Usd

It was a day full of fond memories and sadness at Emerson Elementary school. Former and current students, teachers, and parents got to visit the school one last time before it closes for good. It's a nearly 40-year old program but it was one of the schools USD 259 decided to close during recent re-     districting plans and budget cuts. Those who are familiar with the program say it was more than just a school but a close knit family and say the school board made the wrong decision.

Warren Theatres in Wichita are closing for the night. ----------- McConnell Airforce base flew some of their aircraft out of state in anticipation of Saturday's hail storm. The planes left earlier Saturday and did not say where the aircraft relocated to. They are doing this just as a precaution. ------------ USD 259, Wichita reports tonight's Northwest High School melodrama performance has been postponed due to anticipated weather conditions. Northeast Magnet High School's play performance tonight has been canceled due to anticipated weather conditions.

A former Wichita teacher and coach was arrested for sex crimes against a child.  The man is accused of rape, indecent liberties with a child and electronic solicitation. USD 259 confirms the man worked at Each High from 2004 until 2011.  The suspect no longer lives in the Wichita area. No formal charges have been filed. It's also unclear when the alleged crimes happened and whether they were against a student.

Iola High School, USD 257, and the Hesston School District, USD 460, are being recognized through the 2012 Kansas Schools of Character program. Each has been named a Kansas School of Character by the Kansas State Department of Education and the Character Education Partnership. The program annually recognizes a school and school district that has improved academic achievement, student behavior and school climate as a result of focusing on character education. Schools and districts are required to demonstrate these improvements through a rigorous application process.

USD 259 officials approved $1,422,000 in bonds at Monday night's school board meeting for Chisholm Trail Elementary School. Capital Funds were approved for $96,152. The bond issue passed 7-0. The bond would pay for upgrades including bigger restrooms, new basketball courts and a new FEMA shelter.  "We're most excited about a new safe room. All the students will safely fit in there,” said Principal Tammy Alexander. Chisholm is one of about 90 bond issue projects for the school district.  But some were put on hold because of concerns that once the district paid to build something, it couldn't afford to operate it.  Right now 32 have been “paused” and about 50 are still in progress to the tune of about $320-million.

The superintendent of USD 358 says schools in Oxford are closed today. That's because the bulidings had no power and no heat. The good news is, power was restored just a few hours later.   No word yet on a cause for the outage.

In August, the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office started a new education program for the inmates in the county jail.  The GED program for inmates had been cut during the budget process over the summer. Afterwards, the South Central Kansas Education Service Center asked if it could help. Executive Director Brad Pepper and Diploma Completion Coordinator Sue Noland met with administrators and proposed an alternative to the GED program. The new contract was completed in early November between USD 259 and South Central Kansas Education Service.

For the first time Wednesday, parents can ask questions about changes coming to the Wichita School District, but there are still no details. The district will have to re-draw school boundaries, and some students may have to switch schools. The meeting showed that the process has been pushed back a few weeks. Superintendent John Allison promised parents it would be an open discussion. "Seems like it is early in the process," commented Doug Warren, a parent. "Seems like we don't know much, but hopefully that will change tonight.

The Hutchinson Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved the fiscal year 2012 budget Monday evening. The budget sets the general fund legal maximum spending of just over $29.1 million, more than $813,000 less than the actual 2010-11 budget and below the $30.9 million of 2008-09. State aid for students was cut dramatically for the 2011-12 school year -- $157 per student. With the cut and additional costs for utilities and other unavoidable fixed expenses, the district was looking at a budget gap of $1.4 million.

It won't be long until they're filled with children, but before they hit the road, Kansas state troopers must make sure they're working properly. Thursday troopers inspected 593 First Student buses and vans in Wichita. First Student is the company USD 259 contracts with to provide its bus service. Before they can carry children, troopers must make sure the buses and all the emergency equipment on board is working correctly. Inspectors look at things like lights and emergency exits.