Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain

Dear Pirate Nation,

Last week, I had the honor of attending the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission’s 75th Anniversary "Ascend to Greatness" Luncheon with Board of Education member, Allison Armstrong. The luncheon was a powerful gathering dedicated to recognizing the vital role of the Kansas City Police Department and our first responders. It was a moment of sincere gratitude, acknowledging those who work tirelessly to keep our community safe. Surrounded by dedicated public servants and community members, I was reminded of the essential purpose that guides those who choose to serve, protect, and uplift others.

The event’s keynote speaker, Lieutenant Colonel Dan Rooney, shared the inspiring mission of his nonprofit organization, Folds of Honor, which provides educational scholarships for the children and spouses of fallen or disabled military personnel. Hearing the impact of his work—and how purpose drives him to make a difference in the lives of those facing extraordinary loss—reaffirmed my belief in the power of service, community, and compassion. It reaffirmed just how very fortunate I am to serve the Piper School District and community. Folds of Honor exemplifies the profound change that can be achieved when we live with purpose and dedicate our efforts to supporting future generations. And that’s our tagline in the Piper School District---ensuring our students are #FUTUREREADY!

As an educational advocate and superintendent, my purpose is to empower our students, staff, and community by ensuring they have the support, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive. Reflecting on Lieutenant Colonel Dan Rooney’s message and the title of his book, Fly Into the Wind, I am reminded of the resilience required to face challenges head-on—just as he encourages us to do in our own lives. As educators, “flying into the wind” means embracing the obstacles in our path as opportunities for growth, demonstrating to our students that perseverance and courage lead to strength and future success.

For parents and educators alike, this mindset is essential. Together, we prepare our young people to face life’s inevitable challenges with resilience and optimism, to understand that adversity can be a stepping stone to greatness. This shared purpose—to uplift, inspire, and equip each student to confidently take on life’s headwinds—gives my work true meaning and drives my dedication. Together, let’s continue to #BELIEVETHEHYPE in what we can achieve for our students, our families, and our community!

Proud to be a Pirate!

Dr. Jessica Dain

Superintendent, Piper USD 203

We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Brad Eikenbary, DDS, Piper Family Dentistry, for generously offering free dental screenings to Piper students once again this year! His continued support helps ensure our students have access to essential dental care, contributing to their overall health and well-being. Thank you, Dr. Eikenbary, for making a difference in our school community! Please see schedule below, and look out for communications from your building principals regarding further details.

• November 8: Piper Prairie Elementary and Onward
  
• November 15: Piper Creek Elementary and Piper Early Childhood Center
  
• November 22: Piper Middle School
  
• February 7: Piper High School
  

We are pleased to announce that our new communication service regarding student attendance is now in effect. This service will notify you when your child has an unexcused absence from school, enhancing our partnership in supporting your child’s education.

This system is essential for keeping you informed about your child’s attendance, allowing for timely follow-up on any unexplained absences. Please note that notifications will only be triggered for unexcused absences; other attendance records will not prompt a call.

We believe this enhancement will significantly improve our communication and help maintain a consistent line of support between home and school. Thank you for your continued partnership in fostering your child’s educational experience.

It is great to see the enthusiasm and excitement the Piper community has for supporting our students’ athletics and activities. Attending these events is a great way to come together to show school and community spirit. We thank you for your support of our students, coaches, and activity supervisors.

As our district has continued to grow over the past several years, so have crowds at district events. The larger crowds make supervision of unsupervised youth even more difficult. We have had a few concerning issues where student safety has been compromised.

In an effort to provide a safe, positive, and fun fan experience, parental supervision of middle school and elementary school students will be required at ALL district functions for the 2024-25 school year (unless otherwise noted by the building principal or other administrator). Middle school and elementary school students MUST attend games with a parent, guardian, or trusted adult. Unsupervised students will not be permitted to enter the events.

For football games, as per last year, the expectation is that young people sit in the stands with their parent or guardian or on the hill with staff supervision. Students will be able to access concessions and restroom facilities without supervision but will be directed back to their seats to enjoy the game.

The November Board of Education Meeting will take place on Monday, November 11, at 6 p.m., in the Board Room. Community stakeholders who wish to address the Board of Education should complete the following form (linked below) and send the completed form to the Board Clerk, Kim Buckner, at kim.buckner@piperschools.us no later than end of day on Monday, November 4.

Access Board Docs (Agendas and Corresponding Reports)

Reminder that patrons can access agendas and corresponding reports via the website prior to or after each Board of Education meeting. For access, click here, where you will find agendas and reports from previous Board meetings.

Parents as Teachers is a free and voluntary home visiting program that is evidence-based and focuses on early childhood development. Research has shown that children who have participated in Parents as Teachers score higher on kindergarten readiness tests, are better problem solvers, and are more advanced in language and social development.

Program Services

Home Visits: Parent Educators share age-appropriate child development information, address parenting concerns and engage the family in parent-child activities.

Group Connections: Group Connections provide opportunities to connect with other families in Piper.

Screenings: Annual developmental, health, vision and hearing screenings provided for early identification of delays that could interfere with learning.

Resource Network: Parent Educators help families identify and connect with needed resources and overcome barriers to accessing services.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: All children are enrolled free of charge in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and receive an age-appropriate book mailed to their home each month.

Follow this link to enroll, or contact me for more information. https://tinyurl.com/5a4hhy9r

Nicole McDaniel

Parent Educator

816.805.2461

nicole.mcdaniel@greenbush.org

Piper High School recently hosted the Academy Career Fair, an exciting event in partnership with Workforce Partnership, where students had the chance to connect directly with professionals from various industries. Aligned with their academy pathways, students explored potential careers, gaining invaluable insights and advice on jobs they may pursue after graduation.

The event emphasized Piper's commitment to career readiness, reinforcing that early exposure to diverse career opportunities is essential to student growth and success. As students engaged with these professionals, they gained perspective on real-world roles, setting a foundation for informed decisions about their future.

Thank you to Workforce Partnership and all the participating professionals for helping us make this fair a memorable, impactful experience!

A colleague said, "Kelsey is an incredible person and AP. She has a broken leg, but has quite literally not missed a beat, helping everyone with everything…and with a smile too! She’s incredibly thoughtful, professional, and also keeps her sense of humor. There is no way we would have made it through this big building move without her and all of her support. She works incredibly hard, and I would love for her to be recognized for that dedication."