Beech Elementary School

Beech is a neighborhood school in southeast Wichita. Beech prides itself in setting high expectations and meeting the individual needs of all students. Our instructional focus is guided by District and State standards. Built in 1984, Beech has an enrollment of approximately 450 students in grades Prekindergarten through 5th. There are three to four classes per grade level, giving us a total of 21 regular education classrooms, in addition to one Prekindergarten program. Special services provided for students include three interrelated special education rooms, one Severely Multiple Disabled (SMD) education room, speech and language program, counseling, an English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, vocal music, physical education, art and library. Instrumental Music - Strings is offered to our fifth grade students only. Beech offers a breakfast program for students, served before school. We have a before- and after-school Latchkey program offered by the YMCA. We work hard to keep our students connected to their school by offering Safety Patrol and Student Council, as well as community service projects such as the "United Way Drive" and "Pennies for Patients." Parents of Beech students play an active role in their child's education. Parents participate in site council, PTO, reading tutoring program and also help individual teachers.

• Seven interactive sculpture projects have been sponsored by City Arts
• Internet access allows students to communicate around the world
• Community based before- and after-school program in operation during school year
• Partnerships with Real Men, Inc., a Therapy Dog program, Boeing, McConnell AFB and "Bigs in Schools" (BBBS) whose employees tutor students in reading during their workday
• Additional four classrooms opened  July, 2005 through District bond projects
• Pilot school for SIT (School Improvement Team) Process
• School-wide discipline plan
• Active Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)

Exit east Kellogg at Rock Rd. Go south on Rock Rd. to Harry. Go east on Harry to Cypress. Go south on Cypress two blocks. Beech is on the corner. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

The mission of Beech Elementary is to provide an environment where all students can reach their greatest potential, both academically and socially, while becoming productive, responsible citizens, with respect to individual differences and cultures.

Vision
Beech staff, students, parents, and community will work together to create an environment that utilizes all resources to attain the highest level of student achievement, while providing a safe and secure learning environment.

Values and Beliefs
We will give all students the opportunity to succeed by providing a safe, supportive environment and on-going communication with parents and community. We will use data to facilitate differentiated instruction derived from research-based strategies.

1. All students will improve reading comprehension.
2. All students will increase critical thinking skills to effectively solve problems in mathematics.

Each school has a site council, which is a group of parents, community members, business representatives, teachers and other school staff. Site councils identify, consider and discuss educational problems and issues at the school. Councils provide advice and counsel for evaluating state, school district and school site performance goals and objectives. Councils may also recommend methods that may be employed at the school site to meet these goals and objectives.

Meeting Day: second Monday of each month
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Beech Elementary Conference room

• School-wide Title 1 Program
• Pre-Kindergarten
• Twenty-one regular education classrooms
• Severely Multiple Disabled Program (SMD)
• Three interrelated special education classrooms
• TDI Reading Dog program 
• English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
• Site Council/PTO

Kindergarten

Pre-Kindergarten Program:
   Morning Session: 9 - 11:50 a.m.
   Afternoon Session: 1:10 - 4:00 p.m.
Half-Day Kindergarten: None
All-Day Kindergarten: 9 a.m. - 4:10 p.m. 

• C.I.A. (Caught In the Act) program recognizes students weekly for positive choices
• Student clubs such as Campus Kids, Bible Club, "Battle of the Books",  Environmental Club, Bobcat Council, Technology Club, and Safety Patrol
• "Connecting with Kids" Mentor Program with school staff

It was with an eye to the future that the Board of Education, on September 15, 1975, purchased land in southeast Wichita for a new elementary school. Three years later, another site was purchased in northeast Wichita for the same purpose. On August 4, 1980, the architectural firm of Griffith and Bonham was appointed to design two elementary school buildings, identical in plan but not in finish, to be located on these two sites.

E.W. Johnson, Inc. was awarded the building contract for both locations in the amount of approximately $3,250,000 per building. Construction  began on September 7, 1982 at the southeast site. After considering all recommendations, the Board of Education decided the newest elementary school should bear the name of the local pioneer in the field of aviation, Walter H. Beech.

Mr. Beech stands in the front ranks of air pioneers. He not only foresaw the role of the airplane far into the future, but translated that foresight into reality, producing a line of outstanding aircraft and establishing the aircraft company which later became Raytheon, and then Hawker Beechcraft, and continues to be one of Wichita's major industries. At the age of 23, Mr. Beech made his first recorded solo flight - just 11 years after Orville Wright flew for the first time at Kitty Hawk. After serving in the Aviation Section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a pilot, engine expert and flight instructor, he came to Wichita as a test pilot and demonstrator for the Laird Swallow Aircraft Company. He later became vice president and general manager of the firm. Following a dispute over whether Swallow frames should be made of metal or wood, Mr. Beech left the company in 1924 and organized the Travel Air Company of Wichita, which later merged with Curtiss-Wright Airplane Company of New York.

In 1932, in the darkest year of the depression, Walter Beech and his wife of two years, Olive Ann, returned to Wichita to establish the Beech Aircraft Company. The company's products were successful and the firm established itself as a world leader in civilian and military aircraft. Active to his last day, Mr. Beech was stricken with a heart attack and died suddenly November 29, 1950.

Walter H. Beech Elementary School opened its doors on August 27, 1984 to 437 anxious students. They were enthusiastically greeted by Principal Gloria McAfee and her staff of 36. The building is equipped with a gym, multipurpose room, library media center, facilities for music and art, 23 classrooms, a computer lab, a learning kitchen and much more.

At the beginning of the 1988-89 year, sixth grade students were incorporated into the middle school program, leaving a K-5 enrollment of approximately 450 students.

In April 2000, the voters of the Wichita School District approved a $284.5 million bond issue. The projects began in the fall of 2000 and were completed over the next five years. The plan built 19 multipurpose rooms, upgraded science labs, replaced portable classrooms with permanent construction, improved handicap accessibility to all buildings, rebuilt five existing elementary schools, added a new elementary and middle school, expanded seven other elementary schools and provided nine new libraries as well as the expansion of nine others. Building infrastructure in 82 buildings was also upgraded, including the replacement of antiquated plumbing, updates and expansion of electrical systems, replacement of inefficient or broken windows and doors, upgrades of heating and cooling systems, and asbestos abatement when required.

Beech received a new addition, which included four classrooms, for an estimated cost of $450,000. On January 24, 2005, the Board contracted National Contractors, Inc. to complete the Beech, Gammon and Isely Bond projects for $1,633,750.

The Bond project was completed and the dedication ceremony was held November 15, 2005.