A lot of student engagement during STREAM Art Day at Walnut
with Wichita City Arts, Emporia Art Center & Emporia State University
Staff Bulletin | February 26, 2015

District News

Google Email Security 
District staff are receiving a lot of emails attempting to collect usernames and passwords. When employees click on the attachments and links, they are actually giving out that information. As a result, the information the employee can access is now available to hackers. 

To increase security, the Technology Department recommends that staff enable a two-step verification process. This adds a second security level to access your accounts. Please talk to the Building Support Tech in your building to learn more about this security measure. 
About 2-Step Verification 

Hopkins Nominations

Now Accepted Online

The Hopkins Award Selection Committee will meet in March to review the nominations received so far. Nominations can be submitted online using this form. 

  • Nominations are accepted at any time.
  • Presentations will be made multiple times a year at recognition events.
  • Recipients will receive $2,000.
Food Service Offers
Boxed Salads for Staff
The Food Service Department now offers ham and chicken salads for staff members at lunch each day. The cost is $2.50. Orders can be placed using this form.

Update W-4 & K-4
The payroll office needs 2015 W-4's and K-4's from all employees by March 1.

Kindergarten 
Pre-Registration
The district will have Kindergarten Pre-registration at 6:30 pm March 30 & 31 and 10 am March 31 at Mary Herbert Education Center. Parents of students who will start kindergarten in August are asked to attend. Students and parents will meet teachers and visit classrooms Aug 17.

Fitness Room Training
The next employee training to use the EHS Fitness Center will be 5:30 pm Monday, March 9, at the fitness center.
Emporia Board of Education

Personnel Report

Appointments

Samuel Barrett
music, Logan Avenue (Aug 15)

Venessa Anderson
paraeducator, USD 251

Lacey Rodriguez
paraeducator, Timmerman

Russell Swanson
science, EMS (Aug 15)

 

Resignations

 

Carmen Rodriguez Vazquez

teacher aide, EMS

 

Kira Markham

PE/health, EHS

 

Retirement

 

Sandra Simmons

paraeducator, EHS

 

Sandra Brooks

library clerk, EHS

 

James Grimmett

bus driver, Transportation Dept


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Emporia Public Schools
1700 W 7th Ave
Emporia, Kansas 66801
 
The Power of One!
Celebrating 
Good Things!
 

Six Candidates for Board

On April  7 Election Ballot

Six candidates for the Emporia Board of Education will be on the April 7 ballot. The board has four seats up for election. Candidates are current board members Susan Brinkman, Mike Helbert and Grant Riles along with ShiloGood, Art Gutierrez and Iona Moore. The ballot also will include candidates for the Emporia City Commission.

The Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters will sponsor a candidate forum for the school board and city commission on Monday, March 23, at Flint Hills Technical College.

 

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Watch for good things happening in USD 253 on the Teaching & Learning Facebook page. Regular reports & photos from classrooms will brighten your day.

Follow news about job postings & education highlights on the Human Resources Facebook and Twitter page.
Emporia Public Schools
Clipboard
Exploring Options 
For School Schedules

The board discussed some new options available for bus schedules that could allow more flexibility in school start and dismissal times. 

Redistricting the elementary boundaries put regular busing at only three of the six neighborhood schools. As a result, the district has the ability to start elementary and secondary schools closer to the same time using the current number of buses. The time adjustment could be accomplished by consolidating elementary and secondary rural bus routes and picking up all rural students at the same time. 

Schedules being considered include an earlier start for elementary schools, at approximately 8 am, with secondary schools starting between 8:15-8:30 am. Dismissal times may range from 3:10-3:30 pm, depending on several variables including length of lunch periods, PLC structure, etc.

This change would ease concerns about the one-hour difference in current elementary and secondary start times, research on teenage sleep patterns, early rural route pickup times (starting at 6:30 am) and the length of the school day especially for elementary students dropped off by parents up to an hour before school starts.

Board members were interested in having more information about possible start/end time scenarios, including how the PLC structure could be continued for teachers. The district administration will gather feedback from staff, parents and students and present a proposal at the March 11 board meeting. All staff will have a chance to give feedback on possible changes to the schedule next week.

Resources for High School Classes
The board approved the purchase of primary resources for Algebra I at EMS and EHS, English Language Arts, AP American Government and AP Psychology at EHS.

Re-employment of Administrators
The board approved a recommendation to extend contracts of current district, building and FHSEC administrators.

Policy Updates
The board approved policy updates in student section J related to student health services and discrimination.

Purchase Used Bus
The board approved the purchase of a used special education bus for $60,800.

Board Reports
FHTC Board of Trustees - Grant Riles reported the technical college is working on a partnership agreement with the Industrial Engineering Technical Program in Lawrence.

Emporia Recreation Commission - Mike Helbert reported fitness center membership at the Rec Center are four times higher now that the new fitness room is open

Community Conversation - Three board members and several staff members were among nearly 100 people who attended the Community Conversation with the Education Commissioner last week.

KSHSAA Elections - The board voted to support Mike Crouch as a candidate for KSHSAA Board of Directors.

Consent Agenda

The board approved

  • A contract with Valu-Net for internet services
  • Addition of Applied Geometry to EHS course offerings