WPS News features: Employee Inside Information:
School Highlights: Points of Pride:
Students share ideas with the Superintendent
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| Superintendent Winston Brooks talks with Heights junior Stacey Bradley during the dialogue session. Photo by Susan Arensman |
More than 100 high school students shared their ideas with Superintendent Winston Brooks on March 27 at Wichita State University. Superintendent Brooks held his fourth annual dialogue session with students to hear their concerns about their education and to gather their feedback. The students involved in the discussion were members of the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council (SuperSAC) and other representatives from every high school.
During the session, students divided into small groups and discussed three questions: What are our schools doing well; what needs to be improved; what are the top three issues for high school students in Wichita? After the students met in small groups, they shared the main themes they discussed. The common themes were being prepared for college with more AP courses and being informed about scholarships, more funding for classroom and athletic equipment, concerns about testing, and students having a better attitude towards education. The students shared the positive things about their schools include caring teachers, a safe environment and the diverse population.
The students were positive about the dialogue session and the opportunity to share their opinions.
"I feel a lot of kids go unheard or feel they don't have a voice," said Stacey Bradley, junior at Heights High School. "I'm glad I had the opportunity to speak for the other students in my school about different issues. Plus, we get to tell the adults what we want them to do, which is great."
"Hopefully our ideas will be used to help students throughout the district," said Tyler Underwood, junior at South High School.
The students' feedback will be compiled into a report that will be shared with the Board of Education in April.
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PDC looking for employee representatives
The Professional Development Council (PDC) is looking for employees to serve as representatives. The PDC is a group of certified and classified personnel in the Wichita Public Schools involved in planning, developing, implementing and operating the district's staff development plan. The PDC establishes the standards for evidence or documentation to be accepted for the awarding of professional development points that can be used for renewing an educator's license. Much of the information used by the PDC in awarding points is from MyLearningPlan.
Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month from September to May. Council membership requires a commitment to attend and is compensated at the district's current in-service hourly rate. Members are selected or elected from the group they represent.
The following vacancies need to be filled:
• Teachers
3-year elementary term
3-year secondary term
For more information, contact Paul Babich, United Teachers of Wichita, at 262-5171. The application form is posted on UTW’s website, www.utw-ks.org. Applications are due by April 12.
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OK student chosen as Big Dog for the Day
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| Photo by Lacey Cruse |
Jake Williams, fourth-grade student at OK Elementary, had the honor of being the Big Dog for the Day on March 15. Williams was selected as the Big Dog after presenting the idea of having a hot dog lunch for the entire school. He was in charge of the hot dog lunch, presided over the entire day and had additional duties.
Williams came up with the idea after talking with principal Phil Fullerton. Fullerton shared that when he was in school, he had to walk home for lunch every day. He said occasionally the school would have a hot dog lunch so the students wouldn’t have to walk home. Williams thought it would be fun to have a hot dog cookout at OK.
“I hope everyone will remember this day for the rest of there lives,” he said.
The school plans to have a Big Dog for the Day celebration every year.
Allen tops Odyssey of the Mind regionals
Students from Allen Elementary participated in the Odyssey of the Mind Regional Tournament on March 3. Allen was one of 29 teams from different districts who participated.
The students won first place in the “I’m Only Thinking of You category.” Students created an original skit with a character who only thinks of himself and later learns that deceiving others hurts himself. The students who participated are Christa Ozbun, Natalie Lash, Andrea Navarro, Nick Ramsey, Alex McCann, Becca Carpenter, and coached by Julie Riley.
The team competed at the state Odyssey of the Mind tournament on March 31 at Kansas State University. The team won sixth place.
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Robinson Middle School celebrates "Pi" day
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From left: Robinson math teachers Shelly Jennings, Rebekah Grimm and Denise Van Horn celebrate Pi Day. Photo courtesy Robinson Middle School |
Students and staff at Robinson Middle School celebrated Pi, not the dessert, but the mathematical symbol. Pi, or Π, is the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle and equal 3.14…, so the school celebrated on March 14.
Students worked on Pi activities during the day. The students also were served round food in the cafeteria. The goal was to bring math to life for students.
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Outlook Public Folders will end June 30
Information posted in Outlook Public Folders will no longer be found there after June 30. Outlook Public Folders will be decommissioned on that date and the WPS Portal will be used to located pertinent and useful information. Much of the information in Public Folders is already found on the portal, but some information still needs to be moved.
The MIS department requests if a school or department does not currently have a Portal site or needs an additional site, to complete and submit the online request form on the portal. Schools and departments also need to identify staff members who will design and manage the portal site and sign up for Portal Web Designer training on MyLearningPlan.
For more information, contact MIS Customer Service at 973-4357 (HELP).
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Nominate math and science teachers for Presidential Awards
The search is on for outstanding 7-12 math or science teachers for the 2007 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The awards are sponsored by the White House and administered by the National Science Foundation.
Award recipients receive a $10,000 award and a trip to Washington, DC to attend workshops and and recognition events, and receive a special citation signed by the President of the United States. For more information and an application, visit www.paemst.org. The applications are due by May 1.
In 2005, two district teachers received the Presidential Award for Excellence. Cindy Angle, Wilbur Middle School, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science. Kim Thomas, McLean Science and Technology Magnet, was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math.
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Superintendent finalist for Leaders in Learning Award
Superintendent Winston Brooks has been named a finalist for the 2007 Cable’s Leaders in Learning Awards from Cox Communications and Cable in the Classroom. The awards program honors exceptional administrators, educators, community leaders and policymakers who demonstrate vision, innovation, action and transformation in education.
Superintendent Brooks is one of 43 finalists selected from across the country. He is being recognized in the General Excellence award category for his work over the last 10 years collaborating with the Board of Education and school staff to alter instruction and develop new strategies for success.
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District theatre students receive Cornucopia Award
Student members with the Wichita Area Thespians received the 2006 Trick or Treat so Kids Can Eat Cornucopia Award from the Educational Theatre Association and the International Thespian Society. Students collected 8,195 pounds of food that will be distributed locally. The students received the national award for the most food collected by a team.
The Wichita Area Thespians has members at Heights, Northeast, Northwest, South and Southeast, along with other area high schools.
Staff member goes to third round on American Inventor
Merrie East, administrative assistant in Payroll, made it through the third round of the American Inventor television show. Her invention was in the top 70 of more than 3,000 applicants, but East was not selected to go further.
"It was a wonderful experience and I am glad to have been a part of it," East said. "We were grateful to have gotten as far as we did."
East invented Nose Pax, which is designed to stop nose bleeds. The product is made of an absorbent material that fits inside the nose. The bottom has a plastic sleeve to keep fingers from touching the blood.
East said she will try to market her invention in other ways.
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