With new round of $3,000 teacher incentives, Topeka USD 501 drops attendance requirement

25 Monday, September 25

With new round of $3,000 teacher incentives, Topeka USD 501 drops attendance requirement

info2023-09-25T13:37:01-05:00September 25th, 2023|

Topeka USD 501 will offer each employee a $3,000 “incentive” this fall, and the district will drop its controversial condition that staff maintain near-perfect attendance to receive the bonus payment. The incentive is meant to help recruit new teachers and support staff, Topeka USD 501 officials said. Part-time workers will receive pro-rated payments. The payments, which will be made in two installments of $1,500 in October and December for full-time, active staff members, will use $8 million of the district’s $42.2 million in the latest round of federal COVID-19 relief funding. Source: CJonline

25 Monday, September 25

Few parents are paying their school fees, and Topeka USD 501 wants to crack down

info2023-09-25T13:36:18-05:00September 25th, 2023|

Topeka USD 501 isn't getting a big chunk of the fees it asks parents to pay to help fund school materials and activities, and the district is looking to clamp down on collecting that money. In a financial overview of the district to the Topeka Board of Education on Thursday, director of fiscal services Gary Menke shared that the district has been having trouble getting parents to pay for those school fees in recent years. While state law generally bars schools charging tuition, it does allow districts to collect fees for such items as textbooks, workbooks, musical instruments, technology and other [...]

25 Monday, September 25

Valley Center Fall Festival is back for its 61st year

info2023-09-25T12:57:47-05:00September 25th, 2023|

The 61st annual Valley Center Fall Festival is Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22 and 23. "The Fall Festival is what makes Valley Center feel like home. It's a tradition that you don't see in every historic downtown, especially in the Wichita area," Brent Clark, Valley Center city administrator, said. "I love bringing my kids to all the events and creating those memories that will last a lifetime." Some of the new activities this year include a pickleball tournament and the Fastest Hook in Valley, which is a crocheting competition. Source: KSN-TV

25 Monday, September 25

Baxter Springs faces job losses as two companies close their doors

info2023-09-25T11:56:34-05:00September 25th, 2023|

In 10 days, National Safety Apparel, formerly known as King Louie, will close its doors in Baxter Springs, leaving over 70 people without jobs. But this isn't the only blow to the local workforce. Just a few weeks ago, Yellow Corporation, a trucking company, also ceased operations in the same city, resulting in more than 30 people losing their employment. Teresa Humphrey, have been working for NSA for more than 35 years and is among those facing this uncertain future. "It's sad, makes me want to cry. It's emotional. I'm scared because I don't know what to expect. I'm just going [...]

25 Monday, September 25

Parsons residents seek brick souvenirs from Washington School

info2023-09-25T13:16:43-05:00September 25th, 2023|

There's quite the demand for bricks, right now, in Parsons. We've brought you the story before about the demolition of the old Washington School building on Stevens Avenue. Folks want the bricks as keepsakes. The problem -- they've been showing up at the site -- and keeping crews from doing their work. That demo process began last week. District officials understand the emotional ties so many people have with the building -- so they've set some aside for those people to pick up at the district office. "A lot of people went to school there, have good memories there when they [...]

25 Monday, September 25

Delia school mural celebrates Potawatomi culture

info2023-09-25T11:41:47-05:00September 25th, 2023|

On the east wall of the former Delia Grade School in southwestern Jackson County is a painted mural that features a depiction of two young members of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Knowee Potts and Kiwe Miller, performing a Native American dance — a mural that was recently completed by Rossville High School art teacher Garrett Larson. On Sunday afternoon, a crowd composed mainly of Potawatomi and Delia residents gathered in front of the mural to watch Potts and Miller dance in front of the mural that celebrates them and their people. “It brought back memories of being there as a [...]

25 Monday, September 25

Maple Leaf set for Saturday in downtown Hiawatha

info2023-09-25T11:39:11-05:00September 25th, 2023|

The Hiawatha Maple Leaf Festival is set for Sept. 23 and organizers with the Hiawatha Chamber and Visitors Bureau are excited about this year’s line-up of activities. Maple Leaf will be bringing in some fantastic music — as the Chamber is featuring Maria the Mexican of the Kansas City area as the headlining band, scheduled for an 11:45 p.m. performance on the north side of the courthouse steps. Also new this year is the Brent Isom Trio of St. Joseph, Mo., who will play at 10:45 a.m. Favorites back for solo performances in the afternoon include Stephanie Gummelt at 12:45 p.m., [...]

25 Monday, September 25

Great Bend awaits storm damage totals

info2023-09-25T13:27:00-05:00September 25th, 2023|

The sounds of hammers continue to reverberate around Great Bend and the site of uprooted trees is still common after the July 16 supercell ripped through the area. In the meantime, the City of Great Bend still awaits learning the toll the thunderstorm took on its many far-flung properties scattered around the community. “Last week, a lot of our staff stayed busy taking (insurance) adjusters out from building to building” to assess the damage, City Administrator Brandon Anderson said, updating the City Council Monday night. “We’re just going through what all of our citizens have gone through. Certainly, that storm was [...]

25 Monday, September 25

Ford County Commission green lights Seaboard Foods project

info2023-09-25T11:36:35-05:00September 25th, 2023|

The Ford County Commission permitted Seaboard Foods to build on two sites in southeast Ford County near Bucklin at the regular meeting on Sept. 18. Both sites will have two buildings housing 2,500 hogs. Each hog will consume approximately five gallons of water daily, but apart from this, the project will funnel the water back into the system and will not be a drain on the water supply. The hogs will be fed by crops purchased from area farmers and the manure used for soil fertilization. Source: Dodge City Daily Globe

25 Monday, September 25

Wichita High School East turns 100: ‘History walks our halls’

info2023-09-25T11:35:30-05:00September 25th, 2023|

Can you imagine a teacher today throwing a chalkboard eraser at a student for not paying attention in class? Or a coach buying his high school sports team beer and cigars because they won a tournament? How about a school making its boys swim naked in their gym class? Such stories are part of the lore of Wichita High School East, the city’s oldest high school, along with the more serious legacy of educating generations of Wichitans. East is celebrating a big anniversary next month. Though it opened as Wichita High School in 1873, the anniversary celebrates the 100th year the [...]