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Category Archives: Fort Scott
High School Career Exploration Program Needs More Mentors
The Fort Scott High School Career Exploration Mentoring Program needs a few more volunteers.
The program is a partnership of the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, the City of Fort Scott and the school district, USD234, according to the Chamber website.
Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Lindsay Madison told the weekly Chamber Coffee attendees on Thursday that two more female mentors are needed for the students.
“The Chamber’s motivation for organizing the program is related to Workforce Development,” Madison told fortscott.biz. “Our goal is to help the students be on a path to success, but also develop a funnel of employees for our manufacturers and other businesses by exposing students to local career opportunities available.”
“Students may be ready to start working directly after high school or college, or may move away for several years and return to Bourbon County in the future,” she said. “By being part of the mentor program they will be more aware that Fort Scott truly is a great place to live, work and raise a family.”
“Working at a local manufacturer does not exclusively involve assembly line work as students may perceive, there are many great positions to be held in accounting, sales, engineering, welding and other areas that we try to expose them to,” she said.
“Some students are more interested in health care, law enforcement or other fields and mentors will work to set up job shadows or question/answer sessions with people in those careers” Madison said. “Each student’s needs are differently related to their educational goals or career exploration and while we bring the mentors and students together monthly as a group, the mentors work individually with the students they are paired with to build connections and make a positive impact towards their success.”
Currently, there are 14 students enrolled in the program, Madison said.
Once per month a group activity, speaker or tour is organized by the Chamber.
At least one other time per month the student meets with their mentor one-on-one to talk about personal goals, pertinent topics or other issues that the student might have.
The program is funded in part by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation, she said.
Bill Michaud, the owner of Sleep Inn Hotel and Chamber member, helps with the program, working with the mentors. Lewis Dunkeson, Communities in Schools Site Coordinator, helps recruit high school students and keeps them informed of meetings, Madison said.
It is an extra-curricular activity, and the high school staff are “very supportive” by allowing extra time at lunch for the meetings, Madison said.
Community members interested in being mentors, and students interested in the program, may contact the Chamber of Commerce at 620-223-3566 or email [email protected].
If you are interested in being a mentor to a high school student please complete the following, which is found on the Chamber website:
Background check authorization.
Email: [email protected]; or fax 620-223-3574.
Here are several of the education modules used by mentors for discussion topic ideas for one-on-one visits with the students: basic vehicle maintenance, cooking, driver’s license information, household financing, jobs, and personal health.
The modules listed above were developed by the 2017-18 LEAD Bourbon County class, a leadership program organized by the Chamber.
Creative Artists Bring Your Work To Showcase
View Poetic Documentary on Economic Insecurity on Sunday
Third USD234 School Funding Community Conversation Tomorrow
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Methodists Reschedule Soup Lunch Until Feb. 25
NOTICE – Due to the weather, the soup lunch that was scheduled today has been cancelled and rescheduled for next Friday, February 25.
The Soup Luncheon has been rescheduled for NEXT Friday, February 25 from11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This is a to-go meal that can be picked up under the covered entrance off of National Avenue. A variety of soups including potato, vegetable beef, and chili will be served along with a dessert for a free-will offering. Sponsored by the Mission Committee.
Local Black History Month Celebration This Sunday
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Fort Scott City Special Meeting Today Feb. 18
There will be a Special Meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 18th, 2022.
An Executive Session.
Discussion of the sale of Lake Fort Scott properties, and the Airport Runway project.
This meeting will be held at 123 S. Main Street in the City Commission meeting room and will be broadcast on the City’s you tube channel. The meeting is open to the public, but the Executive Session is not.
Grant Money to Aid City’s Wastewater Collection System
Governor Laura Kelly announced last week that 40 rural Kansas communities will receive Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) totaling more than $17.6 million to help support critical community development projects.
The City of Fort Scott received a $700,000 award grant to help revitalize the wastewater system infrastructure.
The awards are administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce and granted from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Small Cities CDBG program. Eligible CDBG public improvement projects help fund water and wastewater projects, housing rehabilitation, and other community facilities and services, according to a press release from the governor.
The $700,000 grant will be put with the $425,000 that the city will provide of the projected total cost of $1,125,000 for wastewater system infrastructure improvements.
“The project is set to be solicited in the next few weeks, ” Fort Scott City Manager Kelley Zellner said. “And a contractor will be selected. Once the contractor is chosen for the job, the contractor decides the order of completion of the project using their ‘Means and Methods.'”
“The city’s wastewater collection system is in need of attention in certain areas and some of the equipment at the sewer plant will need to be looked at for upgrades in the next several years,” Zellner said.
“This particular improvement project, to the citizens of Fort Scott is a small portion of the need improvements to the overall collection system and a small step in the direction of a healthy infrastructure legacy for our children and grandchildren’s sake!” he said.
News Release From USD234
NEWS RELEASE
Monday, February 14, 2022
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met in the Fort Scott Middle School Commons on Monday, February 14, 2022, for their regular monthly meeting.
President James Wood opened the meeting. The board approved the official agenda. The board also approved the consent agenda as follows:
A. Minutes
B. Bills and Claims
C. Payroll – January 20, 2022 – $1,629,877.81
D. Financial Report
E. Activity fund accounts
F. Fundraiser application
G. Extended trip application
H. Sale of old middle school uniforms, bottoms, and warm-ups
The board recognized teachers who received U-Benefit Grants from OFG Financial, Security Benefit, and KNEA. Brenda Hill, Fort Scott KNEA President, presented the grant awards to Sydney Cullison, Jennifer Hartman, Jamie Rogers, Becky Tinker, and Trisha Whitehead.
Kellye Barrows, Vice-President, presented a report on the Summit on Professional Learning Community at Work in Phoenix, AZ. Written reports were shared by principals. In addition, the board heard reports from Dalaina Smith, Academics Director; Ted Hessong, Superintendent; and Gina Shelton, Business Manager/Board Clerk.
The board approved contracts for Provision of Educational Services – Low Incidence and Audiology and a Memorandum of Understanding with Communities in Schools.
The board approved Gary Billionis, board member, to sit in on legal mediation claims.
Superintendent Hessong gave an ESSER III update.
Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations. The board returned to open meeting and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel and returned to open meeting. The board approved the following employment items:
A. Resignation of Shelly Sanborn, middle school special education teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
B. Resignation of Eileen Strakel, Eugene Ware cook, effective February 11, 2022
C. Leave of absence request from Elizabeth Rose, preschool paraprofessional
D. Employment of Cole Claypool as a middle school paraprofessional for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year
E. Employment of Dylan Goucher as a Eugene Ware/Fort Scott Preschool Center custodian for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year
F. Employment of Angie Kemmerer for middle school PDC chairperson
G. Employment of Angie Bin as the high school fine arts team leader for the 2021-22 school year
H. Employment of administrators for the 2022-23 school year
I. Employment of district directors for the 2022-23 school year
J. Employment of Gina Shelton, Business Manager/Board Clerk, for the 2022-23 school year with a change in title from Business Manager to School Finance Director/Board Clerk
K. Stipend for Bryce Daly, Technology Coordinator/Technician, to video board meetings
L. Employment of Katren Rienbolt and Josh Hudiburg as high school assistant track coaches for the 2021-22 school year
M. Retirement of Debbie West, high school secretary, effective June 30, 2022
N. Termination of Brooke Senkevech, Eugene Ware paraprofessional and middle school intramural coach, effective February 14, 2022
O. Employment of Connie Harper as a Eugene Ware paraprofessional for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year
The board adjourned.
Chamber Coffee at Common Ground Feb. 17
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First Annual Marsha Fest on March 5
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