It is essential to plan ahead, and I am excited to share that our Maize Board of Education at this month's school board meeting approved school calendars not just for the upcoming 2025-26 school year, but for the 2026-27 school year, as well. This means our district’s schedule is now set through May 2027, a change that provides our families and employees with more time to prepare for the years ahead.

This approach helps ensure that all stakeholders—parents, employees, and community members—can plan ahead for vacations, graduation celebrations, and other major events with confidence. Beginning in February 2026, school board members will return to approving one school year calendar at a time, but looking further into the future, starting with the 2027-28 calendar. Thank you to our calendar committee of educators and leaders, whose extra effort helped make this important change possible.

I invite you to click the links below to download our printable school year calendars. You can also find them on the Calendar web page on our district’s website, just click the “Downloadable School Year Calendar” tab. Thank you for your partnership in helping our students and district succeed, both now and in the years to come.

Speaking of calendars, at this time, the district does not anticipate changes to the 2024-25 school year calendar following our snow days. This month's virtual parent-teacher conferences and virtual professional development days have helped us meet required school hours for the state of Kansas despite the unusual winter weather. We appreciate everyone’s flexibility and cooperation!

Dr. Raquel Greer

Superintendent

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

February

• Feb. 28: No school, Professional Development Day

March

• March 5: No school for Maize Middle School (music festival)
• March 14: End of Term 3
• March 17 through March 21: No school, Spring Break
• March 24: Start of Term 4

Maize USD 266 is conducting a district-wide SCOPE Survey—the School Communication Performance Evaluation—to gather valuable feedback on our communication efforts. We invite all employees, parents, and community members to participate in this 15-minute anonymous online survey, available until March 14, 2025.

The survey, conducted by an independent research team from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), is designed to help us improve how we communicate with you. Your feedback will shape how we share important information, including academic updates, community events, and district initiatives.

By completing the survey, you play a key role in helping us enhance our communication strategies, ensuring that we deliver information in the most convenient and effective way for you. To share your input, please click here.

All responses are completely anonymous, and we encourage you to provide open and honest feedback. Thank you in advance!

Maize USD 266 pre-K and kindergarten enrollment for the 2025-26 school year begins March 1. Families have until March 31 to complete the enrollment process.

How to Enroll

Click here to visit the Maize USD 266 enrollment page and follow the steps to register your child. Please note that all enrollment must be completed on a computer.

Requirements

• Pre-K: Available for children who are 3 or 4 years old on or before Aug. 31, 2025.
• Kindergarten: Children must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31, 2025.
• Students must reside within the Maize USD 266 district. Click here for our searchable boundary map.

Need Help?

• Pre-K enrollment: Contact the Maize Early Childhood Center at 316-722-3105 or meccenrollment@usd266.com.
• Kindergarten enrollment: Contact the Enrollment Center at 316-350-2050 or enrollment@usd266.com.
• Visit the Enrollment Center in person at 201 S. Park, Maize.
• Translation services are available at the Enrollment Center.

Learn More

• Click here to learn about early childhood education at Maize USD 266.
• Click here to learn about elementary education at Maize USD 266.
• For more details about enrollment, visit www.usd266.com/enrollment.

Maize USD 266 is inviting parents to explore options for our new science curriculum for 5th through 8th grades. As part of this important decision, we are hosting two opportunities for parents to preview the two science curriculum options considered for adoption. You can review the materials and share your feedback. The first session took place on Feb. 10, and the second has been rescheduled for 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 at the Maize Educational Support Center, 905 W. Academy Ave. in Maize.

These opportunities are part of a science pilot process that began in August and is focused on selecting a curriculum that best engages students and equips them to think and act like real scientists.

During the fall semester, educators piloted the Amplify Science curriculum, and they are piloting OpenSciEd this semester. In March, teachers will evaluate, compare, and contrast the two curriculums. In April, it is anticipated that leaders will present a recommendation for curriculum adoption to the Maize Board of Education.

We value your input and hope to see you at the curriculum event.

Maize FFA has been awarded a $1,000 Living to Serve grant from the National FFA Organization to establish a community garden at our Maize Career Academy, the only school in Kansas to receive this grant.

FFA, which stands for Future Farmers of America, prepares students for leadership and careers in agriculture. This grant will fund raised garden beds and soil, allowing horticulture students to grow vegetables and herbs from seeds started in the Maize Career Academy greenhouse. The garden, launching in May 2025, will provide fresh produce for local families, with any excess donated to a local food pantry.

The Living to Serve Grant, sponsored by Cargill and Tractor Supply Company, awarded more than $60,000 to FFA chapters in 34 states to support service-learning projects focused on food security, health, and sustainability.

As part of the Lead Forward strategic plan, the district aims to increase its reading proficiency rate from 73 percent to 80 percent on the Kansas State Assessment by 2028. To achieve this, each school has established a Wildly Important Goal (WIG) related to literacy and another WIG of their choice that helps support a need in their building. Beginning in September, schools have presented to the Maize Board of Education about their goals. The following are summaries from the February school board presentation.

Pray-Woodman Elementary School is focused on improving student achievement through data-driven goals and strategies. At the end of last year, 58 percent of students were proficient in reading and 77 percent in math. The school’s goal is to increase reading proficiency to 62 percent and math proficiency to 79 percent by the end of the current school year. Progress is already ahead of schedule. Teachers and staff members are committed to structured instructional routines, monitoring student progress, and using scoreboards to track success. Looking ahead, the school is refining the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) protocols and setting new goals for the 2025-26 school year.

Maize Intermediate School is focused on two key goals for the 2024-25 school year: improving reading proficiency and increasing student attendance. The school aims to raise its average reading proficiency on the Kansas State Assessment from 68 percent to 72 percent by implementing structured literacy support, teacher-led interventions, and data-driven instructional strategies. Additionally, the school is working to increase the percentage of students attending at least 95 percent of school days from 61 percent to 68 percent through attendance tracking, one-on-one support meetings, and engagement initiatives like the Eagle Ambassadors Welcoming Committee and MIS Meaningful Jobs program. These efforts are designed to support student success and create a positive learning environment for all.

With the December launch of our new district website, we’re excited to introduce an improved way for families to stay informed about school events, important dates, and activities: our enhanced district and school calendars! The interactive calendar features are designed for your convenience and are fully searchable and mobile-friendly so you can access the information you need from any device.

A central hub for events

Each school’s homepage, along with the district and Maize Education Foundation pages, highlight three upcoming events. Plus, every site has a dedicated calendar page featuring an easy-to-navigate, searchable calendar that provides quick access to event details and helpful resources, such as images, expanded content, and links. Find direct links to those calendar pages below.

Three ways to view the district calendar

The new calendar includes three tabs to help you find the information you need:

1. Maize USD 266: This tab includes district-wide schedule details, such as Early Release Wednesdays, Spring Break, and Maize Board of Education meetings.
2. All School Calendars: This tab includes events from all schools, color-coded by school. You can filter by multiple schools to create a personalized calendar for your family, print your selections, or check out upcoming events at middle and high schools.
3. Downloadable School Year Calendar: The familiar one-page printable district calendar will remain available for a quick overview of the school year. You can visit this tab now to find printable calendars for the 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27 school years.

Athletics and activities

Looking for middle and high school sports and activities? A direct link will take you to the latest schedules and updates.

• Maize High School
• Maize South High School
• Maize Middle School
• Maize South Middle School

We hope this new feature makes it easier for families to stay connected! Thank you for being part of Maize USD 266.

Links to individual school calendars:

• Maize Early Childhood Center Calendar
• Maize Elementary School Calendar
• Maize Central Elementary School Calendar
• Maize South Elementary School Calendar
• Pray-Woodman Elementary School Calendar
• Vermillion Elementary School Calendar
• Maize Intermediate School Calendar
• Maize South Intermediate School Calendar
• Maize Middle School Calendar
• Maize South Middle School Calendar
• Maize High School Calendar
• Maize South High School Calendar
• Maize Career Academy Calendar
• Complete High School Maize Calendar

The Maize Board of Education's next regular monthly meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 10 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.

Congratulations to Maize USD 266 Executive Director of Human Resources Brandi Clarke, Wichita Business Journal 2025 HR Professionals Awards Honoree!

When asked why she wanted to focus on human resources, she said, "From a young age, I knew I wanted to help people, but I wasn't sure how. Early in my career, I was placed in a human resources department as part of a management development program. At the time, I didn't even know what HR was, but it didn't take long to realize the profound impact an HR professional can have on people's lives. We spend too many hours of our lives at work to not be happy. When we get people in the right jobs, surrounded by great people, and reward them, it makes a huge difference."

Click to read the Wichita Business Journal's feature on her.

On Feb. 7, Maize USD 266 high school students launched a new tradition—a combined Maize High School-Maize South High School Winter Homecoming. After the Eagles-Mavericks basketball games, students from both schools gathered at Maize High School for a night filled with fun and school spirit. The event, fittingly called Bulls in the Nest, set the stage for a new tradition of unity and celebration.

Looking ahead, Maize South High School will take a turn as host, welcoming Maize High School students for a similar event. That gathering will be called Birds in the Pen, continuing the theme of camaraderie and school pride.

This was a fantastic way to bring our students and district together, and it all started with student leaders. They saw an opportunity to boost school spirit, increase event attendance, and make the most of shared resources—and the students made it happen. Great job!

On Feb. 13, 2025, the Maize Education Foundation, thanks to the generosity of sponsors, attendees, and donors, raised more than $30,000 at its second annual Birds and Bulls Gala. The 175 attendees enjoyed networking time, dinner, dessert by Maize Career Academy Culinary Arts students, live and silent auctions, and highlights of visionary programming throughout Maize USD 266. A highlight was the full funding of two Challenge Grants, directly benefiting innovative educational initiatives within Maize USD 266.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended, contributed, and championed this event. Your support makes a lasting impact on the students and educators of Maize USD 266. Thank you for being a part of the 2025 Birds and Bulls Gala, and please stay tuned for information about the third annual gala planned for 2026!

In January, the Maize Education Foundation proudly partnered with Wellness League to recognize excellence in teaching by awarding a $500 classroom stipend to Maize Early Childhood Center teachers Kadra Boulware and Cara Strathman. Their dedication to nurturing and supporting young minds exemplifies the impact of great educators. Wellness League owner Nate Engels praised their work, saying that they “are a testament to why good teachers matter.” Thank you, Wellness League, for your generous support of Maize teachers!

Interested in supporting Maize USD 266? Contact Director of Community Relations and Maize Education Foundation Emi Simmons at esimmons@usd266.com or visit mef.usd266.com/support.

Our Maize Early Childhood Center is hiring! Join our team to serve our youngest learners. If you have a passion for educating 3- and 4-year-olds and want to make the difference in the lives of our preschool students, check out these positions. To see all openings at the school, click here and select "Preschool" as the Grade Level.

• Apply to be a Parents as Teachers part-time parent educator. The primary focus of this position is to support families by sharing research-based practices in areas including child development and parenting. Training and certification will be provided.
• Openings also include a special education teacher for the 2025-26 school year. The school embraces the co-teach model, so this position will be partnered with a general education teacher and supported by several paraeducators.
• Apply to be a paraeducator to work closely with teachers to provide extra support to students in the classrooms and throughout the school environment.

Maize USD 266 partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas for before- and after-school care. Please consider joining their team to help support this important program, which many Maize USD 266 families utilize. Click the buttons below to learn more about and apply for their open positions. Thank you!

Maize Career Academy Pathway programs provide students the opportunity to learn about topics including nursing, plane building, welding, and more. Learn more about the Pathway programs available to high school students by clicking here to visit the school's web page.

Vermillion Elementary School 4th grade students created a Kansas Day Museum to showcase student learning in a unique way. Students explored pioneer life, researched one-room schoolhouses, and presented their findings in period attire in late January. Kansas Day is Jan. 29. Several students were interviewed by KWCH, Channel 12 and featured in a special Kansas Day story. Click the link below to check it out!