School Highlights: Points of Pride:
Schools receive supplies from community partners
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South High School JROTC cadets sort and box supplies donated by the community and collected at Dillons. Photo courtesy Robert Hester |
Students across the district were able to start school with school supplies because of support from business and community partners.
Dillons' stores, the Kids In Need Foundation and KSNW-TV helped collect school supplies for ten elementary schools. Dillons' stores had collection boxes at their stores for customers to drop off the supplies. On Aug. 20, the supplies were delivered to the School Service Center. JROTC cadets from Heights, North and South High Schools put the supplies into boxes that were distributed to the schools. Forty-five boxes containing paper, crayons, backpacks, tissues and other supplies will be delivered to Clark, Cloud, Gardiner, Harry Street, Irving, Jackson, Jefferson, Lincoln, Minneha and Spaght.
At Lincoln Elementary, Immanuel Baptist Church provided each student a package of school supplies that was distributed at the school’s open house on August. 14. The school also received supplies from the Emporia Avenue Church of Christ. Those supplies will be used for any new students who come to the school and to replace supplies throughout the year.
Allen Elementary received supplies from three community partners. The Harry and Rock Road Dollar General Store, Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church and the Pachyderm Club collected items to donate to the school.
Boeing donated supplies to Colvin and Jardine. Boeing donated backpacks and supplies for every sixth-grade student at Jardine and gave backpacks and supplies to students at Colvin. Boeing also gave a grant to Jardine for more than $8,600 to provide graphing calculators for their algebra classes.
First United Methodist Church, who partners with Park Elementary, donated supplies for students. The church also provided volunteers to assist school staff and families during enrollment and will provide mentors and tutors during the school year. Park’s other major supporter, KU Medical Center, held a large supply drive to benefit the students.
At Isely Traditional Magnet, Eta Phi Sorority provided all the school supplies needed for each fifth-grade student. The items were placed in a zipper binder and students were able to choose their binder on the first day of school. Eta Phi has provided the fifth-grade students with school supplies for the past five years.
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District to look at facility upgrades
The district will ask the Board of Education during its Aug. 27 meeting for approval to review and finalize an update to the Facilities Master Plan. If approved, the district would engage schools and the community to review the 2005 plan update. The process would include identifying both school and feeder plan needs, as well as prioritization of needs district-wide. A final report will be presented to the BOE in November or December.
“Our community has stepped forward in the past to both be involved in and supportive of our schools,” said Superintendent Winston Brooks. “We are now at a point where we’ve got to look to the future again and update our facilities road map. We have deteriorating athletic facilities, outdated fine arts facilities and growth in certain areas of the city. Wichita students deserve the best facilities and the same opportunities that students in other districts have.”
The Facilities Master Plan committee was last convened in the fall of 2005, and a plan update was presented to the BOE in March 2006. The total estimated cost of facility needs in the 2006 report was $400 - $600 million. Priorities for secondary schools included updated athletic and fine arts facilities, and additional classroom space to reduce class sizes. The top priorities for elementary schools were class size reduction spaces, separate cafeteria and multi-purpose rooms and upgraded libraries.
At the time the plan update was presented, the anticipated US Supreme Court ruling on school desegregation and the district’s newly-launched class-size reduction effort were among the issues expected to have an impact on long-term facility needs. During a June 2007 presentation to the BOE on current facility concerns, staff expressed a desire to re-engage Schafer Johnson Cox Frey Architecture to undertake this plan update.
The district had a similar process in 1999, which laid the groundwork for the $284.5 million bond issue in 2000. The bond issue addressed many of the district’s needs, but the original facility master plan outlined $450 million in facility needs.
“We are certainly grateful for the community’s support in the 2000 bond issue,” said Brooks, “but our district still has significant needs. It is critical that we have this facilities road-map updated so we can make strategic decisions for the future.”
More information will be posted on the district’s website and in the Express as the process continues.
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Senator Brownback visits with students at East
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| Senator Sam Brownback, right, presents a plaque of appreciation to East High's Darfur Action Group. Photo by Susan Arensman |
Senator Sam Brownback visited with students in East High School's Government and U.S. History classes on August 24. He talked with the students about the importance of voting, getting involved in the political process and supporting a policy issue or candidate.
The example he used to illustrate his message was East's Darfur Action Group. Last spring, the students successfully lobbied in support of legislation requesting the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System to divest from companies with ties to Sudan and links to the genocide in the Darfur region.
Brownback met separately with the students to thank them for their willingness to get involved, make a change and to save lives.
"What you're doing is very important," Brownback said.
"We had such an impact on the policy change in Kansas. To have Senator Brownback here to acknowledge what we have done is an honor," said East student Karen Lickteig.
"We knew we had to make a change and we got involved," said East student Matthew Vines. "Students can make an impact. We need to take advantage of that."
“School News” program begins August 31
New episodes of the district’s “School News” cable program will begin August 31 on Schoolhouse 20. The “School News” program will have new programs every two weeks.
The first edition will include various “start of school” activities, including: busses getting inspected for the new school year; teachers at Buckner and Northeast getting ready for school; sixth-grade orientation at Brooks; Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet’s Open House; the first day of school at Stanley and Harry Street; Winston Brooks' visit to Price-Harris, Mead and Southeast High School; a West High student who races cars at 81 Speedway and video of North High’s volleyball tryouts.
Episodes of “School News” are available online and can be viewed by clicking here.
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Northeast bus driver, students honored for heroic efforts
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| Superintendent Winston Brooks, left, thanks bus driver Kirk Rikli, right, and Northeast Magnet High School students Kiara Brooks, Aarian Tipton, Kayla Jensen and Madison Keyer for their efforts to save a person's life. Photo by Susan Arensman |
Superintendent Winston Brooks commended Northeast Magnet High School’s bus driver Kirk Rikli and several students for their heroic efforts trying to save a man’s life.
On the way to Northeast on the first day of school, students noticed an elderly man lying in a driveway. They told the driver, who circled the block and went back to the house. He secured the bus and went over to help the man.
“I didn’t even think about it. I just reacted,” Rikli said. “The students already started calling 911.”
Rikli is trained in CPR, which is a requirement of bus drivers. The 911 operator told one of the students to get off the bus, stay on the phone and pass along instructions to the driver. A police officer arrived a short time later.
The man did not survive, but his family expressed appreciation to the driver and students for stopping to help and trying to save his life. After Superintendent Brooks heard about what had happened, he wanted to personally thank them for what they did. He surprised Rikli and the students at Northeast.
“For you all to work together as a team to try to save someone’s life is just incredible. It’s remarkable,” Superintendent Brooks said. He also commended the students who stayed on the bus for remaining calm.
“These are great students,” said Zeke Rash, assistant principal at Northeast. “Most of them are freshman, so they were on their way to their first day of high school, and for them to step up to assist a person in need says great things about them.”
“People say, ‘Kids aren’t what they used to be,’ but they’re wrong,” Superintendent Brooks said. “This should be a message to everyone that students are mature, bright, caring young adults who are willing to get involved.”
“The students deserve the recognition, not me,” Rikli humbly said.
Rikli has been driving a bus for Durham School Services since 1980. He also drives a route for Southeast/Curtis and Bostic.
Rikli and the students will be recognized by the Board of Education on August 27.
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Peterson receives Partners In Education gifts
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| From left, Parker Maldonado, Horace Mann Companies, second-grade Jeannie Wagers, and Peterson principal Mason Enterline. Photo courtesy Parker Maldonado |
Jeannie Wagers, second-grade teacher at Peterson Elementary, received a check for $250 from the Partners In Education program to support activities in her classroom. Peterson Elementary received a $250 gift as well from the program.
The Partners in Education program is sponsored by Horace Mann Companies, which provides financial services for teachers.
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Pay date changes for teachers, not administrators
There has been a change regarding monthly-paid employees. Starting in September, teachers will be paid on the 20th of each month. If the 20th of the month falls on a weekend, the payday will be the Friday before the 20th date. The pay date for administrators will be the last banking day of the month. For example, administrators will be paid on December 31 for that month. This is because contracted administrators' monthly pay is for time worked through the end of the month.
More information about the changes can be found on Payroll's portal.
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Smoking cessation class starts Sept. 10
In order to create a healthy environment for students and staff, the Board of Education unanimously approved a revised policy to prohibit tobacco products on all district property starting July 1, 2007. The district is offering free smoking cessation classes for employees and their spouses. The class is Monday, September 10 – Monday, October 22, 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. The class meets every Monday in room 917 of the Alvin Morris Administrative Center, 201 N. Water. The seven-week program focuses on positive behavior changes to help employees quit smoking.
Another class will be offered at the beginning of the spring semester.
To sign up or for more information, contact Risk Management at 973-4581 or riskmanagement@usd259.net.
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Paras and clerical will now use SubFinder
New this year, clerical staff and paras will need to have their absence reported in SubFinder if they require a sub for that day. It is important that absences are reported in SubFinder. If the absence is not reported in SubFinder, the substitute will not receive a paycheck.
Paras and clerical staff will have an opportunity to learn about reporting absences during a “Come and Go” session on August 30 offered at MIS, 432 W. 3rd St. The session is offered at 7:30 – 9 a.m. and 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Because they are “come and go” sessions, staff can come at any time the session is offered.
If you need additional assistance, you can contact Emily Faught at 973-4583 or email at efaught@usd259.net. The Sub Office hours are from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Teachers: Transcript deadline is Sept. 10
Any certified teacher that has acquired college credit to move up for a Track increase in pay, needs to turn in his/her transcripts to Human Resources, attention Heather Ybarra, by September 10. Once the transcript has been received in Human Resources, a confirmation letter will be forwarded to the employee for verification.
The agreement with the United Teachers of Wichita states "All salary placements are subject to verification of experience and training and shall be adjusted in any direction for each school year to the level for which the teacher proves his/her entitlement on or before September 10 of each year."
If you have any questions, please call Heather Ybarra , Certification Technician, 973-4619 or email hybarra@usd259.net.
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Schools take part in Back to School day in Greensburg
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| Allison students Jason Ream, Callum May, Cici Cantu and assistant principal Patricia Beck present a $732 check at Greensburg’s Back to School Support Day on August 22. Photo courtesy Allison |
Several schools participated in Greensburg’s Back to School Support Day on August 22. More than forty schools across Kansas were at the celebration and more were recognized for the money they collected to support Greensburg’s schools that were destroyed by a tornado in May.
Patricia Beck, Allison's assistant principal, graduated from Greensburg High School and her family home was leveled in the storm. She, along with three students who had helped with cleanup work over the summer, presented a check for $732. The students raised money by donating a dollar or more to wear jeans to school.
Students and staff at Northwest High School collected $3,200 last May and presented a check to Greensburg High School. Northwest's JROTC Cadets presented the Colors at the beginning of the celebration.
Jackson Elementary students donated 600 new and practically-new books for the elementary school's library. Jackson's Library Media Specialist, Marchel Thiessen and retired principal Rochelle Boster delivered the books.
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| Northwest High School principal Jim McNiece, right, with Greensburg High School principal Randy Fulton. Wichita's high school principals collected $700 for the school and presented Fulton with a check in June. Photo courtesy Northwest High School |
Minneha students had a jeans day and donated field trip money to donate more than $630. Jardine was recognized for their contribution of $450 that the students collected last year. Beech was recognized for collecting $300 last spring. The Wichita Education Administrators Association also presented a $2,500 check.
Governor Kathleen Sebelius was at the event and thanked those who helped. Governor Sebelius thanked the teachers and administration in Greensburg for their commitment to have school back in session in August. The event was sponsored by the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals and the Kansas Association of Elementary School Principals. Contributions by the participating schools in Kansas totaled more than $68,000 dollars.
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Employees help allocate United Way funding
Three employees participated on a volunteer United Way Allocations Review Panel to ensure 2008 donations will be invested for maximum community impact. Eldon Chlumsky, Technology Education Coordinator/Driver Education; Jackie Farha, Title I Improvement Supervisor and Ron Jones, Director of Personnel Development, were among 170 volunteers who reviewed programs at different agencies that United Way supports.
The Allocations Review Panel looked at programs in the areas of strengthening children and families, helping seniors, meeting basic needs and fostering health and independence. Collectively, the allocations volunteers reviewed 98 programs at 39 agencies. They allocated funding for 91 local programs.
“The decisions they made have ensured that United Way allocations will address critical needs of the community in the most cost-effective manner,” said Patrick Hanrahan, United Way of the Plains President.
The United Way of the Plains drive for this year is September 10 – September 28. More information will be featured in upcoming editions of the Express.
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