School Highlights: Points of Pride:
Stephanie Stovall named principal of Gordon Parks Academy
 |
| Stephanie Stovall, principal at Gordon Parks Academy |
Stephanie Stovall, former principal at Coleman Middle School, has been named principal of Gordon Parks Academy, the new K-8 school currently under construction in northeast Wichita. She began her new position on January 2. Gil Alvarez, former assistant principal at North High School, has been named principal at Coleman.
Stovall is currently working in the Alvin E. Morris Administrative Center to begin preparing for the new school year. She will interview staff for the new Gordon Parks Academy, which will open its doors to students in the fall. Stovall will be at the Choices Fair on February 26 at Century II Exhibition Hall to inform potential parents about Gordon Parks Academy and the application process.
“I am very excited to begin this new opportunity at this brand-new school,”
 |
| Gil Alvarez, principal at Coleman Middle School |
Stovall said. “I am ready to begin working to help create an exceptional school with a focus on student achievement.”
“I am very fortunate to be given this opportunity,” Alvarez said. “I am looking forward to working with the teachers, staff and parents of Coleman to continue the great things they have accomplished.”
Mitch Linn, assistant principal at Northwest High School, has been named assistant principal at North. Tom Perkins, assessment coordinator at Northwest, is interim assistant principal at Northwest.
Gordon Parks Academy, located at 2201 E. 25th N., is named after the internationally known
 |
| Gordon Parks Academy is currently under construction |
photographer, painter, movie director, composer and musician born in Fort Scott, Kansas. The school is being built near the new Boys and Girls Club and The Opportunity Project (TOPS) early childhood facility at 25th St. and Grove.
Gordon Parks Academy will be a neighborhood magnet with half of the seats reserved for neighborhood students who apply to attend; the other half will be for students across the district who apply through the magnet school program. The district intends to apply to be a primary years and middle years International Baccalaureate program.
Top
Busing community meetings scheduled
Five dates have been confirmed for community meetings to educate citizens and gather feedback on the Superintendent's proposal to end busing for desegregation in the Wichita Public Schools.
ALL MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 6:30 to 8 p.m.
January 8 (Tuesday) - Boys and Girls Club, 2400 N. Opportunity Drive
January 9 (Wednesday) - Hamilton Middle School, 1407 S. Broadway
January 10 (Thursday) - St. Mark United Methodist Church, 1525 N. Lorraine
January 15 (Tuesday) - Wilbur Middle School, 340 N. Tyler
January 22 (Tuesday) - Brooks Middle School - 3802 E. 27th North
Superintendent Winston Brooks presented his proposal to eliminate busing for desegregation during the Dec. 18 Board of Education meeting. To view his recommendation, to see parent options under the new proposal and for general information, click here.
The BOE will discuss the proposal again and welcome public comment during its Jan. 14 meeting. The Board plans to vote on the final plan on Jan. 28.
Top
Horace Mann receives Red Carpet Award for service
 |
Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet received the Fall 2007 Red Carpet Award. Back row from left: Ken Jantz, principal; Greg Rasmussen, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Schools; Vanessa Martinez, assistant principal; Lynn Rogers, BOE Vice President; Mike King, Single Source; Winston Brooks, Superintendent; Mike Pappas, Single Source
Front row from left: Anais Contreras and Patrick Smith, second-grade students. Photo by Susan Arensman |
Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet received the Fall 2007 Red Carpet Award for Excellent Customer Service, presented by the Parent and Community Support Office. The school staff and students were surprised with the award on Dec. 20. Superintendent Winston Brooks made the announcement during an all-school assembly.
Horace Mann was presented a check for $1,000 from Single Source, who partnered with the district on the award. Horace Mann also received a banner so visitors can see the school’s commitment to excellent customer service.
Horace Mann was recognized for their positive interaction with their students, families and community. The school has an environment of “mi casa es su casa” (my house is your house), which allows students and staff to take pride in their school. The school was honored for its warm, inviting environment and friendly staff.
The Red Carpet Award is presented to a school each semester. Schools interested in applying for the award can contact the Parent and Community Support Office at 973-4668. To watch a video on the Red Carpet Award, click here.
Top
OK letters to troops read on AFN radio
 |
| Ssgt. Leigh Bellinger, 1987 graduate of Northwest High School, displays a Wichita Public Schools Honor Student bumper sticker on his work vehicle in Baghdad. Photo courtesy Jennifer Bellinger-Sipes |
Third-grade students at OK Elementary had their letters of support to troops read on the Armed Forces Network. Students in Rhonda Eroh's class wrote letters to Air Force Ssgt. Leigh Bellinger, who is a reporter for AFN. Ssgt. Bellinger is a 1987 graduate of Northwest High School and currently deployed in Baghdad, Iraq.
Eroh's students each wrote him a letter and drew pictures for him. Ssgt. Bellinger read the letters on his radio show on Christmas morning. The students' well wishes were heard by troops across Iraq and Kuwait. Ssgt. Bellinger admitted he got choked up reading a few of them aloud.
Ssgt. Bellinger also displays an Honor Student bumper sticker on his work vehicle in Baghdad to show his Wichita Public Schools pride.
Top
Jefferson’s Orme Street Elves create fun activities
 |
| Jefferson Elementary buddies play bingo together. Photo by Gretchen Cox |
Jefferson Elementary students participated in fun activities on Dec. 20, thanks to the Orme Street Elves. For several years Jefferson’s staff, who call themselves the Orme Street Elves after the street where the school is located, create many skill-building activities for students.
Fourth- and fifth-grade students were paired with buddies from lower grades to assist them with the activities, which included making snowflakes, making bookmarks and playing bingo. The buddies accompany each other to different classrooms to participate in different activities throughout the day.
Top
Northeast students' photographs on display downtown
 |
Back Row: Andrew Webb, Dustin Hooks, Thomas Murillo & Megan Butterfield
Front Row: Sadie Anderson, Lauren Mermis, Ben Arzola & Trisha Sells. Not Pictured: Katelynn Carr & Zach Moore. Photo courtesy Northeast |
Students in Jenny Long’s Digital Imaging 1 class at Northeast Magnet were asked to provide photographs to be displayed in a downtown office building. The staff of Building Opportunities selected thirteen photographs by ten students from a large collection of photos taken during the fall semester by the entire class. The photos will be displayed so all office visitors can see them.
Building Opportunities, located at 150 N. Main, provides additional education and post-secondary training for at-risk teens and young adults. The goal of this service is to provide them the knowledge they need find a career.
Top
DCTA nominations due January 11
Principals, staff and parents are encouraged to turn in their nominations for the 2008 Distinguished Classroom Teacher Awards. The Distinguished Classroom Teacher Awards program honors outstanding teachers who affect the quality of education in the Wichita Public Schools. The deadline for hand-delivered nominations is January 11 at 4:45 p.m. Mailed nominations must be postmarked by January 9 to the appropriate Assistant Superintendents' offices.
The Distinguished Classroom teacher Awards is given in seven categories: New Teacher Elementary, New Teacher Secondary, Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5), Middle School, High School and Support teacher. A committee consisting of principals, teachers, the assistant superintendents of elementary, middle and high schools and a member of the United Teachers of Wichita selects the final recipients.
The DCTA nomination form can be found by clicking here.
Top
Employee Health Fair begins January 19
The district's Health Fair has been scheduled for four Saturdays, two in January and two in February. Blood tests will be offered for free for benefited employees, spouses and retirees who participate in the district's self-funded health plan. Employees not on the health plan may participate for a $35 fee.
The Health Fair will include a blood draw which checks for HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose. There will also be body composition testing. Employees are asked not to eat anything after midnight the day before. There will also be wellness vendors and activities for children.
Employees who wish to attend the health fair will be assigned by their home zip code. Click here to view the designated dates, times, zip codes and locations.
Top
Employees can learn how to plan for retirement
Employees are invited to learn about different ways to save for their retirement on Thursday, January 17, 5 – 7 p.m., in North High School's lecture hall, 1437 N. Rochester. The presentation is for all district employees, not just for those nearing retirement.
KPERS is an important part of an employee’s retirement income, but there are other ways to save for retirement. Representatives from KPERS, Social Security and Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) will make presentations and answer questions. Employees can also learn about the district’s Bridge and health and life insurance for retirees.
For more information, contact Risk Management at 973-4581 or riskmanagement@usd259.net.
Top
Southeast student selected for Dreamers Academy
 |
| Kenneth Sellers, left, is recognized by Southeast principal Leroy Parks after being selected for Disney's Dreamers Academy. Photo courtesy Southeast |
Kenneth Sellers, freshman at Southeast High School, is one of the recipients of the first Disney’s Dreamers Academy, sponsored by Walt Disney World and comedian Steve Harvey. Sellers was one of 100 students across the country selected by Harvey and a panel of judges. The students were nominated by parents, friends, schools, churches or other organizations for their power to dream.
Sellers and the other recipients will participate in the Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. The students will learn communication skills, develop career goals and participate in panel discussions and workshops.
Sellers' Dreamer Profile can be viewed here.
Top
Heights student accepted to Air Force Academy
Travis Deckert, senior at Heights High School, has been accepted to the United States Air Force Academy as a member of the class of 2012. The prestigious appointment is awarded to approximately 1,600 students out of 9,200 applicants.
Deckert's acceptance letter stated the appointment is equivalent to a scholarship valued at $387,000.
Harry Street students receive books from Lions
Each student at Harry Street Elementary received a book of their own to take home on Dec. 20. The Airport Lions Club donated a book for every student to read and enjoy.
Communities in Schools partnered with the Airport Lions Club to provide the books.
Top