Suzanne Perez
News ReporterSuzanne Perez is a longtime journalist covering education and general news for KMUW and the Kansas News Service. Before coming to KMUW, she worked at The Wichita Eagle, where she covered schools and a variety of other topics.
Suzanne grew up in North Carolina and earned a bachelor's degree in English from North Carolina State University. She moved to Wichita in 1990 and has two children. When not reporting, Suzanne enjoys reading, walking her dog, and obsessing over every new leaf on her houseplants.
Suzanne can be reached by email at perez@kmuw.org.
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Kansas doesn't require schools to report or track teacher injuries. And although most schools prepare students and staff for intruders with active-shooter drills, they don't train teachers on how to deal with more common violence on campus.
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KMUW book reviewer Suzanne Perez says Anne Lamott's newest book of essays, "Somehow: Thoughts on Love," is just as warm and witty as her past collections.
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Book reviewer Suzanne Perez says "Monstrilio," a debut novel by Mexican author Gerardo Samano Cordova, is perfect for fans of "Shark Heart," "Nightbitch," or the disturbingly fantastical movie, "Poor Things."
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The Wichita Public Library's new Book Bus makes regular stops at parks, daycares and community centers where people don't have easy access to a library branch. Groups can also request the book bus for special events.
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Book reviewer Suzanne Perez says "Headshot" by Rita Bullwinkel is a one-of-a-kind reading experience — crisp, lyrical, almost poetic.
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Woodman Elementary School in Wichita is experimenting with a program called Meaningful Work. Students who need extra attention are paired with an adult mentor and offered something constructive to do on a regular schedule, like feeding fish or making copies. So far, behavior problems are down and attendance is up.
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Book reviewer Suzanne Perez says "The Great Divide," by Cristina Henriquez, transports readers to the steamy jungles of Panama during the construction of the Panama Canal.
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The Wichita school board voted 5-2 to shutter six schools at the end of this academic year. Members said they had no choice but to close the schools — Hadley and Jardine Middle Schools, and Clark, Cleveland, Park and Payne elementaries — because of declining enrollment, aging buildings and a $42 million budget deficit.
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Book reviewer Suzanne Perez says Canadian author Scott Alexander Howard's "The Other Valley" is great for fans of Margaret Atwood or Kazuo Ishiguro.
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The Wichita school board will vote Monday on whether to close two middle schools and four elementary schools. Leaders say enrollment is declining, and the district can't afford to operate all its buildings.