Koch-funded private elementary school coming to Wichita State’s campus in September
Work has already started on the former Printing and Publication Services building on the main campus just south of the Student Credit Union. The building is the site of the future Wonder school.
Chase and Annie Koch, the son and daughter-in-law of Koch Industries’ Charles Koch, along with a former fundraiser and state director for Koch-funded political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, are opening a private school on Wichita State’s campus in the fall.
The school will be called Wonder, according to the Wichita Eagle, which first broke the story Sunday. The university has not released any information on the school, although it signed a lease agreement with the school in December.
The school will be located in the Printing and Publication Services Building just south of the campus credit union, near the National Institute of Aviation and Research, according to a university official. In the fall, it will open as an elementary school, but plans to expand to serve students pre-K-through-12th-grade education. As of Sunday, the inside of the building had been gutted and Dondlinger Construction trucks and construction materials were on-site.
Rooms have been gutted and renovations have already begun to turn the former Printing and Publication Services building into a k–12 private school.
The Kochs will lease the building for $90,000 a year and pay for renovations, the report said. The lease agreement was signed through the Wichita State Innovation Alliance, a nonprofit formed to manage projects on Innovation Campus with a board full of Wichita State administrators, including President John Bardo.
Shirley Lefever, dean of the College of Education at Wichita State, told the Eagle she’s excited to partner with the school, which will serve as a kind of living laboratory for teaching students. She did not elaborate on how Wichita State students would be involved in the private school in the article and was not immediately available for comment Sunday.
“I think they (Wonder) have an incredible vision, and we just feel very privileged to be a part of that conversation,” Lefever said.
Tuition for elementary-age children will be $10,000 a year. Pre-schoolers will pay about $6,500 a year, according to the report.
The Eagle reported that Wonder will not seek state accreditation. Instead, it will work under the guidelines of the International Association of Learner-Driven Schools.
Zach Lahn, a former fundraiser and state director for Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-backed conservative political advocacy group, was a partner and co-founder of the project. Lahn said to the Eagle that the pre-school will be a Montessori-model.
Students will be grouped into multi-age studios, instead of by grade level. There won’t be any teachers at the school, but “guides” and “coaches,” Lahn said. There won’t be traditional grades or report cards. Students will spend four to six weeks working on “theme-based, hands-on projects,” presenting them to family and community members, who will offer feedback and ratings.
“Most of the private schools (in Wichita) are college-preparatory academies, and we are not that,” Annie Koch told the Eagle. “People who are really passionate about having a college-prep academy might not be as passionate about what we’re doing.”
The Sunflower will update this story as details become available.
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Real Shocker • Feb 6, 2018 at 6:32 am
Why not build this a the Koch Industries headquarters a couple miles away where the Koch employees could just drop off their kids for their learning? What is the need to be on the WSU campus for this? Hmmmmm. What could it be?
Real Shocker • Feb 6, 2018 at 6:25 am
If Innovation Campus is so great and there is all that open space and empty buildings being built by Regent Chair Dave Murfin, why are they not building “Wonder Campus” there? Will it be “Wonder State University” in the future?
Anyone think Shirley Lefever would say anything different? I think she knows how Bardo and Vizzini felt about her when she was hired.
if this was such a great deal there would be open discussion on campus and faculty would be included and it would be announced with a great ribbon cutting before renovating the building. Keeping it all a secret should help give an indication about what is going on.
Real Shocker • Feb 6, 2018 at 6:16 am
The $3.6M donation that Koch made to run the Economics program and teach a “choice” of things was the more subtle way to create widgets.
“Wonder” has crossed a totally new line. This property is not even part of Innovation Campus. However, Wichita State Innovation Alliance (WSIA) which is the umbrella for Innovation Campus has now crossed over to WSU property and gained a foothold. So on WSU property you have staff hired and trained by the Kochs teaching their ideology.
They apparently tried in the past with Beggs when they wanted to donate to the Business School and have say in faculty hiring and teaching methodology but Beggs apparently said no. Not the case these days.
Real Shocker • Feb 5, 2018 at 9:39 pm
No concerns here building schools:
https://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/charles-kochs-disturbing-high-school-economics-project-teaches-sacrificing-lives-for-profits/
Nope. Nothing to see here. No reference to Kindergarten in that story.
Charles Koch gives $3.6M to the Wichita State Economics Department for Free Market Economic studies:
http://www.kansas.com/news/local/education/article172874586.html
We’ll keep our academic freedom says Anand Dasai in the article. Keep reading to see what they will study then see what Charles Koch believes.
Nobody should be concerned. Koch State University (formerly Wichita State University) should be ready to go when the kindergartners are done with 12th grade or what they might call “final cluster”.
Anyone hear the WSU faculty? No, those are crickets. Give a little to fund athletics and then the Economics Department and then Ty Masterson who is a conservative Republican over on Innovation Campus.
Many years ago I believe Koch wanted to give money to the Business School but Don Beggs and faculty said no because they wanted to have a say in hiring faculty and course content. But Don Beggs is long gone.
Bardo came and bought the Charles Koch books for all the Executive Team members to read so we understood his background. Bardo mocked it but will go to great lengths to secure his money.
Faculty? Hello??? Anyone home????
Kent Roth • Feb 5, 2018 at 2:45 pm
My Niece in Hawaii attended a Montessori-model during her early grades. She and now her three own children all excel in School. Sounds like Chase and Annie Koch are spending money to give one more option to parents looking for the best for their children.
April Lemon • Feb 5, 2018 at 1:22 pm
Sure would be nice for the Sunflower to offer the opinions of students on this issue, perhaps ask some questions as to how this benefits the student body? So we are going to have an elementary school on campus where everyone can bring their guns? Who would send their kids there? Why are we using campus buildings so Koch can make more money? Lots and lots of reporting to be done here.
vcbbref • Feb 5, 2018 at 3:02 pm
Who said anything about guns? Wow, that’s a jump for sure.
Why don’t you do some research about this and try to find out what the mission of the school is, how will it involve WSU students (opportunities to coach/mentor to kids) and the university. From what I have found, this will not be a “For Profit” school. While private, all funds will be reinvested in the school/kids/mentors/coaches itself.
Real Shocker • Feb 6, 2018 at 6:21 am
https://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/charles-kochs-disturbing-high-school-economics-project-teaches-sacrificing-lives-for-profits/
Real Shocker • Feb 5, 2018 at 10:28 am
You all must not know how Charles Koch runs WSU. He pays about $2M of Gregg Marshall’s salary. He has donated a bunch of cash for various projects. He is Bardo’s hope for the Business school funding of the half that student fees will not pay. He funded GoCreate with employs Ty Masterson, the Republican Kansas Legislator, as its Director. People who work for Koch like Steve Feilmeier are top donors to the Foundation. The faculty have just watched it all happen.
vcbbref • Feb 5, 2018 at 2:57 pm
So you have laid out several positive things the Koch Foundation has done. What exactly are you complaining about? Kids that can’t afford an education are getting assistance (free) and a local successful business man is investing in the local university. Kids from WSU today are being recruited all over the world for jobs. Are you mad about that or just wanting to complain because it involves the name Koch?
Real Shocker • Feb 5, 2018 at 4:43 pm
Dear Very Crappy Basket Ball Ref,
I sat in Executive meetings where Bardo would mock the views and positions of Charles Koch. It was disgusting. He would say how he didn’t like Charles Koch’s political or other views but he sure liked his money. I am sure Charles Koch could give a rip about John Bardo but does he know Bardo openly mocks him? When Koch gave the $11M+ a couple years back Bardo was upset because it was so little and Bardo wanted more because Koch had so much.
vcbbref • Feb 5, 2018 at 11:06 pm
Why the negative assumption of my referee skills? Making negative comments about someone u do not know shows your lack of maturity. U certainly r not a “Real Shocker”! Please stop commenting as u are imbarrassing the rest of us that are Shockers and want to have a civil and open discussion about new ideas and different ways of doings things.
Sounds like u have a problem with Bardo and not Mr Koch. Maybe you should voice your displeasure somewhere else like Mr Bardo’s office.
Real Shocker • Feb 6, 2018 at 6:10 am
Any comment on the articles noted in the other comment about Koch motives?
vcbbref • Feb 6, 2018 at 10:41 am
You don’t deserve a response. But I’ll humor you.
To link an author that writes a book not connected or promoted by Koch is a classic liberal attack. People across this land have written or referenced books to read that promote a variety of extreme ideologies. To say the Koch is ok with killing people for profits, is a typical reckless hack comment and demonstrates your ignorance.
Maybe you should open your mind to the facts and not just bias opinion?
http://www.kochind.com/responsibility/safety/
vcbbref • Feb 6, 2018 at 10:49 am
Still didn’t answer my questions above. That’s a typical uninformed liberal response. Just throw out talking points without concern for facts or truth.
Real Shocker • Feb 6, 2018 at 4:57 pm
The concern is what is the real discussion taking place. I have heard Bardo directly talk about his disagreement with the beliefs of Charles Koch and how he operates and then takes the money. I think that is wrong.
Which kids are getting free assistance?
I understand the facts about the $3.6M for the Economics program. Not an uninformed liberal. Far from it. Absolutely not supportive of the Koch agenda. I have heard the facts from Bardo first hand. I doubt he would say the Charles Koch’s face what he has said in meetings when Charles Koch was not there.
vcbbref • Feb 6, 2018 at 7:04 pm
So you think Bardo is a liar but believe him when it comes to other info that serves your beliefs about Mr Koch? That seems a touch hypocritical don’t u think?
The number of scholarships available to students has significantly increased due to the donations. That’s free assistance to the kids. That list is very long and doesn’t discriminate.
Real Shocker • Feb 6, 2018 at 8:12 pm
I scanned my comments on this story. Never once said Bardo is a liar.
The article in the Eagle today said Wonder will not have scholarships right now according to Lou Heldman.
vcbbref • Feb 6, 2018 at 9:22 pm
Read my comment. Not once did I say, “you called” him a liar.
karretop • Feb 4, 2018 at 9:29 pm
Indoctrination works best with the young – confined to a space where there is no one to argue against whatever is being presented as fact. I predict you will be seeing many of their “schools” crop up.
vcbbref • Feb 5, 2018 at 2:54 pm
What exactly are they presenting? School hasn’t even opened yet and you are bashing it. Since our current education system is so fantastic (lol) lets not seek a new way to learn and prepare our kids to be productive adults. That might actually lead to a productive society….
Real Shocker • Feb 6, 2018 at 6:12 am
https://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/charles-kochs-disturbing-high-school-economics-project-teaches-sacrificing-lives-for-profits/
Patty Beamer • Feb 4, 2018 at 6:47 pm
Which building is being renovated? Is parking being expanded? You have to admit, definite thinking outside the box for building leases and renovations. Plus, from what I see, WSU education students will be able to do student teaching there or no, because they don’t have “teachers”!?
Zach Parker • Feb 4, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Perhaps I’m simply confused, but why are the Kochs opening up a private, non-accredited (DeVossian) elementary school, with a price tag of $10,000/year, with plans to eventually allow students K-12 on Wichita State Campus? Which part of that even begins to remotely make sense? Why is a public university suddenly becoming the place where the Admin feels comfortable enough to lease out the land for a non-collegiate elementary school, a hotel, an apartment complex, and a shopping square? Who sold the school to the Kochs?
Brandon Moore • Feb 4, 2018 at 5:21 pm
I am in agreement with you @disqus_SBxi8QRyFi:disqus. They’re opening a non-collegiate preparatory school on college grounds? Why there? Is this apart of innovation campus? I want them to help me make sense of this because I’m lost.
Yaw AP • Feb 5, 2018 at 11:47 am
Campus Credit Union has been on the same Campus for ages. Sodexo and other companies too. Hey, you didn’t know that a Pizza Company was founded on WSU Campus. Did you?