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CONNECTING.
LEARNING.
LEADING.
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Connections
Maize USD 266 Parent Newsletter - October 2019
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Bond issue timeline, flexibility unfolding, allowing for careful planning for the future
BY DR. CHAD HIGGINS
Greetings!
Before the exciting construction phase of our bond issue begins, we have been hard at work at Maize USD 266 planning for these important new projects. Teams of educators and staff members have been meeting with architects to study design options for our two intermediate schools and the new indoor pool-auditorium facility.
At the same time, district leaders traveled to Liberal recently to visit their school district to learn more about its recently upgraded interior and exterior school doors to provide a safer and more secure environment. Safety is a top priority for our district, and we are eager to get started on similar upgrades here. We also will expand our camera system to gain access to a more robust system with better technology and features for monitoring our campuses for the safety of our students and employees. We also plan to tackle bond-funded elementary playground surface and irrigation upgrades this year.
I have shared with you before that our bond issue, in addition to funding these vital projects and others to provide for growth, safety, and opportunity in our district, also allows financial flexibility to tackle other much-needed issues. Earlier this month, the
Maize Board of Education
approved our Five-Year Capital Outlay Plan to continue to maintain our schools and systems to provide an ideal learning environment for our students and employees. There is about $4.3 million in work planned for this school year.
The extensive list of projects includes new classroom furniture at
Maize High School
and other locations, auditorium sound system upgrades at
Maize South High School
, and new Chromebooks to keep our devices current. We will add and/or improve sidewalks and revamp the parent pickup lane at
Pray-Woodman Elementary School
for increased safety and to alleviate traffic congestion before and after school.
(We also will continue to evaluate potential pickup and traffic-related issues at our other schools).
We have plans this year for a $1 million upgrade to the district's phone system, currently no longer supported by current technologies. We will upgrade and/or repair HVAC, chillers, and other units throughout the district. We value fiscal responsibility and careful planning, and we are well-poised to make needed upgrades now to keep our district functioning safely and efficiently inside and outside of the classroom.
Speaking of the future of the district, I urge you to please participate in the Nov. 5 General Election next week. The election includes four nonpartisan
Maize Board of Education
races. The leadership of our volunteer school board members is integral to the future of our students, schools, and district. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad Higgins, Superintendent of Schools
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Four Board of Education seats on Nov. 5 General Election ballot
Voters will consider four
Maize Board of Education
seats during the Nov. 5 General Election. Members of the Maize Board of Education are volunteer elected leaders who set school policy and help guide the district's vision. Your vote and your voice matter.
Early Voting at satellite sites begins at noon Oct. 31, and polls are open on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Click to search to
f
ind your polling place
.
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November:
- 25-29: No school, Fall Break
December:
- 20: End of Term Two
- 23-31: No school, Winter Break
January:
- 1-2: No school, Winter Break
- 3: No school, Teacher Work Day
- 20: No school, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
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Maize Board of Education Update
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District to move forward on joint funding of traffic light at 37th Street North and Tyler Road near Maize South High School in Wichita
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Maize Board of Education members on Oct. 14 gave Dr. Chad Higgins, Superintendent of Schools, authority to negotiate with the city of Wichita for joint funding of a traffic light at 37th Street North and Tyler Road in Wichita. It is needed for added safety, given the school-related traffic and challenges with the four-way stop. The entities expect to work out an agreement and may have the traffic light operational by Spring Break in March.
In July, Wichita City Council Member Bryan Frye, who represents District V and that portion of the city, explained that the traffic light is in the city’s plans. He said that traffic numbers, however, do not warrant that to happen quite yet, and the city does not have that project in its budget right now.
Conversations between Maize USD 266, the cities of Wichita and Maize, and Sedgwick County have revolved around potential shared contribution to the cost, projected at up to $215,000. Board members and Dr. Higgins also spoke about how to weigh other safety-related municipal funding requests that could come in the future.
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Next meetings: The
Maize Board of Education's next meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 11 and 7 a.m. Nov. 18 at the Maize Educational Support Center, 905 W. Academy Ave. in Maize. The meetings are open to the public.
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Board members thank Maize Recreation Commission director for years of service
On Oct. 14, Dr. Jeff Jarman, Maize Board of Education President, and his fellow board members recognized a long-time supporter of the OneMa1ze community:
Maize Recreation Commission Director Brad Naccarato gave his annual report, his final one, as he plans to retire at the end of 2019. Maize USD 266 wishes him the best and thanks him for his leadership and support. Maize Rec continues to grow and maximize its resources while supporting our schools, including via $500 annual gifts.
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Complete High School Maize teacher wins prestigious national award
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President Trump announced on Oct. 15 that
Complete High School Maize
teacher
Heidi Albin
was among the nationwide winners of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She traveled to Washington, D.C. to be honored as one of the best in the country.
According to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the award "is the highest award given by the U.S. Government to kindergarten through 12th grade teachers of mathematics and science, including computer science." Heidi was one of four recipients from Kansas.
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American Red Cross honors employees with lifesaving awards
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On Oct. 10, three Maize USD 266 employees were honored by the American Red Cross.
Maize South Elementary School
para
Glen Shafer
and school nurse
Stephany McClellan
were recognized for saving the life of fourth-grade student Keegan Dalton last year. Glen received the American Red Cross' Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action, and Stephany received the Certificate of Merit, signed by President Trump.
Click here to read more about their lifesaving actions
.
Maize South Middle School
nurse
Joann Wheeler
, nurse coordinator for the district, received the American Red Cross' Lifesaving Instructor Award. Congratulations!
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Maize High student named National Merit Semifinalist
Congratulations to
Maize High School
student
Lucy Axmann
, 2020 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist!
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Maize High student journalism coverage places in national contest
There are 10 finalists in each category, and t
he students will be recognized at the National High School Journalism Convention in November in Washington, D.C. Abby is co-editor-in-chief and Sam is photo editor
of the school's student publication Play newsmagazine.
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Kansas Superintendent
of the Year Finalist
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Congratulations to
Dr. Chad Higgins
, Superintendent of Schools, who was named a 2020 Kansas Superintendent of the Year Finalist! The recognition comes from the Kansas School Superintendents’ Association. Dr. Higgins was one of three finalists statewide selected from among 12 nominees. We appreciate his leadership and celebrate with him.
Please click here to learn more
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Vermillion Elementary teacher surprised with Golden Apple Award
Vermillion Elementary School kindergarten teacher
Tahnee Shurtleff received KAKE's Golden Apple award on Oct. 30. The award recognizes local educators who are making a positive difference in the classroom. Thank you to sponsors KAKE, Davis-Moore, Meritrust Credit Union, and Project Teacher, which donated $1,000 in school supplies!
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Congratulations to the Maize USD 266 Transportation Department's recent monthly award-winners! We appreciate the work they do to safely get our students to and from school each day! From left:
September Driver of the Month
Kelli Stivers
,
September Para of the Month
Debra Boucher
,
October Driver of the Month
Scott Thrift
, and October Para of the Month
Rosa Kitts.
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Maize USD 266 celebrates National School Lunch Week
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Earlier this month, Maize USD 266 observed National School Lunch Week by sharing facts and photos about the district's Food Service Department.
Did you know?
- Each day, Maize USD 266 students can pick from among three to five entrée choices, a variety of fruits and vegetables, and a selection of milk. Students could go 35 school days without having the same entrée twice!
- Families can download the NutriSlice app or visit usd266.nutrislice.com to view breakfast and lunch menus, nutrition information, allergens, and more.
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New Teacher Feature:
Jennifer Anderson
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Meet
Jennifer Anderson
, a new third-grade teacher at
Maize Elementary School
. She says she is excited to be part of the amazing Maize USD 266 school district, though her story already is one of a OneMa1ze family: Her two oldest children have been Maize students since they started middle school. Now, all of her six children are proud Maize students.
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Volunteer school, district leaders gather for annual district update
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On Oct. 8, parents and volunteers with school site councils, parent-teacher organizations, booster clubs, and the Maize Education Foundation gathered for a state of the district update from Dr. Chad Higgins, Superintendent of Schools. The district thanks those who help support the OneMa1ze community!
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Maize Education Foundation
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Help support student enrichment this GivingTuesday
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Each semester, the Maize Education Foundation awards Student Enrichment Grants to help students in grades 7 through 12 cover costs associated with enrichment activities like leadership seminars, expeditions, educational camps, and more.
Maize South High School sophomore
Ben Gorman received a 2019 Student Enrichment Grant to attend Space 301 Camp at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. His aspirations are to be an engineer, and he says attending the camp was valuable because he learned about space travel and aerospace engineering.
Read more about his story here.
Last year, the Foundation awarded nearly $10,000 in Student Enrichment Grants. For #GivingTuesday this year, please consider making a donation to support these enriching opportunities for Maize USD 266 students.
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See something? Say something! Speak Up tip portal can help
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Safety is a top priority for Maize USD 266, and Speak Up is a tool in conjunction with the Crime Stoppers in Schools program in Sedgwick County that accepts anonymous tips to help keep students and schools safe.
Click here to check it out.
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Snow day notifications: Update contact information now
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In the event of school being dismissed or canceled because of inclement weather, the district will send out an e-mail, phone notification, and -- for those who have opted to receive them -- a text message to the primary contact associated with both Family 1 and Family 2, if applicable, for each student. Those phone notifications will go out as early as 5:30 a.m. on the day of the closure. If a decision is made the night before to call off school, calls and texts will go out no later than 10:30 p.m.
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New! Improved salaries and benefits
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Interested in joining our Maize Schools team? Open positions include bus drivers and bus paras. Many openings are part-time jobs with full-time benefits, including:
- Group health insurance
- Summers off
- Fall, Winter, and Spring breaks off
- No evenings or weekends
- Bonuses
Come and work in our OneMa1ze community, supported by parents, graduates, and Maize and Northwest Wichita. This would be a great opportunity to participate in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.
The Sedgwick County Area Educational Services Interlocal Cooperative has special education para positions open in Maize USD 266 schools, as well.
Please click here to learn more.
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The mission of the Maize School District
is to inspire students to discover their potential through
connecting, learning, and leading.
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