The School Board heard about bond construction updates and softball/baseball complex improvements as well as approved the state’s open enrollment policy at Thursday’s meeting.
Plans for the six classroom additions were presented to the board. The nursing, FACS, graphic media, video production and business rooms are planned for the connecting building provided with the bond. Originally, the board discussed 12 classrooms for the addition, but are starting with six in case costs have to be reevaluated.
The board will receive requests for proposals from several companies this week for the new playground at the elementary school. Teachers will have the opportunity to give input on what playgrounds they see working best for students, Superintendent Stu Moeckel said.
Moeckel said it is still estimated that the early childhood center and elementary school playground will be completed by August in time for school to start. Moeckel estimates the new classrooms will be done by next January, with the gym to follow.
A couple months ago, Moeckel discussed the potential of new batting cages for the softball/baseball complex. At the last board meeting, though, administration determined there were also important needs for the actual fields, and that both projects are not likely possible this year.
Field maintenance is more of a priority, but the cages will still be a phase of the improvements in the future, Moeckel said. The district plans to move forward soon with the field improvements with the board’s blessing, Moeckel said.
In other business, Eudora Schools Foundation honored George Schreiner, owner of Eudora Animal Hospital, as the 2023 Outstanding Cardinal Partner. Board member Heather Whalen thanked the owner and his employees at the meeting.
“It’s no surprise that Dr. Schreiner and the Eudora Animal Hospital would be nominated for this award. So we would like to thank Dr. Schreiner and all of his staff and highlight the numerous initiatives that they’ve done to support our students and staff,” Whalen said.
Whalen said they contributed to the district’s Cardinals Care Program, athletics and summer conditioning, staff professional development and booster clubs.
In other business, Principal Justin Bogart gave an update on where the high school is and where it is going since he took the role over the summer.
Bogart said the building is focused on achievement for all students, and learning is possible for those who may not see it in themselves. He said this starts with positive relationships between adults and students and providing multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning.
He hopes to implement a new goal for the building to get 100% of high school teachers to implement strategies to foster students’ ability to explain their reasoning, defend their answers and critique the reasoning of others by the end of the year.
During the superintendent report, Moeckel discussed changes coming to the district engagement survey. The district plans to release the survey in December in hopes of implementing changes sooner than in previous years.
Administration will then be able to take teacher concerns and criticism into account for the following semester. The survey usually comes out in March and changes cannot be made until the next school year, Moeckel said.
The survey will focus on continuous improvement, feedback/training, communication, relationships, resources, safety and connection to work. There will still be another survey in the spring, he said.
Whalen asked if the sooner survey would also help the district with teacher retention to help address concerns sooner than later.
Moeckel agreed this was an additional plus to the sooner survey.
In other business, Moeckel also said the district needs to update its science standards. He said schools have been teaching the Next Generation Science Standards, but the verbiage is different from the Kansas Department of Education’s language.
“We’ve been using the Next Generation Science Standards, but we’ve been using them in a different capacity with language. So we will hope in December that you’ll have an opportunity between now and December to really dig into those science standards at the state level,” Moeckel said.
The board had a public hearing for the open enrollment policy, but no residents attended. The board has been discussing the policy for several months. The district approved the resolution and policy, and will be required to set a capacity for each school’s number of non-resident students by May 15 each year. For the full policy, click here.
Recommendations for capacities can be based on the following:
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Present classroom student-teacher ratios in each grade level in each school
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Projected enrollment shifts based on the resident student population, which may include a percentage adjustment for anticipated growth or decline based on documented enrollment trends
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Maximum capacity of the classroom and associated learning, activity, and common area spaces.
The board also recognized state qualifying athletes from volleyball, girls cross country and girls golf.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected].
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