Wichita School District

There's a food fight going on in North Carolina. A 4-year-old pre-school student was forced to hand over her home-made lunch and forced to eat cafeteria nuggets. The little girl's grandmother had packed her a turkey and cheese sandwich, on multi-grain bread, a banana, potato chips and apple juice.  However, school officials say the lunch didn't meet state guidelines for healthy lunches. School officials declared the lunch unhealthy because it was missing a veggie and milk.  According to The Division of Child Development and Early Education all lunches served in pre-kindergarten programs, including in-home day care centers must consist of one serving of meat, one serving of milk, one serving of grain, and two servings of fruit or vegetables, even if the lunches are brought from home.

Peggy McGinnis is ready for high school football season to start. But at Saturday morning's scrimmage Peggy is just as excited to see the players as she is what they're playing on. "Just kind of a dirt field, pasture," says Peggy McGinnis. That is what the old field at North High School looked like. "The running track that was here, there were big holes in it and so when it rain there were big puddles and you could hardly use it," says Susan Arensman. Now, the only dirt is on the sidelines.

Consultants hired by the Wichita School District recommend 5 of the 61 elementary schools close under proposed boundary changes.  The Boundary Focus Group is getting its first look at the consultants proposal right now. The five schools are: Bryant Lincoln Mueller Payne Woodland The consultants made the recommendations based on...

Update: The Wichita School District says students from College Hill Elementary raised $3,118.34 along with several boxes of school supplies by hosting a lemonade stand last week.  That money will go to help in relief efforst in Joplin, Missouri. ---------- Thank you to all who supported College Hill's lemonade stand to collect school supplies for students in Joplin, MO. They collected $3,118.34 and several boxes of school supplies. Instead of wasting time watching TV or playing at the park, a group of Wichita elementary students take a week to help out fellow students in Joplin, Missouri.

Peanut butter crackers and water.  It's not what many would consider a complete meal.  But that's what some Wichita school students are eating for lunch when they're behind on their meal accounts.  Some parents call it unfair.  But the district says, it can only allow students to charge lunches for so long. In 2009, parents owed 23-thousand-dollars in unpaid lunches. Eight-year-old Shelby can breeze through her math homework.  But there's one problem her mom, Jennifer Burton, can't figure-out.

Test scores at a Wichita elementary school are flagged. The school's principal and testing coordinator are on paid leave.  As we've reported, the Wichita School District is looking into concerns about state assessments at Enterprise Elementary in South Wichita. Sherry Fowler has two sons who attend Enterprise.  She says she is shocked to hear about the investigation at the school. "I would never guess anything like that.  I love Ms. Stead," Fowler says.  "She's a great principal.

Latest Update By Kara Sewell (WICHITA, Kan.) With homemade signs of support, a group of Wichitans wait to make their voices heard. "It seems like every time they cut, they always cut from the bottom up," said Jesse Ingram. The group of Wichita teachers and staff say Saturday's legislative delegation forum was their last chance to hear from lawmakers and tell them to stop making cuts to education. "The community supports education," says Terry Rains. "We do have some concerns and we'd like to have them listen to us and give us some support in Topeka," adds Ingram.

(WICHITA, Kan.) It may be the end of the school day at L'ouverture Elementary, but the lessons aren't over yet. "Don't talk to strangers," said grandparent Gwen Reid. "Don't go up to a car," advises mother Antionette Thompson. "I don't care if you even know the car. " Father Michael Goines said, "They don't need to talk to them at all. People are crazy. " On Wednesday, L'ouveture Elementary School sent students home with a letter, warning parents a man tried to entice some children into his car the day before.

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.

(WICHITA, Kan.) Eighty-nine thousand dollars can pay for two teachers in the Wichita School District. Or, it can pay for USD 259 to join an organization. Monday night, the district, which is in a hiring freeze, chose to do the latter.  It will pay roughly $2 per child enrolled full time in the school district. Wichita schools is now a full member of Schools for Fair Funding.  The coalition of 38 (now 39) Kansas school districts says the state government isn't giving them enough money for education.