USD 428 Board of Education meeting
Monday, March 10 - 5 p.m.
District Education Center, 1809 24th Street, Great Bend
Agenda
1. CALL TO ORDER
1.1 Roll Call
1.2 Adoption of Agenda
1.3 Recognition of Visitors
1.4 Request to Speak Reminder
• Persons may present ideas or concerns regarding USD 428. The Board will take no action at this meeting. Such items will be referred to the appropriate administrator(s) for future information and researched and reported back to the Board at a later meeting. Personalities and behavior of employees are not to be presented during this period but are to be reported to the employee’s immediate supervisor. The president shall determine the amount of time to be spent for citizen participation.
1.5 Citizen’s Open Forum
2. COMMUNICATIONS
• Board Member Comments
• USD 428 Education Foundation
• Written Communications / Correspondence
3. RECOGNITIONS / PRESENTATIONS
• USD 428 Career Milestone Program
The Milestone Program is based on five-year increments, recognizing years of service of licensed and classified employees. Employees reaching milestones will receive a token of appreciation from the district for their longevity and commitment. The Board of Education will recognize employee milestones beginning at twenty years of service: 20, 25, 30, 35.
• Director’s Report
Each month, a district director will present department updates to board members. Traci Burns, District Accountant, will provide a report to board members at this meeting.
4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Second Reading PreK-12 Healthy Living Curriculum Adoption
In February, the District Healthy Living team presented Character Strong as their recommendation for the adoption of materials for the PreK-12 social, emotional, and character development curriculum. Character Strong is online digital content with video, reading, games, and other life skill-building assignments. It is cohesive with Capturing Kids Hearts, the K-12 social and emotional curriculum, and aligns well with MTSS. At this Second Reading, the administration recommends approval.
B. Approval of Elementary Lunch Room Tables
The elementary school gymnasiums serve as dual-purpose areas for physical education and student lunch rooms, requiring staff to set up and take down modular lunch tables before and after lunch. The aging mechanics of the existing tables have made it increasingly difficult to maintain safety for students and staff. After reviewing several product types and options, the administration recommends board approval to purchase twenty-two lunch tables. Mr. Popp will provide details.
5. NEW BUSINESS
A. First Reading K-12 Science Adoption Recommendation
The K-12 Science Adoption curriculum committee will present their selections to pilot for the adoption of K-12 Science resources. This is a First Reading.
B. Approval of JAG-K Memorandum
The administration recommends renewing a Partnership Agreement/MOU to extend the Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas program (JAG-K) for the 2025-2026 middle and high school year. The program costs $43,246 (avg. $14,415 per program), a $4,996 increase from 2024-2025.
C. Approval of Capturing Kids’ Hearts Agreement
Capturing Kids’ Hearts, a school-wide program implemented at USD 428 in 2021, has proven techniques to help educators model positive behaviors in the classroom to impact every aspect of the school community directly. A Capturing Kids Hearts Service Agreement renewal includes a two-day training for new licensed teacher hires, one on-site visit in the spring for each school, and digital platform access for staff for implementing processes throughout classrooms, buildings, and the district. The administration recommends approval for the 2024-2025 Capturing Kids Hearts service agreement for $78,200, an increase of $13,200 from last year.
D. Approval of First Responder AED Management Contract
USD 428 currently has thirty AEDs in the district, all of which are under a service contract. Eleven AEDs' service contracts are expiring. Mr. Popp will recommend approval of a five-year Service Agreement renewal for these AEDs.
E. Approval to Update Skyward Systems
USD 428 will migrate the current financial product licenses to Skyward Qmlative product licenses. The implementation is for finance, employee access, import deduction/benefit third-party data, staff planning, payroll, position management, professional development, substitute tracking, and time off for an implementation fee of $15,020 for financial and $15,020 for students. Mr. Popp will discuss details and recommend approval.
F. R.I.S.E. Proposal
The ESSDACK charter program, R.I.S.E., Relationships, Instruction, Safety, and Emotional well-being, was implemented in three district elementary schools this year: Park, Lincoln, and Eisenhower. Staff is trained with specialized techniques to provide individualized support for regular education students with behavioral challenges or who need to reregulate in an alternative OSS learning space. These students are placed in a nurturing and conducive academic learning environment that focuses on accountability and belonging for personal growth before returning to the classroom. The administration recommends adding the program at Riley and Jefferson Elementary schools. Mr. Popp will discuss the details.
G. Preschool Trauma-Informed Restorative Practices Proposal
Mrs. Blevins will propose an ESSDACK program that aligns with RISE to help develop restorative practices for Little Panthers Preschool. The district was recently awarded an additional $20,000 in KPP grant funds, and the administration recommends using the grant funds to purchase.
6. CURRICULUM REPORT
A. KESA Information/Update
USD 428 Great Bend District Leadership team attended the KESA day set up by KSDE in January. Using current data, they developed a KESA action plan for the following year that includes feedback from the district and building leadership teams and teachers. At this second reading, the administration will request Board approval.
B. State Assessments in USD 428
The KELPA assessments are being finalized, and the district is preparing for state assessments for Math, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies that begin March 24 and continue through April. This is a new test, and the state reports will not be computed until well into next year. State assessments in Kansas are rigorous assessments comparable to the ACT, measuring what students have learned and predicting college readiness.
C. District Leadership Team Meeting Update
The District Leadership Team discussed various topics, including standards-based grading progress.
D. Preschool and Kindergarten Pre-Enrollment Information Fair
The district's annual Preschool and Kindergarten Pre-Enrollment Event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm, at Little Panthers Preschool/District Education Center. The event connects families with information about USD 428 Preschool and Kindergarten programs and other community resources that serve young learners.
E. Curriculum Meeting (Attachment 6.D)
▪ Curriculum Steering Committee: Minutes 3/4/25, Next meeting 5/6/25
▪ Professional Development Council (PDC) Minutes 3/3/25. Next meeting 4/7/25
7. BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS REPORT
A. Safety Committee Update
The safety committee approved the incorporation of Standard Response Protocol (SRP) into the USD 428 Emergency Operations Plan. SRP is a nationally recognized procedure promoted by the "I Love U Guys" Foundation. The Safety Committee has formed subcommittees for Threat Assessments and Standard Reunification methods to review and incorporate into the SRP.
B. Substitute Scheduling
Finding and scheduling substitutes has become increasingly difficult and the district has been unable to recruit enough adequate substitutes who are willing and able to work the time needed to fill classroom openings. Teachers continue having to fill for each other, causing decreased planning time, decreased intervention time, and increased teacher burnout. The administration will present another substitute scheduling approach for consideration.
C. Project Updates
Board members and the administration will discuss updates on the following projects.
▪ Washington building update
▪ District Camera System – GBMS Cameras
▪ Vehicle additions through lease program
▪ Summer Projects
D. Personnel Updates
Recruitment continues, and a Transition to Teaching program has been an effective resource for placing education-minded individuals with college credits into teaching positions. There may be opportunities for people interested in career changes to become teachers.
8. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT
A. Legislative Update
Mr. Thexton will discuss current Legislative issues affecting school districts.
B. State Education visit
Dr. Randy Watson, Kansas Commissioner of Education, and Dennis Hershberger, District 7 representative to the Kansas State Board of Education, visited USD 428 on March 4, 2025. Mr. Thexton will summarize the details of the visit.
C. Area Superintendent Meeting Update
D. LETRS for Administrators
E. Staff Appreciation
As a small token of appreciation for USD 428 dedicated employees, all USD 428 staff members are invited to enjoy complimentary bingo, appetizers, and door prizes at the Argonne Rebels Bingo Hall at 1123 Main Street this Friday, March 14, from 3:00-5:00 p.m.
F. Approval of Grants / Contributions
9. FINANCIAL PRESENTATION
10. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of BOE Meeting Minutes [February 10 and February 26, 2025]
B. Bills and Financial Reports
C. Personnel Report
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Board of Education will recess into executive session.
“Madam President, I move that the Board recess into executive session to discuss negotiated staff topics pursuant to the exception for employer-employee negotiations under KOMA. The open meeting will resume in this Board room at : P.M.”
12. UPCOMING MEETING DATES
• No School on Friday, March 14, for Teacher Grading/Collaboration.
• IBB Negotiation Meeting at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the District Education Center.
• Spring Break: USD 428 will observe Spring Break March 17-21, 2025.
• Employee Appreciation: Friday, March 14, at Argonne Bingo Hall.
• BOE Luncheon Meeting: Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at GB Middle School.
• BOE Regular Meeting: The next BOE regular monthly meeting is scheduled for April 14, 2025, at the District Education Center.
• Preschool and Kindergarten Pre-Enrollment Fair: 5:00-7:30 p.m., on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at the Little Panthers Preschool/District Education Center at 1809 24th Street.
13. ADJOURNMENT