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Category Archives: Jobs
Turn Babysitting in to a Business
K-State Research and Extension
Family and Consumer Science Agent
Southwind District
211 W. Butler
Yates Center, KS 66783
620-625-8620
K-State Research and Extension Southwind District – Family and Consumer Science Agent
Turn Babysitting in to a Business
School breaks are the perfect times for pre-teens and teenagers to earn some extra money by getting a job and with schools out for spring break and summer vacation, there will be an influx of parents seeking childcare. These two factors provide youth with a wonderful job opportunity – babysitting!
Youth work experiences provide many benefits. Personal growth that results from early work experiences help youth build their soft skills, which are character traits and interpersonal skills needed for all jobs throughout life. It also helps build their resume and leads to higher-paying future jobs.
Babysitting can be a fun way for young adults to earn money fast! Here are some other benefits:
- Enhancing communication skills – By working for parents, sitters learn communication skills that will carry over to all other lines of work in the future. Caregivers must build strong relationships with families to show they are reliable and can be trusted to take care of young children. Working with young children also requires leadership, conflict management, and problem-solving skills that many places of employment look for in candidates.
- Gaining valuable work experience – Experience in childcare can be beneficial for both the sitter’s personal and professional life. If they are considering pursuing a career involving young children, this provides them with first-hand experience of what that might look like on a day-to-day basis. It is also great for personal development as it prepares them for future parenting and caregiving roles. If they have a younger sibling at home that they watch on occasion, it also makes them more aware of how to care for and interact with them to create positive experiences.
- Earning potential and flexibility – Babysitting jobs offer a source of income that is wonderful for students who want a job but might not be able to take on a 40-hour work week. Sitters have the control to make their work schedule and take on as many or as few jobs as they wish to, depending on their capabilities, prior obligations, and drive to work.
- Building a sense of responsibility and empathy – Taking care of someone else’s child requires both of these skills. Sitters must prioritize the safety and well-being of the child(ren) in their care while also considering the child(ren)’s wants and needs. This balancing act helps build character and develops essential life skills for the provider.
To empower young entrepreneurs with the essential skills needed to become a babysitter, the Southwind Extension District is hosting clinics for youth ages 12-18. Topics of focus will include leadership skills, job readiness, child safety, and cooking skills and nutrition. There will also be hands-on CPR and First Aid training. For more information on dates, location, and times, visit our website at https://www.southwind.k-state.edu/ or contact Cassidy Lutz at [email protected] or call 620-625-8620.
USD 234 Board of Education Met on February 13
Unified School District 234
424 South Main
Fort Scott, KS 66701-2697
620-223-0800 Fax 620-223-2760
DESTRY BROWN
Superintendent
BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING
NEWS RELEASE
Monday, February 12, 2024
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, February 12, 2024, for their regular monthly meeting at the board office.
President David Stewart opened the meeting.
The board appointed Joe Wimmer as board member for the next two years.
The board approved the official agenda, and the consent agenda as follows:
Board Minutes
Payroll – January 19, 2024 – $1,662,919.06
FSHS Baseball Extended Trip – March 13-15, 2024
Tiger Team Members of the Month was the Fort Scott SPED Department Speech Team.
Michelle Lisica, Mikiah Anderson, Shelly Yocham
Liz Underwood, Winfield Scott, Michelle Lisica, Eugene Ware, and Shelly Yocham, Eugene Ware, are in their first year as Speech Paras for the district. Mikiah Anderson is in her third year with Preschool.
Afton Hyer, Winfield Scott, has been Speech Therapist for the district the last six years and a total of twelve years.
Christie Smith, Eugene Ware, is in her second year with USD 234 and twenty-five years altogether.
Danette Popp, Preschool, has been with the district for twenty-six years and a Speech Therapist for thirty years.
Jodi Brown just started part time with Fort Scott this year and a Speech Therapist for the last twenty years.
Attending through Zoom was Tessa Alumbaugh, she is in her first year with Fort Scott as a Tele-therapist and has been a Speech Therapist for almost eleven years.
Mrs. Barnes recognized each of the team by congratulating them for being flexible and always willing to do whatever it takes to help and support the students.
Mrs. Barnes also recognized three Winfield Scott Paraprofessionals, Rachel Pommier, Francis Torres, and Laurie Bollinger. Mr. Garzone and teachers at Winfield Scott spoke very highly of these three Paras. They are positive and willing to work hard and be available for the students.
Laurie Bollinger, Francis Torres, Rachel Pommier – Winfield Scott Paras
Superintendent Destry Brown reported about the Preschool grant that the district did not receive, but that we will apply for the next round soon. Several students at the High School have requested to start Zero Reasons Why program which is to help “remove the stigma of mental health and prevent teen suicide.” These students are extremely excited to get this started in our District. Mr. Brown also spoke out the KSDE Audit that was finished this last week.
Tonya Barnes, Special Education Director, gave a summary of the Speech team and their caseloads. She reported on upcoming training that she will be involved with during the end of this month. Also, Mrs. Barnes gave information on Medicaid reimbursements and deadlines for those reports.
Travis Laver, School Finance Consultant through Greenbush, came to update the Board on the District Finances. He explained about Senate Bill 386 that could potentially effect Fort Scott School District. Also, he was able to give guidance on Preschool enrollment and other options for the district. Travis thanked the district for being helpful and easy to work with during this time. He also is waiting for results from the KSDE audit to know final numbers.
Robin Button, Food Service Director, presented to the Board information about the Free Lunch Program that is District Wide this year. We have seen an increase in student participation in most buildings. She was able to explain the process for school reimbursement from various programs.
Superintendent Brown went over the contract from Hight Jackson for the remodel of the Preschool Building. Going forward the district will be able to do dirt and drainage work. An estimate of this summer was given before the final drawings from the architect would be completed.
As a discussion item, Superintendent Brown brought to the Board the rough draft of a new cell phone policy to be implemented. They were provided with a list of what that policy could potentially look like in the future, including times, devices, as well as disciplinary actions. There will be further discussion on this policy.
The board approved the following items:
- Hight Jackson Fort Scott Preschool Contract
The board went into an executive session for personnel matters.
President Stewart adjourned the meeting.
PERSONNEL REPORT – APPROVED EMPLOYMENT
February 12, 2024
RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS/RETIREMENTS:
Bergmann, Mark – Resignation – English Teacher – High School
Crapson, Sydney – Resignation – 1st Grade Teacher – Winfield Scott
Hall, Dakota – Resignation – Assistant Wrestling Coach
Yarick, Gail – Resignation – Business Manager
TRANSFERS/REASSIGNMENTS/LEAVE OF ABSENCE:
For the 2023-24 school year:
Lee, Becky – From Food Service to Full – Time Paraprofessional – Winfield Scott
EMPLOYMENT:
Certified Recommendations for the 2023-24 school year:
Cosens, Jayci – 7th Grade Social Studies – Middle School 2024-25
Hampton, Breanna – 6th Grade ELA – Middle School 2024-25
Hastings, Nicolette – Adaptive Special Education Teacher – High School – 2024-25
Oxholm, Chris – Adaptive Special Education Teacher – High School – 2024-25
Payne, Melissa – 6th Grade ELA – Middle School -2024-25
Classified Recommendations for the 2023-24 school year:
Black, Carla – Part Time Paraprofessional – High School
Claypool, Kaitlyn – Paraprofessional – Eugene Ware
Endicott, Jencyn – Paraprofessional – Winfield Scott
Graham, Jenna – Paraprofessional – Middle School
Uhler, Laurie – Paraprofessional – Middle School
Supplemental Recommendations for the 2023-24 school year:
Jones, Madi – Assistant Track Coach – High School
Myers, Brent – Assistant Track Coach – High School
Robertson, Tom – Head Boys Golf Coach FSHS
The Board moved to extend Administrator Contracts as presented.
Need A Job? FS/Bourbon County Job Fair is February 22
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Carpenter named HBCAT Executive Director
In her first two years at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Rachel Carpenter has helped lead many transformational projects.
From the downtown arch project and park improvements in Fort Scott to the countywide child care coalition, Carpenter has been instrumental in bringing positive, impactful change to Southeast Kansas.
For that work and her leadership throughout Bourbon County, Carpenter has been named the new HBCAT Executive Director.
“We are so proud to have Rachel on our team and now as our Executive Director,” HBCAT President Jody Love said. “She works tirelessly to build wealth and economic stability in all her efforts, recruiting individuals to use our services and working with community health workers on self-sustainability. She is passionate about building healthier, thriving people and communities.
“We believe people deserve access to opportunity. We believe we should have a choice and a say in our own health and welfare. We make that happen through our unique programming, and Rachel is such a wonderful partner in that mission.”
Carpenter, who leads the Local Health Equity Action Team (LHEAT) and Center for Economic Growth, said she is excited for this elevated role at HBCAT.
“I spearhead the LHEAT, which is a coalition that informs the work that we do at HBCAT,” she said. “Our LHEAT has been successful in bringing in free county-wide transportation and launching two laundry programs. The LHEAT received the KDADS Introductory Grant ($30,000) that focuses on building coalition capacity to develop youth drug prevention strategies.”
Carpenter also leads the Bourbon County Childcare (BC3) which is comprised of early childhood professionals and support organizations.
“The BC3 coalition received the Childcare Community Partnership Grant ($48,500) that went toward child care providers to purchase capacity building items, and to bring more in-person training to Bourbon County,” she said.
“I implemented the HBCAT Grant program that awarded a total of $194,000 to 31 businesses in Bourbon County with a capital infusion of $1.5 million,” she said. “The grant program focuses on Farmer/Ranchers, Restaurants/Food Retail, and Minority, Low-Income, or Women Owned Start-Ups. The Center for Economic Growth Program has a success rate of 74.3 percent.
“I love being able to meet people and hear about their goals,” she said. “It is so fulfilling to be able to connect them to resources and opportunities so that they can thrive in Bourbon County”
For more information on HBCAT and its services, visit https://hbcat.org/
FS-Bourbon County Job Fair February 22
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Valu Merchandisers Company (VMC) Fort Scott Closing Operations
January 8, 2024
Due to the completion of the state-of-the-art All-In-One (AIO) Distribution Hub in Hernando, Miss., we will be closing operations at our Valu Merchandisers Company (VMC) facility located in Fort Scott, Kan.
We will transition the majority of VMC Fort Scott’s inventory and shipments to the AIO and expect the transition to be
completed by the end of March 2024.
Our employees at this facility have worked hard and done an excellent job providing retailers with the best variety of quality Health & Beauty Care (HBC), General Merchandise (GM) and Specialty Foods (SF) at the lowest cost to drive sales since the facility was built in 1995.
This was not an easy decision, and we sincerely appreciate
the dedication the employees here have shown.
We are committed to helping all impacted employees through their transition to other opportunities, including potential opportunities within AWG.
Emile Breaux, Senior Vice President, Chief Sales & Support Officer, AWG
ABOUT ASSOCIATED WHOLESALE GROCERS, INC.:
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) is the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned
supermarkets, serving 1,100 member companies and more than 3,400 locations throughout 31 states from 9 wholesale
Divisions.
Emmerson Retires From Long-Term Health Care Career
Lynette Emmerson has been a licensed long-term care administrator in the community for almost thirty years.
“After both of my parents passed away this past year and after becoming a grandparent for the first time, I re-evaluated my priorities,” she said. “With the help of my family, I realized I can look for a career in which I have less pressure and responsibility. I prayed about it and God opened a door. I have the opportunity to spend more time with my growing family, which includes a daughter-in-law, granddaughter, and a future son-in-law.”
As of January 2, 2024, Emmerson will be a new secretary at Fort Scott Middle School.
She has been at Medicalodge, Fort Scott, for the past nine-and-a-half years.
The best part of her job is helping people.
“Whether it is our residents, families, or staff,” she said. “I love to help people find resources. I especially loved hands-on care and spending time with so many residents over the years.”
“The challenges: being responsible for the decisions and actions staff make and working in a job in which I am on-call continuously because in healthcare you are never closed for business.”
Through the decades, there have been changes in long-term care.
Emmerson noted that long-term care residents in nursing homes need a higher level of staffing and experienced nurses than when she first started her career.
“Hospitals are not admitting or keeping people as long anymore so skilled nursing facilities must be prepared to provide that kind of care,” she said.
Another difference, is “Over the years, residents have been referred to us from all over the region from Kansas City to Wichita to Joplin while in the beginning, it was more local- Fort Scott and the surrounding communities.”
“Also, less of the workforce seems to want to work in long-term care so it is very important to recruit and retain staff who love caring for the elderly and individuals who need long-term care,” she said.
Ashley Heathman Is the New Assistant Director at the Beacon
Ashley Heathman, 32, started her new job as assistant director at The Beacon in May 2023.
“The Beacon is a not-for-profit food bank that helps families and individuals facing food insecurity, ” she said. “We also do some financial assistance to help pay utilities and certain necessities.”
“I answer the phones, process The Beacon applications, and help our members find other resources,” she said. “Along with day-to-day activities to keep The Beacon running smoothly.”
She and Beacon Director David Gillen are the only employees of the helping organization.
“The best thing about my career is being able to help families in need and seeing the relief on their faces when they realize you care!” Healthman said. “The most challenging aspect of this position is not being able to do more to help in certain situations, but we do the best we can!”
Heathman is currently in the process of getting an associate’s degree at Fort Scott Community College for business management.
“I have worked in health care most of my life which really prepared me for this position, as opposite as they are, you need a big heart to fulfill the duties in both career paths.”
“The Beacon is always looking for and accepting food donations,” she said. “Seems like winter is the biggest season for food drives but we accept donations year round of in-date food items, hygiene necessities, and women’s feminine products.”
Call 620-223-6869 for more information or visit 525 E 6th St. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday between 9 am and 1 pm.
Timken to Close Operations in Fort Scott In 2025
The Timken LLC Plant at 4505 Campbell Road in Fort Scott’s Industrial Park will close in 2025, according to a press release from Timken Media Relations Spokesman Scott Schroeder.
“Today, we notified employees at our belts facility in Fort Scott, Kan., that we will be gradually winding down operations there and plan to close the plant in 2025,” he said. “While difficult, we’re making this change to streamline our operations and restructure our manufacturing footprint to better compete in a global market.”
“We will provide support to help those employees affected by this change, including on-site counseling, benefits planning and retention and severance pay. We wanted to be transparent and provide as much time as possible so employees can plan for their future,” he said.
“We’re committed to providing at least 60 days notice before an employee’s last day,” he said.
Approximately 155 employees work at Timken’s Fort Scott facility.
Timken engineers and manufactures bearings and industrial motion products…to help global industries operate more efficiently, according to the Timken website.
Employees of Ascension Via Christi in Fort Scott Are Offered Employment Assistance
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FSCC New Nursing Instructor: Sara Holder
Sara Holder is a new nursing instructor at Fort Scott Community College’s Nursing Department. This is Holder’s first semester of teaching.
Her nursing experience includes emergency room, same-day surgery, and a school nurse position.
Holder graduated from William Jewell College in 1999.
She became an educator “through encouragement from friends and family,” she said. “They supported and encouraged me to make a difference in the lives of students in this community.”
“I am Inspired by all the excellent nurses I have worked with over the years,” she said. “I want to teach nursing students to be like them.”
The best part of teaching for her is encouraging students to become safe, compassionate, caring nurses.
The greatest challenge is the transition from expert at the bedside to classroom instructor, she said.
The Fort Scott Community Nursing Department is located at 810 Burke.
The Fort Scott Community College Nursing Department offers students an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing for students who have completed prerequisite courses and four semesters of nursing courses. Graduates are eligible to take the national licensing exam for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN) and to apply for state licensure as a registered nurse. Our program prepares students for beginning staff nursing positions and delivering nursing care to individuals and groups as members of a healthcare team to promote health and wellness.
Holder has been married to Bret for 24 years, and is Mom to Jet, a Marine and sophomore Razorback; and Kate, a freshman Razorback. “Woo Pig!”
In her spare time she enjoys providing hospitality for others, she said. “From our home to our restaurant, Pizza Republic, and this nursing department. I live to serve God, our family and friends, fellow military families, our staff, and nursing students.”
Her hometown is Kansas City, Missouri.
About the Nursing Program
The Fort Scott Community Nursing Department is located at 810 S. Burke.
The Fort Scott Community College Nursing Department offers students an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing for students who have completed prerequisite courses and four semesters of nursing courses, according to the department’s website. Graduates are eligible to take the national licensing exam for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN) and to apply for state licensure as a registered nurse. The program prepares students for beginning staff nursing positions and delivering nursing care to individuals and groups as members of a healthcare team to promote health and wellness.