August
2017
From: Dr.
Bob Diepenbrock, Superintendent of Schools USD 331
To: Parents
and Students of USD 331 Kingman-Norwich Schools
Welcome
On behalf
of the Board of Education of USD 331 Kingman-Norwich we welcome
you to a new day in Kansas and public education as five key factors converge to
drive historic changes in the way we educate our children:
The Kansas
State Board of Education has adopted a vision that Kansas will lead the world
in the success of each student through emphasis on kindergarten readiness,
improving graduation and postsecondary achievement rates, individual plans of
study and social/emotional success. The USD 331 Board of Education adopted a
vision that USD 331 will lead the state in the success of each student and is
set to approve changes to the 2017-2018 Strategic Success Plan that reflects
the same emphasis as the Kansas State Board;
The Kansas
legislature enacted a new school funding formula with additional funding
targeted to lower-achieving students;
This year
launches a new accreditation system that shifts from a focus merely on reading
and math tests to a broader view and a new measurement of how students succeed
after high school; and
The State
Board selected 14 schools across seven school districts to lead a redesign of
Kansas schools to help all students succeed.
Educational
attainment results in higher incomes, less poverty and more employment. School
funding puts money into our communities through jobs, salaries and purchases.
After years of neutral or declining funding, Kansas and USD 331
Kingman-Norwich schools can finally begin to restore important
programs and give teachers and staff a salary that exceeds inflation.
We know
what has made Kansas schools and USD 331 successful in the past, and how to
build on that success. We have made decades of improvements in all levels and
have continued, despite funding challenges, to expand programs like early
childhood, career and technical education, Project Lead the Way Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum, virtual and alternative education,
individual plans of study, special education and at-risk programs. Our students
succeed when these efforts, which often require additional staff and funding,
respond to local needs.
The
members of the USD 331 Kingman-Norwich Board, Administration,
Faculty, and staff embrace this new day with optimism and ask for your
support as we work to improve our students’ education and support their
continued success. Furthermore, Kansas
Commissioner of Education, Dr. Randy Watson will be addressing the staff at
their beginning of school in-service at Kingman High School Friday, August 18th
at 10 -11:30 a.m. All parents, students and community members are welcome to
Dr. Watson’s address on the new Kansas vision on education. We hope you can
join the staff on the 18th.
Again, on
behalf of all members of the USD 331 community, welcome to our schools. We want
to work together with you so our students lead the state in success.
Sincerely,
Robert G. Diepenbrock
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