USD 489 school board hears bond recommendation from community committee

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Post reporter Cristina Janney speaks with USD 489 superintendent Ron Wilson about the proposed USD 489 bond plan presented to the Board of Education at their regular meeting this week.

USD 489 Board of Education recap: Nov. 22, 2021

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Post reporter Cristina Janney recaps this week's USD 489 Board of Education meeting with superintendent Ron Wilson.
 
Transcript
James Bell  USD 489 will soon be soliciting feedback from the community for an upcoming a bond issue campaign. Hays Post reporter Christina Janney speaks with USD 489. Superintendent Ron Wilson about that and more as they recap this week's Board of Education meeting on this episode of the Post Podcast.
Cristina Janney  Well, one of the things that was discussed last night that's been kind of hovering around Headstart for a while, is the federal mat vaccine mandate. The board finally approved a policy that was going to give guidance to those employees. You want to tell our listeners a little bit about that? You bet,
Ron Wilson  Christina. You know, I think it was back in September where we, we received a letter from the Office of Headstart and this only applies to our all our employees' audit. This does not apply to all of our USD 49 employees who work in other buildings, but the office of a headstart is requiring that all of their employees get vaccinated by January 1. And so we have been working since September to try to put together, some guidance for employees on how best to handle this. And so Donna Hudson-Hamilton, who is the director of ECC, along with her team spent a considerable amount of time putting together a policy just to help navigate this kind of uncharted territory for us in terms of staph vaccinations. And I think what they did was they put together a policy that gives everyone opportunities to, you know, do what they feel is best for them. And so we are requiring vaccinations However, within that policy, we are all also offering a medical exemption or a religious exemption, should they choose not to get the vaccination. So I guess all in all, it's it's a good thing. It's like I said, this is something we've not dealt with, as a school district. It's not what was approved last night is not a board policy that will continue for district employees, but it will continue for the ECC employees, as long as this mandate is in place by the Office of Head Start.
Cristina Janney  And Donna Hudson-Hamilton, who is the director of early childhood connections, who this is affecting, said about there's about 90 employees that the mandate will affect in the number of roughly fit for about half of those have received all vaccinations at this point.
Ron Wilson  Yes, that's the information that we've received. You know, going forward, we anticipate there could be some that choose to get the vaccination or we hope that those that don't will file exemptions, either religious or medical, and will be able to go forward and continue as is.
Cristina Janney  And it's also my understanding that there will be no test-out option for anyone who is not vaccinated. You're either vaccinated or you're you have filed for an exemption.
Ron Wilson  Yeah, that's that. And that, once again, that is not a district policy. That is what the office of Headstart has indicated for their employees. And so it's kind of a unique situation because we do employ every as a district, USD 489 does employ these DCF employees. But the funding comes from the federal division to help support the Early Childhood Development Center.
Cristina Janney  So will employees who do not wish to comply with the vaccine mandate? Will they have any opportunity to be reassigned elsewhere in the district?
Ron Wilson  You bet we have, we've made it a statement to all the employees out there that we're going to work with everyone, should someone not meet the exemption list, we'll we'll try to find the spot within our district that that maybe they can work and not have to have a vaccination. So we're gonna do everything we can to keep employees working. And that's that is a priority for us. And it's a priority to have our full staff out at ECC.
Cristina Janney  If you want to read more about this. There's a story up on the Hays Post this morning about that. Moving on, I think there is another important thing that the board discussed last night, and that was a survey being released to the general public about some possible bond options. Can you tell our listeners a little bit about that?
Yeah, I mean, we're we're getting into a little more in depth in terms of what we're looking for. out as far as scopes of work for, for the bond issue, and once again, we're just looking for feet more feedback. As we move forward throughout this process, we have spent considerable time working with the community group that has met since the summer, about once or twice a month on, depending on what month it is. We've met with educators many times throughout the same period as the administrative group. And we've, we're really, we've worked so hard to try and whittle down and build this scope of work, which we feel are our most important needs in the district. And so now, what we're asked we're going to do is we're going to put it together this survey, and we're going to get it out in into our community. And so we'll be sending that out here, the first of December, we just appreciate everyone's feedback, of course, also won't be just a survey of as the only feedback opportunity or first event for the community to start commenting and giving us feedback, we'll start December 15. That will be at Rockwell Administration Center on December 15. And that will take place in the auditorium. And I think it'll be a great opportunity just for everyone to look and kind of get an idea and ask some questions if they do.
Well, nothing definite has been decided on any scope or any specifics. But do you want to talk a little bit about some of the options that will be discussed in that survey?
Sure. What many options and just like you said, none of the options are what we know was going to happen, we have just listed about seven options. And I don't know if I'll be able to pick all of them off the top of my head. But all of the options are just themes that have risen to the top. As we have progressed since starting this back in June. And working with the community, the educator group and the administrator group, these are there are certain themes that have risen. Of course, one of the options as we've that has risen to the top is that Lincoln Elementary is a school that's 100 years old, has a lot of needs and how we can move forward without Lincoln as one of our schools. So we're looking at possibly that as that could be an option to close Lincoln Elementary. We've we've talked about re-purchasing Hays Middle into an elementary school, and looking at how we could move students into there. And then possibly in a combination of, of even maybe looking at how we could move Hays metal, whether it's moving them out to Hays High School and looking at a new high school or building a new middle school and repurposing. You know that Hays High for some for some future needs. So lots of different options. Another option that is out there. Of course, Wilson Elementary is a great school. The one thing that if you look at our facility score scorecard of the school's Wilson Elementary, as far as educational scoring, it scores low. And it's basically because of space Wilson is a very small school, it would take a considerable amount of money to add space. And so there is a thought that maybe we could move Wilson and Lincoln students into the middle school, and then figure out what we can do with the middle school because of course, the middle school is our is a nemesis in itself because we're just squeezed at the middle school. And we definitely need more space at the middle school. So it's a combination of a lot of different things. We're just we're asking for feedback. And what we still don't know what's going to happen or what's going to be what would be brought to the board for consideration. But we're this is just the process and just throwing a lot of ideas out and some of them will stick and some of them won't.
Cristina Janney  Yes, and that's going to be available sent out to parents through your online alert system is going to be available on social media is going to be available on the district website online. So it's not just parents or teachers that get to take this survey. It's anybody in the community.
Ron Wilson  Yes, we want to give the opportunity for everyone to comment and give feedback. And so yes, if you like I said last night at the board meeting, if you have any type of social media, you will have the opportunity to see this, this survey.
Cristina Janney  Run. Is there anything else that you wanted to talk about in terms of the bond issue right now?
Ron Wilson  Well, I think the thing is from a bond perspective, you know, I, I feel really good about where we're at. I think it's it's been obvious that there's been a lot of support for, for, you know, a need to support the bond. It's been 30 years since Hays has passed a bond issue. I, one of the things that I do want to highlight is last, at last night's board meeting, we spent quite a considerable amount of time talking about some of the great achievements going on academically and within our district. And it's just, it is amazing how we're doing this with really a very condensed space, and we're packing kids in and we're really not we don't have opportunities to do some of the things that we really feel would be beneficial to student achievement. And so I think it just be another piece where we could just push our district further moving them to greatness.

Lincoln Elementary plans Veteran‘s Day Celebration

Transcript
James Bell 
Lincoln Elementary is set to celebrate Veterans Day this week. Principal Kerri Lacy talks to us about that and more. On this episode of the Post Podcast.
 
Kerri Lacy 
Our school is going through a process called redesign where we're looking at how we do things at school and getting our community involved and our parents involved. And so we reached out to community members and we have several businesses that have adopted our classes. So I can name a few of those golden belt bank and Farm Bureau, the Hayes Police Department, Hayes, recreation taco shop, you know, if any other have others of you at businesses that would like to sponsor a class, you can sure just give us a call at our office and we would love to have you.
 
James Bell 
Yeah, that's very cool. Yeah. And we talked about this a lot here on the go morning show, but the sense of community around you know, as county it's just I think, tremendous, but it really takes a village to kind of make these things work. And one of the things I think that we're gonna chat hit on here is the Fall Festival that you talked about, or that occurred, I guess, last week, right?
 
Kerri Lacy 
Right. Um, instead of a Halloween parties, the traditional costumes, and costume parties and things like that. We a few years ago, before COVID, of course, we started what we call a Fall Festival. We invite community members to come in and share their talents with us. So there are several different stations around the building and the entire afternoon right after lunch. The kids rotate for about 20 minutes sessions and you know, we have ever this year we had Halloween bingo taco shop brought in the famous chili or queso and chips our kids loved that.
 
James Bell 
Who doesn't like CCQ from Taco Shop, right. No, I think everybody in the region knows what that is.
 
Kerri Lacy 
Absolutely. And if they are from Hays, and they come back to visit, that's usually one of the staples. Absolutely, yes. On the punch list. I agreed. Yes. We had the Fort Hays State discipled group Sternberg Museum, Hays Public Library, they did a story walk. Our girl scout group came in and they built pumpkin catapults and had little pumpkins that they were shooting across the hallway upstairs.
 
James Bell 
Just the little ones not a massive like you see on the TV with a no. No, that would be cool. I think maybe next year, we should have them bring in a couple of big ones and we'll take them outside and see how far we can get them to go. So. You got if you're gonna if you're if that happens, call me because I want to be there to see that.
 
Kerri Lacy 
Alright, I will try Lincoln home in school. They sponsored the missus Lacey, human Banana Split challenge. That was fun. They challenged me to name every student in the school by name. Oh, man. And if I could not do that, then I was in a banana suit. They could get chocolate syrup, whipped cream, sprinkles, cherries, and decorate me as a human banana split. Although I did name every single student in the building, you got them all. I got them all. That's amazing. But I still let them decorate the Oh, that was fun. And Midwest standard. She brings out their money machine, which is really cool. We put real money in there real dollar bills. And I always tease the kids and say, did you know want to get that $100 bill? And they're like, no, no, no, I want to go again. So we have the money machine, which is a lot of fun. And then we have a dance party. So pretty cool.
 
James Bell 
Yeah, that's awesome. And that's, that's really cool that they those area businesses, they stepped up and helped make that possible. Because without those guys, you know, things like that really can't happen. Right?
 
Kerri Lacy 
Absolutely. And it's really cool to have them connect with our kiddos. And when our kids see them out. You know, these people from the businesses, they see them out maybe it's shopping the Dylan's or something and they recognize them and they're excited. And they tell their parents that this is what happened. And they were at my school. And so it really is a partnership and it really helps out everyone. Very cool.
 
James Bell 
Well, looking ahead a little bit. You've also got a veterans day of celebration coming up, right?
 
Kerri Lacy 
Oh my gosh, we are so excited about this. This is the first time for us to try this. But on Tuesday, November 9 from 6 to 7pm. Back on our playground, we are having what we call a Veterans Day celebration for active military. Community members are all invited to join Lincoln students and their families for the celebration. We will have free refreshments. There will be a local food truck there for food purchases. We will have live music by 80 Proof Alice for that hour. It's really going to be a fun time. We are also at that time taking donations for the Fort Dodge Soldiers Home. They greatly appreciate those donations that are needed, you know non perishable food items and things like that.
 
James Bell 
Ah, you know, I'm not familiar and I don't know that maybe maybe we want to share what is the Fort Dodge soldiers home?
 
Kerri Lacy 
Well, it is, I want to say kind of a place where they can where soldiers can go and, and get help if they need it. Their families can get help if they need it. You know, we are not close to a commensarry type, you know, on base, things like that. So they have a place where soldiers can reach out and get the help for their families.
 
James Bell 
Very cool. Very cool. So, you're looking for donations, or yes, you're looking for donations for the Fort Dodge Soldiers Home.
 
Kerri Lacy 
Oh, yes. Okay can bring donations that night. You know, things like non perishable food items. Kleenex, toilet paper, dish soap, laundry, soap, T shirts and sweatpants. Usually large, extra large, double extra large, those can be brought that night or if you can't come that night. You can also drop those donations for the soldier house to Lincoln at any time.
 
James Bell 
Very cool. Very cool. And I think one last thing we want to hit on tonight you got some going on as well, right? Oh, yeah.
 
Kerri Lacy 
If you come out to the north McDonald's from five to eight, our teachers will be selling to cookies for $1 and then also the proceeds of all the food sales comes back to our school for this event, so it's called Big teacher night I think about every elementary school has big teacher night here and we love it that McDonald sponsors us every year.

School attendance important for learning

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Wilson Principal Anita Scheve talks about school attendance as USD 489 wraps up the first quarter of the year.
 
 

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