Board Recognitions and Acknowledgements:
  • Erica Zhou Wang, first place in financial literacy at the JAG National Student Leadership Academy
  • January as School Board Recognition month
  • Timmerman Elementary School for being selected as a 2020 Blue Ribbon School

Board Approvals:
  • minutes of December 9, 2020
  • December fiscal payments
  • donation of $6,000 from the Clint Bowyer 79 fund for COVID-19 related expenses, $1,000 to each elementary school
  • donation of $900 from Steve Sauder to winter sports teams and performing arts programs
  • donation of $1,235.53 from the Emporia Rotary Club for each preschool and kindergarten student to receive a copy of the book Bunnaby Bunny
  • donation of $610 from Holman Logistics to Logan Avenue to help support school families
  • donation of Stories for All Book Pack and a $1,000 Amazon gift card for school supplies from Pizza Hut to Amy Oelschlaeger, a third-grade teacher at Walnut 
  • donation of $2500 from BP Cattle Company for EHS girls basketball
  • donation of $890 from Shirley Penze for Meredith Knapp, a music teacher at Walnut to purchase ukuleles
  • donation of $500 from Steve Sauder to the Spartan Stop
  • donation of $500 from Emporia State Federal Credit Union to the Spartan Stop
  • Resolution 2021-1 Kansas Homeland Security Region I Hazard Mitigation Plan, click here to view the resolution
  • COVID-19 related leave Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) through May 30, 2021, click here to view the MOU
  • beginning January 19th, grades 3rd-5th return to on-onsite and move to step 2 of the learning model plan for grades 6th-12th, February 8th, grades 6th-12th move to step 3 of the learning model plan

Board Updates:
Budget Review:
Rob Scheib, Assistant Superintendent of Business, and Stephanie Pope, Director of Budgets and Accounting led a study session that provided a 5-year review of the district's budget and understanding school finance. The session is the first in a possible series of sessions that will provide board members with a better understanding of the budget process and budget strategies that are currently in progress. Click here to view the presentation.

Student Achievement Report:
Dr. Ryan Karjala, Associate Executive Director of Assessments and Accountability, reviewed data from Fall 2019 and Fall 2020 on student growth and achievement of USD 253 students who took the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. According to Karjala, although growth in the fall of 2020 was lower than that of fall 2019, it was higher than what was originally anticipated. Click here to view the report.

COVID-19 Update:
Dr. Allison Anderson-Harder, Interim Superintendent, provided a summary of the recent COVID-19 advisory committee meeting with recommendations and reviewed the goals of returning students to on-site learning. Additionally, the committee recommended that grades 3rd-5th return to on-site learning and grades 6th-12th return to step 2 on January 19th. Click here to view the presentation.

Future Board Calendar Dates:
  • Wednesday, January 27, 2021, 7:00 p.m., Board Meeting, Mary Herbert Education Center
  • Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 7:00 p.m., Board Meeting, Mary Herbert Education Center
  • Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 7:00 p.m., Board Meeting, Mary Herbert Education Center