Feb 21, 2025

Ellinwood school district seeking input to improve student outcomes

Posted Feb 21, 2025 12:35 PM

Great Bend Post

The Ellinwood school district will be seeking community feedback to receive input on a variety of school improvement initiatives and actions.

USD 355 Superintendent Ben Jacobs sent a letter to parents and patrons of the Ellinwood school district stating the district is engaging in a rigorous improvement process. Among items for discussion are a four-day versus a five-day school week, offering band, grade school art, post-secondary success, classroom engagement, attendance, behavior incidents and assessment scores.

Jacobs mentioned multiple issues the Ellinwood school district is struggling with right now which has initiated talks of changes and the need to improve.

USD 355 is projected to experience declining enrollment over the next decade, including graduating classes in the high 30s to low 40s and introducing kindergarten classes in the high 20s or low 30s. The district had approximately 540 to 560 students in the early 2000s. Currently, USD 355 has 390 to 410 students and is projected to have less than 350 students over the next decade.

Superintendent Jacobs mentioned the district often receives zero applications for vacancies. Another issue listed was addressing the needs of all children has never been more challenging with diverse and exotic student behaviors, differing expectations of academic performance, distractions involving technology and social media and finally mental health and social emotional issues.

The Ellinwood school district will be issuing a survey in the near future to all parents and patrons of the school district to receive input.    

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