The cycle has placed us back at the exciting time of preparing for the beginning of school. Stress and anxiety is certainly part of the whole experience. It is amazing how complicated the process is if you allow yourself a wider view of what is happening at this time of the year. We can be so frantic about our own list of things that must be completed, that we do not even consider all that is being done by others around us. The real picture is truly amazing!
There is so much being accomplished in such a short time. Parents are acquiring clothes and supplies for their children as best as they can with the information at hand. The stressful procedure of enrollment effects parents, students, and staff in varied ways. The technology department is trying to organize the most effective way to get hundreds of computers into the hands of learners with minimizing the chance of problems popping up soon after they are distributed. The custodial and maintenance department is working diligently to accomplish the tasks on the always growing list of things to do. Teachers are working to be ready or at least as ready as possible, for the new students that walk into their classroom. So much information has to be managed by office staff within the buildings and at the district level.
It is a wonderful time of the year! Growth is not a clean and painless process. That applies as well to the learning process for our children. There are so very many people trying in their own way to provide a great experience for all children within this community. Please try to pull back just a little and recognize the many and varied efforts being contributed to offer an education for our Hays children. At that point, it is so much easier to understand the merit of our school district’s slogan “Growing Together.”
Sincerely,
John Thissen
Superintendent of Schools – USD 489
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There are many items of interest that should be shared in an abbreviated form. If you wish for more information on any one of these items, please contact me at 785-623-2400.
Hard surface hallway and classroom floors were refinished in RE, WE, OE, and LE
The middle school has new air conditioning
New playground equipment at Lincoln
Budget is quite similar to last year’s
Lance Bickle is president of the board with Sarah Rankin as vice president
Early release days are Sept. 7, Oct. 5, Nov. 3, Feb. 1, Mar. 1, and Apr. 5
HMS iPads go home with students this year
O’Loughlin’s new principal is Vicki Gale
Wilson’s new principal is Anita Scheve
The new special education director is Dr. Raj Sharma
The new learning center coordinator is Keri Petersen
The first day of school is August 17
The first day for teachers is August 16
School Connects Notify is the new phone/text notification system
A section of the HHS parking lot was redone
New lighting was placed in Lincoln, HMS, and HHS
New carpet as placed in Lincoln, HMS, and HHS
Two new buses and two new suburbans were purchased
The new superintendent is John Thissen
I wish you all the very best with the effort you are putting into the next few weeks for the children of Hays.
