:Kellom Elementary School
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{{Infobox school
| name = Kellom Elementary School
| type = Public elementary school
| streetaddress = 1311 North 24th Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68112
United States
| coordinates = {{coord|41|16|17|N|95|56|46|W}}
| image =
| district = Omaha Public Schools
| principal =
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| students =
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| 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.[http://www.ops.org/schools/ElementarySchoolsDetails.aspx?SCHOOLID=43 Kellom Elementary School]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 9/9/07. Still maintaining a largely African American student body population, the school was regarded as a "black school" in pre-Civil Rights Movement-era Omaha.
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.[http://www.ops.org/schools/ElementarySchoolsDetails.aspx?SCHOOLID=43 "Elementary School Details"]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 9/9/07.
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.[http://www.ops.org/elementary/kellom/ABOUTOURSCHOOL/History/tabid/59/Default.aspx "Kellom History,"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220073311/http://www.ops.org/elementary/kellom/ABOUTOURSCHOOL/History/tabid/59/Default.aspx |date=2007-12-20 }} Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 9/9/07.
The school is home to a basketball program sponsored by the City of Omaha's Parks and Recreation Department.[http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/parks/Seasonal%20programs/Fall%2007%20programs%20schedules/ice07fall.pdf "Youth and Adult Programs"]. City of Omaha Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 9/9/07.
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. 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.
According to author Tillie Olsen, in the 1920s the school hosted a number of classes for adult immigrants in the neighborhood.Olsen, T. (1995) Tell Me a Riddle. Rutgers University Press. p 117. 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.Dickerson, D.C. (1989) Militant Mediator: Whitney M. Young, Jr. University Press of Kentucky. p. 84.
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.[http://www.ops.org/schools/ElementarySchoolsDetails.aspx?SCHOOLID=43 "Elementary School Details"]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Omaha Public Schools. Retrieved 9/9/07. Kellom became the site of the first free breakfast program in Nebraska in 1967.(2004) ["Four Young Women Honored by Heartland Family Service Solomon Girls Center"] Heartland Family Service. Retrieved 9/9/07. 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, and Rosenblatt Stadium namesake/Omaha mayor, Johnny Rosenblatt.(2005) [http://www.pass.to/tgmegillah/Sports1.asp?id=7 "Lenn Zonder looks at the modern Jewish sports scene!"] Sports Track. Retrieved 9/9/07.
See also
References
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External links
- [http://memories.ne.gov/cdm/search/searchterm/Kellom%20School%20%28Omaha%2C%20Neb.%29/field/subjec/mode/exact/conn/and/order/title Historic images] - Nebraska Memories
{{North Omaha}}
Category:Elementary schools in Omaha, Nebraska
Category:Schools in North Omaha, Nebraska
Category:Public elementary schools in Nebraska
Category:Historically segregated African-American schools in Nebraska