of academic rigor, character development, and caring relationships. Our 3 Pillars of Success are the framework that helps us reach the goals of the HLA mission statement.

Pillar One: Academic Rigor

Hope Leadership Academy prioritizes Academic Excellence as a goal for each and every student. It is our aim to meet each student where they are and push them to where they can be through high expectation, high quality staff and a culture of continuous learning.

Pillar Two: Leadership and Character Development

Leadership development is an essential part of character building and moral maturity. Our goal at HLA is to promote authentic leadership development in our students through identifying characteristics of quality leadership and providing opportunities for leadership exploration. When students learn to be empowered with leadership decision making skills they have the ability to impact their school, community and the larger world around them.

Pillar Three: Caring Relationships

Building and maintaining relationships is a key component to the fabric of Hope Leadership Academy. It is our goal to engage each person/ family from the moment they come into our school or call to inquire. Through respect, transparency, honesty, and leadership, we strive to be the examples of assertive communication, compassionate understanding and nonjudgmental engagement with the goal of providing our students the foundation needed for a successful educational journey.

These Pillars of Success support the Vision Statement of HLA which states that we envision a vibrant, close-knit, neighborhood-based school where all students reach for and attain their highest goals. By creating a caring and supportive environment with high expectations, we will empower students to become enthusiastic learners and respectful citizens who work diligently to better themselves and their neighborhood. Students will experience a high level of success both academically and in the world around them, which will strengthen families and the neighborhood we serve.