Lynette Jackson, a second-grade teacher at Winfield Scott Elementary School, is retiring after 31 years in education.

“I taught first grade for one year in Shawnee, Oklahoma and thirty years have been with USD 234 as a K-3 teacher and instructional coach,” Jackson said.

Born and raised in Fort Scott, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Education and Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University.

Several factors influenced her to become a teacher.

“One was the relationships I had with my former teachers,” she said. “I have great memories of school because my teachers made school fun and exciting. They also made me feel very secure and important. Although I’ve enjoyed school throughout my lifetime, my elementary years are the most memorable to me. Therefore, I became an elementary teacher.

“In thinking about all the teachers I’ve had from elementary school through college, I must say that the great majority of them had some influence on me, one way or another. I’m reminded of how important it was to be assured at school that I had potential and skills, that I could use in life to be successful. It was very important and with gratitude, I will never forget what they did for me as I was growing up. All my educators impacted my desire to teach and I hope I have repaid the debt to my past teachers that invested in me.”

Jackson believes a  teacher has a mission.

“Being a teacher means being a nurse, counselor, substitute mom or dad, cheerleader, and disciplinarian,” she said. “It is my hope that I have been all these roles for my students over the years. I am flattered when a child says to me, ‘I want to be a teacher just like you.’ Have I given that youngster the best example I could to pattern his or her life and career?”

Jackson has had the privilege to work with colleagues that were past students.

“There is no better honor than working with someone that you once taught,” she said. “To see these students, grow up and have a career in education, is overwhelming. It is my hope they enjoy their careers and have many years in education as much as I have.”

As with all professions, there have been challenges.

“Several challenges I have faced over the years have been balancing the different learning styles of students, technology in the classroom, budget constraints, office politics, and lack of time to collaborate or implement new resources,” she said. “I would urge the community to get behind our schools and become knowledgeable about the educational trends we use at USD234 and become involved with our local school board and legislation.”

Jackson said she is hoping to spend time with her family and “enjoy attending my son’s school events.”

David Brown, 55, was recently hired by USD 234 to be the Fort Scott Middle School Principal.

” My wife and I will be moving back to Fort Scott in June into my childhood home,” Brown said. “I look forward to the opportunity to once again serve my community. Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger.”

Brown is a Fort Scott native.

He is a 1981 Graduate Fort Scott High School, 1982 Graduate Fort Scott Community College, 1985 Graduate Baker University Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and History,  and in 2015  he graduated from  Pittsburg State University with a Master of Science in Educational Leadership.

“I started my teaching career at Raymore-Peculiar High School and after a year I was fortunate to return to Fort Scott and assume a teaching position at Fort Scott Middle School where I taught Math, Civics, and History for 13 years,” Brown said. “I then transferred to the high school teaching history and PE. I coached football, basketball, wrestling, and track at the middle school during my time there and coached football, wrestling, track, and softball at the high school. I was head wrestling coach from 1995 until 2016. In 2016, I became assistant principal at Chanute High School and have been in that position until now.”

Brown’s first love was coaching and to coach is to teach, he said.

“I had siblings who had entered the field of education,” Brown said. “I could see how their influence on students inspired learning. I saw the joy that came over both student and teacher when that spark of learning and success took place. I knew I wanted to have that impact and that experience.”

“I believe every worthy educator has been inspired to teach but seldom is the inspiration singular. We educators are inspired by our own teachers, our family, and our friends. ”

“The joy of being in education is knowing you have a tremendous impact on the future. What we do every day in classrooms directly affects the lives of the children, families, and the community we serve. ”

He believes education is facing a challenging future.

“The children we are teaching today are experiencing access to information at a rate unseen in history,” Brown said. “The skills we provide them with are preparing them for careers and jobs that have yet to be invented. The ten most in-demand jobs today were not even in existence ten years ago. Our challenge is to equip our kids with the tools to achieve their dreams whatever that may be.”

Brown is married to Stacy and has four daughters: Cori, Morgan, Addi, and Riley.

On April, 10 Fort Scott High School Seniors Jenna Grado, Braden Shelton, Tyler Martin, and Shaylee Terry competed in the Kansas Council for Economic Educations “Personal Finance Challenge.”

These students were among 18 other teams competing for the opportunity to represent Kansas at the National Completion in Lincoln Nebraska.

Students had to first complete a preliminary test.  The top 20 teams in Kansas were then invited to Wichita State University to compete in the state championships.  Once at the tournament, students competed in three individual and one team test.

While not qualifying for Nationals, the FSHS team was in the top five teams across the state.

This activity was part of the Personal Finance class taught by Bert Lewis at the High School.

Fort Scott High School Celebrated Theatre in Our Schools Month in March

Fort Scott, KS Apr. 1, 2019— Fort Scott High School celebrated Theatre in Our Schools (TIOS) Month throughout March. The Thespian troupe planned a number of activities for both students and the community and travelled around the state to perform.

The troupe partnered with Fort Scott Community College to host a dinner theatre production of “Prescription Murder” at Ellis Performing Arts Center with all proceeds donated to the FSHS Thespian trip to the International Thespian Festival this summer. Thespian troupe leaders attended the Theatre Education Advocacy Day at the capitol in Topeka on March 11 to meet with Representative Trevor Jacobs and other state student leaders. They entertained the state house with a rendition of “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman with junior Mackenzie Peoples singing in the main ensemble. State Thespian Officers, including junior Mesa Jones from FSHS, presented to the House of Representatives, recognizing the importance of theatre education in our schools.

The Thespian Improv Troupe performed at Comedy City in Kansas City, MO at Operation Show twice in March. FSHS also presented the spring play “The Curious Savage” on the high school stage on March 15 and 16. Additionally, this past weekend, troupe director Angie Bin took Fort Scott Middle School students to the KS Jr. Thespian Festival at Johnson County Community College where they attended workshops and watched an Improv Show by Comedy City. Bin and sophomore Sage Hill led five sessions of a workshop entitled, “Unlocking the Mystery of Immersive Theatre” featuring the script FSHS students wrote for the Fort Scott Haunted Trolley Tours in the fall.

FSHS is the home of ITS Troupe 7365, the nationwide high school drama honorary society planning TIOS activities. TIOS is a chance for students, parents, communities, school boards, and elected officials to become familiar with the benefits of school theatre participation, which include development of the 21^st century skills of communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. 

To see ITS Troupe 7365, and the FSHS drama program in action, come to the next performance, of the Improv Troupe Comedy Night on April 27 at 7 p.m. You can also support the troupe by donating to their annual FSHS Thespian Rummage Sale which takes place on Apr. 19 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Apr. 20 from 8 a.m. until noon on the high school stage (please enter through the NW doors). Donations can be brought to the high school or you may contact Bin for pick-up. The troupe performs their original one-act plays featuring fractured fairy tales on April 29 at 7 p.m. in the HS Auditorium, followed by The Golden Thespie Awards Banquet. Young community members can experience the chance to be a thespian themselves at the Tiger Drama Camp on May 28 through June 7. Registrations are available at Buck Run. More information on all events is available at the Fort Scott High School Thespian Facebook page.

Theatre in Our Schools Month (TIOS) is a grassroots effort to educate everyone about the benefits of having theatre in the schools, and to draw attention to the need for more access to quality programs for all students. The campaign is jointly sponsored nationally by the American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE), the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), and the International Thespian Society (ITS).

For more information about TIOS visit schooltheatre.org/programs/tios and follow
#TIOS19 and #TheatreinOurSchools on social media.

FSHS Thespians visit the capitol for Theatre Education Advocacy Day. Back row (l to r): Ivy Bailey, Carlee Studyvin, Ashanti Green, Sage Hill, Angie Bin. Front (l to r): Trevor Jacobs, Mackenzie Peoples, Christina Ramirez, Wynnter Snyder (PSU student teacher).

FSMS attends the Jr. Thespian Festival: (l to r) Cadence Tuck, Italeigh Harding, Lexi Hill, Kaitlyn Leavell, Sage Hill (FSHS), Elizabeth Moore, Beana Moore.

FSHS Thespian Vice President and State Thespian Office Mesa Jones stands two students to the right of the podium as KS Thespians is recognized in the KS House of Representatives

FSHS Thespian Improv Troupe performs at Operation Show at Comedy City in KCMO. L to R: Devin Stanley, Mason Moore, Christina Ramirez, Anthony Russo, Dominic Cannon, Jo Goodbody.

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FSHS presents “The Curious Savage.” Above (L to R): Addy Labbe, Mary Gladbach, Hunter Adamson. Below ( L to R): Mary Gladbach, Dominic Cannon, Alyx Brooks, Jo Goodbody, Daniela Belcuore, Sage Hill, Karina Kantilal.

Fort Scott Talking Tigers competed at Caney Valley Tuesday March 26. Fort Scott took 1st place in Sweeps!
* indicates state qualifiers
PROSE:
5th – Dalton Womeldorff
POETRY:
6th- Brooklyn Miller
5th – Jonie Antonio
*2nd – Madi Toth *
*1st – Elizabeth Ngatia *
HUMOROUS INTERP:
3rd place – Jade Russell
DRAMATIC INTERP:
*2nd – Hunter Adamson*
DUO:
3rd – Karina Kantilal and Audra McFarland
*2nd – Zoe Self and Hunter Adamson *
ORIGINAL ORATORY:
3rd – Shekhar Gugnani
*2nd – Zoe Self*
* 1st – Elizabeth Ngatia*
DOMESTIC EXTEMP
4th – Dalton Womeldorff
3rd – Mark Adams
FOREIGN EXTEMP
6th – Jade Russell
3rd – Shekhar Gugnani
*1st – Zoe Self *
IMPROMPTU
6th – Jade Ivy Bailey
*2nd – Mark Adams *
*1st – Dalton Womeldorff *

Submitted by Angella Curran.

Monday, March 25, was the national qualifier tournament for student congress. Fort Scott took 10 students in House and 2 in Senate. Eight of the ten moved on to the finals house!
Here are the results: in consolation house Ashton Nave placed 2nd.
In finals house Jonie Antonio placed 8th.
In Senate Jakob Slinkard placed 8th.
AND YOUR NATIONAL QUALIFIERS FOR 2019 NSDA NATIONALS IN TEXAS ARE 
MADI TOTH 1st place in Senate and REBEKAH SWEYKO 1st place in house! Congratulations team on an outstanding day!

Submitted by Angella Curran