Student and teachers attend national band and conference

Submitted by KES Music Teacher, Pat Dixon

The National Association for Music Educators National conference was held in Nashville, TN October 26-29, 2014.  Kingman High School Junior Patrick Orr was selected to perform in the National Honor Band.  To be eligible to perform in this elite group, Patrick first auditioned and performed his bassoon in the South Central Kansas District band and the Kansas Music Educators Association All-State Band. Patrick was one of 155 Band members and one of only five bassoonists in the National Band.  

Two Kingman music teachers, Roger Wilson and Patricia Dixon, were the official sponsors for Patrick.  Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Dixon attended 4 days of sessions, performances, speeches and concerts.

What Parents Need to Know about Enterovirus D68

The following was sent to superintendents from the United States Department of Education and Kansas State Department of Education. The source is the Center for Disease Control.

Every year, millions of children in the United States catch enteroviruses that can cause coughing, sneezing, and fever. This year, the enterovirus that is most commonly causing respiratory illness in children across the country is enterovirus-D68 (EV-D68). Take basic steps to keep your child from getting and spreading EV-D68.

Infections with enteroviruses are usually common in the United States during summer and fall. This year, beginning in mid-August, states started seeing more children in hospitals with severe respiratory illness caused by EV-D68. Since then, CDC and states have been doing more testing, and have found that EV-D68 is making people sick in almost all states. Most of the cases have been among children. EV-D68 is not new, but it hasn't been as common in the past. While this has been a big year for EV-D68 infections, CDC expects the number of cases to taper off by late fall.

Children are at higher risk for EV-D68

Infants, children, and teenagers are at higher risk than adults for getting infected and sick with enteroviruses like EV-D68. That's because they have not been exposed to these types of viruses before, and they do not yet have immunity (protection) built up to fight the disease. If your child has asthma, he or she may be at greater risk for severe respiratory illness from EV-D68.

Know the signs of symptoms of EV-D68

EV-D68 can cause mild to severe respiratory illness.

• Mild symptoms may include fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough, and body and muscle aches.
• Severe symptoms may include wheezing and difficulty breathing.

Call your child's doctor if he or she is having difficulty breathing, if you feel you are unable to control symptoms, or if symptoms are getting worse. If your child develops severe illness, he or she may need to be hospitalized.

Washing hands correctly is the most important thing you can do to stay healthy.

Follow these steps to protect your children from EV-D68 & other viruses.

Children with asthma are particularly at risk for severe symptoms from EV-D68 infection.

Help protect your family from EV-D68

To help avoid catching and spreading EV-D68, parents and children should always follow basic steps to stay healthy.

• Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. Washing hands correctly is the most important thing you can do to stay healthy. See Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact, such as kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils, with people who are sick.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or shirt sleeve, not your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
• Stay home when you are sick and keep sick children out of school.

EV-D68 treatment

There is no specific treatment for EV-D68. Talk to your child's doctor about the best way to control his or her symptoms.

If your child has asthma

Children with asthma are particularly at risk for severe symptoms from EV-D68 infection. Therefore, if your child has asthma, take some steps to prepare in case he or she catches EV-D68. CDC recommends you do the following to help maintain control of your child's asthma during this time:

• Discuss and update your child's asthma action plan with his or her doctor.
• Make sure your child takes his or her prescribed asthma medications as directed, especially long-term control medication(s).
• Make sure your child knows to keep asthma reliever medication with him or her or has access to it at all times.
• Get your child a flu vaccine, since flu and other respiratory infections can trigger an asthma attack. SeeVaccination: Who Should Do It, Who Should Not and Who Should Take Precautions
• If your child develops new or worsening asthma symptoms, follow the steps of his or her asthma action plan. If symptoms do not go away, call your child's doctor right away.
• Make sure caregiver(s) and/or teacher(s) are aware of the child's condition, and that they know how to help if the child experiences any symptoms related to asthma.
• Call your child's doctor if he or she is having difficulty breathing, if you feel you are unable to control symptoms, or if symptoms are getting worse.

Voter Registration

The deadline to register to vote in the general election is Tuesday, October 14

Return completed applications to your county election office by the close of business or register to vote online with a valid Kansas driver's license or nondriver's identification card and a pdf of your citizenship document by the 11:59 p.m. Exercise your right to vote in this upcoming election.

Please don't pass a stopped bus!

Reposted from the Kansas State Department of Education 

August 21, 2014

For Immediate Release

  

2014 survey shows motorists continue to pass stopped school buses

Kansas, one of 29 states participating in survey

TOPEKA – The National Association of State Directors for Pupil Transportation Services recently released the results of its annual survey of illegal passing of school buses. Kansas was one of 29 states to participate in a one-day survey of school bus drivers who were asked to report the number of times motorists passed school buses illegally. More than 97,000 school bus drivers reported a combined total of 75,966 vehicles passed their buses in a single day. Throughout a 180-day school year, these sample results point to more than 13 million violations by private motorists.

In Kansas, 2,221 school bus drivers reported a total of 798 instances of motorists illegally passing school buses in a single day. “With schools back in session and kids getting on and off buses, it is even more critical for drivers to slow down, be vigilant and follow the law,” said Keith Dreiling, Kansas State Department of Education School Bus Safety Director. “Motorists should never pass a school bus with its stop sign engaged and lights flashing. It only takes a split second to make a bad decision that could change lives forever.”

School bus drivers activate the warning lights (amber lights) prior to activating the red flashing lights and stop arm, allowing drivers time to slow down and stop. Drivers are not to proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the flashing red lights and the stop signal arm are no longer actuated. The public should be aware that anytime they see a school bus with its warning system activated they are in close proximity of school children. Under Kansas statute (K.S.A. 8-1556) drivers who choose to disregard school bus warning systems may be subject to a $315 fine plus court costs, which range from $108-$110.

2014 survey results are available at: http://www.ksde.org/Agency/FiscalandAdministrativeServices/SchoolFinance/SchoolBusSafety/SchoolBusSafetyIllegalPassingInfromation.aspx.

Keep Your Kids Safe Online This Summer

The following comes from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

June 2014 Bulletin

Focus on Internet Safety This June

With kids out of school for the summer, it’s easy for parents and kids to shift their focus from education to fun. Parents want to make sure their kids are having fun and staying safe at the same time, and this should apply to all activities, from riding bikes to swimming to being online. Summer means kids will have more free time, which may mean more time on the computer. June is National Internet Safety Month, a time to reflect on our current online behavior and commit to being more responsible and safe online.

This June, the Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign encourages parents and educators to start an Internet safety dialogue with their children and students. Topics can include:

· How to practice online safety every day. Discuss clicking on links, talking to strangers, setting strong passwords, and how to avoid sharing too much personal information online.

· Being a good online citizen. Explain the importance of treating others online with respect and avoid saying or writing things online that you would not say in person.

· When to report suspicious people or activity. Encourage kids to talk to trusted adults when someone online is making them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Parents can take steps to ensure that the Internet is safer for their kids by setting up appropriate firewalls and safe searches and monitoring their kids’ Internet use. For more resources on how help your kids practice online safety, review Stop.Think.Connect.’s Resources for Parents and Educators, which includes a booklet on how to chat with your kids about being online.

The Price of Success

This will be a short blog. One of my principals, Mr. Morrow shared a great link to a great story I believe should be spread around. Whether you are a KU fan (Rock Chalk - I am) or K-State (I still like them though I kid the die-hard fans) or the WSU Shockers (I'm an alum, so of course I'm a fan), you'll have to love the attached link about one of the Shockers. It demonstrates the price of success, the hard work it takes to achieve it, and the love of our parents, step-parents, and coaches that may drive us crazy, but some day we appreciate.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1980324-how-fred-vanvleets-stepdad-made-him-the-perfect-point-guard-for-wichita-state

Facts About Funding

As we are about to enter yet another legislative session, there will be much rhetoric and misinformation regarding school funding, services, etc. USD 331 contracted with Southwest Plains Regional Service Center following the Kansas Learning Network (KLN) evaluation of the schools after the district was placed “on improvement” prior to the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. USD 331 has not been “on improvement” status for two years now.

The improvement process was begun when district special needs students were not scoring at adequate levels on assessments. KLN findings included recommendations of evaluating and improving curriculum, hiring a district level curriculum director, development and implementation of walk-through observations, improvement of instruction and further integrating technology. These were just a few of the recommendations that have been developed and implemented or are under the implementation process. Completing these initiatives has been especially difficult since the deepest cuts in educational funding occurred at nearly the same time. However, several new curriculum adoptions have occurred and a curriculum leadership team has begun the process of writing the curriculum for all grade levels and subject areas. The walk-through staff observation tool was adopted and been modified to reflect best practices and research-based instructional techniques. As a result, along with changes in educational policies, neither the district nor any of its buildings are currently “on improvement” status by the state department of education.

The bar has been set higher again with the adoption of Kansas College and Career Readiness standards. Annually, the Board of Education has adopted and revised a strategic success plan to emphasize improvement goals for the district schools that includes meeting or exceeding standards. Professional learning is the key way improvements can be attained in instruction, curriculum development and preparation of our kids for their post secondary education and future careers. This is a difficult challenge when school funding is limited while all costs of educating our students increase. Furthermore, with reduced state aid, local property taxes continue to rise. Though USD 331 was able to keep the tax levy stable, it would have been lower if the state legislature met its legal obligation of funding the current school budget formula. In USD 331, since the state is not fully funding its legal equalization share of the local option budget, the property tax mill levy is 2.57 mills. Simply put, local taxpayers could be paying 2.57 mills less. State equalization is not funded at all with regard to capital outlay that also costs the local taxpayers and the base aid per pupil funding law is supposed to be $4492. We received $3838 this school year.

The CEO and consultants of Southwest Plains Regional Service Center, along with a subcommittee of superintendents, developed the attached “K-12 Education Funding – The Clear Facts.”  As you review the document, I trust you will find the vision is clear and it is powerful. If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact me. We need all of your support to continue helping improve student learning opportunities. Every one of us benefits.

Thank you and best wishes for a wonderful new year!