Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain

Dear Pirate Nation,

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving and a restful fall break! Mine was anything but ordinary—I had a crash course in the wild world of professional wrestling. We took my son, Brock, to his very first WWE Monday Night Raw in Phoenix for his 21st birthday celebration. Let me tell you, between the pyrotechnics, larger-than-life personalities, and very passionate fans, I walked away with a whole new level of respect for the drama of the ring. Who knew suplexes and smackdowns could be so educational?

In all seriousness, it is hard to believe we’ve entered December and are approaching the halfway point of the 2024-2025 school year. While much remains to be accomplished in the second semester, we are also thoughtfully planning important initiatives to ensure we remain strategic and focused on our #FUTUREREADY goals for years to come.

To that end, after careful consideration, the District has decided to transition from our current structure of one primary and one intermediate school to two K-5 elementary schools, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. This shift reflects our commitment to fostering a cohesive, student-centered learning environment where continuity, collaboration, and consistency enhance the elementary experience.

We understand that a change of this magnitude brings questions and concerns. To ensure a smooth and successful transition, we are prioritizing the following areas:

• Curriculum Alignment: Establishing uniform curriculum resources across both schools to provide equitable and consistent learning opportunities for all students.
  
• Policy Consistency: Developing clear and aligned policies to support smooth operations and shared expectations for students, staff, and families.
  
• Team Building and Culture: Creating welcoming, collaborative communities in each school that reflect our district's core values while supporting staff as they form new teams and establish unified school cultures.
  
• Staffing Transitions: Ensuring that staffing transition plans meet the needs of students and staff while maintaining high standards of educational quality and care.
  
• Family Transition Support: Providing resources, clear communication, and opportunities for engagement to ensure families feel informed, supported, and confident throughout the transition to the new K-5 structure.
  

This timeline allows for a deliberate approach to planning and preparation, ensuring we have adequate time for collaboration and communication to best support students, staff, and families through the transition.

We value your partnership in this process and want to hear from you. Below, you’ll find a link to a form where you can share your questions or concerns. Your feedback will help guide our communication efforts over the next 18 months and ensure we address the topics most important to our community.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT FEEDBACK

Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to work together to provide the best possible learning experiences for our students.

Proud to Be a Pirate,

Dr. Jessica Dain

Superintendent of Schools

Dr. John Nguyen, Assistant Superintendent

Staying Focused for a Strong Finish to the Semester

The stretch between Thanksgiving and winter break can be a challenging time for students to stay focused. With holiday excitement in the air and the semester winding down, maintaining strong academic habits is key. Parents can play a vital role by encouraging consistent routines. Set aside dedicated time for homework and study, and ensure students get plenty of rest to stay energized for the classroom. A quiet, organized workspace free from distractions can also make a big difference.

Supporting your child’s mental well-being is equally important. Check in with them regularly to discuss their goals and challenges, and remind them to break larger tasks into manageable steps. Celebrate their progress along the way to keep their motivation high. With a little structure and encouragement, students can finish the semester confidently and successfully!

Katelyn Kaminski, Director of Communications

Exciting things are happening every day across our district, and we want to showcase them! From engaging classroom activities to inspiring Real World Learning labs, we’re on a mission to capture the moments that make Piper extraordinary.

Have a fun lesson, unique project, or special event coming up? Let us know! Also, if you or your students have received an award or recognition, we’d love to celebrate that too.

Send your photo opportunities and accolades to the Communications Office, at katelyn.kaminski@piperschools.us, and together, we’ll highlight the amazing work happening in our schools.

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!

• 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 December Board of Education Meeting will take place on Monday, December 9, 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, December 2.

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.

Click here for this quarter's Future Ready Spotlight! This newsletter highlights the innovative and engaging work of our staff and students.

Congratulations to the Piper High School Cheerleading Squad for their performance at the Kansas State High School Athletics Association 5A State tournament! The Pirates took fourth place amongst amazing competition from across the state. We are Piper Proud!

Over Thanksgiving break, a group of Piper students had the unforgettable honor of presenting the prestigious Musial Award to Kansas City Royals star Salvador Perez. The boys, affectionately known as "Salvy's Sandlot Kids," traveled to St. Louis for the event, where they rubbed elbows with sports legends like Joe Torre, Ozzie Smith, Larry Fitzgerald Jr., Royals Manager Matt Quatraro, and even broadcaster Bob Costas. Of course, seeing Salvy himself was the highlight of the night! The ceremony, which celebrates extraordinary sportsmanship and character, will air nationally on CBS on Sunday, December 29th, following the NFL game that evening. This once-in-a-lifetime experience showcased the boys' enthusiasm and the spirit of Piper, leaving a lasting impression on everyone they met.