RELAY - March '24
Great Bend USD 428 - News and Highlights
Mark your calendar!
- March 4 - Monthly BOE Meeting, 5pm @ DEC
- March 8 - NO SCHOOL, Teacher Grading/Collaboration
- March 8 - Employee Appreciation Event, 3-5pm @ Walnut Bowl
- March 10 - SPRING Forward, Daylight Savings Time - move your clocks ahead one hour!
- March 11-15 - Spring Break, No School
- March 29 - Spring Holiday, No School
Employee Referral Program
Personal referrals are the best way to find new employees!
With the launch of the Employee Referral Program, we're giving you a few more reasons to share job openings with your network of friends and family.
Click here to learn more about the $250 referral bonus!
Wild Stride - USD 428 Step Challenge!
TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD STRIDE! HealthCheck360 wants to help you achieve your wellness goals. Wild Stride Steps Challenge will motivate you to get up and moving for your health. Our mobile app tracking keeps logging simple, so you can focus on making healthy choices!
Wild Stride starts on Friday, March 8, 2024 and runs through Thursday, April 4, 2024. Sign up by Thursday, March 7, 2024, so head over to myHealthCheck360 mobile app to join now
🎳 Let the Good Time Roll - Employee Appreciation Event
Kick-off Spring Break with a fun afternoon spent with colleagues and friends! Join us at Walnut Bowl from 3:00-5:00pm on Friday, March 8 for some friendly competition and conversation on the lanes.
Stop by just to say hi, or plan to stay for a game of bowling and fun. This event is for USD 428 staff only. We hope to see you there!
Prize Time - Share the fun, share the love!
Door prizes at this event will allow you to share the fun with your colleagues, building, or classroom. Prizes include:
- Classroom/Department Pizza Party
- Classroom Donut Delivery
- Chamber Gift Certificates
- And More!
Complimentary Snacks to Enjoy:
- Chips, Salsa, & Queso
- Fresh Veggies & Dip
- Pizza
- Cookies
- Fountain Drink
This is a small token of appreciation for your dedicated work EVERY DAY for the students of Great Bend USD 428. Complimentary bowling and appetizers will be provided for USD 428 staff. We hope you'll join us!
Great Bend High School Stream Team Elevates Live Streaming Experience for GBHS Athletics
The Great Bend High School Stream Team, under the leadership of video production teacher Dan Heath, has taken their live streaming capabilities to new heights with recent equipment upgrades, providing an immersive viewing experience for GBHS Athletics and activities on YouTube.
The dedicated team, comprised of enthusiastic students, has embraced cutting-edge technology to enhance the live-streaming productions. Recent upgrades now enable multiple camera angles, instant replays, and a picture-in-picture display of the scoreboard, creating a dynamic and engaging presentation for viewers.
Dan Heath, in his 21st year of teaching at GBHS, has witnessed the rapid evolution of live-streaming technology over the past decade. He remarked, "Only recently has technology allowed us to produce high-quality productions with affordable equipment, and grants from the USD 428 Education Foundation helped us secure additional cameras and related equipment."
Students involved in the Stream Team gain hands-on experience in operating cameras, managing the switchboard, live communication during broadcasts, troubleshooting in real-time, and more. The program not only offers technical skills but also fosters teamwork and adaptability, crucial skills for a future in media production.
"As the need for streaming grows, so does the demand for students to be part of the program," said Mr. Heath. Interested students are encouraged to enroll in Panther Media classes at GBHS, which include Video Production, A/V Production, and Digital Media. "Digital content is embedded in many career pathways; Panther Media gives students the opportunity for hands-on learning."
The recent basketball games, particularly the Sub-State game on February 27, showcased the Stream Team's capabilities with over 120 live viewers on YouTube at any given point during the event. The team will be in action again on Friday, March 1, as the Panthers host Hutchinson for the Sub-State Championship game.
Viewers can find and subscribe to "Panther Media" on YouTube. For more information, please contact Great Bend High School at 620-793-1521.
Board of Education Meets at Park
Kelsey Sciacca, principal of Park Elementary, welcomed the Board of Education for their monthly luncheon meeting on Tuesday, February 27. The positive morale at Park was easy to see as Mrs. Sciacca started the building report by sharing a few highlights that make Park proud!
- Proud of... How we start the day! When students arrive at Park each morning they are greeted by staff members, a positive word, or a joke. This helps all students start their day on a positive note.
- Proud of... Staff Morale! Mrs. Sciacca celebrated her tight-knit staff and how they consistently support each other during the school day and beyond. "Park After Dark" has been successful in uniting the team outside of work hours with a little downtime and fun.
- Proud of... Fundraising! Park is currently hosting their annual raffle fundraiser. In its second year, they are on track to beat their goals and earn a building-wide field trip reward!
- Proud of... Teacher Collaboration! Mrs. Sciacca works hard to prioritize teacher collaboration and plan time.
- Proud of... Interim Data Assisting with Core! Park is using the student data to drive decisions for instruction.
Students from Mr. Dowson & Mrs. Ralston's 6th-grade class presented details about their "Classroom Economy" program, coding, and Scholars Bowl.
- Classroom Economy - This simulation has been a component of 6th grade at Park for many years. It helps students develop money-managing habits as well as reinforces positive behaviors in the classroom family context.
- Scholars Bowl - Students shared details about their 5th & 6th grade Scholars Bowl teams. In their second year, Mr. Dowson & Mrs. Ketch are coaching the teams and they are learning so much. Park will host a tournament next week for area elementary schools.
Mr. Schaub, Student & Family Advocate, shared details about the All Stars Program and efforts to support students in setting short-term and long-term goals. The program also addresses substance abuse and reinforces positive behaviors.
Mrs. Hofflinger, Instructional Coach, shared with the board about Park's reading competition and how they are motivating students to read outside the classroom. Students complete reading logs in return for Book Fair credits. The staff has seen reading improvements in students and motivation for reading increase across the board. The USD 428 Education Foundation mini-grants help support this program, providing funds to purchase popular book titles that the kids are excited to take home.
Great Bend Students Showcase Artistic Talent at Statewide Art Exhibit
USD 428 is proud to announce its participation in the statewide “Youth Art Month” exhibit sponsored by the Kansas Art Education Association (KAEA) in Topeka. The exhibition, located at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, will run from February 27 to March 23, 2024.
This initiative, organized by the KAEA, invites art teachers from across the state to select one artwork to represent each school they teach at. Miraya Starnes and Shannon Wedel, elementary art teachers for USD 428, each had the opportunity to choose five works, reflecting the artistic talents and good character demonstrated by their students. Additionally, pieces were selected by Sergio Ramirez and Laurel Haley, art teachers at GBHS, and Pamela Williams, art teacher at GBMS.
The selected artworks were carefully curated based on the quality of artistic expression and the exemplary character exhibited by the student creators. This is USD 428’s first time to participate in the exhibit.
Starnes & Wedel transported the artworks to the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library and assisted in the hanging of the show. The exhibition features a diverse range of artistic creations, each accompanied by titles and artist statements provided by the students.
The Great Bend students' works are also eligible for participation in an art competition sponsored by Blick Art Materials and a new 3-D competition sponsored by Brackers Good Earth Clays. The results of these competitions will be revealed in March.
An optional reception for artists, parents, and instructors is scheduled for March 23rd from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. This event provides an opportunity for the community to celebrate the achievements of these young artists.
"This is a significant exhibit and we’re so proud to show off our students’ incredible talent and artwork," said Wedel. "It's not just about making cool art but also about how our students bring their individual style and passion to everything they create. We can't wait for everyone to see it!"
From the Desk of JoAnn Blevins... District Leadership Team Update
Starting in January, the DLT started using our monthly meeting time to build our capacity for leading MTSS and PLC through professional development with Jessica Griffin from United School Administrators of Kansas. She is their Director for Professional Development and worked with our building BLTs last summer with school improvement efforts. We decided to keep this learning going with Jessica so that we can continue to improve our school district around our school system's foundations for success - MTSS, PLC, and CKH. We know that these processes are proven to work when implemented at high levels. To that end, we are investing in professional development for DLT members in order to lead these evidence-based practices forward. DLT members are charged with monthly tasks to do at the building level in various ways which many of you will be a part of as we learn and grow.
In January, DLT members revisited the district mission and vision and broke down what key phrases look like in action throughout the district. Members also worked on identifying the values that DLT honors in relation to how they will operate as a group for the benefit of all. Buildings revisited the work that BLTs completed last summer and identified the action steps they had completed and the next steps. During the February DLT meeting, the team worked on developing our moral purpose for our work and looked at the latest district accountability report from KSDE. Teams identified three statements around the data that will be used at our next meeting to develop a vision for how things will look different in three years. As DLT works through the process, it will begin to develop goals and action steps based on how to move from our current reality to what we want to see in three years. At the DLT level, members are using a district perspective. We are one system, a district system which means that DLT members have to have a clear idea of where the district is now and where we want it to be in the future. As we move closer to summer break, Jessica will guide us in how to take this district-level work down to our buildings to guide building school improvement efforts.
It is not easy work. It gets messy. Your DLT representatives are engaging in courageous conversations about our reality and then gaining hope in identifying the bright spots that are happening across our district. We are going to learn how to replicate them to find success for all of our students! I encourage you to ask your DLT representatives about our recent meetings and engage in conversation about what they are learning.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. I'll do my best to answer them for you!
Hello Little One!
Delanee Lee, daughter of Maggie & Kyle Kriegh, was born on January 8, 2024. She was 7 lbs 14oz and 20 inches. She's joining her siblings in cheering for a Panther win (daddy's team!) tonight in the sub-state championship. Maggie Kriegh is a Special Education Teacher at Jefferson Elementary, Kyle Kriegh is a Social Studies Teacher at GBHS, and the Boys Varsity Basketball Coach.
Explore Great Bend Calendar of Events
Be sure to follow Explore Great Bend on Facebook for news and events!
Barton Theatre Presents: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Jeremy Sams
Make plans to attend the spring musical production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The production includes several USD 428 staff members and students.
Performance Schedule:
- March 1 @ 7:30pm
- March 2 - 2pm & 7:30pm
- March 3 - 2pm
Tickets can be purchased at shows.bartonccc.edu
Dilly & Doc Spring Pop-up Market - March 16!
Save the date for Dilly & Doc's Spring Pop-Up Market! Join in the fun with 30 vendors and come Sip and Shop! There will be a GREEN drink to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day starting at 10 am and other fun planned throughout the day! Follow them on Facebook for more details!
Make a Difference Contest
ONE LUCKY STUDENT WILL BE SELECTED EACH MONTH THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR TO WIN AN AWESOME PRIZE PACKAGE. Click Here to submit an entry!
It only takes a few minutes to share the GREAT things happening in your classroom! Email high-resolution photos and a quick caption and we'll share it with the community on social media!
Quick Photo Caption:
"Students are learning _______________, by doing ______________."
Submit News to media@usd428.net.
Connect with USD 428
Email: media@usd428.net
Website: www.GreatBendSchools.net
Location: 201 South Patton Road, Great Bend, KS, USA
Phone: 620-793-1500
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USD428/
