Fort Scott’s School District is set to begin the new year and has 26 new teachers and five new administrators.
The district scheduled student enrollment for August 1, with the first day of school, August 18.
“USD 234 does still have paraprofessional, coaching, and HVAC positions open,” Dalaina Smith USD 234 Assistant Superintendent, said.
A series featuring the new teaching staff will be featured in the next few weeks on fortscott.biz.
New USD 234 Administrators are Nick Johnson, Fort Scott Preschool Principal; Krystle Mayginnes, Winfield Scott Assistant Principal; Shelly Charter, WS Principal; Zach Johnson, Fort Scott Middle School Principal, and Destry Brown, Superintendent.
Smith’s role as assistant superintendent is new, even though she is not new to the district.
“At this time we don’t have an anticipated number of students,” she said.
USD 234, is anticipating operating a normal school year for 2022-23, “although…the district admin team will be working to ensure that there is a plan in place in an effort to be proactive,” regarding aCOVID-19 outbreak, she said.
USD 234 will be hosting in-person enrollment on Monday, August 1, 2022.
Here is the process.
All new students will need to enroll in person at their school, according to information provided by Smith. Families having difficulty with online enrollment or internet access should also plan to attend. Students who have enrolled online will not need to attend in-person enrollment.
Families with multiple students will be able to enroll at a single location, but may need to visit with other buildings about specific needs. Food service, transportation, and technology information will also be available during these times.
Building staff will be on-site to assist families with the enrollment process during the following times on Monday, August 1:
Pre-Kindergarten through 8th Grade will enroll from 7-11 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.
Fort Scott High School will enroll from 8 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m.
For specific questions or concerns, please contact the building secretaries at:
8/13 ~ Care to Share Bike Run, Registration will be from 8:30-10:30am at 5 Corners, click here for more info.
8/13 ~ Bourbon County Carpool Tour – National Cemetery, Guided Carpool Tour in your own personal vehicle, click here for more info.
8/17 ~ FSCC Business Expo, 8:30am-11:30am, see flyer below ~ businesses are requested to register for a booth to welcome students & promote your business!
8/18 ~ Bread Basics Class, Southwind Extension District, 6pm, click here for more info.
8/20 ~ Splashpad Golf Tournament, 8am, click here for more info.
8/20 ~ Dragoon Charge for Wreaths Across America, click here for info.
SAVE THE DATE:
8/31 ~ Bourbon County Job Fair, hosted by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and Southeast KANSASWORKS, INC., 10am-2pm, Employers can click here to register a booth.
9/9-9/10 ~ Fall Town-wide Garage Sale
9/17-9/18 ~ Marmaton Massacre Mountain Bike Festival in Gunn Park
This is part of a series featuring new educators in Fort Scott.
There are 26 new educators in USD 234 this year.
Sarah Hendricks and Anna Kim are two new teachers at Eugene Ware Elementary School.
Sarah Hendricks, 22, is a new fourth grade teacher at Eugene Ware Elementary School in Fort Scott.
She received a Bachelors in Science for Elementary Education at Kansas State University and taught second grade last year at Pleasanton.
She is from Olathe.
Her husband is Caleb Hendricks, who is the head football coach for Pleasanton.
Hendricks interests outside of school are traveling, “going on runs with my dog and watching my husband coach football,” she said.
Since a small child, she knew she wanted to be a teacher.
“It was something I knew that I always wanted to do, so it is a dream come true to be able to do this job,” she said.
“I had great teachers growing up so I always wanted to be like them,” she said.” I learned from them, but I also knew I was loved and cared for at school, I want to do the same for my students.”
For Hendricks, the best part of teaching is getting to know all of the kids and making connections with them.
“I strive to be someone who students look up to and go to whenever they may be having a difficult time whether it’s in academics or not,” she said.
“The biggest challenge in teaching for me, is knowing that I can’t fix everything in my students’ lives,” she said. “It’s hard not to bring work home.”
Anna Kim, 35, is a new fifth grade teacher at Eugene Ware.
Kim is a hometown girl, that has landed back in Fort Scott.
She went to school in Fort Scott from kindergarten through high school then earned a B.A. in Cross-Cultural Ministries from Manhattan Christian College (2009) and M.A. in Teaching from Kansas State University (2022).
“I have been teaching in different ways for twelve years, primarily in China,” she said. “I coordinated a volunteer English teaching program for Chinese migrant students, taught third grade at an international school, and English as a Second Language at a Chinese elementary school. I have also taught online and been a substitute teacher.”
“My husband, Jong Kim, is running a restaurant in the Philippines, but will join us in Fort Scott soon,” she said. They have two kids, Naomi (6) and Josiah (3).
My parents, Curt and Kelly Toll, have taught and coached in Fort Scott in the past. My twin brother lives in Colorado with his wife and daughter.
Her involvement with the community centers around spending time with family. “I also attend and teach Sunday School at Community Christian Church,” she said.
How did you become a teacher?
“For my first official teaching job, the school my husband worked for in China called me in and said, ‘We need a third grade teacher!’ I said, ‘Absolutely not! Not me!’. They said, ‘You’re hired.’The first year was very challenging, but I slowly adjusted and realized I really enjoyed teaching children.
Is there someone who inspired you?
“My mom has been a teacher my whole life. She has always made learning fun and made kids feel special. She is definitely a model of the teacher I want to be.”
What is the best part of teaching for you?
“One of the best parts of being a teacher is seeing students grasp something that was challenging. Building pride and confidence in students is priceless. Another fun aspect is that every day is different. Kids are hilarious and unpredictable.”
What are the challenges?
“Students today face hardships at home, with friends, and on social media like never before. Teachers are not only responsible for the academic success of students, but also for their overall well-being. It is a huge responsibility.”
Submitted by: Lindsay Madison, Executive Director,[email protected] FORT SCOTT–The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is excited toannounce an opportunity for shoppers tosave moneyAugust5ththrough the7th. Select retailerswill be offering a Sales Tax Holiday byvolunteering to pay the sales tax forshoppers.Enjoy a 9.4% discountat these participating merchants:Angie Dawn’s Boutique,Bids & Dibs,Hedgehog.INK, Museum of Creativity Gift Shop,PapaDon’sPizza,Ruddick’s Furniture& Flooring (up to$500 ofsales/$50 of Sales Tax)Shirt ShackandSunshine Boutique.These stores offer a variety of merchandise including apparel, homefurnishings anddécor–both new and repurposed, school supplies and much more.There is noneed to cross the border during this No Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. Save money, shop local, shop Fort Scott. This shop local promotion is organized by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. Please contact (620) 223–3566 with questions.
The Beacon Food Pantry of Bourbon County is seeing an increase in need.
“We have seen a uptick in new families this summer,” Dave Gillen, director of the pantry said. “New families have been the larger families. I believe with the increase in prices of everything their money does not go as far. “
The pantry is running low on a few things and are paying more for things they must purchase for food baskets.
THE BEACON IS IN NEED OF A FEW ITEMS:
Specifically, the Beacon is in need of boxed marcaroni and cheese, Ramen noodles, boxed cereal and spaghetti noodles.
The Beacon is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
It is closed Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
The phone number is (620) 223-6869.
It is located at 525 E. Sixth Street, Fort Scott.
The Beacon is a not-for-profit organization, a food pantry serving Bourbon County, Kansas, that also provides financial assistance.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to the Chamber Coffee this Thursday, July 28th at 8am. This week’s coffee will be hosted by Woodland Hills Golf Course located at 2414 Horton St. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Fort Scott’s Woodland Hills Golf Course was named a Top 10 golf course in Kansas by Best Things Kansas and number 6 in the entire state. Woodland Hills has also been named one of the best municipal courses in Kansas. Woodland Hills is an 18-hole park-style course, winding through beautiful scenery, with elevation changes and some of the best views in Bourbon County. Come enjoy one of Southeast Kansas’s hidden treasures at the Woodland Hills Golf Course.
Click here to visit Woodland Hills Golf Course’s Website
Click here to visit Woodland Hills Golf Course’s Facebook Page
Thank you to our Chamber Champions for all of your support!
CHC/SEK Fort Scott to provide walk-in mammograms July 27
FORT SCOTT — Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is hosting a walk-in mammogram event for women age 40 and older who have not received a recent mammogram.
The event will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27 at the Fort Scott main clinic located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd Fort Scott. Refreshments and a gift will be provided.
Women in Southeast Kansas rank far below state and national averages in receiving this life-saving screening, and having the service available within the clinic helps remove barriers many women have in receiving timely breast cancer screenings. Likewise, the walk-in event will give patients an option on when they can arrive.
Because CHC/SEK believes every woman should have the best quality mammogram available, every patient receives a 3D exam. A physician’s referral is also not required. The screening is available to eligible women regardless of ability to pay.
CHC/SEK uses the Hologic Genius system that screens the breast in 4 seconds for a much less compression time, with less radiation exposure than many conventional mammography machines. The Genius exam is also superior for denser breasts that that can hide early signs of cancer in a traditional mammogram.
In addition, the Hologic Genius scans potentially reduce patient callback by up to 40 percent compared to 2D, sparing the emotional and economic toll of additional testing, including biopsies when there could be nothing wrong.
For more information people can call 620-223-8484.
Commerce Department, Patterson Family Foundation Team Up to Help Downtown Areas Throughout Kansas
TOPEKA – It is a familiar sight in smaller Kansas communities throughout the state: vibrant downtown districts whose allure is somewhat diminished by one or two vacant or dilapidated buildings. In many cases, a major barrier to making these structures useful again is the high cost of renovation.
Last fall, the Kansas Department of Commerce launched a new community revitalization program, the Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL), to address the issue. With HEAL, the state assists building owners with matching grants to cover eligible expenses as historic properties are revitalized. HEAL was made possible through a collaboration with the Patterson Family Foundation, which has been dedicated to strengthening rural communities since 2007.
Today, Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland announced the inaugural HEAL grant recipients. Slightly more than $1.8 million in matching grants will be awarded to help 32 projects across the state.
“The goal of the HEAL is to rescue downtown buildings and restore them as productive spaces for business and community use,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce SecretaryToland said. “Seeing our downtown districts turned into more attractive and vibrant places to live and work, along with creating new jobs and services for Kansans, is key to our state’s prosperity.”
Grants are divided into two funding categories, Emergency and Regular, for cities with fewer than 50,000 residents. The program is designed to transform buildings for new or expanding businesses, housing, arts and culture, civic engagement, childcare or entrepreneurship – and once again become economic drivers in the community.
“Vibrant downtown areas are important to the future prospects of smaller communities, so it was not a difficult decision for us to join the Department of Commerce and its partners in funding HEAL grants,” said Lindsey Patterson Smith, President of the Patterson Family Foundation. “HEAL grants give architecturally significant buildings a new lease on life, so they can continue to play vital roles in their communities.”
Emergency HEAL was established to make strategic investments in underutilized, dilapidated or buildings in danger of collapse. Twenty-four applications were received for this category. A total of 10 projects are receiving $585,000 in matching grant funds.
Emergency HEAL Award recipients include:
Elmo Building, Burden – $40,000,
Union Gas Building Renovation, Caney – $65,000,
Pretty Boy Floyd’s Underground Restaurant and Event Venue, Ellsworth – $65,000,
Cohn-Gardner Hill Department Store, Eudora – $65,000,
The Eureka Project, Eureka – $41,000,
McDonald Hall, Fort Scott – $65,000,
Kollock and Bragunier-Otte Buildings, Peabody – $65,000,
David Rettiger Building, Strong City – $65,000,
Jacob Engles Dry Goods/Restaurant and Distillery, Wellington – $64,000, and
Stiles Mortuary Building, Wilson – $50,000.
A total of 220 applications were received for Regular HEAL grants. Twenty-two projects from across the state are receiving $1,294,715 in matching grant funds.
Regular HEAL award recipients include:
The Star Block Restaurant/Retail, Osage City – $65,000,
Restoration of 17 E. Fourth Ave – Brewery Manufacturing, Emporia – $65,000,
HL Hart Building Coworking & Apartment, Newton – $65,000,
Historic Lowis Building – Nesting Expansion, Colby – $65,000,
The Landing Restaurant & Outdoor Gathering Place, Great Bend – $43,960,
Junction City Brewery & Restaurant, Junction City – $65,000,
Midland Theater Front of the House & Stage Restoration, Coffeyville – $65,000,
Marquee Performing arts Center, Winfield – $38,715,
Tree House of Early Learning, Independence – $65,000, and
Robin’s Nest, Minneola – $65,000.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021 and 2022, and was awarded the 2021 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
About the Patterson Family Foundation
Where you come from says a lot about you. But what you do says even more. The Patterson Family Foundation is a family-led foundation extending the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson to improve the rural communities we come from through healthcare, education, economic opportunity, and beyond. Learn more about the Patterson Family Foundation and how it can help your community at https://pattersonfamilyfoundation.org/
Completing the survey is no obligation to take out the insurance. Rates and plans will be released in September and then you can make a choice to proceed or not.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to offer another benefit to our members. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Kansas (CCEKS) and local Chambers across the state have created an association health plan (AHP) – Chamber Blue of Kansas. This AHP offers member businesses access to health insurance associated with large group medical coverage.
Completing this survey allows your business to be eligible to enroll in Chamber Blue effective January 1, 2023. If your business is currently enrolled with BCBSKS, you simply will include your business information and group number. If your business is not currently enrolled with BCBSKS, please complete the census which will include the name, date of birth, gender and zip code for each employee, spouse and dependents covered under your current plan or those you believe will want coverage under this plan. The deadline is August 18, 2022. The survey is to be completed one time per business by the person responsible for the decisions of the health benefits for your company. It is not to be passed to the employees to complete.
Here is also a link to a recently recorded webinar on the insurance offering, click here.
Please note there will be a separate process to enroll your business in Chamber Blue. Completing this survey does not obligate your business to enroll in the program. If you have additional questions, you can contact your BCBSKS representative or complete the form on the website.
A new restaurant and pub is on the horizon for downtown Fort Scott, called Pizza Republic.
“We want to make sure people have good options,” Bret Holder, the president of the new business venture said. “You’ll get a great meal and it’s a place for the whole family.”
Robert and Kimberly Coon, owners of 17 S. Main, the old Kress Building, are partnering with Pat McDonald and Bret and Sara Holder, all of Fort Scott, and Dennis Moon, Houston, TX, Sara’s uncle, to open the new business venture by September 1.
Bret Holder is the president of Pizza Republic, and has 20 years of corporate law experience, he said. “I am setting the vision, and making sure it’s going,” he said.
Pat McDonald just moved from Kansas City Northland, and has previous restaurant ownership experience: PatMacs in Kansas City. He is also an investor, chief chef and manager, he said.
Moon is the treasurer of the new venture, Holder said.
The Coons have been facilitating the reno of the first floor, 5,000 square foot of space, that will be divided into a family dining area, a bar, a large kitchen and an office space.
In the family side will be arcade games, a juke box, 10-plus big screen TVs and space for live music on occasion.
“It’s a big thing coming,” Robert Coon said. “The new floor plan requires a lot of reconstruction. The restaurant and pub will take up the entire first floor.”
“Kim and I have a residential construction crew, that we are having them take time off from that, to work on this,” he said. “We’ve been working non-stop.”
The idea for the business has been percolating for some time.
“Bret and Pat approached me quite some time ago, but I wasn’t open to the idea because the building was already rented,” he said.
A sushi restaurant business was formerly the renter of a portion of the first floor.
“The sushi restaurant closed on July 5,” Coon said.
The new restaurant plans to employ 15-20 people, Holder said.
The ideal candidates for employment are “go-getters from Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College and others,” Holder said.
Holder, a veteran, said the reason he moved to Fort Scott “was to help veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome with Adam LaRoche.”
Adam LaRoche, retired from major league baseball, along with his wife, Jennifer, both of Fort Scott, are the founders of the E3 Ranch Foundation. Together, they are committed to put God’s love into action, through supporting combat wounded veterans, fighting against sex-trafficking, and providing support during humanitarian crises globally, according to their website.
In the future, Holder sees opportunities for veterans getting training at this restaurant for future franchises.
“The plan is open other restaurants, in other towns,” Holder said.