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New teacher in Kansas City, Kansas, gets ready for 1st day of school

Teachers in Kansas City, Kansas, get ready for new school year
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In just a matter of days, students will be streaming back through the doors of Wyandotte High School for the start of a new school year.

They won’t be the only new faces to walk through the doors.

Noah Phillips is set to start as the school’s new choral director.

He spent the first week of August crafting his vision of how he’ll decorate his room.

Teachers in Kansas City, Kansas, get ready for new school year

Besides the decorations, he’s also completing some of the more mundane tasks ahead of the school year.

“Admin stuff. Organizing music, picking out solos for students, scheduling times for voice lessons, getting voice teachers,” Phillips said. “I mean, I think the vibe in 2025 as a teacher is somewhat scary but exciting.”

Phillips leans on the history of the high school and the program.

“I think they’re just trying to nail home the tradition aspect,” Phillips said. “The choir, I feel like, has a very rich history here, so being able to uphold all the traditions that were in place before I got here but also recognizing that I have my own perspective.”

As the new year is set to begin, Phillips reminds himself of the importance of the arts.

“I know that we’re going to like ROTC and a lot of STEM classes and those are important,” he says. “But just remembering that the arts might not be everybody’s job, but I’ve never met somebody who regretted taking an arts class.”