BOE asks to cap facility list's costs at $350 million
The Board of Education recommended that a proposal for a possible bond issue with a target cost of $350 million. During its January 14 meeting, Board members said they are aware that the district's needs total more than that, but wanted to use $350 million as a guideline for looking at facility improvements.
Employees of Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey Architecture, will meet with the feeder pattern planning teams to help develop a list of individual projects. The project list will be presented during the January 28 meeting.
The Community Steering Team identified district-wide needs ranging between $468 to $532 million.
The Steering Team identified their facility improvement priorities:
· Address overcrowding and population growth
· Improve athletic and physical education facilities
· Upgrade fine arts facilities
· Add space for programs like pre-kindergarten, special education and ESOL
· Provide FEMA shelters and improve safety around buildings, including bus loading zones and parking lots
· General building upgrades to bring all schools to the same standards
· Add classrooms to lower the district’s average class size to 18-20 students in elementary schools and 22 students in core classes in middle and high schools
· Provide separate cafeterias and multi-purpose rooms for elementary schools with 400 or more students
· Upgrade or expand libraries at 15-20 schools
· Replace inefficient single-pane windows
The Board will take final action during its February 11 meeting. More information on the Facilities Master Plan update process can be found on the district’s website.
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Three schools receive Koch Focus mini-grants
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Hannah Kelderman, science teacher at North High School, receives the award from Bill Hanna with Bill Welch, J.J. Lawrie, Laura Stilwell and Miguel Ortiz participating in the North team award. Photos by Terry Behrendt |
Education EDGE Koch Focus mini-grants for 2008 have been awarded to staff at North High School, Hamilton Middle School and Seltzer Elementary. The Koch Foundation provided a special gift to the Education EDGE for “focused grants.” The grants were given for classroom projects involving economic education/YEK, environmental education and/or social studies/history education.
North High School’s science department team received $4,955 for A River Runs Through It: An Ecological Study of Local Flora and Fauna.
Hamilton Middle School’s special education team received $4,459 for Functional Money Skills Development Project.
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| Marcia Scurfield, art teacher at Seltzer Elementary, third from left, receives the award from Bill Hanna with Larry Becker, Josh Franklin, Tom Fleming, Lynda Sasovetz, and Erica Penrose participating in the Seltzer team award. |
Seltzer Elementary received $4,996 for Connecting Kids to Kansas Wildlife through the Arts.
Each school team was presented their grants Bill Hanna, Education EDGE Steering Team representative.
Applications accepted for spring Education EDGE mini-grants
Applications are now being accepted for the Spring Education EDGE Mini-Grant competition. Teachers can be awarded up to $1,500 for a classroom mini-grant or up to $5,000 for a team effort for their school. The 2008-09 application is posted on-line on the Education EDGE website. The closing date for submitting grants is March 28.
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Parents can attend Choices mini fairs
The Wichita Public Schools is holding daytime mini fairs for parents who may not have the opportunity to attend the Choices Fair on February 26 at Century II. The mini fairs will be held at the following locations:
Friday, January 25 – 10:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., Little Early Childhood Center, 1613 Piatt
Monday, February 4 – 4 – 6 p.m., Boys and Girls Club, 2400 N. Opportunity Drive
The mini fairs allow parents to get information on the different magnet schools, alternative schools and special programs.
The 2008-2009 magnet school application forms are available on the district’s website, all school offices and the Magnet Admissions Office in the Alvin Morris Administrative Center, 201 N. Water. The application deadline for elementary and middle magnet schools is March 26. Application deadline for Northeast Magnet High School is February 28. School visitations for the magnet schools will be February 27 – 29.
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Schools compete in Battle of the Books
Thirty schools will participate in this year's Battle of the Books program, sponsored by Library Media Services. The Battle of the Books will be broadcast live on SchoolHouse 20. To see a competition schedule, click here.
Battle of the Books is a voluntary reading competition designed for elementary school students in grades 3 – 5. Students were given a list of 64 books to read. They need to be familiar with events, characters, and the authors of the books to answer the questions. Students also give a three-minute Book Talk about one title from the list. Each team will draw a book title and will be given fifteen minutes to prepare their presentation about the book.
The schools that are participating in Battle of the Books are Allen, Beech, Benton, Bostic, Bryant, Buckner, Clark, Cleaveland, College Hill, Colvin, Dodge, Emerson, Gammon, Griffith, Hyde, Irving, Jackson, Kensler, L’Ouverture, McLean, Minneha, Peterson, Pleasant Valley, Riverside, Seltzer, Stanley, Washington, White, Woodland and Woodman.
Ted Woodward, KNSS-News 1330, Cindy Klose, KWCH-TV, Tracy Cassidy, B-98 FM, and Anita Cochran, Mark Bogner and Jim Kobbe, KSNW-TV will be the hosts for the annual Battle of the Books.
Students have been competing in Battle of the Books since 1995.
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Woodland students receive 100-year-old lessons
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| Woodland students practice dancing around a maypole for the school's 100th celebration. Photo by Susan Arensman |
Woodland Health and Wellness students are learning lessons from days gone by. The school will celebrate its 100th anniversary on January 25 at 6 p.m. Students are participating in activities that students would have done years ago to tie into the centennial.
Fourth- and fifth-grade students have learned to dance around a maypole. They will perform their routine during the anniversary celebration. Students have learned how to play marbles and jacks. In art class, they have created sunflower, bison, salamander or Jayhawk soap carvings. They enjoyed creating pictures in the soap.
On the wall of the art room, there is a picture of Woodland students from the 40's or 50's holding up soap carvings they created. The students like looking at the historical pictures and artifacts that are on display in the school.
The school also has created a time capsule to mark the anniversary.
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New forms for tax withholding
The Payroll Department has two announcements for employees regarding federal and state tax withholding forms:
Federal income tax withholding Employees who claimed full exemption from federal income tax withholding in 2007 will need to fill out a new form if they want to continue to withhold in 2008. A 2008 W-4 form must be filled out and returned to Payroll before February 1. If a W-4 form is not received, the employee will be filed as single claiming no withholding until the employee submits a W-4 form. Employees cannot claim the exemption if their income exceeds $900 and includes more than $300 of unearned income (interest and dividends) and if they can be claimed as a dependent on another's tax return.
New K-4 form for state withholding for new employees Employees who were hired after January 1, 2008 need to fill out a new K-4 form for state withholding tax purposes. Employees hired before January 1, 2008 are not required to fill out the form unless they would like to adjust their withholding. A new K-4 form will be required if an employees adjusts withholding. The Department of Revenue developed the new form for state withholding tax purposes due to differences between state and federal withholding policies.
Both forms can be picked up in the Payroll Department at the Alvin Morris Administrative Center, 201 N. Water, or can be found on the district's portal site.
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Nominate others for Excellence in Public Service
If you know of a district employee who goes beyond the call of duty, nominate him or her for the Excellence in Public Service Award to give them a chance to win $2,500. The Wichita Public Schools, the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County participate in the award program. An employee from each of these sectors will win.
The award recognizes those who demonstrate the following attributes:
• Exemplary performance that has contributed to the public interest
• Innovative problem solving skills that improved work situations
• Adherence to high ethical standards in carrying out their job responsibilities
• Community involvement through participation in civic organizations.
Nomination forms are available in the Marketing and Communications office at 201 N. Water, Room 525. To receive a copy, call 973-4515. The form is also available on the district's website or Marketing and Communications' portal site. Nominations need to be delivered to the Marketing and Communications office by February 22.
The Excellence in Public Service Award is underwritten by the DeVore Foundation.
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Reception for spring student teachers
Student teachers for the spring semester are invited to a reception on January 30, 3:45 – 5 p.m. in room 307 in the Alvin Morris Administrative Center. Principals and cooperating teachers are encouraged to attend the “come and go” reception as well.
The reception will allow student teachers to meet each other and to learn about employment opportunities that are available to them once they complete