School Highlights: Points of Pride:
Another school year begins!
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| Heights High School freshmen get to know each other during ninth-grade orientation. |
Thousands of students head back to class today as the 2009-2010 year begins. Teachers and principals are ready to welcome students to another year of learning and fun.
“I’m really excited for school to start,” Superintendent Allison said. “I want to see teachers and students in their classrooms. Educating students is what we are all about and why we are here.”
Today is not the first day of school for sixth- and ninth-grade students. They had a half-day orientation to help with their transition to their new school. The students had the opportunity to learn where their classes are located, practice their locker combinations and learn the school's expectations for the year.
At Heights High School, the school's Peer Leaders handed out the class schedules and helped the freshmen find their classrooms. The Peer Leaders give freshmen a mentor and someone they can rely on for support throughout the year.
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| The Kansas Highway Patrol inspected all school buses before the year began. Photos by Susan Arensman |
To ensure the safety of students, 24 Kansas Highway Patrol officers inspected 576 buses on August 6 to make sure they are road-ready. Every bus must pass inspection before the company can use them. The Highway Patrol inspected the lights, wipers, stop arm, horn, emergency exits and other parts of the buses.
Last school year, the Wichita Public Schools provided transportation for more than 17,000 students.
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Schools on improvement steady as targets increase
The Kansas Department of Education released its list of Title I schools (schools that receive federal support due to high poverty) that are “on improvement” for the 2009-10 school year under No Child Left Behind. The Wichita Public Schools has nine schools on the improvement list for 2009, the same number of schools on improvement in 2008. The schools that are listed as on improvement for 2009 are Enterprise, Clark, Linwood and Spaght Elementary Schools and Curtis, Hamilton, Jardine, Pleasant Valley and Truesdell Middle Schools.
Under No Child Left Behind, Title I schools that do not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years are indentified for improvement. Once a school has been identified for improvement, it must make AYP for two consecutive years to be off improvement.
Two schools that are on improvement but made AYP in 2009 are Enterprise and Clark. Both schools made significant gains in both reading and math and if they make AYP again this year, they will be off the improvement list.
Two schools, Cloud Elementary and Irving Elementary, were on improvement in 2008. Both schools made AYP in 2008 and 2009 and are now off the improvement list.
Linwood and Spaght Elementary schools are on improvement for the first time in 2009.
“We are proud of the hard work our schools are doing to increase student achievement,” said Superintendent John Allison. “But we also focus on the growth of achievement our students are making overall.”
At Enterprise, all students made a 15% gain in reading and a 3.2% gain in math, with one of the school’s subgroups making a 30% gain in reading. At Clark, all students made a 24.5% gain in reading and a 33% gain in math, with one of the school’s subgroups making a nearly 40% gain in math.
“I am so proud of the hard work our teachers and students did last year. Not just with the state assessments, but in every aspect of improving student achievement,” said Pam Stead, principal at Enterprise. “We were focused on what was best for kids and I believe we will keep that focus to improve even more.”
Schools that did not make AYP will continue to receive intensive support for teacher and student needs.
Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a set of standards that are set each year based on student performance on the Kansas assessments. Click here to see how the standards and scores increase dramatically each year, with every student having to meet proficiency by 2014. For 2009, reading targets for elementary and middle schools increased 4.1% and high schools increased 4.7%. Math targets for elementary schools increased 4.4% and high schools increased 5.9%.
“I have been impressed with the focus on each child that I see from staff across the district,” said Superintendent Allison. “Wichita is poised to achieve success like very few urban districts across the country. I believe that our 2009 assessment results will show Wichita’s student achievement has increased yet again, and the entire community can take great pride in the accomplishments of our students and the commitment of our staff.”
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BOE approves 2009-2010 budget
The Board of Education approved the 2009-2010 budget during the August 10, 2009 meeting. The total amount of the district’s budget is $621 million. $251 million of the budget is the General Fund and Supplemental General Fund (Local Option Budget), which are the only flexible components of the district's budget. The 2009-10 budget amount also includes an additional $10 million in stimulus funds (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act), which are restricted funds and must be used for low income, at-risk funds. Click here to see the Proposed Budget at a Glance booklet.
“This has been a difficult process for staff and for the Board,” said Superintendent John Allison. “We looked at programs and personnel, and we did a good job looking at all the options.”
“There are a lot of people who say money doesn’t make a difference, but money does make a difference,” said Connie Dietz, Board of Education Vice President. “It costs money to teach kids. It costs money to have highly-qualified teachers in our classrooms.”
During the BOE’s budget discussions, the BOE rescinded Policy 4028 addressing the $1,500 incentive bonus for teachers and administrators working in high-poverty schools. Eliminating the $1,500 bonus saved 46 instructional staff positions. Superintendent Allison said the district is still under a hiring freeze and any open position will have to be reviewed by the administration to decide whether it needs to be filled immediately.
To see the list of items that were cut, click here.
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Wichita Public Schools prepares for H1N1
As the school year begins, the Wichita Public Schools wants staff, students and parents to know that the district is aware of the concern of the H1N1 virus. The district is working closely with the Sedgwick County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to keep track of the situation as new information and guidelines become available.
“Right now, what we need everyone to do is practice prevention measures such as good hand washing and for parents to keep their children home when they are sick,” said Kathy Hubka, Coordinator of Health Services.
Every school nurse has been trained to recognize the symptoms and will monitor students to see if they show signs of the illness. They are working with their schools to help staff know what to do in case a student becomes ill.
The Wichita Public Schools want to remind parents and staff of the importance of prevention.
What You Can Do To Prevent the Spread of H1N1
· Sneeze or cough into a tissue, elbow or sleeve. Throw the tissue in the trash after use.
· Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
· If you are sick, stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
Symptoms of H1N1
· Fever of 100.4, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue. The illness may last up to seven days, but people are considered to be contagious as long as symptoms persist.
Students should stay home when they have any of the following symptoms: fever (temperature 100 degrees or higher), vomiting or diarrhea, blistery rash, heavy nasal congestion or frequent cough and/or if your child has been diagnosed with a contagious disease. If your child shows any of these symptoms, contact your school’s nurse.
More information will be shared as it becomes available. Information is also available on the Wichita Public School’s website and the Sedgwick County Health Department’s website.
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Families visited before school year began
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| Franklin kindergarten teachers Ashley Arnold and Saundra Dunsworth, and counselor Sylvia Schmidt visit with a family before school starts. Photo by Susan Arensman |
Teachers and staff from thirty-seven schools walked the neighborhoods to make home visits the week before school began. They welcomed the families back to school and dropped off school information and “Back to School” kits.
“It’s fun to get out into the neighborhood to see our families,” said Saundra Dunsworth, kindergarten teacher at Franklin Elementary. “At enrollment we told our families we would visit them and they really enjoyed having us visit.”
“The kids in the neighborhood like seeing us, too, and they come up to talk to us,” she said.
The goals of the porch visits are to establish a good relationship between the school and the family, to encourage parent involvement and to get students excited about the upcoming school year.
Several schools have made porch visits for years with very positive results. The porch visits were coordinated with the help of Parent and Community Resource Specialists. The schools that participated in the home visits were Adams , Allen, Anderson, Beech, Black, Blackbear Bosin, Cessna, Clark, Cloud, College Hill, Colvin, Curtis, Enterprise, Franklin, Gammon, Gardiner, Griffith, Harry Street, Irving, Jackson, Jefferson, Kelly, Lewis, Lincoln, Mead, Minneha, Mueller, North, OK, Pleasant Valley Middle and Elementary, Spaght, Stanley, Truesdell, Washington, White, Woodland and Woodman.
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Teachers and principals learn what to do better
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| Author and educator Todd Whitaker gives a presentation to teachers and staff in North's feeder pattern at North High School. Photo by Susan Arensman |
Teachers and principals in the North and Southeast feeder patterns learned some helpful hints to start the school year on a positive note. Todd Whitaker, author of What Great Teachers Do Differently, shared with staff about what makes a great teacher great and how other teachers and principals can help make other teachers great as well.
Whitaker said that great teachers have the ability to know how they come across to their students, not just with their instruction, but with their behaviors and actions in and out of the classroom. He shared humorous examples of how teachers can handle different situations and how to influence positive change in others.
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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.
Please have your official, original transcripts sent to your home address, open them, make a copy for your records and bring the official, original transcripts into Human Resources on the First Floor at AMAC. Having your transcripts sent to your home will ensure that your transcripts have been sent AND that the credit hours and/or degree you have earned are posted on that transcript.
After the transcript has been received in Human Resources and entered into the Peoplesoft system for a Track increase, a confirmation letter will be forwarded to the employee for verification within approximately one week.
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 contact Linda Wagner, Licensure Specialist, by email at lwagner@usd259.net
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Employees asked to keep old directories
Printed employee directories for the 2009-10 school year will not be available until late fall. Employees are asked to keep their copies of the 2008-09 directory until that time.
Employees who have home address changes, or who wish to have their phone numbers and/or addresses "unlisted" in the directory, should send a written request to Human Resources, attn: Tara Taylor-Ahlf. A change of address/do not share form is available from the Human Resources portal site. Requests will not be accepted over the phone.
Employees who need to update their phone numbers should contact their building's Online Directory administrator.
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Watch the district's cable channel with two services
The Wichita Public Schools’ cable channel is now available through two cable services. WPS-TV programming is shown on Channel 20 on Cox Cable, which has been the home of the Wichita Public Schools’ cable channel for years.
WPS-TV programming can also available on AT&T's new U-Verse service, Channel 99. AT&T is offering a PEG (Public, Education, and Government) Channel on 99. The Wichita Public Schools is the first PEG TV station in the Wichita area to offer programming.
The Wichita Public School’s TV station runs 24 hours a day and spotlights the exciting events happening in the Wichita Public Schools, including School News, high school sporting events, All-City Honors Instrumental & Vocal Music Concerts, Battle of the Books, National Academic League, Board of Education meetings, Googolplex!, Parent Talk, and much more. For more information, click here.
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Education EDGE makes a difference
Employees and community members can show their support of teachers and students by contributing to the Education EDGE. The Education EDGE allows employees to voluntarily give contributions to the Classroom Mini-Grant, Fine Arts and/or Athletics Gift Funds through payroll deductions or one-time gifts. To learn more, go to Education EDGE's website. Employee donation forms are in the process of being delivered to all employees by Education EDGE representatives. Employees who pledged last year will not need to fill out a form to continue their support, unless they wish to change the donation amount. Contribution forms for employees and community members are also available for download on the Education EDGE website.
Since 2004, employees, community members and local businesses have pledged over $1.6 million to the Education EDGE, and since the beginning, the fund has provided $539,165 in gifts back to support our students and teachers! This year the EDGE is already making a difference: the Athletics fund has provided $9,000 for new track and field equipment for district middle school students; the Fine Arts Fund has provided $47,279 for new instruments and electric kilns; the Mini-Grant Fund has provided $52,050 to teachers for innovative projects.
Education EDGE is also now on Facebook! This new feature allows us another avenue to spread the good news about Education EDGE and the Wichita Public Schools! If you are on Facebook, search for Education EDGE and become a fan…and then share your support with all your online friends and neighbors. Online donations are also available through a link on our Facebook page. Thanks for supporting Education EDGE!
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Marketing receives national award for bond campaign
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| From left, Marketing and Communications' Susan Kelley-Linder, Susan Arensman and Division Director Wendy Johnson received the Gold Medallion from the National School Public Relations Association. They are pictured with Nicole Kirby, NSPRA South Central Vice President. |
The Wichita Public Schools' Marketing and Communications Division received the Gold Medallion from the National School Public Relations Association for its promotion of the successful 2008 Bond Issue education campaign. The Gold Medallion is NSPRA's top award and recognizes superior educational public relations programs. The Wichita Public Schools was one of seven districts from across the country that received the highly-competitive award. Members of Marketing and Communications received the award at a special ceremony at NSPRA's national conference in San Francisco.
"This honor is not just about the work that we did," said Wendy Johnson, Director of Marketing and Communications. "There were many people in the district who helped educate parents and community members, gave presentations and knocked on doors. They were the ones who helped share the message about how this bond issue will benefit our kids for generations."
Marketing and Communications, along with Multilingual Education Services, received the Golden Achievement Award from NSPRA for its work bridging the communication gap with Hispanic families. The Golden Achievement program recognizes exemplary public relations programs.
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Jenlink receives Lifestyle Change Award
Carolyn Jenlink, Employee Health and Wellness Supervisor, received the American Heart Association's Lifestyle Change Award. She received the award for making changes in her life in order to live healthier. Three years ago, Jenlink was named Employee Health and Wellness Supervisor to oversee district wellness programs and activities. She decided to take her new title to heart and made it a personal goal to make healthy changes in her life. Jenlink began walking, changed her eating habits and became one of the district's TOPS leaders.
For her personal efforts to be healthy, along with embedding a culture of wellness with the Wichita Public Schools, she was recognized with the AHA Lifestyle Change Award.
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