Feature Story

Kansas educators and administrators gathered in Wichita on Wednesday, Oct. 23, for the first day of the 2024 Kansas State Department of Education’s Great Ideas in Education Conference: Lighting the Path Forward. 

The conference, scheduled for Oct. 23-25, in Wichita, focuses on the tools necessary to strengthen school improvement efforts to support each Kansas student. Through professional development and networking opportunities, the conference helps educators and school personnel improve policies and strategies to create safe learning environments and quality teaching and learning practices for each student. 

Role model, mentor, dedicated professional. These are just a few words people who know and work with Dorothy Dorman use to describe the winner of the small bus division of the 2025 National School Transportation Association School Bus Driver International Safety Competition. 

“She can drive anything,” Alan Funk, Wichita North Lot location manager for First Student bus transportation company, said of Dorman. “You put her in something yellow and she can drive it.” 

Dorman has been a driver for First Student since 2008, the company that contracts with Wichita Unified School District 259. She was the grand prize winner at the Kansas driving competition in early June in Derby. She followed that up with the first-place win in the small bus category at the international competition in late June in Austin, Texas, which included a written test and a rigorous road course, testing her knowledge and driving skills under pressure.   

There are just a couple of slots open for districts to participate in a special livestream event featuring Ruby Bridges who will be in Topeka on Nov. 14. The civil rights icon will host an in-person “fireside chat” with several area middle and high school students at Washburn University, in Topeka, to celebrate Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.  

There is still time for districts outside of Shawnee, Douglas, Sedgwick, Wyandotte and Johnson counties to participate in the livestream of the event, 11 a.m.-12:45 p.m., on Nov. 14.  

From a young age, Rolanda Root has loved art. In fact, she remembers arriving early to kindergarten and drawing while she waited for her classmates to arrive. 

“Art provides an outlet and peace,” she said. 

Root teaches 2-D art (drawing, painting, etc.) at Pittsburg High School, Pittsburg Unified School District 250. In her fifth year at the school, Root teaches alongside Rebecca Lomshek, who teaches 3-D art (sculptures, ceramics, pottery, etc.) and said their art classes are full.  

“Our enrollment shows (the students) really enjoy the art program also,” Root said.   

Kansas school administrators and staff are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for approximately 500,000 Kansas students. America’s Safe Schools Week, running from Oct. 20-26, 2024, is an opportunity to review or enhance districts’ crisis plans.  

In honor of America’s Safe Schools Week, the Kansas State Department of Education encourages each district to set aside time that week to review key safety responsibilities.