The USD 234 Preschool Round-Up is on May 6th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are currently accepting applications and the qualifications are listed on the flyer. Families may call the Fort Scott Preschool Center at 620-223-8965 for more information. The preschool is located at 409 Judson.
Category Archives: Schools
Raffle to Benefit Uniontown High School Seniors
Uniontown High School Senior Parents are selling raffle tickets for three different items.
There will be a beef raffle where five winners will be drawn.
Each winner will receive 25 pounds of ground beef.
There will also be one winner drawn for a quilt and another winner for a tailgate bench.
Tickets are $1 each or six tickets for $5.
Winners will be drawn on March 27.
You do not have to be present to win.
Proceeds benefit the UHS Send-Off-Senior Event.
Tickets are available from UHS senior parents or you can text or call (620) 704-4248.
U234 Board of Education Minutes of March 7
NEWS RELEASE
Monday, March 7, 2022
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at the Board of Education office on Monday, March 7, 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 – February 18, 2022 – $1,430,277.49
D. Financial Report
E. Activity fund accounts
There was one comment in the public forum section of the meeting.
Written reports were shared by principals. In addition, the board heard reports from Dalaina Smith, Academics Director; Ted Hessong, Superintendent; and Gina Shelton, Finance Director/Board Clerk.
Superintendent Hessong gave an ESSER III update.
Board members approved the following:
· Contract with HTK Architects for options to expand the preschool center
· Pre-funding early retirement recommendation
· Membership in the Greenbush Perkins Consortium
· Boiler repair with CDL
Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss employer-employee negotiations. The board returned to open meeting and then went into executive session for preliminary discussion relating to the acquisition of real property. The board returned to open meeting and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel. The board returned to open meeting and approved the following employment matters:
A. Resignation of Mary Jo Harper, Eugene Ware music teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
B. Resignation of Kristin Duffey, Eugene Ware fifth grade teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
C. Resignation of William Hall, high school math teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
D. Resignation of Carrie Southwell, Eugene Ware third grade teacher on leave of absence, effective March 3, 2022
E. Resignation of Jennifer Hartman, high school English teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
F. Retirement of Jim Pruitt, central office maintenance, effective May 12, 2022
G. Resignation of Judy Warren, Eugene Ware paraprofessional, effective February 24, 2022
H. Resignation of Jennifer Durkin, high school paraprofessional, effective March 11, 2022
I. Leave of absence for Hayden Travis, Winfield Scott second grade teacher
J. Addition of a high school counselor position and a middle school counselor position for the 2022-23 school year
K. Employment of Suzan Durnell as the elementary instructional coach for the 2022-23 school year
L. Employment of Jonathon Barnes as a high school social studies teacher for the 2022-23 school year
M. Employment of Lannette Wood as a high school paraprofessional for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year
N. Employment of Makyah Goldsby as a middle school intramural track coach for the 2021-22 school year
O. Employment of Kathi Hall as a high school assistant softball coach for the 2021-22 school year; A stipend for Dave Martin as a high school assistant swim coach for the 2021-22 school year
P. Addition of a high school assistant boys’ tennis coach for the 2021-22 school year
The board adjourned.
FSHS Talking Tigers: Three National Qualifiers
Submitted by Angella Curran, FSHS Forensic and Debate Teacher
The Fort Scott High School Talking Tigers had five students who broke to the Final House, plus three National Qualifiers!
Competing in Senate:
Lillian Collins – 2nd place National Qualifier!
Kinsley Davis
Finals House:
Shekhar Gugnani-1st
Neil Gugnani -4th
Cadence Tuck
Joy Self
Jase Anderson
Consolation House:
Regen Wells – 4th place
Silvia Moreno
Caroline Barnes (PO House 2 in preliminary round)
2nd Place SWEEPS for the team!!!
Congratulations Talking Tigers!!!
4th Grade All-State Musician Performs
Eugene Ware Elementary 4th grader, Charly Gulager, performed on February 24th with 160 of the best elementary
singers in the state of Kansas.
600 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders auditioned in autumn to be a part of this prestigious ensemble, twelve of them from Eugene Ware.
Charly was selected in December and had just two months to
memorize the music for the performance, requiring her to meet each week outside of class with her music teacher, MJ Harper, and to practice on her own at home.
Students who made All-State Elementary Choir rehearsed from 10 AM until the performance at 6 PM on Thursday, February 24th at the Century II Performance Hall in Wichita, KS.
Of the five pieces of repertoire, Charly said “Dust in the Wind is my favorite, but I also really like Oye!” Charly Gulager also performs with Eugene Ware Youth Choir.
Fort Scott High School Talking Tigers Place 2nd at Coffeyville
The Talking Tigers competed at Cherryvale in Congress and PFD on Friday.
Then on Saturday, they competed at Independence. Six entries qualified for state and placed 2nd in sweeps!!
Congratulations
to the following students for placing in their events!!
Jase Anderson 1st in Novice House
Cadence Tuck 6th and Joy Self 2nd in JV House
Neil Gugnani 2nd in Varsity House
Poetry
Regen Wells 5th
Hi
Joy self 4th
Duo
Jaden Garcia and chad Stell 4th
Regen wells and Anna Laubenstein 2nd*
Oo
Jase Anderson 3rd
Info
Anna Laubenstein 3rd
Neil Gugnani 2nd*
Shekhar Gugnani 1st*
Poi
Lillian Collins 4th
Dx
Jase Anderson 6th
Neil Gugnani 1st*
Fx
Joy Self 5th
Shekhar Gugnani 1st*
Poetry
Regen Wells 5th
Impromptu
Shekhar Gugnani 1st*
*Denotes state qualifier
Go Tigers!
FSHS Talking Tigers Take 2nd Place
On February 18 & 19, Fort Scott High School Talking Tigers competed at Field Kindley Forensics Invitational.
As a team, FSHS placed 2nd in sweepstakes!
In Congress Novice House Joy Self placed 1st and Jase Anderson placed 2nd!
In Congress Varsity House Kinsley Davis placed 5th.
On Saturday in interprertation and speech events the following students placed:
Prose: Kinsley Davis – 2nd (state qualifier)
Poetry: Anna Laubenstein – 6th
HI: Joy Self – 1st, Caroline Barnes – 2nd (BOTH state qualify)
DUO: Joy Self and Caroline Barnes -1st ( state qualify)
Informative: Thade Yates – 6th
POI: Kinsley Davis – 4th, Lillian Collins – 5th
US Extemp: Thade Yates – 2nd (state qualifier)
Foreign Extemp: Joy Self – 3rd
Impromptu: Kinsley Davis – 5th, Lillian Collins – 6th
GO TIGERS!!
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.
Third USD234 School Funding Community Conversation Tomorrow
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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.
Fort Scott High School Thespians Perform Comedy Murder Mystery
The FSHS Thespians perform “An Audition for a Murder,” a comedy murder mystery by Lee Mueller, at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18 and 19 in the FSHS Auditorium.
The production features a community theatre troupe holding auditions for a Murder Mystery called “Death of A Disco Dancer.” All of the typical actors show up to audition, but as they get underway, there’s a bit of a problem with the “script,” it isn’t finished. The playwright arrives in the nick of time with a few more finished pages just as one of the actors mysteriously dies. As luck would have it, an inspector arrives to give advice on the play. Perhaps the investigation into this “mysterious death” will inspire the playwright and help him finish the play. After all, there is a read-through on Monday!
Audience members even get to play a role as they interrogate the suspects and vote on who they think the murderer is.
The production involves a cast of 14 including seniors Christina King and Zaria Byrd; juniors Israel Carreno and Luke Majors; sophomores Casey Gomez, Regen Wells, Jaedyn Lewis, Jericho Jones, and Lizzy Moore; and freshmen Emma Guns, Mykael Lewis, Kaiden Clary, Piper Weeks, and Madison (River) Smith. The play is directed by Thespian sponsor Angie Bin.
“This show is a fun way for our students to interact with the audience and really give our community an immersive theatre experience,” Bin said. “We have had such an enjoyable time rehearsing and I am especially proud of our freshmen making their stage debut in this production.”
Reserved seating tickets are available for $5 from fortscotthighschool.ludus.com or at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
USD234 Board of Ed Meeting Agenda For Feb. 14
USD 234 Board Meeting
February 14, 2022 – 5:30 p.m.
Fort Scott Middle School
- Open the meeting
- Flag Salute
- Consider official agenda
- Consider consent agenda
- Recognize U-Benefit Grant Recipients from OFT Financial, Security Benefit, and KNEA
- Public Forum
- PLC Summit Report
- Principals’ Reports
- Director of Academics Report
- Superintendent’s Report
- Business Manager’s Report
- Consider contracts for Provision of Educational Services
- Consider Memorandum of Understanding with Communities in Schools
- Appoint board member to sit on legal medication claims
- ESSER III Update
- Board member comments
- Executive session – to discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations
- Executive session – to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel
- Consider employment
- Adjourn