One of the St. Martin’s Academy boys rappeling at Looking Glass Arch, near Moab, Utah. Courtesy photo.
St. Martin’s Academy, a new Catholic boys boarding school started its inaugural school term in Moab, Utah in September.
The staff and students spent six days canoeing, technical rock climbing and exploring, during the first days of the school year.
” It was a time of intense bonding and camaraderie, and life-long friendships were born,” Daniel Kerr, founder of the school said in a newsletter.
St. Martins’ Academy, Oct. 2018, is still in the construction stage.
The school campus is still under construction, with a tentative completion date for the first building, Theotokos Hall, by late spring 2019, according to Patrick Whelan, headmaster of the academy.
Meanwhile the students/faculty are staying in the Levine House on South National until the facility is complete.
“We have 18 students this year, eight freshmen and ten sophomores,” Whelan said. “We have students from all over the country including Virginia, Georgia, Texas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, etc.”
” We have a relatively large staff (12) due to the 24 hours per day supervision requirements,” Whelan said. ” We have four residential staff that we call House Fathers. They live in the same building as the students and are responsible for supervising all daily activities.”
“St. Martin’s is unique in that it is neither a prep school for the socio-economic elite nor is it a reform school for young men with behavioral problems,” Kerr noted in a recent newsletter.
The platform-tent at Camp Kapaun on the campus of St. Martin’s Academy, located on Indian Road, serves as a classroom each morning for Natural History, Liturgy, Ancient History and Latin lessons. Courtesy photo.Courtesy photo. Coach Simon Webster said many of the St.Martin’s Academy freshmen and sophomore boys had never played soccer. The school ended with a winning record and had competed against varsity level teams.Courtesy photo. Two St. Martin’s students take a turn milking Sweet Molly Brown, a Jersey cow. St. Martin’s Academy students participate in daily chores. The first two weeks of work, students butchered rabbits, castrated hogs, bucked two fields of alfalfa hay and milked cows.
These are the faculty and staff of the school:
Chris DeCleen age 24 is from Indiana and earned a degree in philosophy from Ave Maria University in 2017. He teaches Freshman History.
Joseph Free, age 23, is from Massachusetts and earned a degree in the Humanities and Liberal Studies from Ave Maria University in 2018. He teaches music and is assistant rugby coach.
Joshua Mincio, 20, is from California and interned at a monastery in Oklahoma before joining us this fall. He teaches advanced Latin.Simon Webster, 20, is from Texas and comes from the University of Houston Business College. Simon is the head soccer and rugby coach and athletic director.
Faculty:
Travis Dziad and his wife Margi come from Ave Maria University where Travis is ABD in a Ph.D. in Theology. He serves as the Residential Dean and teaches Algebra and History.Daniel Kerr is from Fort Scott and is the owner and co-founder of Adjuster Pro. Dan is the president and co-founder of St. Martin’s Academy; he leads development efforts and teaches Natural History.Kenneth Klassen is from Fort Scott. He holds a Ph.D. in literature from the University of Kansas and has taught a variety of subjects for over 30 years. He teaches Literature and Geometry.Ronald Klassen is from Fort Scott, holds a Masters degree in Classics, and has taught in public and private schools for over 30 years. He is the head Latin teacher.Sebastion Macik and his wife Erin come from Dallas, TX where Seb taught and served as an EMT. He is the chef.Fr. Bob McElwee is from Pittsburg, KS holds several Masters degrees and is a retired priest in the diocese of Wichita. Fr. McElwee is the Chaplain and teaches all Religion classes at the academy.
Michael Taylor and his wife, Jenna, recently moved to Fort Scott from Mound City, KS. Mike has worked as a hunting guide in Alaska and in various dairies for over a decade. Mike is the Farm Foreman and teaches leather-working and pottery.
Patrick Whalen and his wife, Kristi, moved to Fort Scott last year from St. Louis. Patrick is the headmaster and co-founder of the academy. He is a Marine veteran, a reserve officer in the Marines, and a Ph.D. candidate at Washington University in St. Louis. Whelan teaches literature at the academy.
Whelan provided the following information about the school:
The curriculum taught at the academy for freshmen: Mythos, Greek Literature, Roman Literature, Pre-History to the Hebrews, Greek Civilization, Roman Civilization, Basic Catechism (The Problem of Evil), Natural History, Algebra 1/Applied Mathematics, Latin 1.
The curriculum for sophomores: Rome and the Incarnation, Medieval Literature 1 and 2, Roman Empire to Late Antiquity, Early Middle Ages, High Middle Ages, The Liturgy, Earth Science, Biology, Geometry/Euclidean Geometry, Latin Advanced.
” In addition to their academics, the boys play soccer in the fall and rugby in the spring,” Whelan said. ” We are currently engaged in the FORT (Functional Outdoor Resilience Training) program which is an outdoorsmanship, fitness, and leadership development program we designed. In their free time, the boys learn folk music, juggle, and enjoy the parks and trails around Fort Scott.”
“All students participate in athletics and a series of Practica that include Leatherworking, Pottery, Drawing, Painting, Cartography, and Gregorian Chant,” according to Whelan.
Seth Simpson, Fort Scott City Airport Manager, as of Dec. 2018.
Seth Simpson has been hired as the Fort Scott Airport Airfield Operation Flight Manager.
His hiring was announced at the airport Monday afternoon.
The Fort Scott Airport entrance at 187th and Indian Road.
A 2002 Fort Scott graduate, Simpson, 35, has worked at Elgin Air Force Base, Florida for six years as an Air Force Air Traffic Controller.
He then entered the Air National Guard and served in Stillwell, OK; Manhattan, KS; Montgomery, AL; Biloxi, MS, and most recently St. Joe, MO.
Simpson is married to the former Amy Cozens and his parents are Scott and Becky Simpson, Fort Scott. They have three children: Lydia, Maylie, and Alex.
“Five people applied,” said Kenny Howard, the current airport director, who will be retiring in December 2018.
“We selected Seth because of his experience in aviation, plus he was a local boy,” Howard said.
“He will be training one day, every other week, until December 21,” when Simpson will become fulltime and Howard will step down, Howard said.
“I will be in charge of air traffic control, airfield operations, and landing systems maintenance,” Simpson said.
Simpson will continue in the Air National Guard one weekend a month, two times a year, he said.
St. Martin’s Academy will present a quarterly public faculty lecture on Friday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Boiler Room Brewhaus, located at National and Wall Street.
“We’re planning the lecture on Friday the 9th to kick off Veterans Day weekend and the feast of St. Martin of Tours on the 11th, our patron saint,” Patrick Whelan, headmaster at the boy’s Catholic school, said. ” I will be the one giving the lecture, and the title of the talk is ‘Warfare in Epic Poetry.'”
“I’m a Marine veteran and still serve as an officer in the Marine Reserves in addition to pursuing my Ph.D. in combat trauma in literature,” he said.
The event will start with a mixer /cocktail hour at 7:30 p.m. The presentation will begin at 8:30 p.m. and with time for questions, will run until 9:30 p.m.
“Then folks are free to hangout and talk until the pub closes (at 10 p.m.),” Whelan said. “This is open to anyone who is interested in hearing the talk. Our students will be present so we ask that folks be respectful.”
” St. Martin’s Academy does these in order to share the intellectual work and interests of the Academy with the local community, family, and friends,” he said.
Hedgehog.INK, a bookstore featuring new and gently used books has its’ grand opening today at 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.
The ribbon cutting is at 5:45 p.m.
The store is located at 16 S. Main and owned by Jan and Dick Hedges.
Hedgehog.INK, located at 16 S. Main, in historic downtown Fort Scott.
The store accepts paperbacks and hardback books for all age levels, according to information provided.
Most of the books traded for store credit will receive up to 20 percent of the price charged for the book at Hedgehog.INK.
Book pricing depends on book quality, age, demand, current stock, and condition.
Trade credit can be redeemed at the rate of 1/2 credit and 1/2 cash for books only. For example, if a book is purchased for $4, one can apply $2 of credit, and the customer will pay the remaining$2 in cash.
New or used books can be special ordered through Hedgehog.INK.
Jan Hedges stands in front of her display of a new children’s series of books, called Barefoot Books.
The Hedges will sell a series of new children’s books, called Barefoot Books.
“They are colorful, high-quality books for children,” Jan said.
The children’s area of the Hedgehog.INK bookstore.
In addition to a children’s area, there is a writers area in the store, where customers can read or write.
Sheryl Bloomfield is the assistant manager and Addison Guilfoyle is an employee.
Sheryl Bloomfield logs in books Monday afternoon at Hedgehog.INK.
In addition to books, local products will be for sale.
Goat milk products, lavender products, and homemade cards are among the items provided by local producers to Hedgehog.INK, that are for sale.
The Lavender Patch owner, Betsy Reichard, has a sales area in Hedgehog.INK. She sells lavender products that she produces on her farm: soaps, sprays, dried lavender, etc.Homemade cards by Jean Solomon will be for sale in the store.
“Dick and I have been amazed at how people have come to volunteer and help us,” Jan Hedges said.
Dick Hedges, left, works on processing books Monday afternoon, while volunteer Sharon Campbell works on books on the shelves.
“Our motto is a community of books for the community,” Jan said.
On November 1st, the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas will be hosting a community conversation in Fort Scott about why expanding KanCare matters.
Access to health care is vital to the health of our neighbors and family – and to our community ‘s economic future. There are many questions about how we’ll move forward as a community, and what we will do as Kansans to ensure everybody in our state can get the health care they need.
That’s why our work continues.
We want policymakers and community leaders to know we won’t give up. Will you join us on Thursday, November 1st at 6:30 pm?
When:
November 1, 2018
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Where:
Empress Event Center 7 North Main Street
Let us know you’ll be attending, and we’ll look forward to seeing you there!
Joy Miller AttachmentsSat, Oct 27, 12:16 PM (2 days ago) to Joy Attached is my news column for next week. Thank you for publishing it. Joy Joy Miller, RD, LD Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent Adult Development and Aging Family Resource Management K-State Research and Extension Southwind Extension District 210 S. National Fort Scott, KS 66701 Office: 620-223-3720 Fax: 620-223-0332 [email protected]
Need Health Insurance? I’m Here to Help.
Fall is the season for health insurance plan enrollment or re-enrollment. You may be like most people—confused and uncomfortable when it comes to understanding or making decisions about health insurance coverage. Help is available.
The Health Insurance Marketplace is a service that helps people shop for and enroll in health insurance. It provides health plan shopping and enrollment services through healthcare.gov, call centers, and in-person assistance.
Navigators, such as myself, are trained, unbiased assisters that can help you compare health insurance plans, assist you with online application process, and help provide answers to your Marketplace questions. Navigators are available year-round to answer questions or complete Special Enrollment applications for those affected by a life changing event.
When you buy health insurance through the Marketplace, you may qualify for financial assistance to help pay your monthly premiums and cost sharing. You will qualify for financial assistance if you meet the following:
You can’t get health insurance that covers your basic needs through your job (or a family member’s); Medicaid; Medicare; the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); or the Department of Veterans affairs (VA)
The amount of money your family expects to make in the year you apply for assistance falls within certain income ranges.
Open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace begins November 1 and ends December 15. You can preview 2019 plans and prices. Now is the time to explore your health coverage options. You can go to healthcare.gov to A benefit in working with a Navigator is help in determining if qualifications are met for financial assistance to lower the cost of premiums.
Each year, health insurance options change along with coverage and costs. I am here to assist you in the process and help you understand the system, rules, and options. To assist people in these programs, it is required to go through training and certification on a yearly basis to become a Navigator for the Marketplace or a Senior Health Insurance Counselor for Kansans (SHICK) to provide unbiased assistance.
Help you apply and enroll in a health plan with savings or apply for Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Required to provide fair, impartial, and accurate information
Statewide assistance may also be available
Find free, in-person enrollment assistance from a Navigator serving your community
They can assist you with the online application and help compare plans to find the best one for you. During open Enrollment, Kansans need to evaluate whether to enroll in coverage, stay on their current policies, if available, or enroll in different policies. It is also important for consumers to understand the network requirements of the various plans and to check that their providers of medical services are in the plan’s network.
Consumer Assistance Hotline is 1-800-432-2484 or www.ksinsurance.org
Fort Scott Community College invites all high school seniors to its Fall Senior Day on Thursday, November 1. The event will begin with registration at 9:30 am and will end the early afternoon.
This is a great opportunity for students to visit and experience FSCC. College faculty, staff, and students will be on hand to show potential students what it’s like to be a Greyhound. The event will include a campus tour, expo showcasing academic and activity programs, activities, and drawings. Activities will include minute-to-win-it games, a rollerball challenge, and a half-court-shot challenge. Additionally, all attendees will receive a free lunch.
Preregistration is now open! Visit our preregistration page now to get started.
Preregistration will be closed at noon on October 31st. Preregistration is not required-however, those who do will be entered into a drawing to win prizes. This is an event you won’t want to miss! Go Greyhounds!
Photo left to right: TIAK President Jan Stevens, Allyson Turvey, Sally Fuller, KDS Program Director.
Congratulations to Allyson Turvey, Administrative Assistant to Fort Scott Convention and Visitors Bureau, for being awarded the title of “Kansas Destination Specialist” by the Travel Industry Association of Kansas (TIAK).
Turvey was in attendance at the recent TIAK Annual Conference held in Junction City, KS where she received her certification. She was one of only six individuals from across Kansas to receive the certification.
TIAK offers the Kansas Destination Specialist certification program to familiarize and further one’s knowledge of the State of Kansas tourism marketing and leadership. To qualify, one must earn points by attending education conferences, seminars, webinars, or trainings, read and complete three book reports within the categories of Kansas, marketing, and leadership as well as visit one Kansas attraction 50 or more miles away from home.
This certification is a great way to establish and promote interest in Kansas’ tourism. Turvey has worked with the Fort Scott Convention and Visitors Bureau, Economic Development amd Community Development since April 2017.
These signs mark the closed Eagle Road, Oct. 25. Workers were busy all along Hwy. 69 on the expansion project.
The 69 Hwy. expansion project from Fort Scott to Arma doesn’t have a November completion date anymore, according to Priscilla Petersen, with the Kansas Department of Transportation.
In an interview, Petersen said the November completion date of the U.S. 69 expansion has been pushed back.
“We plan to have this project open to four-lane unrestricted traffic by Dec. 21, 2018,” she said.
All work on the active U.S. 69 expansion in Bourbon County will be completed in April 2019. ”
“The active Bourbon County expansion project is approximately six miles long, starting south of Fort Scott and ending at the Bourbon-Crawford county line,” Peterson said.
“The Crawford County expansion project has not been let. The tentative letting date is the fall of 2020.”
It seems KDOT ran into more extensive excavation of the stretch of highway than originally thought.
“During the grading phase of the expansion our contractor encountered a lengthy section of the old highway that had not been previously removed,” Petersen said. “The removal of the old mainline and bridges required extensive excavation. In addition, the discovery of the old roadway greatly reduced the amount of dirt available for the earthwork. We found it necessary to add a second borrow-waste area to supply the material.”
A KDOT crew work on a section of Hwy. 69 Thursday morning near the Garland exit.
“Current project activity includes concrete paving on the mainline and guardrail installation on the bridges,” Petersen said.