Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain

Dear Piper Nation!

Happy Tuesday! As we continue to navigate the complexities of our academic year, I want to take a moment to address some critical issues concerning the safety and security of our students, staff, and facilities. Ensuring a safe and supportive environment is our highest priority, and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards in these areas.

The Importance of Safety and Security

Safety and security are fundamental to our mission of providing an exceptional educational experience. We recognize that a secure environment is essential for learning, growth, and overall well-being. Our district is dedicated to implementing and continually refining measures that protect our students and staff, both physically and emotionally.

Concerns About Social Media

In today’s digital age, social media plays a significant role in our lives. While it offers many benefits, it also presents challenges and potential risks. We are increasingly aware of how social media can impact the safety and well-being of our students. Online interactions, cyberbullying, and the sharing of inappropriate content are areas of concern. We urge all parents and guardians to engage in open discussions with their children about responsible social media use and to be vigilant about their online interactions.

The Importance of Online Security

Online security is another critical aspect of our safety framework. As our educational resources and communication increasingly rely on digital platforms, it is imperative to protect our systems and data from unauthorized access and cyber threats. We have stringent protocols in place to safeguard our digital environment and are continually updating our security measures to address emerging threats. We also encourage families to practice strong online security habits at home, such as using robust passwords and monitoring online activity.

Upcoming Announcements for Enhanced Safety Information:

- Safety and Security Parent Education Night

We will be conducting a Safety Information Workshop on October 10th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Piper Middle School. The evening will commence in the Auditorium with a comprehensive District Presentation. Following this, we will facilitate two breakout sessions where parents will have the opportunity to engage directly with their respective building principal and building safety and security officer. These sessions will focus on reviewing specific building procedures and addressing any questions you may have.

To accommodate parents with children across multiple schools, we will offer two consecutive parent sessions, ensuring that attendees have the chance to participate in presentations from at least two different school buildings. This workshop will address our current safety protocols, provide updates on new security measures, and offer practical guidance on supporting your child’s safety both at school and online. We highly encourage all parents to attend and engage in these essential discussions.

- Unexcused Absence Reporting System

In the coming weeks, we will be introducing a new service designed to enhance communication with parents regarding student attendance. This service will notify parents when their child has an Unexcused Absence from school.

For students in grades K-5, you will receive an automated call at 11 a.m. if an Unexcused Absence is recorded. This call will include your child's name, the school building they attend, and a notification that they were reported absent. For students in grades 6-12, you will receive two calls: one at 11 a.m. and another at 3 p.m. These calls will provide your child’s name, their building, and the specific class where the absence was noted.

This system is crucial for keeping parents informed about their child’s attendance and ensuring that any issues are addressed promptly. By receiving timely notifications, you will be better equipped to follow up on unexplained absences and work with us to support your child’s educational experience. Please note that these notifications will only be triggered for Unexcused Absences; other types of 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.

Commitment to Safety

Please rest assured that the safety of our students and staff remains our utmost priority. We are continuously reviewing and enhancing our safety practices to ensure that we are prepared for any situation that may arise. Your support and collaboration are crucial in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the safety and well-being of our school community. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Proud to be a Pirate,

Dr. Jessica Dain, Superintendent

Piper USD 203

We are excited to announce that families now have the opportunity to be a part of your child's daily school bus journey. In partnership with DS Bus Lines, we have officially launched the "BC Family App". To start receiving alerts about your child's bus route, follow the instructions on the attached information sheet.

The October Board of Education Meeting will take place on Monday, October 14, 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, October 7.

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.

James Grogan, Technology Director

We are increasing our Internet speeds at ALL buildings! Each building will see their connection speed to the central hub double from 1Gbps to 2Gbps, and the district’s Internet connection will increase from 2Gbps to 5Gbps! This means more connections can be made to the Internet simultaneously, ensuring our students and staff are able to access the online resources they need to be successful.

Laura Moore, District Mental Health Coordinator

Trauma Toolbox: Suicide Prevention Month (Part 3)

*Disclaimer: There are many of you out there that may just hear the word suicide and maybe causes you to hold your breath or brace yourself before a flood of memories come…..and I’m here to say that if this is where you find yourself, please know you are not alone in any of this. There are others who understand your stress and feel your pain and there are even more who will one day benefit from your story of resilience and purpose.*

Have you ever been in a situation where you experienced intense or chronic physical pain? Maybe it was a migraine, broken bone, childbirth or an unrelenting muscle spasm. If you think back to that time of physical pain and discomfort, are you able to recall any thoughts you had other than those related to the pain you were experiencing?

It’s safe to assume that typically, the more intense our physical pain is, the more preoccupied our thoughts will be with it. So much in fact that we will often devote all our energies to pain management before it seemingly consumes us. And for some of you, you may even recall making comments such as “I will do ANYTHING to get this to just stop.”

Experiencing something this excruciating can be miserable and in a similar way, this is often the thought process of someone who struggles with suicidal ideation or self harm tendencies. It can be a hard concept to wrap our brains around, but so often when conversing with people that struggle with dark thoughts, they aren’t typically stating that they want to die or necessarily harm themselves…..

They just want the pain they’re experiencing to stop.

With empathy, I’ve heard this first hand from adults and adolescents alike for many years. Often they will say something like, “I don’t want to die….I just don’t want to exist for awhile….” and interestingly, statements like this fill me with hope for that individual to heal and recover! Stating these uncomfortable but brave thoughts shows that the person is trying to work through something that feels overwhelming and “too much.”

If you’ve ever found yourself here, or if you’ve ever witnessed a friend, family member or your child in this dark place, here are some ways to begin working to stop the pain:

1. Hug that person (or ask for a hug yourself!) and thank them for voicing their thoughts.
2. Reach out to someone that you trust to help you and your family with those big feelings.
3. Take a day and formulate a plan for safety and future care. It’s okay to push pause on school and work while you prioritize yourself or your child!
4. Know that reaching out is absolutely the hardest first step and you’re so worth the care that others send your way!

As always, stay well friends.

Laura Moore, LCPC

District Mental Health Professional

Resources:

988 suicide hotline: https://988lifeline.org/

After hours crisis hotline for Wyandotte County: 913-788-4200

Amber Buck, Community Outreach and Inclusion Coordinator

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Partnering with the counselors and student leaders at Piper Creek Elementary School, the District’s Inclusion Council BLAZE is facilitating a Read & Play event on Sept. 18th where our older students visited classrooms at the Early Childhood Center to read stories that celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15. It began as a week-long celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and was expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan 20 years later in 1988.

September 15 was chosen as the starting date because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18. Hispanic Heritage Month ends on Oct. 15th.

A colleague said, “Pat and Kevin worked tirelessly all summer to ensure our buildings were ready. When staff arrived at the beginning of the school year, they worked well over their expected hours to ensure everything was ready and looking great before the community reveal of the new buildings. I appreciate their willingness to go the extra mile and service with a smile."

We are excited to announce some changes to our Homecoming parade procedures this year! In partnership with the Optimist Club, the Piper School District has moved the traditional Friday night Homecoming Parade to Thursday, October 3. As such, all Thursday games scheduled for Thursday, October 3, for our middle school and high school teams, have been rescheduled.

We are thrilled to schedule the parade starting at 5 p.m. and the powderpuff game kicking off at approximately 7 p.m. This decision is deeply rooted in our commitment to ensuring that all students, including those who participate in Friday night activities, have the opportunity to be part of the Thursday night Homecoming parade and festivities. We look forward to celebrating with you all and making this Homecoming the best one yet! #BELIEVETHEHYPE

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 student 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.

Thank you for helping us with these updated procedures to help make Piper USD 203 athletics and activities a safe and positive experience for all.