Karla Denny, Director, Communications and Recognition Programs, 785-296-4876
March 14, 2008
For Immediate Release
Highlights of the Kansas State Board of Education’s March Meeting
TOPEKA, March 14, 2008 /The Kansas State Board of Education held its regular monthly board meeting March 11, 2008, in the board room of the Kansas State Department of Education, 120 SE 10th Avenue, Topeka. They met on the morning of Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at the Kansas State School for the Blind, Kansas City, and in the afternoon at the Kansas State School for the Deaf, Olathe, to receive annual reports and to tour the schools. All Board members were present on Tuesday. Nine board members were present on Wednesday, with Ken Willard being absent. Following are highlights of the meeting.
Dr. William Hagerman presented a report to the State Board on the current Charter Schools Project grant which allows ten new petitions to be funded for the 2008 -2009 school year. Thirteen locally approved charter school petitions were reviewed by a committee and scored according to a designated and prescribed rubric. The ten charter school petitions recommended for funding to the State Board were:
- Jefferson West Charter School, Jefferson West USD 340;
- Community Preparatory Junior/Senior High School, Abilene USD 435;
- Ulysses Career Learning Academy, Ulysses USD 214;
- Burrton Technical Trades Charter, Burrton USD 369;
- Service Valley Charter Academy, Oswego USD 504;
- Project Extend, El Dorado USD 490;
- Kansas Career and Technical Charter School, Little River USD 444;
- Humboldt Learning Charter, Humboldt USD 258;
- Insight Schools of Kansas at the Hilltop Education Center, Spring Hill USD 230; and
- White City Charter Middle School, Rural Vista USD 481.
The State Board had the pleasure of hearing from three of the four Kansas administrators who recently received prestigious awards. They shared with the Board what they were doing to build instructional capacity to help all students learn and achieve to high levels. They were also available to respond to Board questions. The administrators honored included:
· Mr. Jim Lentz, superintendent, Augusta USD 402, who was named the 2008 Superintendent of the Year by the Kansas Association of School Administrators;
· Mr. Bruce Krase, principal at Remington Middle School, Remington-Whitewater USD 206, who was named the 2007 Principal of the Year by the Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators; and
· Mrs. Sandra Almos, principal of Edith Scheuerman Elementary School, Garden City USD 257, who was named as the 2007 Kansas Distinguished Principal by the Kansas Association of Elementary School Principals.
Mr. Jim McNiece, principal at Wichita Northwest High School, Wichita USD 259, was unable to attend. He was recently named the 2007 MetLife Principal of the Year by the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals.
Fitting with the State Board’s objective of redesigning the delivery system to meet the changing needs of students, three schools gave presentations highlighting examples of Kansas high schools that are meeting the redesign challenge. Presenters included:
- Mr. Michael Carson, superintendent, Erie USD 101, regarding Erie High School’s building design decisions to support 21st century skills;
- Dr. Shelly Kiblinger, assistant superintendent, Garden City USD 457, regarding the redesign related to their affiliation with High School that Work;
- Mr. Robert Morton, superintendent Coffeyville USD 445, regarding the implementation of career clusters at Field Kindley High School.
The Board also received a paper, prepared by KSDE staff members Dr. Phyllis Clay, Bailey Marstall, Dr. Joycelyn Parish, and Lou Ann Snider, looking at a summary of four high school comprehensive redesign programs. The paper looked at High Schools that Work, Breaking Ranks II—Strategies for Leading High School Reform, Breaking Ranks II—A Statewide Implementation (New Hampshire’s Vision for Redesign), and Redesigning High Schools in 10 Honor States: A Mid-Term Report.
Dr. Tom Foster, as requested at the February Board meeting, presented an updated timeline for multiple activities to implement the career and academic integration initiatives.
Mr. Dale M. Dennis reviewed with the Board the legislative budget recommendations and KSDE budget appeal for fiscal years 2008 and 2009. He also gave a report on the status of education legislation.
The Board approved 10 - 0 the consent agenda and received Board reports.
By a 9-0-1 vote, with Dr. Abrams abstaining, the Board voted to forward the following names to the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) for their nomination for at-large members.
- Charlotte Davis – USD 500 district athletic coordinator; and
- Michelle Kuhns – USD 259 Wichita South High School athletic director
Gary Musselman, executive director of KSHSAA, has also recommended reappointment of Bob Gonzales to a 2-year term. The Association’s Executive Board will confirm the appointments.
The Board acted on a motion for reconsideration of final order revoking a teaching license. By a vote of 10-0, the Board denied the motion for reconsideration.
The State Board approved Board travel by a 10-0 vote.
The Board adjourned to reconvene on Wednesday, March 12, at the Kansas State School for the Blind. They received the annual report from Superintendent Madeleine Burkindine and staff members. Students from the school entertained the Board with a selection of musical numbers from their Spring Concert.
Accessible Arts, a non-profit agency established in 1988 to unlock the arts for children with disabilities and advocate access to the arts, presented two educator awards. Tonya Wahl, a music therapist for the Wyandotte Comprehensive Special Education Cooperative, received the 2007 Educator of the Year in Arts & Disabilities. Sally Bailey, an associate professor, director of graduate studies in theatre, and director of drama therapy at Kansas State University, received the 2007 Award for Distinguished Service in Arts & Disabilities.
After lunch, the Board convened at the Kansas State School for the Deaf in Olathe. They received the school’s annual report from Superintendent Robert A. Maile, toured the early childhood and START program, listened to presentations by students, and received a report on positive behavior support at the Kansas State School for the Deaf.
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