USD 489 is continuing to evaluate the school district’s tight budget, and there has been discussion of future job cuts.  But, Superintendent Dean Katt told Hays Post that he’s confident there’s no need for people to worry about staff reduction, at least for this school year.

“We are going to look at all options.  We’re a long ways from having to make that kind of decision.  I think that we will find money in the budget and if the board will use contingency reserve funds, I’m confident we’ll be able to get through this year without making big cuts.”

Katt added that he and other staff continue to discover significant cost savings from within the district that could provide the needed financial cushion.  He said the district is helping save money by improving man hour utilization, work efficiency, and purchasing practices.  Personnel are also being asked to limit non-essential overtime and expenditures.

The district could also save a great deal of money through energy efficiency, but as Katt pointed out, it takes a significant monetary investment to make the needed changes.  While it may be something that’s looked at more closely in the future, he says the district simply doesn’t have the money to make such an investment at this time.

Another area where the district could save money is by changing the student transportation radius.  Currently, USD 489 is only reimbursed for transporting students that live more than 2.5 miles from school, which means all students living closer than that are being transported at the district’s expense.  Katt emphasized that he’s not suggesting that changing this policy is a good idea, but there is a potential cost savings there.

Katt estimates that the budget for the 2014-2015 school year will be prepared some time mid-January.  At that point, he plans on meeting with principals to determine where any needed funds can be made up.  Until then, he says that people should be aware of how the budget is looking.

“We’re still in the process of going through it.  I don’t want people just to totally panic, but everybody needs to understand that the budget is tight and we’re going to have to do what we can, to be as conservative as we possibly can, until we know exactly what we’re going to have to cut.”

(AP) – The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking a $304,000 fine against Great Lakes Airlines for alleged improper use of de-icing fluid.

The FAA says 19 flights out of Hays, in January 2011, were out of compliance with federal regulations. The problem had to do with the temperature of the de-icing fluid. The fluid was too hot – more than 180 degrees.

The Great Lakes de-icing manual states that de-icing fluid heated to more than 180 degrees can damage aircraft. The fluid is sprayed onto planes to remove ice prior to takeoff.

A spokeswoman for Cheyenne-based Great Lakes did not immediately return a message Wednesday seeking comment.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports Great Lakes averages 12 flights daily from Cheyenne to Sheridan, Denver, Billings, Phoenix, Los Angeles and elsewhere.

The Institute of Applied Technologies at Fort Hays State University is once again helping to spread holiday cheer with the annual Dr. Fred Ruda Toys for Tots project.

Every year the Institute develops and creates toys that are then given to local children who may not otherwise get Christmas presents. The group partners with Teaming Up For Tots who will then distribute the toys.

Dr. Duane Renfrow, Associate Professor of Technology Studies, is leading the effort this year and he said the Production Systems Class helps to design the toys, “Once we brainstorm the ideas, come up with the prototypes, get the toy picked out and then we go through the process of drawing and designing it, then we start looking at the materials that we’re going to need.”

Until the untimely death of Dr. Fred Ruda, Chair of the Technology Studies department at Fort Hays State University, in 2012 Dr. Ruda helped to lead the project and he would make the decision on what toy they would create.

Dr. Renfrow said the project starts with 2×4’s and then a pre-production team will cut out the pieces to make assembly easier. They will also have all of the parts and all of the jigs and fixtures made before hand, so it is easier to drills holes and make cuts.

The group usually designs for 250 toys but Dr. Renfrow said that the number of need children in the area continues to decline and the group planned for 160 toys this year. They make sure that there are no small parts or sharp edges and the toy is safe for children ages three to six.

On the first Saturday in December, every year the group gets together and invites kids of all ages and communities members to come together to help assemble the toys. Children under 12 years old are asked to have adult supervision. The smaller kids are usually parts runners to help gets pieces to where they need to go.

This year’s assembly day is Saturday, December 7^th from 9:00 a.m. to around 12:00 p.m. and for those they start around noon they will have pizza.

Dr. Renforw also added, “We’re really appreciative of the community support that has gone into this. Our businesses have really been good supporters.” And Dr. Renfrow said they hope to continue the project as long as there is a need.

North Central Kansas Technical College (NCK Tech), with campuses in Beloit and Hays, was recently ranked the #7 two-year college in the United States by Create a Career, a leading resource for career information. This is the third national ranking for NCK Tech in 2013, following the #6 ranking by the TheBestSchools.org and the #7 ranking by Bankrate.com announced earlier this year, and the second year of national recognition — the college earned a #5 ranking by CNN Money and was included in the the Aspen Institute’s “Top 10% in the U.S.” in 2012.

Create a Career selected the award-winning two year colleges based on an evaluation of several studies and ratings of two year institutions located throughout the nation. The company considered factors such as student retention rates, percentage of students who graduate or transfer to another school within three years, student-to-faculty ratios, student support, the types of programs provided and the schools’ reputation. In the “The 25 Best Community Colleges in the United States” article, NCK Tech’s graduate placement rate, which averages over 90 percent every year, and the above-average salaries of graduates were identified as key factors in the national ranking. In addition, NCK Tech’s Kansas Institute of Underground Technology, which features a state-of-the-art up-to-date curriculum and hands-on practical training opportunities, was cited as an example of innovative collaboration with the Kansas Department of Commerce and local businesses.

The Create a Career website provides important information about specific occupations, including a realistic career overview, education, certification and license requirements, employment growth outlook, salary information and major employers. The full listing of selected institutions, as well as further information on the Create a Career organization, may be found at: https://createacareer.org/best-community-colleges-united-states/.