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Category Archives: Schools
Outstanding Early Literacy Teacher
Tammy Townsend Honored
Tammy Townsend was recently recognized for outstanding work promoting literacy skills at West Bourbon Elementary School, Uniontown.
As part of National Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, the Kansas Reading Roadmap (KRR) honored a teacher at each of their 58 partner schools across the state. The KRR Outstanding Early Literacy Teacher award recognizes a teacher who contributes significantly to early literacy at their school. Teachers are the heart of the educational process.
KRR asked schools to nominate a teacher who has played a critical role in the school to help students succeed in reading. The 58 nominees were honored by KRR within their respective schools during National Teacher Appreciation Week. Those 58 nominees will be considered by KRR for the statewide Outstanding Early Literacy Teacher of the Year honor, to be awarded at the organization’s state conference in August.
“The Reading Roadmap works with teachers both during and after school,” said Andrew Hysell, KRR Director. “Teachers are essential to helping children read to their fullest capability. Kansas has great teachers, and we want to honor them for the work they do to promote literacy.”
Since 2013, KRR has worked with elementary schools and Boys & Girls Clubs across the state, aligning afterschool, summer and family engagement programs with school data. KRR seeks to ensure all students read at grade level upon entering the fourth grade. KRR is a partnership between local schools, the Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN), and the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF).
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Steinway “Thank You” Concert
There will be a free concert this Sunday for the community to celebrate the restoration of the Fort Scott High School Steinway piano.
The concert will be held Sunday, May 19 at 3 p.m. in the FSHS Auditorium, 1005 S. Main.
“This will feature the newly restored Steinway piano,” FSHS Music Instructor Meredith Reid said. “Performers will include students, alumni, and music teachers. The purpose of the concert is to recognize all of the generous donors who made this project possible.”
“We sent it off February 2018,” Ried said. “It was restored by Mike Dugan of Dugan’s Piano Service located in Nixa, MO.”
Pictures of the project from beginning to end will also be displayed.
The mystery of who donated the prized Steinway to the school has never been solved, Reid said.
Refreshments will be served following the concert.
To learn more about the restoration project:
Steinway Piano Restoration Project Has A Mystery
This will be Reid’s last school year at FSHS, she will be teaching next year in her hometown, Girard.
Community Asked For Input on USD234 Drug Testing Policy
USD 234 will have a community conversation concerning the proposed drug testing policy on May 28th at 10 am and 7 pm in the High School Commons.
Clay Street in Uniontown Closed May 13 Due to Baseball Games
The City of Uniontown has barricaded Clay Street, which runs on the west side of West Bourbon Elementary School, because of baseball games. It will remain barricaded until the end of the games at approximately 5:45 p.m. this evening, May 13.
All fans are asked to enter the games through on the east side of the school, according to Uniontown City Clerk Sally Johnson.
“We apologize for any inconvenience,” Johnson said.
FSHS Thespians Present Pirates! For Tiger Drama Camp May 28-June 7
The Fort Scott High School Thespians host this year’s Tiger Drama Camp on May 28-June 7 at the Fort Scott High School Auditorium. Rehearsals run Monday through Friday from 12:30-4:30 pm with performances at 7 p.m. on June 7 & 8.
Tiger Drama Camp is open to students entering first through ninth grades and has expanded to include a full-scale performance. This year’s play is Pirates! Theodore Thud and the Quest for Weird Beard by Joshua Mikel. Camp is directed by the FSHS Thespians and Director Angie Bin. Students learn acting, movement, and vocal performance skills, culminating in the public performance. Students will each play a role, assist with art projects, and have snacks during the rehearsal process. They should dress comfortably for active stage movement.
Register for Tiger Drama Camp at Buck Run. The registration deadline has been extended to May 20. The fee is $40 which includes a show t-shirt. Parents are asked to attend a meeting at 12:30 p.m. at the first rehearsal on May 28.
On June 7 and 8, doors will open for the performances at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door. The show is produced by special arrangment with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscrips.com).
For more information, contact Angie Bin at 620-719-9622 or [email protected]. Proceeds from Tiger Drama Camp fund activities and trips for the FSHS Thespian Troupe #7365.
Uniontown FFA Livestock Team Named State Champions!
After evaluating eight classes and presenting three sets of oral reasons, the Livestock Judging Team from the Uniontown FFA Chapter was named the State Champion team on Tuesday, May 7th in Manhattan, Kansas. The contest featured 75 schools of all classification levels from across the entire state of Kansas and 296 individual contestants. The team also ranked 1st in Cattle, 1st in Hogs, 2nd in Reasons and 2nd in Sheep and Goats.
Clay Brillhart led the team with a 2nd place individual performance and also tied for the High Individual in Reasons. Additionally, he was 1st in Cattle and 6th in Hogs.
Nick Hathaway came in 6th overall and ranked 8th in Cattle. Haydon Schaaf was 9th overall and placed 7th in Hogs. Makenzee Franklin was also on the team.
The livestock judging contest at the Kansas FFA State Career Development Events is considered the most prestigious contest among the many that take place in Manhattan, Kansas every May. Winning the contest qualifies the team to be the sole representative of Kansas at the 2019 National FFA Livestock Judging contest held in Indianapolis, Indiana in mid-October.
The team is coached by Uniontown FFA Advisor Scott Sutton.
Josh Regan: New St. Mary’s Principal
Josh Regan, 39, is the new principal of St. Mary’s Catholic School.
A Fort Scottian, Regan comes with 11 years in education as a teacher, this will be his first administration job.
He received his BSEd from the University of Kansas, and Masters in Educational Leadership from Pittsburg State University
Regan starts July 1 in the new position.
What will be the first priority to you as principal?
“St. Mary’s already has a great reputation as an excellent school with an awesome staff,” Regan said. “Krista Gorman has done an incredible job as principal. My first priority is to learn as much as possible from her, and she has been great about offering to teach me. I also want to learn from the staff and faculty in terms of what works and what I can do to help them. Beyond that, my priority is to form disciples of Jesus Christ. There are many levels to that mission, especially in an educational setting. I plan to model and practice my faith both in front of and with the kids, and again this is something that I know Krista has done for a long time as well. I am incredibly excited especially about that part of the job.”
How did you become an educator?
“I decided to become an educator after my father, David Regan, passed away fifteen years ago,” he said. ” In the days surrounding his accident, hospitalization, death, and funeral my brothers and I were flooded with stories from students and athletes that he had, about how he had inspired them in countless ways. I started to realize how powerful that was, and I wanted to have the same impact on young people. In all honesty, I suppose I can also admit that deep down, I wanted to make my Dad proud- as any son does. So at that point, I went back to school and started this journey in education. I am so glad that I did. There is no better job in the world.”
Is there someone who inspired you to teach?
“Besides my father- Ken Klassen and Ron Klassen, Chad McKinnis and Bob Campbell.”
What is the best part of education for you?
“Relationships that are formed with the young people that I teach and coach,” Regan said. “What we teach in the classroom as far as content is important and certainly has its place, but it’s really secondary to being a positive force in a young person’s life. That is what I live for. The greatest teachers in my life showed me how to be a man as much as they taught me chemistry or Latin. I can only pray and hope that the things I do every day push my students and athletes in a positive direction, and pray for forgiveness for those moments when I have fallen short.”
Regan is married to Nikki and has three children- Elliana (9), Myla (7), David (5).
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St. Martin’s Academy April Newsletter
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Christian Heights Country Store May 4
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Car Wash Fundraiser April 20 For FSHS Golf
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Teacher Lynette Jackson Retires After 31 Years
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.”