Wichita School District

The latest round of budget cuts means Wichita students won't learn to drive at school. USD 259 proposes eliminating driver's education at all of the high schools. The cut would save the district $1.1 million a year, but 14 people would lose their jobs. "It could be the most important class a student might take," said Wichita Driving School owner Mike Johnson. But driver's education is too expensive of a class for the Wichita district to keep around. It plans to eliminate the program in July.

Every school district in Kansas is dealing with drastic budget cuts. On Monday, a state senator from Arkansas City proposed a plan that increases funding by $58 million and guarantees each district more money. But not everyone is backing it. In December, Governor Sam Brownback proposed a new method for school financing. It increased funding to nearly half the districts in the state, but some felt that wasn't enough. "We heard several times from various districts that there were some districts that were getting new added dollars and some district were not getting new added dollars," explains Senator Abrams.

"After Sandy Hook, obviously, that was a huge indicator that we needed to review and evaluate what we're doing," said Debbie McKenna, Executive Director of School Safety with the Wichita School district. Could that re-evaluation include guns for the security guards at Wichita Public Schools?  Unlikely. Starting next month security guards at Emporia Schools will have an extra tool, a gun.  Wichita Schools have also been looking at what they can do to improve security.  But there's one key difference between the two districts.

The Wichita School District is looking for someone to buy an empty school building.  Neighbors living hear the old Mueller Elementary are happy about the possible change. Mueller is one of many buildings the district stopped using this school year because it opened new schools. It has maintained the property, but that hasn't kept unwanted visitors from using it. Neighbors say they've already seen an increase in litter, broken glass and beer cans on the property. The neighborhood hopes the building will be used for something that will add to the area.

The Wichita School District voted unanimously Monday night to set the budget at $606 million for the next school year.  The budget includes $27.8 million in cuts that were announced earlier this spring. The cuts include 235.9 full time positions, including teachers, instructional and operational support and administration. Blackbear Bosin Academy buildign will close and the program will be moved to Jardine, elementary strings music program will be eliminated and start times at all early start schools will be changed to save transportation costs.

The Wichita school board will meet Monday to discuss plans for one of the city's  high schools. The plans are part of the the 2008 bond issue. There are talks to expand southeast high school or build a new one altogether. Some local lawmakers and residents say they'll fight to keep Southeast high school open. "We don't our neighborhoods going backwards, we want our neighborhoods going forward and it's very important that a school that's been a part of this neighborhood for so long, that it stays.

Police arrested a Wichita North High School employee Friday for unlawful sexual relations with a student. A spokesperson for the Wichita school district says it is aware of the charges and will take the appropriate administrative action as far as the case is concerned. The employee has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation. So far, no formal charges have been filed.

A military rocket launcher stolen from a classroom in Wichita's Curtis Middle School has been recovered. Wichita School District spokesperson Susan Arensman says a student took the rocket launcher, which was kept on a shelf in a classroom. Arensman says the rocket launcher was inert. District officials do not know why the teacher had the rocket launcher in the classroom, adding the teacher should not have had the launcher at the school. The district is conducting an investigation into the theft, and into why the teacher had the rocket launcher.

As many as 850 students came to the Sedgwick County Extension Center Thursday to learn more about their environment. It was a special hands-on activity as part of the E.A.R.T.H. program. That's a special program funded through the Environmental Protection Agency where students learn about their environment. During Thursday's program students learned about the weather, water, soil quality, air quality, animals and how each impacts their lives. Among the presenters was Storm Team 12 meterologist Mark Larson.

The Wichita school board will meet Monday to discuss plans for one of the city's  high schools. The plans are part of the the 2008 bond issue. There are talks to expand southeast high school or build a new one altogether. Some local lawmakers and residents say they'll fight to keep Southeast high school open. "We don't our neighborhoods going backwards, we want our neighborhoods going forward and it's very important that a school that's been a part of this neighborhood for so long, that it stays.

A Wichita Heights High School student is arrested for bringing a gun to school. According to the wichita school district, administration officials were looking into a separate incident at the school when they discovered the gun. The district says this was an isolated incident and there were no threats to students or staff. The student will face disciplinary action according to Board of Education policy. A Parentlink message was sent to parents yesterday to inform them of what happened.

Dozens of teenagers, parents and community members attended a town hall meeting on underage drinking Tuesday night.  But this anti-drinking campaign was different from others you may have seen. It was the presence of the teens themselves.  They didn't come as passive recipients of a message.  They were the organizers of the message and they made their voices heard. "I am aware that the problem is wide spread, especially in my community," said Akim Richards, a Sophomore from Maize High School and member of the Wichita Mayor's Youth council.

"After Sandy Hook, obviously, that was a huge indicator that we needed to review and evaluate what we're doing," said Debbie McKenna, Executive Director of School Safety with the Wichita School district. Could that re-evaluation include guns for the security guards at Wichita Public Schools?  Unlikely. Starting next month security guards at Emporia Schools will have an extra tool, a gun.  Wichita Schools have also been looking at what they can do to improve security.  But there's one key difference between the two districts.

The Wichita School District is looking for someone to buy an empty school building.  Neighbors living hear the old Mueller Elementary are happy about the possible change. Mueller is one of many buildings the district stopped using this school year because it opened new schools. It has maintained the property, but that hasn't kept unwanted visitors from using it. Neighbors say they've already seen an increase in litter, broken glass and beer cans on the property. The neighborhood hopes the building will be used for something that will add to the area.

Rachelle Feuillerat spent her lunch hour Monday asking fellow East High students, "Want to sign a pledge card against bullying?" It's a small request, but Rachelle says bullying is a big issue, "I think it's all over the school district, people are experiencing bullying , it's a big problem, it's a big issue everywhere". Rachelle and her group hope to get a thousand cards signed by students pledging not to be bullies, and to report any bullying they see. Rachelle tells us why she's getting involved,  "I feel like it's important to just take a step out and be a part of something that's bigger than myself and make a positive impact on those around me" A positive impact one signature and one ribbon at a time.

A Wichita mother blames a bad bus policy that left her six-year-old daughter home alone.  Now, she wants parents to know about it. At issue here... is at what grade level a child can be dropped-off, without an adult present.  According to the state, there's no set age for when a child can be left at home alone.  It depends on the circumstances.  But the Wichita School District and the mother you are about to meet... have two very different answers. Six-year-old Sydney and her little sister feel safe riding bikes in their close-knit neighborhood.  It was a caring neighbor who called Sydney's mother last week after the first grader was dropped-off here.

A summer camp for youth with developmental disabilities celebrates 25 years. It's called YESS or youth education and summer socialization. It's a program that is run throughout the summer by the ARC of Sedgwick County. They partner up with the Wichita school district as well as the United Way and the Wichita Parks and Recreation Department. Organizers say the program is all about creating learning experiences for the kids. "We develop our social skills by going out and experiencing things in the community," says Kevin Fish, Executive Director of ARC of Sedgwick County.

Wichita teachers protested outside as the Wichita School Board got its first look at next year's budget. Although very few details were presented, Superintendent John Allison says the district is basically “treading water” when it comes to next year's budget. He says lawmakers in Topeka have given school districts very little time to figure out next year's budget so there are a lot of uncertainties right now. There's one thing that stands out in the budget this year and that's teacher salaries.

Every year 1,000 lucky young Americans earn a chance to attend college essentially for free,  all the way through a doctorate if they wish. This year, the Gates Millennium Scholarship fund awarded 10 Kansas seniors, four of them from the Wichita School District.  What is it that makes the district so special?  “I didn't know what it was,” said Joyce Balderas, 2012 Gates Millennium Scholar and West High Valedictorian.  “I just heard the word scholarship and was like, ok.” The Gates Millennium Scholarship is designed for minorities with talent who might otherwise slip through the cracks.  Students like Jacob Chamberlin, of Puerto Rican and African American descent, who graduates from South High School last month.