Planetarium reopens

This past Friday evening, the Kansas City School District planetarium at Southwest High School was officially reopened after a ribbon-cutting ceremony (2/26, Local).
As the planetarium director — and speaking for the students and families of our district and the entire metropolitan area — I would like to thank district Superintendent Anthony Amato and the Board of Education for their support in reopening the planetarium.
Our facility is one of only three school district-based planetariums in the state and will serve as a resource for many years to come.
In addition, I would like to thank the many folks who have worked behind the scenes on the building, including district maintenance and hired contractors.
The planetarium is now available for scheduling groups, as well as for public programs. The first public program will be at 7 p.m. March 14. For more information, please contact the planetarium at (816) 871-4915.
Another thank you goes to the captive audience I kept in the dark (literally) that evening for their wonderful enthusiasm and understanding during the presentation. And if they are wondering: Yes, another “star” did enter the universe later that evening with the birth of Keeley Grace, my first granddaughter.
Bob Riddle
Planetarium director
Lee’s Summit