Back in the swing of things:

School is now up and running and things seem to be getting back to normal.  There was some adjustment to working around some of the construction in town, but progress sometimes creates some issues.  I do appreciate the communication and even though it has been a mess at times, the companies have held to their word on trying to get things done in a timely manner. 

We are in the second year of the newly formed Kansas Education System Accreditation (KESA) program.  We continue to be among the top schools on several indicators.  Our graduation rate is still at 95% which is the goal of the state for all school districts to be at over the next 5 – 10 years.  We are also above the set level for our effectiveness rating.  This rating is based on what students accomplish after they leave high school.  We continue to see many of our students going on to do great things after leaving our school.

We are still adjusting to some of our new security measures that were installed over the summer.  Probably the biggest change has been the “Buzz in” system which requires a visitor to be buzzed in through a door bell and automatic lock system on our front doors.  This has caused some inconvenience, but it has helped us take another step forward in our efforts to make our buildings safer for our students and staff. 

Activities are in full swing and I hope everyone takes the time to come out and support our students.  No matter if it is a ball game, concert, or other event, our students do notice when people show up.  It is important to show them that the community does support their efforts in their activities. 

You may very well see some of our students out in the community working to clean things up or doing some volunteer work.  This is part of our community service hours project that helps teach our students to give back to the community.  If you see them out helping with something – take the time to tell them that they are appreciated.  It is a good teaching tool to show kids that we all are in this together and giving back to the community is a very positive thing for all students.  If you know of a project that students might be able to help with, contact the high school office and we will try to find some help for the project.  

    I look forward to another great school year.  If you have any concerns about the year, please contact your child's teacher or the school office.