As a career educator, I always feel a bit nostalgic at the end of the school year and during high school graduations. It’s a season of reflection and of looking back on meaningful moments and proud accomplishments.

This year, I’m filled with gratitude. We stayed focused on our Lead Forward strategic plan, set intentional goals, and supported student growth. Through conversations with students, employees, and community partners, we remained responsive to the needs of our Maize Family.

We launched a new website, completed a districtwide communications audit, and earned recognition—including the Silver Star Award for Social-Emotional Growth from the Kansas State Department of Education.

We improved attendance, expanded opportunities for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), enhanced safety, and laid the foundation for the future by setting calendars for the next two school years and navigating challenges like winter weather with resilience and flexibility.

It’s been a great year—and I’m even more excited for what’s ahead.

This summer, the work continues. Our Facilities Steering Committee will visit Vermillion Elementary School in June to continue assessing district-wide needs.

Meanwhile, our crews will be busy improving safety, access, and learning environments across our schools.

• Facilities upgrades: Deep cleaning, painting, gym floor refinishing—including mascot additions at Pray-Woodman Elementary School and Maize Central Elementary School—and critical repairs like roofing, fire alarms, and building access.
• Site improvements: Expanded parking and storage, fiber installation, and drive enhancements.
• Athletics and grounds: New turf at the Maize South High School football field and miscellaneous fencing projects, as well as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) upgrades in the Maize Middle School wrestling room.
• Transportation: Bus cleaning and inspections to ensure readiness for fall.

Thank you to our students, employees, families, and supporters for another incredible year. Let’s take a moment to celebrate—and then, let’s keep leading forward.

Dr. Raquel Greer

Superintendent

Maize USD 266

• On Twitter/X: @rockigreer
• Email: rgreer@usd266.com
• Online: www.usd266.com/superintendent

Thursday, May 22, 2025 is the last day of school and will be a half day, with dismissal times varying per school as follows and based on normal staggered start times. Lunch will be served, and after-school bus routes will be provided as normal.

• Maize Central Elementary School: noon dismissal
• Maize Elementary School: 12:10 p.m. dismissal
• Maize South Elementary School: 12:15 p.m. dismissal
• Pray-Woodman Elementary School: noon dismissal
• Vermillion Elementary School: 12:10 p.m. dismissal
• Maize Intermediate School: 11:15 a.m. dismissal
• Maize South Intermediate School: 10:50 a.m. dismissal
• Maize Middle School: 10:55 a.m. dismissal
• Maize South Middle School: 11 a.m. dismissal
• Maize High School: 11:05 a.m. dismissal
• Maize South High School: 11:05 a.m. dismissal
• Complete High School Maize: 11:45 a.m. dismissal
• Hope Learning Center: 11:30 a.m. dismissal

Please note that the last day of school for our Maize Early Childhood Center is Wednesday, May 21. The school will observe regular hours that day.

Current Student Registration for all returning Maize USD 266 students is open through May 30, 2025 for the 2025-26 school year.

If you are moving out of the Maize school district, please contact the district at enrollment@usd266.com with the city and state that you are moving to. Please note that we cannot withdraw your child(ren) from Maize until we’ve received a formal request for records from their new school. If you are moving to another address within the Maize USD 266 district boundaries, please let us know your new address and provide a new proof of residency. Keep in mind that placement for grades 5 through 12 is boundary-driven, and a change of address could affect your child(ren)’s school placement for the upcoming school year.

To complete registration for the upcoming school year, please log in to Skyward Family Access between now and May 30, 2025 and click the “Current Student Registration 2025-26” button on the left navigation bar. You will have the ability to:

• Verify/modify existing information for your child(ren)
• Answer or confirm a series of registration questions
• Complete all available 2025-26 forms.

Once you complete the online registration process, you will receive a confirmation email.

You may pay fees for 2025-26 now. You also can add money for school meal accounts at any time, and that money will follow your child(ren) throughout their career at Maize USD 266.

The Food Service Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals form must be completed each year, according to federal guidelines. You must complete and submit a 2025-26 application form in order to continue your waived-fee status. The 2025-26 form will be available in July.

Teacher assignments and class schedules will be available in early August, provided registration has been completed. If you have any concerns, please contact your child’s school counselor on or after Aug. 1, 2025.

If you miss completing registration during this early window through May 30, you can register your child(ren) when the process reopens in July.

If you have questions, there are two ways you can reach us:

• Send an email to enrollment@usd266.com.
• Call 316-350-2050 for our Enrollment Team.

We look forward to serving your child(ren) again in 2025-26!

Skyward Family Access will be unavailable on Monday, June 23, 2025, due to scheduled maintenance. Please plan accordingly, as users will not be able to access their accounts during that time. Thank you for your understanding and patience!

Through SUN Meals, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program, kids of all ages can eat meals and snacks during the summer at schools, parks, and other neighborhood locations, at no cost to the child(ren).

SUN Meals may have a different name where you live, but the benefit is the same: nutritious meals for kids and teens in the summer when school is out.

Every child age 18 and younger can enjoy SUN Meals. Some rural communities now offer SUN Meals To-Go, and eligible school-aged children can also receive SUN Bucks, a summer grocery benefit.

For additional information:

• Click here to learn more about Sun Bucks 2025 from the Kansas Department for Children and Families.
• Click for a printable flyer about Sun Bucks 2025.

The Maize Board of Education's next regular monthly meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 9, 2025 at the Maize Performing Arts and Aquatics Center, 1155 W. Academy in Maize. Meetings are open to the public. Find a link to meeting agendas and minutes, school board member information, and policies at www.usd266.com/schoolboard. Regular monthly meetings are broadcast live at bit.ly/Maize266YouTube.

During the May 12, 2025 Maize Board of Education meeting, several students were honored for their recent awards.

Congratulations to Gurshan Hayer, Maize South High School senior, who placed first in College Physics at the Kansas Health Occupations Students of America State Leadership Conference.

Congratulations to Maize Career Academy multimedia students who earned first place honors at the Kansas Scholastic Press Association state contest. See some of their award-winning work below.

• Katelyn Coffey, Maize High School senior, won first place in Sports Action with her underwater photo of Maize High swimmer Kylie Thorn.
• Lance Schafer and Mason Bauman, Maize High School sophomores, won first place in the Video News category with their story on the Maize Robotics team.
• Lance Schafer and Mason Bauman partnered with Ava Doyle and Hailey Blurton, Maize High School juniors, to win first place in the Multimedia Storytelling category with their story about fellow student Josh Panlilio and his DJ career.
• Lance Schafer also won the Kansas Association of Broadcaster’s On-Air Talent of the Year award.
• Katelyn Coffey won the Kansas Scholastic Press Association’s Videographer of the Year.

Photo by Katelyn Coffey

Congratulations to the following schools, each named a 2024-25 National Showcase School by Capturing Kids' Hearts, an organization that empowers educators to lead transformative practices that foster stronger connections and cultivate a relationship-centered culture.

• Maize Early Childhood Center
• Maize Central Elementary School
• Maize Elementary School
• Maize South Elementary School
• Pray-Woodman Elementary School
• Vermillion Elementary School
• Maize South Intermediate School
• Maize South Middle School

Congratulations to Maize South Intermediate School teacher Misty Chenoweth, recent Treat the Teach winner! Thanks to KSN TV, Project Teacher, and Credit Union of America for recognizing her and other deserving educators in our community! This award honors teachers who have made a difference in the lives of our children.

Looking for something fun, active, and enriching for your student this summer? Maize USD 266 is excited to share information about summer camp opportunities for students of all ages and interests! Whether your child wants to learn a new sport, sharpen their skills, make new friends, or just have fun, there’s something for everyone. Camps are led by experienced educators and coaches and are designed to encourage growth, teamwork, and enjoyment in a supportive environment.

We wish your child a safe and enriching summer full of fun and discovery!

Congratulations to the 2025 Maize Education Foundation Scholarship recipients! The Foundation maintains three funds in support of scholarships for graduating seniors from Maize High School and Maize South High School.

Students are asked to complete an application for each scholarship they wish to be considered for, answering questions about leadership, community service, extracurricular involvement, and academic achievement. A volunteer group of retired educators, Maize USD 266 alumni, and Maize Education Foundation Board members judge applications to help the Foundation select recipients.

Congratulations to the Maize USD 266 students who received Student Enrichment Grant funding this year. Students in grades 7 through 12 may apply for up to $500 in funding toward an independent project, class trip, state or national competition, training or leadership camp, and more. The Maize Education Foundation awards grants in December and May of each year. Stay tuned for 2025-26 application information!

This year’s recipients will (or already have!):

• Start a business
• Compete in robotics tournaments
• Visit Washington, D.C.; England; and Scotland
• Sing at Disney World’s Candlelight Choir Concert
• Attend fine arts camps and festivals
• Participate in leadership seminars
• Explore potential career paths

December 2024 recipients: Carter Askew, Logan Batt, Alejandro Cordova, Rylee Frye, Easton Grantham, Kaleb Soden, Samuel Askew, Reegan Myers, Kate Kelly, Paige Kelly, Lincoln DeBok, and Madeline DeBok

May 2025 recipients: Kimberley Battista, Alyson Battista, Joseph Battista, Adria Dumler, Dale Freund, Jacob Froese, Isaac Fulks, Kaedin Lamas, Rylee Lawrie, Dallen Marshall, Alaina Martinson, Allison Owens, Brooke Reisman, Micah Soto, Addison Wadsworth, Gage Wiley, and Reese Willbanks

We are pleased to introduce Foundation in Focus, the brand new Maize Education Foundation newsletter! Click here to subscribe and stay up-to-date on the latest Foundation news, projects, and events.

In this first edition, we introduce our Board of Directors, recap the recent Spring Breakfast, and highlight two projects that utilized Foundation funding. Enjoy!

We’re looking for passionate special education teachers for the 2025-26 school year to join our incredible team in the following roles:

• High Incidence (Interrelated Instructional Support/IRIS) Teacher, 9th through 12th grade at Andale High School
• Positive Behavior Support Teacher, kindergarten through 4th grade at Vermillion Elementary School
• Special Education Low Incidence Teacher at a location to be determined
• High Incidence (IRIS) Teacher, part-time at Maize Virtual Preparatory School

We offer:

• Four classroom-covered Individualized Education Program (IEP) days per year
• Ongoing support from an Instructional Coach Team
• Regular collaboration with extended therapist teams
• Strong paraprofessional support
• Low student-to-staff ratio
• Competitive pay: $47,478 to $75,000 per year
• Up to $9,000 in tuition assistance.

As a Maize USD 266 teacher, you'll also enjoy:

• Strong, well-staffed building-level admin teams
• Relevant professional learning opportunities based on staff feedback
• Safe, well-maintained buildings
• Early release Wednesdays for collaboration time.

If you're ready to make a difference in the lives of students, apply today at www.usd266.com/careers.