Briefly Mentioned

Scholarship fund to honor Conservatory student's memory

Vincent Edward Boos died Monday, Jan. 21 in an automobile accident. Vincent Boos was a vocal performance major in the Conservatory of Music and Dance. A vocal scholarship has been established in his memory. Contributions can be sent to Linda Robbins, 4949 Cherry St., and checks should be made out to the Vincent Edward Boos Scholarship Fund.

Kansas City School District superintendent to be replaced

The Kansas City Missouri school board announced on Jan. 23 Anthony Amato would no longer be the district's superintendent, according to KCUR.org. Superintendent John Martin, who was head of the Grandview School District for nine years, will serve as interim-superintendent.

Amato had a three-year contract with the Kansas City Missouri School District which began in 2006, but the school board's summer 2007 evaluation of Amato pointed out flaws in his managerial style and implementation of new programs, according to KCUR.org.

David Smith, school board president, declined to comment to KCUR.org on the reason for Amato's termination.

"Superintendent helped introduce some bold, aggressive kinds of programs that was supported by the majority of the board and his interest was seeing them executed and implemented," Smith told KCUR.org.

UMKC Law School Grad appointed to Kansas Court of Appeals

Melissa Taylor-Standridge was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals as the 13th appellate judge earlier this month by Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, according to Lawrence Journal World.

Taylor-Standridge graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School and graduated from the UMKC School of Law in 1993, according to Lawrence Journal World.

"I think I wanted to change the world," Taylor-Standridge told Lawrence Journal World. "I had the desire and the motivation but I didn't have the tools. I think when you go to law school and learn, you get those tools."