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Category Archives: Fort Scott
Torrie Singmaster: New Winfield Scott First-Grade Teacher
Torrie Singmaster, 24, is a new first-grade teacher at Winfield Scott Elementary School.
She earned her Bachelor of Art in Elementary Education from Ottawa University.
She has bee a paraprofessional educator and substitute teacher for USD 234 for three years.
Singmaster’s hometown is Fort Scott.
Her family includes her husband, Dakota, and two sons, William, 3, and Tyson, 1.
In her free time, Singmaster likes going on vacation to Branson, golfing, and taking their boys new places.
“I also coach girls basketball at Fort Scott Middle School,” she said.
How did you become an educator?
“I started subbing at Winfield Scott and fell in love with the school and students. I completed my degree this past May thru Ottawa University while working for the school district as a paraprofessional and coach.”
Is there someone who inspired you to teach?
“I honestly can say the students I started working with inspired me to teach. I always loved school and had many great teachers that I can look up to. I also wanted a career that I could make a difference in children’s lives and be able to be there for my little family.”
What is the best part of teaching for you?
“I love being able to make connections with students. I have worked with many different ages over the last three years. Elementary-aged students are so full of life and joy. Seeing them so excited about learning makes me excited every day to walk into my classroom. I can’t wait to see each student get to the point where they are growing in their confidence as a student and as a person.”
What are the greatest challenges?
“The greatest challenge as a first-year teacher this year is definitely the unknowns. Being a first-year teacher during a pandemic is not something you learn during college. I am so blessed to have the support from my family and my school family. The staff at Winfield Scott and USD 234 are amazing and I cannot wait to start and continue my journey as an educator in Fort Scott.”
Public Meeting for U234 Reopening Is Aug. 6
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Smallville Fort Games 2020
Firefighters Needed in Fort Scott
The local fire department is looking for a few good men….or women.
The Fort Scott Fire Department is currently looking for men or women who are interested in serving in the fire department as a reserve firefighter, said FS Deputy Chief Mike Miles, who is also the fire marshal.
“We prefer ones with experience or past training but we will recruit and train the right candidate,” he said.
“Currently, Fort Scott Fire has 14 full-time members and three reserves,” Miles said. “That consists of Fire Chief Bruner, Deputy Chief Miles and three shifts of four crew members that work 24 hours on and 48 hours off, revolving.”
“Our reserve program is essentially a part-time job,” he said. “They can pick up open shifts from full-time guys needing off for vacation or sick leave. We do allow them to work as a fifth man on any shift to get training and comfortable with the job and skills.”
” We are needing reserves because our roster is very limited right now,” Miles said. “We need candidates that are available to work to cut down on the overtime. When a reserve can’t work, a full-time member is required to stay and work another 24-hour shift causing overtime.”
The new reserve firefighters are needed to help cut operating costs throughout the year, he said.
” Also a bonus about being a reserve firefighter, you kind of get to pick and choose what days you can and can’t work,” Miles said. “This is also a great program to get your foot in the door to the fire service and work your way into a full-time spot and career.”
The reserve firefighter position is just a title, he said.
“You are a firefighter just not full-time status,” Miles said. “That does not take away from the job required. They do everything a full-time firefighter would do on a daily basis. Run rescue, ambulance calls. Work all fire calls involving hazmat (hazardous materials), fire alarms, vehicle, and structure fires. During the daytime when not running calls this time of year we are currently flowing hydrants. Our crews stay busy throughout the days performing assignments required.”
A job description for the position can be seen on the Fort Scott Fire Department’s Facebook page.
The requirements of the job:
“We do require candidates to hold Firefighter 1 certification,” Miles said. “Along with Hazmat Ops and Awareness. Those are the basic requirements to legally be able to work as a city employee in the fire department. We look for candidates with prior experience and many more certifications. EMT is a plus. We will recruit the right candidate we believe may be a good fit for our department and provide them the proper training or academy to become certified.”
Candidates can contact Miles directly at the firehouse. 620-223-2140. Lieutenant Clint Lawrence can also assist callers.
FS City Commission Meeting Today at 11 a.m.
There will be a special City Commission meeting scheduled for 11:00 am today, August 5th, 2020. This meeting will not be held in public. This is due to an outbreak in coronavirus at City Hall. You can call into the 1-620-724-9910, participant code 515698# to listen to the meeting.
This meeting will be held to consider approval of the Consent Agenda and four items under consideration.
City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice.
Kaitlyn Arnold: New Winfield Scott First Grade Teacher
Kaitlyn Arnold, 26, is a new Winfield Scott Elementary School first-grade teacher.
She earned her bachelor of science in education from Pittsburg State University, and has taught in first and second grades.
” I was born and raised in the best town in the country! Fort Scott, Kansas!,” Arnold said.
In her spare time, Arnold likes to garden, raise cattle and chickens, sew, crochet, “go junking” and redo antiques, attend concerts, work out (especially yoga), travel, hike, and spend time with family and friends, she said.
How did you become an educator?
“I decided at age eight that I wanted to become a teacher. Even at the age of three, I was saying I wanted to be a teacher. “
Is there someone who inspired you to teach?
“I became an elementary teacher for many reasons. The one who inspired the most would be my mom who has taught for over 30 years. Her care and love she shows her students inspires me daily to become a better teacher. I also have had many aunts, uncles, cousins and a grandma who have been in education and inspired me as well.”
What is the best part of teaching for you?
“The students. I dearly treasure each day with my students. I love getting to know them and building good teacher-students relationships. Watching them grow positively in social, emotional and educational skills gives me so much joy. I love hearing about the new dog they got over the weekend, the tooth that got yanked out by a string and a door or the flat tire they had while going to see their grandparents.”
What are the greatest challenges?
“Saying goodbye to the students at the end of the year is hardest for me. I’m so excited and celebrate their success of accomplishing a year of growth but the goodbyes are hard.”
“I treasure each moment I get to have with my students and do my very best to help them grow positively in every way,” Arnold said.” I am so ready to get this school year started and meet my awesome future students!”
FS Municipal Court Cancelled For Aug. 6
Municipal Court will NOT be held on Thursday, August 6th, 2020. A new court date will be mailed to you.
City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice.
FS Design Review Board for Aug. 5 Will Not Meet
The Design Review Board scheduled for August 5th, 2020 has been canceled. It will be rescheduled at a later date.
COVID-19 Outbreak Cancels FS City Meeting Tonight
The City Commission meeting scheduled for tonight at 6;00 p.m. will not be held in public. This is due to an outbreak in coronavirus at City Hall. You can call into the 1-620-724-9910, participant code 515698# to listen to the meeting.
City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice.
Presbyterian Village Employee Tests COVID-19 Positive
FORT SCOTT, Ks. – A Fort Scott Presbyterian Village non-direct resident care employee tested positive for COVID-19 Saturday, August 1. The employee is in isolation and quarantined at home.
The employee, who does not work directly with residents, passed employee screening for their shift on July 30 and wore personal protective equipment as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The employee began to feel ill, left the building and sought COVID-19 testing. The employee has not been back in the building since. The campus was notified that the employee was positive for COVID-19 Saturday evening.
“Our top priority is the safety of our residents and staff members,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.
The Bourbon County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Epidemiology Hotline have been notified. Health department guidelines will be followed for quarantining and testing of employees and residents. Through contact tracing seven campus employees and two residents have been identified as having close contact with the positive employee. The health department recommends placing all 9 people in isolation until testing can be completed later this week, and monitoring them for fever and signs and symptoms for 14 days.
At this time, no residents or employees are showing signs or symptoms of respiratory illness or COVID-19.
Families have been called to alert them to the potential exposure, and all state and county mandatory required reporting agencies have been notified.
All employees are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. The community regularly reinforces with all staff that an employee should not report to work if he or she is experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or are not feeling well.
The employee is recuperating at home and must be COVID-19-free before returning to work. We follow CDC and KDHE guidelines in determining when an employee may return to work. Under the current guidelines, the employee may return to work when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the employee’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the employee’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Upon the employee’s return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.
For more information about Fort Scott Presbyterian Village’s response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, Presbyterianmanors.org/Media- room.
Gooderl Starts New Business Downtown Today
G-N-R Healthy Living, an essential oils business, will open soon in downtown Fort Scott. The initials stand for Great Natural Relief.
The new business is located at 13 North Main Street.
Stacy Gooderl is the owner and will sell essential oils and CDB hemp oils.
The business is set to open today, August 3, 2020.
The hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store is closed on Sunday.
“We have used the oils,” Gooderl said. “We truly know that they help. Plus work for all issues like asthma, anxiety. The pain cream has helped out all on our softball team.”
“It’s not harmful in any way, it’s safe for adults to use,” she said. “Essential oils help many ways too, with sleep issues, plus so many more. I love helping people.”
Contact Gooderl at 620-215-3573.