Dr. Greer's Super Note

Before I became the Maize USD 266 Superintendent, I worked as a teacher, counselor, and principal. In each of those jobs, I saw how students who had good school attendance learned more, had more fun, and grew in their friendships with others. I saw that school attendance matters for students. I certainly understand the importance of staying home when you do not feel well and understand that other important tasks, such as doctor appointments, can take you out of school. But otherwise I hope our students are in school and enjoying their time there!

As I shared with your parents earlier this semester in a Maize Pulse article, we at Maize Schools want to know and help if you or your family is experiencing a challenge that causes you to miss school. Please talk to your teacher or school counselor. We want to work with you to support you, and we have educators, nurses, counselors, and administrators ready to help remove barriers to attending school each day.

I also would like to hear from you about school attendance. If you have feedback, please share it with one of your classmates who serves on the Student Superintendent Advisory Team. Or please email me at rgreer@usd266.com. Student perspectives will help the district work to support good school attendance, something we are working to make even better, so thank you for your insight!

We are in our final quarter of the school year, and it is such a fun and important time of the year for teaching and learning. Before we know it, we will be heading off to summer! I know you will continue to accomplish great things between now and then!

Dr. Greer

Superintendent of Schools

Maize High School wrestling: In addition to Maize High School wrestling winning the state championship this year, two students also placed as individual state winners! Congratulations to Ayden Flores, junior, who won the 215-pound classification, and to Connor Padgett, senior, who placed first in the 175-pound division! The team and individual wrestlers will be recognized at the next Maize Board of Education meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, April 10 at the Maize Performing Arts and Aquatics Center, 1155 W. Academy in Maize. Congratulations to all of the Eagle wrestlers!

Maize South High School swimming: Congratulations to Maize South High School senior Regan Richardson, who won his second consecutive 100-meter freestyle state championship! He was recognized during the March Maize Board of Education meeting.

Through their robotics Team 67101C, Centrifuge, Maize High School senior Evan Rogerson and sophomore Adria Dumler have had tremendous success. Just consider the 23 major awards they have won at robotics competitions this school year alone! Their additional notable achievements also include the following.

• In October in Tennessee, the team became the first Kansas team to win an award at a signature event. They competed against the top teams in the country, where they also posted the eighth highest skills score in the world at the time.
• They won Tournament Champion, Excellence, and Skills Champion in Omaha, Nebraska, against top teams in the Midwest.
• They won Tournament Champion, Skills Champion, and Excellence Award at the state tournament and are currently ranked 40th in the world out of 10,000 teams.

Congratulations on your impressive achievement!

Maize High School senior Evan Rogerson and sophomore Adria Dumler with Maize Career Academy Robotics and Engineering teacher and coach Zack Helgesen.

Congratulations to Maize High School senior Lesly Hernandez, announced recently as a Wichita State University 2023 Gore Scholar! She was among 14 high school seniors from across Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma chosen as a finalist out of 483 students who competed in the Wichita State Distinguished Scholarship Invitational, according to the university. WSU reports that the Harry Gore Memorial $64,000 scholarship is among the largest undergraduate awards in the Midwest.

Congratulations to Maize South High School junior trombone player Jared Eck on his performance earlier this school year with the National Association for Music Education 2022 All-National Honor Ensembles Concert Band. In November, Jared performed in National Harbor, Maryland, with other students representing the nation's top high school musicians, who became eligible for the national opportunity after auditioning with state-level honor bands. Jared was the only student from the Wichita area and only one of seven students from Kansas in the Concert Band. This is Jared's seventh year to play the trombone. He began in fifth grade as a student at Maize Central Elementary School.

The first A-Maizing Talent Show last week was a huge success! We always knew our students were talented, but we loved getting to see all ages shine on stage. We enjoyed welcoming back Maize High School 2007 graduate Shane Konicki and Maize South High School 2013 graduate Dalton Glasscock as the emcees of the evening. Thank you to OneMaize Media and the Maize Education Foundation for putting on a great show! OneMa1ze Media and the Maize Education Foundation will have surprise announcements for winners for the student group activity grants. Part of the proceeds from the talent show will help fund those grants.

Pray-Woodman Elementary School fourth grade student Lana Aronis performed a comedy skit during the talent show. Click here to see a full list of performers.

National School Breakfast Week was earlier this month, and Maize USD 266 knows that mornings are a busy time for families. Save time by having breakfast with us at school. Grab & Go Breakfast is offered in each school's cafeteria. Students can pick between three or more filling whole-grain entrees and add fruit, juice, and milk each day.

• Elementary students will take their breakfast directly to the classroom to begin learning. (Maize South Elementary School students enjoy breakfast in the cafeteria.)

• Secondary students have the option to enjoy their breakfast in the cafeteria or take it to class.

• Breakfast is offered 15 minutes before the bell at each school. Check with your school for more details.

• Menus are available in the NutriSlice app. Download for Android or IOS.

• See school breakfast prices here.

You are invited to attend our Gearing Up for Kids Big Truck Night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at the Maize Performing Arts and Aquatics Center, 1155 W. Academy Ave. in Maize. Big trucks and vehicles will fill the parking lot, along with five food trucks. Inside the venue, there will be a family support and activities fair with more than 25 booths and performances from the Premier Martial Arts and Encore! Dance Studio.

This free community event focuses on families with children from birth to 10 years old. Drawings for prizes will take place throughout the evening. We hope to see you there!

Summer positions on the grounds, custodial, and paint crews are now open, and interested candidates are invited to apply. Summer crew members must be at least 16 years old. Click here to apply.

Student and district leaders are working together to host fentanyl awareness assemblies featuring a panel of speakers. The events would take place during the school day April 27 and 28 at Maize Middle School, Maize South Middle School, Maize High School, and Maize South High School for students in grades 7 through 12. Fentanyl is a highly addictive and dangerous substance, and there are many resources to help individuals learn about it and stay safe. Middle and high school students will have an opportunity to submit questions for the panelists in advance. Please stay tuned for details. In the meantime, students who want to learn more about fentanyl awareness can click here to visit the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) webpage with resources.

Earlier this school year, the Maize Food Service Department invited the Maize South High School Black Student Union for a School Menu Takeover event. Students were able to help design the school day’s lunch menu and share with their fellow students soul food and ethnic cuisine that traditionally represents Black culture.

Emma Henderson, Maize South High School senior and Black Student Union Co-President, said that “having food that is familiar to me served at school made me feel immensely more comfortable and included in the school community.”

Maize South High School junior and Co-President Hannah O’Connor said “the whole experience was like a dream” and that she and her classmates enjoyed the food and the opportunity.

Food Service Director Megan Barnard said the menu was well received and students were asking to see the gumbo, candied yams, and banana pudding on the school menu again. The Maize High School Multicultural Club is working on their School Menu Takeover, which will be served there in May for lunch.

The Maize Career Academy recently hosted Maize Middle School students, who rotated through different exploratory stations focused on culinary, engineering, agriculture, health science, and law enforcement. Students were able to determine their fingerprint shape, create terrarium necklaces, exam the inside of a heart through Z space technology, and more.

Maize USD 266 will be publishing a special edition e-newsletter this spring highlighting summer camp opportunities for students. Stay tuned, and watch for that to land in your email inbox!

Visit Maize USD 266's digital Online Bulletin Board to find out about camps, clinics, community resources, events, and more! Current opportunities include the following.

• Maize USD 266 is offering summer driver education for students who turn 14 on or before June 1 and have or will graduate 8th grade by June 1. Please click here for more information.
• The Maize Recreation Commission, a partner organization, is hosting its Daddy Daughter Dance on April 1. Please click here for more information.
• Maize Rec also will have a Maize Summer Musical this year. Learn more about the School of Rock production by clicking here. Auditions are April 21 and 22.

From empty to full, the Paxton's Blessing Box by MOXI Junction in Maize was restocked last week, thanks to Maize Elementary School kindergarten students! Principal Kyle White says, “We are bigger than ourselves.” He challenged each grade level to complete a service project during the school year. Kindergarten teachers and students donated supplies to help fill the Blessing Box and dropped off their donations. Afterward, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Greer read a story to the students about sharing kindness with others.

Did you know that students are a HUGE help to keeping schools safe? Help us keep you safe by providing anonymous tips. If you see something, please say something!

There are three ways to submit an anonymous tip:

1. Click here to be taken directly to a secure tip reporting website.
2. On your smartphone, download the free P3 Tips app from the App Store or Google Play. Then, follow the onscreen prompts to submit your tip.
3. Call 316-267-2111.

Stay on top of the great things happening at Maize USD 266 on our official social media accounts:

• Maize USD 266 on Facebook
• Maize USD 266 on Twitter