Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain

Dear Pirate Nation!

Happy Tuesday! WOW!!! What an AMAZING night last night for Kansas City sports with both the Royals and the Chiefs continuing in their winning streaks and continuing to grind to earn the championship trophies!

In the spirit of celebration, last week marked Piper’s Homecoming Week, and I would like to extend my gratitude to the administration, staff, and parents whose efforts made the week truly memorable. By moving the community parade to Thursday evening, all Piper High School athletes and royalty were able to participate, enhancing the event’s success. The PHS royalty exemplified the diversity and broad range of student involvement that makes Piper High School a place where every student feels accepted and valued. This year’s homecoming court included:

• The freshman class prince and princess were Mr. Mark Dupree and Ms. Narea Beatty.
• The sophomore class prince and princess were Mr. Wilde Baird and Ms. Kylie Schaunaman.
  

• The junior class prince and princess were Mr. Ryan Utaji and Ms. Callie Markham.

• Rylee Hafner and Coltyn Bard.
• Avary Vallejo and Cooper Busick.
• Rylie Wiseman and Tannar McDaniel
• Abbie Roth and Ramon Marks.

The Piper Education Foundation successfully hosted its annual homecoming dinner, welcoming over 180 participants. This year, we celebrated milestone anniversaries for the classes of 1995 and 2004, with additional representation from the classes of 1959, 1965, 1977, 1988, 2008, 2010, 2019, and 2022. Attendees traveled from as far as Arkansas and Maine to join the festivities. We extend a special thank you to Sandy Hennessy for her outstanding leadership in coordinating with our Piper High School alumni.

As we reflect on the nostalgia of Homecoming and celebrate the rich history of our Piper alumni, it’s clear that our sense of community and pride runs deep. From the events of the week to the diverse representation in our homecoming court, we are reminded that Piper High School is a place where every student and alum feels they belong. Together, we continue to #BELIEVETHEHYPE and build a culture of inclusion, tradition, and pride for generations to come.

Proud to be a Pirate,

Dr. Jessica Dain

Superintendent, Piper USD 203

Did you know that if you have children that you are responsible for (whether they're your own kids, your grandkids, or even foster or stepchildren) then you will often gravitate towards a specific parenting style that’s unique to you and your own experiences? The way you parent is often indicative of your past experiences or learned knowledge over the years. If you have ever found yourself at a crossroads with your parenting style or you felt like adding more to your skill set, then these next few definitions are for your reflection.

The 4 Parenting Types - what they are and what they look like:

• Permissive Parent - this parent tends to be their child’s friend rather than their parent and they will often avoid all conflict and disagreements. Some common traits look like this:
• Few rules in the household
• Lets their kids decide for themselves
• Communicates openly with little direction
• Tries hard to keep their kiddos happy

• Authoritative Parent - this parent tends to be nurturing and in tune with their children’s needs. They often have open and honest conversations with their kids about values and expectations in the home. Common traits look like this:
• Clear rules/expectations
• Frequent and open communication
• Considerate of the child’s thoughts, feelings, and opinions
• Allows for natural consequences followed by reflection and learning from mistakes.

• Neglectful Parent - this parent often appears uninvolved and limited in their interactions with their children. They can be seen as cold, indifferent, and uncaring but it’s often due to the parent struggling with a lot of their own issues. Common traits include:
• Little guidance and attention
• Parent struggles with their own self-esteem issues
• Lets kids fend for themselves and struggles with close connection

• Authoritarian Parent - this parenting type sees discipline as “tough love” or overt strictness. There is often communication to the child without wanting input or feedback. Coming traits include:
• Justifying decisions with “because I said so.”
• Enforcing strict rules without considering how it affects the child
• One-way communication, from parent to child.

Stay well friends,

Laura Moore, LCPC

District Mental Health Professional

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.

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 October Board of Education Meeting will take place on Monday, October 14, at 6 p.m., in the Board Room.

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.

The Summer EBT program application period has been extended. If you did not receive the automatic, one-time $120 payment (per eligible child) in July, you can apply today.

Children who attended a Kansas school participating in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program and were eligible to get free or reduced-price meals during the 2023-24 school year, whether or not they received free or reduced-price meals, may be eligible for this benefit. Applications must be received by 5 p.m., October 15, 2024.

A parent said, "Mrs. Foster made my son feel seen and loved last year when things were hard. She noticed his strengths and had him reach his potential by being a helper and leader. She changed his outlook and she will be forever appreciated."