WPS News features: Employee Inside Information:
School Highlights: Points of Pride:
District celebrates milestone with Education EDGE
The Wichita Public Schools celebrates a major milestone with more than $1.4 million committed to the Education EDGE. Twenty Corporate Founders, consisting of major businesses, foundations and philanthropic leaders in Wichita, have contributed $50,000 or more to the Education Edge, with donations totaling $1,073,000. In addition, nearly 800 pledges totaling just over $366,000 have been received from district staff, retirees and volunteers. Of those, 210 have stepped forward as Individual Founders, pledging $1,000 or more.
Two events held on Feb. 12 at North High School will celebrate the milestone and thank those who have contributed to the Education Edge. The first celebration is a pep rally in North's gymnasium to introduce the Education EDGE Corporate Founders. Superintendent Winston Brooks, members of the Education EDGE Steering Team, along with students from across the district will thank the Corporate Founders for their support. Music, cheers and a Spirit Stick competition will be part of the celebration.
The Education EDGE Corporate Founders are:
• Bank of America
• Boeing - Integrated Defense Systems of Boeing Wichita
• Cargill
• Cessna Aircraft Foundation
• Commerce Bancshares Foundation / William T. Kemper Foundation, Commerce Bank, Trustee
• Cox Communications
• Delta Dental of Kansas
• Fidelity Bank
• INTRUST Bank
• Kansas Health Foundation
• John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
• Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation
• Russ and Helen Meyer
• Preferred Health Systems / Via Christi Health System
• Raytheon
• Spirit AeroSystems
• Wesley Medical Center
• Westar Energy
• Wichita Community Foundation
• K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, Inc
The second celebration is a reception to recognize the Education EDGE Individual Founders in North's cafeteria. The Individual Founders will be thanked for their tremendous vote of confidence in the Education EDGE. The Steering Team believed that a strong commitment by district staff was essential to get the Education EDGE started.
The Education EDGE, established in 2003, is the district's educational foundation, allowing private donors to support three key areas – classroom mini-grants, fine arts and athletics – not supported by traditional funding resources. Investments of the Education EDGE funds are already occurring. From the classroom mini-grant fund, nearly $50,000 has been distributed over the past two years in support of 14 mini-grant applications. More than $56,000 has been invested in the fine arts to purchase items such as musical instruments, kilns and auditorium lighting. From the athletics gift fund, more than $10,000 has been invested in high school sports uniforms.
The Education EDGE Steering Team, made up of community leaders who believe in the importance of public education, was recruited by Superintendent Brooks to lead this venture. The members are Suzie Ahlstrand, Vice President of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce; Kimberly Edmunds, Vice President and General Manager of Cox Communications; Bill Hanna, Retired President of Koch Industries; Ross Hollander, Managing Partner at Joseph & Hollander Law Firm and Steering Team Chairperson; Ron Holt, Director of Culture and Recreation, Sedgwick County; Mike Michaelis, Chairman of Emprise Bank and Chris Shank, Vice President of HRH of Kansas.
For more about the Education Edge and how to contribute, click here.
Top
Seven named Distinguished Classroom Teachers
The Wichita Public Schools is proud to announce the recipients of the 2007 Distinguished Classroom Teacher Awards in their respective categories.
• Effie Conway, fifth-grade teacher at Anderson Elementary – New Teacher, Elementary category
• Drew Bivens, math teacher at South High School – New Teacher, Secondary category
• Michelle Sinnes, Kindergarten teacher at Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet – Primary Teacher (Pre-K through 2) category
• Stacy Garcia, third-grade teacher at Colvin Elementary – Intermediate (3 through 5) category
• Robert Chalender, eighth-grade language arts teacher at Pleasant Valley Middle School – Middle School category
• Stacie Valdez, language arts teacher at North High School – High School category
• Linda Crabbs, Instructional Coach at Colvin Elementary – Support Teacher category
The recipients will be honored at the February 26 Board of Education meeting, 6 p.m., North High School Lecture Hall, 1437 N. Rochester. During the meeting, it will be announced which two teachers will represent the district for the prestigious Kansas Teacher of the Year award.
The Distinguished Classroom Teacher Awards program honors outstanding teachers who affect the quality of education in the Wichita Public Schools. Peers, building administrators or parents nominated each of the recipients. A committee consisting of principals, the assistant superintendents of elementary, middle and high schools and a member of the United Teachers of Wichita selects the final recipients.
Top
District-wide tobacco free policy on BOE agenda
The Board of Education will get its first look at a revised policy to prohibit tobacco products on all district property during the Feb. 12 meeting. Currently, the use of any tobacco products is not allowed inside any district building. The district’s Labor/Management Study Committee determined that the current policy should be revised to address the use of all tobacco products and to prohibit the use in or on all school district property. The policy applies to everyone working on, working in, using or visiting school district properties. It applies to personal vehicles on school district property and district-owned vehicles. The policy was revised to create a healthy environment for students and staff.
If approved, the policy would take effect July 1.
Top
Magnet school application deadline is Feb. 15
The deadline to apply for all magnet schools is Thursday, February 15 at 4:45 p.m. Applications must be received in the Magnet Admissions Office by the deadline to be included in the random selection drawings for the magnet schools held in March.
Applications may be faxed to 973-4725, U.S. mailed or hand delivered to 201 N. Water, 67202. Applications sent by U.S. mail will be considered on time with a February 15th postmark.
Parents will receive a notification letter in the mail from the Magnet Admissions Office during the week of March 12 indicating whether their child was selected for a magnet school placement or if they have been placed in a waiting pool.
For a magnet school application or for more information, click here.
Top
Isely activity creates book buddies
 |
| Fifth-grade student Jahurai Nelson and first-grade student Drelon Brannon read together. Photo courtesy Isely |
First- and fifth-grade students at Isely Traditional Magnet are learning that there is nothing better than reading with a friend. Students from Kelley Allender's first-grade class and Darcie Rudd's fifth-grade class are paired together for Book Buddies. Each week, the students practice their reading fluency and comprehension skills with each other.
Fifth-grade students help and mentor their first-grade book buddies as the first-grade students improve their reading skills. The first-grade students benefit from the encouragement of their older peers. The fifth-grade students benefit by using their leadership skills as they act as role models at the school.
Students compete in the Battle of the Books
 |
| Clark Elementary students confer with each other before answering a question. Photo courtesy Media Productions |
Thirty-three schools participated in this year’s Battle of the Books program, sponsored by Library Media Services. The competitions were broadcast live Jan. 29 – Feb. 2 on SchoolHouse 20.
Battle of the Books is a voluntary reading competition for elementary school students. Students were given a list of 50 books to read and were asked questions about events, characters and authors of the books. Students also gave a three-minute Book Talk about one title from the list. Each team drew a book title and was given fifteen minutes to prepare their presentation about the book. Ted Woodward from KNSS-AM; Cindy Klose, Kim Hynes, Matt Mauro, and Felicia Rolfe from KWCH-TV; Tracy Cassidy from B-98 FM, and Anita Cochran and Jim Kobbe from KSNW-TV hosted the rounds.
The results for the nine competitions are as follows:
· Winner: Hyde; other participants were Dodge, Lewis and McLean
· Winner: Seltzer; other participants were College Hill, Harry Street, and Lincoln
· Winner: Beech; other participants were Linwood and Stanley
· Winner: Bostic; other participants were Allen, Minneha and Woodland
· Winner: Riverside; other participants were Benton and Irving
· Winner: Woodman; other participants were Bryant, Kelly, and White
· Winner: Buckner; other participants were Emerson, Griffith, and Pleasant Valley
· Winner: L’Ouverture; other participants were Clark, Earhart and Washington
· Winner: Colvin; other participants were Jackson and Peterson
Wichita Public Schools has competed in the Battle of the Books since its inception in 1995.
Top
W-4 withholding exemptions expire Feb. 16
Employees who claimed exempt from federal income tax withholding in 2006 and still qualify must submit a new Form W-4 by Feb. 16 to claim the exemption for 2007. If an employee who claimed exempt in 2006 doesn't submit a new W-4 by Feb. 16, the withholding federal income tax base will be filed as single with no withholding allowances.
Please make sure to submit a new W4 to the Payroll Department, seventh-floor of the Alvin Morris Administrative Center. For more information, call 973-4574.
Top
GYOT deadline extended to February 14
The deadline for the Grow Your Own Teacher (GYOT) scholarship program has been extended to February 14 at 4:45 p.m.
The GYOT program provides financial assistance in the form of forgivable loans to outstanding high school graduates or Wichita district employees who want to become teachers. Students in the GYOT program can work toward a teaching degree either at Wichita State University, Friends University, Newman University or Southwestern College. The program also includes mentor support, work experiences and assistance with job placement after becoming certified.
High school teachers, counselors and principals can encourage students, paraeducators and tutors to get involved in the GYOT program.
For more information or for a scholarship application, call 973-4620 or click here.
Top
Receive district information via email