Category Archives: Schools

Fort Scott, Schools

FSHS to Host Royal Tea for Young Princes and Princesses

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Local children will enjoy a Royal Tea with their favorite fairy tale characters from 4 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the Fort Scott High School Commons.

 

Young princes and princesses can play Highland games with Merida, sip tea with the Queen of Hearts and Alice, decorate cookies with Cinderella and her evil stepsisters, or sing their favorite royal songs with Belle. They can also create shell necklaces and fish with Ariel and Prince Eric, create flower crowns or don a beard with Snow White and Prince Charming, and show their creativity with Princess Leia. These and many other royal fairy tale characters are portrayed by FSHS Thespians.

 

Children must be accompanied by an adult for the event and are encouraged to dress in their own royal attire. Admission is $10 per child and each can receive a $2 discount by donating a non-perishable food item for the annual Thespian Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat service project. Admission includes all snacks, games, crafts, and activities with each royal character.

 

For more information, please see the Fort Scott High School Thespians Facebook page or contact FSHS Thespian Director Angie Bin at 620-719-9622 or [email protected].

 

Bourbon County, Schools

Bourbon County Schools See Enrollment Increase

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September 20 is the headcount date for Kansas school districts.

The enrollment of a district is the number of students regularly enrolled at the district on September 20 of the preceding school year, according to the website: http://kslegislature.org/li/b2017_18/measures/documents/summary_sb_19_2017.pdf

Bourbon County public schools have noted an increase in enrollment, which means an increase in funding.

Fort Scott Community College President Alysia Johnston.
 

 

 

 

 
Fort Scott Community College

Fort Scott Community College enrollment is up around 1,000 credit hours from last year at this time, President Alysia Johnston said.  “15 credit hours (per semester) is considered full time.”

“We also report numbers based on Full-Time Equivalency (FTE); therefore, the 1,000 credit hour increase would be an FTE increase of 66,” Johnston said.

How does the increase in students benefit the school?

“It is hard to give you an exact dollar amount – as I’m not sure how many of the 1000 credit hour increase we would have provided tuition scholarships for; and if the credit hours were generated from in-district, out-district, or out of state,” Johnston said. “If I assume that 50% of the hours we gave scholarships for , and they were all in-district, it would be approximately an increase of around $80,000.”

“Our enrollment is up due to the great work our faculty and staff at FSCC do to ensure we meet the needs of our students and community,” she said. ” Their dedication, expertise in their area, and devotion to quality is reflected in our increased enrollment. Our focus is not just on growing enrollment, but maintaining and improving excellence in our programs and meeting student needs so they can be successful and reach their goals.”

USD 235

Bret Howard, superintendent of USD 235, Uniontown.

The Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) for Uniontown is 451 with enrollment of 458 students, Bret Howard, superintendent for USD 235 said.

“Unofficially we are up 6 (from last year),” Howard said. “We will still be audited by the Kansas State Department of Education and numbers can change slightly. Nothing is ever “official” until after the audit.”

“A school district receives $4,165 for each full-time equivalent (FTE),” Howard said. ” All Kindergarten through 12th-grade students are 1.0 FTE. A Pre-K student is funded at .5 FTE per student and each district has a cap determined by the KSDE. We are funded with 14 Pre-K slots or 7 FTE in Uniontown USD 235.”

“A district also receives weighted funding for At-Risk Students, Students on Free Lunch, Students who ride district provided transportation to and from school, etc,” Howard said. “A district budget has many different factors that make it up.”

USD 234

USD 234 Assistant Superintendent Nicki Traul.

The enrollment has also increased at USD 234, said Assistant Superintendent Nicki Traul.

Fort Scott Schools have seen an increase of 27 students from last school year.

In 2018-19 there are 1934 students, in 2017-18 there were 1907 students and in 2016-17 there were 1890 students, she stated.

 

 

 

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Fort Scott, Schools

Fort Scott Debate and Speech Students Place First At PHS

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Fort Scott High School Debate/Speech students September 2018.
Congratulations to Fort Scott Talking Tigers for taking 1st place in Sweeps at Pittsburg High School this weekend.
In the open division, Dalton Womeldorff and Madi Toth placed 1st with a 5-0 record, Zoe Self and Elizabeth Ngatia placed 2nd with a 5-0 record and Chloe Studyvin and Rebecca Sweyko placed 3rd with a 5-0 record.
In the JV division, Shekhar and Neil Gugnani placed 5th with a 2-3 record and Ash Nave and Jade Russell placed 6th with a 2-3 record.
Novices did not place as individual teams, but they all did an outstanding job at contributing to the team sweeps!

 

Submitted by Angella Curran, FSHS debate/speech teacher
Fort Scott, Schools

Kemmerer Selected For A National History Day Partnership Program

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FORT SCOTT TEACHER SELECTED FOR WORLD WAR I PROGRAM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mrs. Angie Kemmerer, a teacher at Fort Scott Middle School and Fort Scott High School in Fort Scott, Kansas is one of 114 teachers selected for a National History Day® program titled Legacies of World War I.

The program is a partnership between the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and National History Day.

Kemmerer will participate in webinars and discussions while learning about World War I with teachers from around the world.

As one of the selected teachers, Kemmerer receives free tuition, graduate credits, and materials for the online program.

Each of the 57 National History Day affiliates could choose two teachers for this honor and the National History Day program in Kansas selected Mrs. Kemmerer.

“As part of the commemoration of the centennial of The Great War, National History Day is proud to partner with the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission to help teachers delve into the history of this global event,” said National History Day Executive Director
Dr. Cathy Gorn. “Kemmerer will learn about specific aspects of the war she can take back to the classroom to ensure this piece of global history is not forgotten.”

This program is part of an educational partnership with the WWI Commission, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, National History Day, and the National World War I Museum and Memorial. This new educational partnership will educate both teachers and school students about World War I through a series of more than 100 teaching events nationwide. More Information about the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission can be found here: www.ww1cc.org.

About National History Day (NHD): NHD is a non-profit organization based in College Park that seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history. The National History Day
Contest was established in 1974 and currently engages more than half a million students in conducting original research on historical topics of interest. Students present their research as a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website. Projects compete first at the local and affiliate levels, where the top entries are invited to the National Contest at the University of Maryland at College Park. NHD is sponsored in part by HISTORY®, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Park Service, and Southwest Airlines. For more information, visit nhd.org.

Bourbon County, Schools

USD 235 Fitness Center: Students-Yes…Community Use In Question

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Uniontown High School 2018. The fitness center windows are the far right in this photo.

The great news is USD 235 students will soon get to use their new fitness equipment provided by a recent grant.

When the grant was first received, the school administration thought the community could also make use of the school’s new equipment.

But insurance liability issues are putting a stumbling block in community use, USD 235 Superintendent Bret Howard said.

Until the insurance issues are resolved, the community won’t be using the equipment, Howard said.

Howard hopes to hear back from the insurance company by the next school board meeting, Oct. 8, he said.

The board meets the second Monday of each month.

Governor Jeff Colyer and Jake Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils, in May 2018, announced three Kansas schools were selected to receive a DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center, each valued at $100.000.

USD 235 was one of the three schools.

Howard said it is his understanding that the other Kansas schools that received the fitness equipment from this grant program are not making it available to the community.

 The site for the fitness center is the former school library at the junior high school.

Installation was Labor Day weekend and a  ribbon cutting will take place Oct. 11 at 8:30 a.m. at West Bourbon Elementary School,  Howard said.

For more information see the previous story:

Uniontown School District Receives $100,000 Grant For Fitness Center

 

 

Fort Scott, Schools

Photos From the FSHS Volleyball Games Sept. 4 by Brian Wade

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The Fort Scott Tigers Volleyball Team played Anderson County and Nevada, Mo. on September 4.

Scores for Anderson County (25-13, 25-10) W
Scores for Nevada (21-25, 19-25) L
They are scheduled this week to play Independence and Coffeyville on Tuesday at Independence.
“We do not have games Thursday but we do have a tournament in Erie this Saturday,” Jenna Campbell, FSHS Volleyball Coach, said.
Click below to see all the photos submitted by Brian Wade:
Fort Scott, Schools

James Wood Selected For USD 234 School Board

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Facebook photo.
James Wood was selected to fill Position 1  by the USD 234 School Board on Monday, August 27.
“There were two community members who submitted letters of interest that qualified to fill Position 1,” USD Superintendent Ted Hessong said. ” The other person was Jeff Madison.  At the special board meeting held at the district office on Monday, Mr. Wood and Mr. Madison were interviewed by the sitting board in an open session.  At the conclusion of the interview, a motion and a second were made to appoint Mr. Wood and the board voted him in to fill the position 6-0.”
This vacant position was open because of the resignation of Vanessa Poyner, earlier this year.
“Mr. Wood will begin filling Position 1 at the September 10th USD 234 School Board meeting,” Hessong said.
Wood, 43,  grew up in Fort Scott, graduating from Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community Collge, then joined the Marine Corps for four years, he said.
He is the manager of the Holmtown Pub, 206 N. National Avenue.
His community involvement:
“I organize a Christmas party every year for foster kids and their families,” Wood said. “I play Santa.”
He is also a member of the Fort Scott Middle School VIP group and has helped with the Good Neighbor Action Team, The Sharing Bucket and the Wreaths Across America groups, he said.
Wood is a widower with a son in 7th grade at Fort Scott Middle School.
“I am honored and excited to be a part of the school board and staff to make a difference in the community,” Wood said.
Fort Scott, Schools

Nicki Traul: New Assistant Superintendent at USD 234

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Nicki Traul is the new assistant superintendent at USD 234.

The former director of curriculum and instruction has taken on new duties in the Fort Scott School District.

Nicki Traul is now the assistant superintendent at USD 234.

“Mrs. Traul will continue to lead in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment,” Superintendent Ted Hessong said.  “She will also continue to oversee the preschool with the assistance of a lead teacher at the preschool. She will now be the lead for our special education department as well as the go-to person for the elementary principals, because of her elementary background.”

When Hessong came to the superintendency this year, he saw that Traul was doing the duties of an assistant superintendent.

“In my review of the district to prepare myself for my transition to USD 234,” he said.  “I decided Mrs. Traul was doing the duties of an assistant superintendent and we needed to designate her with this title to put in her a true role as an administrator for the district.”

“I am excited about the new opportunity and am looking forward to working with Mr. Hessong,” Traul said.

USD 234 enrollment finalization is this week, Hessong said.

 “There was an issue with our online enrollment system,” Hessong said. ” It is my understanding the system became overwhelmed because several of the districts across the country who use this online enrollment system were enrolling on the same day.”
Fort Scott, Schools

Fort Scott High School Auditions for Musical “Bright Star”

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Fort Scott High School.

 

Fort Scott High School is proud to announce auditions for the regional premiere of the new musical “Bright Star.”

Auditions are from 6:30 to 9 p.m. either Monday, Aug. 27 or Wednesday, Aug. 29 at the high school auditorium. Students only need to attend one night, but need to plan to stay for the entire time period.

“Inspired by a real event and featuring the Grammy-nominated score by Steven Martin and Edie Brickell, Broadway’s Bright Star tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ’40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past – and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. Propelled by an ensemble of onstage musicians and dancers, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion, beautiful melodies and powerfully moving performances. An uplifting theatrical journey that holds you tight in its grasp, Bright Star is as refreshingly genuine as it is daringly hopeful,” according to publisher Theatrical Rights Worldwide.

The show is open to current FSHS students and rehearsals are Monday-Thursday from 6:30-9 p.m. The performances are Nov. 6, 8, and 10.

Students who wish to audition for a lead solo role should prepare as follows: females will sing a portion of “If You Knew My Story” and males will sing “Bright Star” from the show. Links to karaoke tracks and piano accompaniment for the songs can be found at the “Fort Scott High School Thespians” Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FSHSThespians/?ref=bookmarks and the “Fort Scott Choirs” website at www.fortscottchoirs.com.

The show is directed by FSHS Drama Director Angie Bin and FSHS Choral Director Meredith Reid and choreographed by Delynn Abati, assistant to the FSHS Dance Team.

For more information, please contact Angie Bin at [email protected] or 620-719-9622.

Bourbon County, Schools

St. Martin’s Academy Starts Inaugural Year Sept. 4

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Theotokos Hall is being built at St. Martin’s Academy, southwest of Fort Scott.

A new Catholic boys boarding school organization is transforming a brushy hillside just east of Lake Fort Scott into a campus.

Theotokos Hall is the first building being built at St. Martin’s Academy, on Indian Road, near Lake Fort Scott.

Completion of the hall is slated for late fall or early winter, Daniel Kerr, president of St. Martin’s Academy, said.

The original completion date was this month.

“School begins Sept. 4 and … we’ll spend the first eight- days on an outdoor expedition near Moab, Utah,”  he said.

“In the meantime, we’ll bunk at the former Levine Mansion in Fort Scott, a massive Victorian beauty built in 1884 and a more than suitable Plan B to start the year,” he said in information provided to FortScott.Biz.

There will be a faculty of 12, with four “house fathers” living on campus with the boys to provide residential supervision, Kerr said.

“Enrollment has exceeded our every expectation as we have maxed out our first year capacity of 20 students and now have a growing waiting list. God is good!” Kerr said.

Workmen are completing the shell of the building.

“We will have met personally with every student as part of the application process and can confidently say these are young men of exceptional character from wonderful families,” Kerr said.

“We’ll be welcoming students from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina and California.”

 

The inside of Theotokos Hall as of August 2018.

The Moab, Utah trip will be led by Residential Dean, Travis Dziad in conjunction with COR Expeditions.

The group will canoe, rock-climb, and hike for the first days of the school year.

” We think this will be a great way for our new students to form friendships (the best anecdote to home-sickness) while setting the proper tone for a year in which God’s creation, not pop culture, is our frame of reference,” Kerr said.

 

 

 

Fort Scott, Schools

Mark Spore: New Fort Scott High School Science Teacher

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This is part of a series featuring new teachers in our community.
Mark Spore is the new Fort Scott High School Science Teacher.
Name: Mark Spore
Title: Science Teacher
Education: BSE from Emporia State
Experience: 21 years in Education
Age: 47
Family: Married with 3 sons
Why did you choose education as a career?
I believe Education is one of the most important occupations there is and I want to help kids pursue their dreams and reach their full potential.
What is first in priorities for this new position?
I want to get to know my students and provide a safe, positive learning environment that is both challenging and rewarding.