Due to professional development activities for teachers on Monday,
September 19,2022, there will be no school in Fort Scott.
Contact info: Destry Brown.
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U234 Board Minutes of Sept. 12
Monday, September 12, 2022
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 12, 2022, for their regular monthly meeting at the board office.
President Danny Brown opened the meeting.
The board approved the official agenda, and the consent agenda as follows:
- Minutes from August 8, 2022, Board of Education meeting and minutes from August 1, 22, and 23, 2022, Board of Education special meetings
- Financials – Cash Flow Report
- Check Register
- Payroll – August 20, 2022 – $1,361,769.35
- Activity Fund accounts
- First Day Enrollment Count
- Appointment of Zach Reynolds as the school attorney for the 2022-23 school year
- FSHS Orchestra Fundraiser Application
The board heard reports from FSKNEA regarding the bucket auction for scholarships, staff returning to school, and thanked Superintendent Brown for his visibility in the schools.
The Superintendent reviewed the KSDE Accountability Report for 2020-21 and the recent culture survey that was taken of staff. Superintendent Brown updated the board on assessments and PLC professional development on behalf of the Assistant Superintendent.
The Business Manager reported on the special education audit, financial audit, and annual reporting.
The board approved the following items:
- Contract with Greenbush for federal E-rate related to connectivity which allow the district to receive an 80% discount on services.
- Place three (3) buses and a suburban for sale through auctiontime.com. In addition, scrap two buses that are no longer in service.
- Vehicles for auction will be:
- 2006 Blue Bird 27 passenger
- 1998 AMTRAN 64 passenger
- 2003 Blue Bird 40 passenger
- 1990 Chevy Suburban
- Contract with Diehl, Banwart, Bolton CPAs for the annual financial audit.
- Curtain divider purchase to allow additional classroom space at Fort Scott Middle School.
- Roof bids to Meridian Roofing Solutions. This will address roofs at Winfield Scott, Fort Scott High School, and Eugene Ware Elementary. The total bid was for $1,341,401.
- Direct Communication & Public Relations proposal to evaluate communication with students, families, and staff.
- KDHE Kansas K-12 Stay Positive Test Negative Initiative Grant in the amount of $776,558. This is a non-matching grant that will allow for testing to continue for the schools and the purchase of Synexis machine to fight viruses, bacteria, mold, odors, and insects.
- Personnel Report – following
- Vehicles for auction will be:
The board went into an executive session for personnel matters and the superintendent evaluation process.
President Danny Brown adjourned the meeting.
PERSONNEL REPORT – APPROVED EMPLOYMENT
RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS/RETIREMENTS:
- Dennis Dennigan – Resignation – FSHS special education teacher, effective September 1, 2022
- Makyah Goldsby – Resignation – FSMS paraprofessional, effective September 13, 2022
- Ashley Wolf – Resignation – Winfield Scott paraprofessional, effective August 23, 2022
EMPLOYMENT/REASSIGNMENTS – FOR THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR
- Shelly Sanborn – FSHS paraprofessional to FSHS special education teacher
- Elizabeth Underwood – Winfield Scott paraprofessional
- Jessica Smith – FSHS paraprofessional
- Laeci Hall – FSHS paraprofessional
- Amaiya Terry – FSHS paraprofessional
- Nissa Dinneen – FSMS paraprofessional
- Tosha Guffin – Winfield Scott paraprofessional
- Alicia Craig – Winfield Scott paraprofessional
- Nina Merriman – Van driver
- Lewis Dunkeson – FSMS Summer Conditioning
- Brendon Blackburn – FSMS Summer Conditioning Assistant
- Katie Chipman – FSMS Gym Supervisor
- Sarah Dunivan – FSHS Musical Music Director
- Abby Stepps – FSHS Play Assistant
- Christina King – FSHS Play Assistant
- Chad Ruddick – FSHS Fall Esports
- Matt Glades – FSHS Spring Esports
- Amy Harper – FSHS National Honor Society
- Becky Howard – FSMS Gym Supervisor
- Brian Hutchison – FSMS Assistant Football Coach
- Guiding Coalition for 2022-23
- Winfield Scott – Cristin Stark, Robin Webb, Hayden Travis, Emily Giffin, Anna Swank, Bre Eden
- Eugene Ware – Regina Cruse, Joyce Flanner, Brenda Hill, Marci Mix, Sherry Lindsay, Kelsey DeMott
- Middle School – Lisa Chaplin, Jayci Cosens, Whitney Beth, Brent Cavin, Tammy Stanley, Jannah Farrington
- High School- Polly Mayberry, Amy Harper, Mark Spore, Sara Jackman, Nikki Regan, lared Martin, Justin Robinson, Ryan Miller, Morgan Sage
- Mentors for 2022-23
- Angie Bin, Tracey Bogina, Danielle Cavin, Tammy Claypool, Kelly Cox, Lindsey Davis, Kelsey DeMott, Autumn Durossette, Jannah Farrington, Carson Felt, Joyce Flanner, Ali Gorman, Lindsay Gulager, Brenda Hill, Curtis Horton, Sara Jackman, Sabrina Keating, Michelle Laubenstein, Amber Malone, Polly Mayberry, Josh Messer, Linda Minor, Nikki Regan, Abby Stepps, Rhiannon Tuck, Robin Webb
Integrity Home Care and Hospice Earns Patient Satisfaction Award
Integrity Home Care & Hospice has earned the 2021 SHPBestTM “Premier Performer” Patient Satisfaction Award
Ft. Scott, Kansas, 9/12/2022 – Integrity Home Care has been recognized by Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP) as a “Premier Performer” for achieving an overall patient satisfaction score that ranked in the top 5% of all eligible SHP clients for the 2021 calendar year.
The annual SHPBest™ award program was created to acknowledge home health agencies that consistently provide high quality service to their patients. The 2021 award recipients were determined by reviewing and ranking the overall satisfaction score for more than 2,500 home health providers. With the largest HHCAHPS benchmark in the nation, SHP is in a unique position to identify and recognize organizations that have made patient satisfaction a priority and have been rewarded for their efforts with high marks on the HHCAHPS survey.
“SHP is proud to present the SHPBest awards to our top-performing customers. We commend these organizations for their continuous focus on delivering the highest quality of care to their patients,” said Rob Paulsson, President of SHP.
Integrity’s Fort Scott home health team is thrilled to receive this award and expects to see more in the future. “Our team is proud to receive this recognition. Our primary goal is ensuring our patients’ ability to remain comfortable in their home environment while receiving restorative care and skilled services. I feel like these consistently high patient satisfaction scores validate that we’re meeting our goal while providing quality care. We will continue to partner with our patients on their journey towards wellness and improved independence,” said Integrity’s Fort Scot Home Health Administrator, Becky Davied.
Read more about the SHPBest awards program, including methodology and award recipient lists at https://www.shpdata.com/home-health/shpbest-hhcahps.
About Integrity Home Care + Hospice
Integrity Home Care & Hospice is passionately dedicated to improving the healthcare system, because everyone has had a personal experience with the struggle that comes with a change in health. They are here to help and support you and your family as you seek to improve or simply maintain your health and independence at home.
Integrity’s mission is to identify and meet your home care needs and the needs of its employees with unmatched skill, compassion, and integrity.
About Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP)
Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP) is a leader in data analytics and benchmarking that drive daily clinical and operational decisions. Our solutions bring real-time data to post-acute providers, hospitals, and ACOs to better coordinate quality care and improve patient outcomes. Since 1996, SHP has helped more than 7,000 organizations nationwide raise the bar for healthcare performance.
Internet, Phone Discounts Available for Families
Broadband, phone discounts are available for students and families
TOPEKA – The start of a new school year is an expensive time for families. If you are struggling to pay for phone and internet services while navigating back to school costs, help is available to stay connected.
During Lifeline Awareness Week, the Kansas Corporation Commission encourages Kansans in need of assistance to apply for Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Plan (ACP). Both programs help low-income individuals and families stay connected so they can access healthcare, attend classes, keep up with homework, find jobs and call for help in an emergency.
Anyone who qualifies for Lifeline is automatically eligible to participate in both programs. Due to higher income maximums, ACP also has the potential to help many families with internet costs that may not qualify for other types of assistance. For example, the maximum income for a family of four on the ACP program is $55,500 per year. The maximum annual income for a family of four on the Lifeline program is $37,463.
Lifeline provides federal and state discounts up to $17.02 per month on phone service (wireless or residential) and broadband. The Affordable Connectivity Plan (ACP) provides a service discount of up to $30 per month for broadband service and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer or tablet purchased through a participating provider. Both programs offer additional discounts for subscribers living on tribal lands.
Eligibility is based on income (at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for Lifeline or at or below 200% for ACP) or participation in certain assistance programs such as:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FHPA)
- Veterans Pension & Survivors Pension Benefit
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- Head Start Tribal Programs (income based)
- The Food Distribution Program on Tribal Lands.
Regardless of Lifeline eligibility, Kansans may still qualify for ACP if they meet any of the following criteria:
- Are approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including the USDA Community Eligibility Provision.
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
- Experienced a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020.
- Meet the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income program.
More information on income eligibility, participating providers, and the enrollment process is available on the KCC website.
Updated FS City Commission Special Meeting Anouncement
The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14th, 2022 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet for the 2023 Budget Hearing. An executive session will follow the public hearing.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel. This meeting is open to the public.
Obituary of William Bolden
William “Bill” Loren Del Bolden, age 73, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Friday, September 9, 2022, at his home. He was born August 29, 1949, in Ft. Scott, the son of Loren Theodore Bolden and Dolores Sherwood Roy Bolden.
Bill was drafted by the Army on June 11, 1969. He served in Vietnam for one year.
He worked for Extrusions in Ft. Scott early in his career. He then worked for Dayco, Carlisle, and Timken Manufacturing for over 30 years until retirement.
Bill then followed his love for fishing by opening Hilltop Bait Shop. While operating the bait shop, Bill would read book after book. He was also an avid gardener. He enjoyed cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs as well as arrow hunting, especially with the grandkids. He loved spending time with his family and friends. He was always the loudest voice in the stands at the kids’ sporting events.
Survivors include his wife Casey of the home; 3 sons, Anthony Michael Bolden, Ft. Scott; Justin Bolden and wife Kayla, Denver, CO; and Tyson Bolden, Ft. Scott and 10 grandchildren, Bailey, Tyson, Ryan, Neveah, Tyffani, Michael, Emily, Gage, Gunnar, and Sophie; a sister, Laura Deen, Uniontown, KS; and numerous nieces and nephews
He was preceded in death by 3 brothers, Paul Tyler, Daniel Bolden, and Larry Bolden; 3 sisters, Donna Fisher, Dorothy Radford, and Bonnie Heaton; and his parents.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, September 16th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Thursday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
FS City Commission Special Meeting Sept. 14
The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14th, 2022 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet for the 2023 Budget Hearing.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel. This meeting is open to the public.
Friday Night Free Concert: A Local Trio
This week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by a musician-friends trio, Ralph Carlson, Stephan Moses, and Carolyn Tucker. The program will feature vocal and instrumental music of southern gospel, country, blues, songs of Elvis, and Latin-American light-classical tunes. Carlson provides harmony and keeps the rhythm on Martin acoustic guitar, Moses sings and plays Gretsch electric lead guitar, and Tucker provides vocals and fills in the gaps on keys.
“All three of us began studying music as youngsters. When you combine our years of playing experience, it’s 191! Through the years, we have all played individually in church, our communities, and diverse venues,“ concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “We appreciate the opportunity to play for the loyal folks who attend this seasonal Friday event. Bring a neighbor and join your friends for a fun evening.”
The one-hour concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The event is free and open to the public. Dave Oas and Jim Butler provide the sound each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to The Loading Dock at Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
NEW COVID-19 BOOSTERS AVAILABLE AT CHC/SEK
The new boosters are formulated to better protect against COVID-19 variants
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is now offering updated COVID-19 booster, Pfizer-BioNT
The BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant are currently causing most cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and are predicted to circulate this fall and winter.
The updated boosters are available at most CHC/SEK locations at no out-of-pocket cost to the recipients. Vaccinations are available on a walk-in basis, or by appointment at most CHC/SEK locations.
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent
Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.
The bivalent vaccines, which are also referred to as “updated boosters,” contain two messenger RNA (mRNA) components of SARS-CoV-2 virus, one of the original strains of SARS-CoV-2 and the other one in common between the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.
“COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, continue to save lives and prevent the most serious outcomes (hospitalization and death) of COVID-19,” said Linda Bean, D.O., FAAFP Chief Clinical Officer at Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas.
“As we head into the fall and winter season with the potential for greater virus spread in schools and at work, now is the time for everyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccination to provide better protection against currently circulating variants.”
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Sept. 12
Bourbon County Dems Meet On Sept. 18
On Sunday September 18th, Bourbon County Democrats will hold their monthly meeting on the FSCC campus in the Heritage Room of the administration building. The meeting begins at 2:00 p.m. Featured guest will be Representative Jason Probst. Please join us!
Submitted by Carol MacArthur
Chair, Bourbon Co. Democrats
Hot Thirsty and Stupid by Carolyn Tucker
Keys to the Kingdom by Carolyn Tucker
On a hot morning in August, I stepped onto the front porch and noticed all the dead fallen leaves from my poplar tree. It was obvious the tree was in distress — more than any of the others in my yard. Although it’s a huge mature tree, perhaps its root system doesn’t go down as deep as the maple and oak trees do. It was such a disturbing sight that I spontaneously prayed, “Lord, please don’t let me dry up spiritually like this tree.” For two summers I have faithfully watered the Jane Magnolia tree that Aaron and I planted in memory of my husband. This baby tree has a weak root system, so without consistent watering it would succumb to the draught. Because of the tree’s significance, I purposely nurture and care for it so it can thrive and become strong.
With all the incoming missiles of the evil one and the bombarding distractions of the world, it takes determined effort to abide in Christ. Believers simply won’t thrive spiritually without living in Him. Here’s what Jesus had to say about it: “I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing“ (John 15:1,4,5 AMP). I don’t want to be doing my own thing and be fruitless to boot!
In recent years, binging has become rampant in the lives of both believers and unbelievers. The definition of binge is excessive unrestrained activity; uncontrolled indulgence. Binge-watching (to watch many or all episodes of a TV series in rapid succession) has become an acceptable thing. But Jesus wants us to shut every door that offers the enemy access, so we need to be well balanced in all that we do. “And He [Jesus] said to them, ’Keep watch, and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak’” (Mark 14:38 GNT). I’ll just go out on a limb and say the flesh is stupid too. Our born-again spirit is willing and desires vital union with God, but our flesh is brainless, lazy, and hell-bent on godless and fruitless desires.
It’s high-time for Christians to train our flesh and let it know that it’s not in charge! The apostle Paul wrote, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV). God gives His people a new heart and a new spirit to live according to His will (God‘s Word). We have what He says we have, so let’s stop whining and acting like we’re not strong enough to take authority over our stupid flesh. Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, “For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us….(2 Corinthians 5:14 AMP). There’s enabling power in the love of Christ and the blood of the Lamb. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37 NKJV).
It’s easy to be overcome by life’s trials and temptations when our spiritual root system is dry as a bone. When (not if) the bottom falls out of your world, all those hours of binge-watching won’t do you a lick of good. The only way to stand up under the heat and not wilt is to be consistently and intimately connected to the Vine so you can thrive in all kinds of adverse situations. You can be as close to God as you want to be — it’s your call.
The Key: Live every day with Jesus’ soaker hose wrapped around your spirit.