Damaged or covered gas exhaust vents prevent carbon monoxide from properly venting, and can lead to a deadly buildup of CO inside the home. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, and only a carbon monoxide detector can alert homeowners to its presence. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 400 Americans die in their homes from unintentional carbon monoxide exposure.
Midwest Energy
WAKEENEY — Trego County Emergency Management officials, in a Nov. 1 Facebook post, said Trego Lemke Memorial Hospital has seen an increase in patients with carbon monoxide symptoms or poisoning in the last week.
Midwest Energy is encouraging WaKeeney residents, as well as Trego County residents hit by the Aug. 10 hailstorm, to inspect their natural gas furnace and water heater vents, to ensure they’re not dented or smashed flat. Any damage or obstruction makes it difficult or impossible for appliances to safely vent deadly carbon monoxide exhaust gas, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
“Any time you restrict or plug a gas exhaust vent, that carbon monoxide has nowhere else to go but inside your home,” said Roger Mettlen, Midwest Energy’s Gas Operations Manager for the Hays District, which includes WaKeeney. “Building code and appliance manufactures are specific on how big vent pipes need to be for a reason, and anytime they’re damaged that can create a serious, deadly condition.”
With colder temperatures forecast over the next 10 days, residents are encouraged to go outside and from the ground, visually inspect their gas exhaust vents on their roof. If the vents are dented or smashed flat, contact a licensed roofer or plumbing contractor to make repairs as quickly as possible. If anyone experiences the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, which include headache, fatigue, nausea, confusion and blurred vision, leave the home immediately and seek medical attention or call 911.
Carbon Monoxide, or CO, is a colorless, odorless gas that is a by-product of combustion. The best way to guard against CO poisoning is with a carbon monoxide detector, available for about $30 at most hardware and department stores. Some CO detectors also double as smoke detectors, offering additional safety.
The city of Hays hopes to purchase two pieces of property in the Smoky Hill wellfield south of town, where many of the city’s water wells are situated. Currently, the city leases the properties.
When the wellfield was developed, the city leased sites for water wells, monitoring wells, and access easements. The leases had automatic inflator provisions. Beginning with the wellfield reconfiguration in 2006, the city started buying out these leases in order to save money in the future.
According to Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood, there would be a cost savings in purchasing the land tracts and more flexibility in any future well configurations.
“Over time, the city has tried to purchase any well site that we have on the Smoky Hill River or even Big Creek. Currently we have a lot of wells that are on leases so we’re paying monthly rates,” Jacobs said. “On these two properties we’re paying about $400 a month on each. Any time we have an opportunity to purchase a lease and stop paying that monthly rate, it gives us a little bit more control of the property. It works out better for the city in the long run.”
One property owner wants to sell not only the S18 well site but the entire 37-acre tract. “The Dinges Family Trust is willing to accept $225,000 for the property,” City Attorney John Bird wrote in a memo to city commissioners. “The value of the land, in conjunction with the future rents received, will offset the cost of purchase.”
Hays water well S11 (Click to enlarge)
The second tract where well S11 is located on 3.7 acres is owned by Brandon and Brandi Zimmerman has purchase price of $80,000.
Both properties would be paid from the water sales tax. City staff supports both purchases.
City commissioners will consider the recommendations during their work session tonight as well as look at the proposed 2018 Street Maintenance Program budgeted for approximately $1.2 million.
The contract for the Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course Pro-Shop manager will also be reviewed. Long-time manager Rich Guffey is retiring at the end of the year.
Thomas More Prep-Marian’s fall musical, “Into the Woods,” will be performed Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the TMP-Marian Dreiling Theater.
“Into the Woods'” music and lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim. The musical is based on a book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests.
The main characters are taken from “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Rapunzel” and “Cinderella,” as well as, several others.
The musical is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, their interaction with a witch who has placed a curse on them and their interaction with other storybook characters during their journey, according to the TMP website.
Travis Grizzell, musical director, said TMP took on a big bite by choosing a challenging musical like “Into the Woods.” The music is tough, Grizzell said, and unlike most of what the students are used to performing. However, he said he has a talented group of upper classmen.
The are 31 members in the cast and 10 in the crew plus a variety of adult volunteers.
“It takes a village to put on a musical,” Grizzell said.
The students preformed the first act of the play for Holy Family students Tuesday morning. After the first act much is rosy in the mystical fairytale land of “Into the Woods.” However, the musical takes a darker turn in the second act and addresses more adult themes.
“Act II deals with some real-life stuff,” Grizzell said. “It is a little more intense.”
All performances are in the TMP-Marian Dreiling Theater, 1701 Hall St., Hays. Tickets are $8.
Shows will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
By purchasing tickets you agree to abide by the Thomas More Prep-Marian Dreiling Theater Terms and Condions.
A full remodel of Orscheln Farm and Home in Hays has recently been completed.
The former tire shop has been replaced with an expanded sporting goods department. The larger clothing department now stocks camouflage clothing and boots and has a Carhartt Concept Shop full of Carhartt shirts, jeans, coats and bib overalls.
Store manager Shelly Wittman said “the larger department, which includes firearms and hunting, fishing and boating supplies, will fill a niche for Hays residents looking for outdoor sports gear.”
“The addition of a sporting goods department allows us to meet the needs of sporting enthusiasts in our community,” Wittman said.
In addition to the sporting goods department, customers will see cosmetic improvements like new flooring, upgraded lighting and remodeled restrooms.
Wittman plans to hire two to three additional employees to help serve customers in the improved sporting goods department.
A grand opening celebration will be Nov. 17 and 18.
Family-owned, Orscheln Farm and Home has served Midwest communities for more than 55 years and owns and operates 165 stores. For more information, visit www.orschelnfarmhome.com.
Kevin Augustine, a 25 year employee of the city of Hays, poses for a picture with Mayor Shaun Musil.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Annual awards were presented Oct. 26 to Hay city employees recognizing their service of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years.
With family and friends, co-workers and supervisors crowded into the city commission chambers, the 19 employees were called to the front of the room to shake hands with the commissioners and City Manager Toby Dougherty. Finance Director Kim Rupp read each person’s history employment with the city as they were presented a recognition plaque by Mayor Shaun Musil and posed with him for a picture.
City of Hays 2017 Employee Service Awards
5-Year Awards Jami Breit – Jami started with the City in 2012 as an Account Clerk I for the Clerk’s Office. In 2013 she was promoted to Deputy City Clerk. Nikki Hausler – Nikki began her career as an Animal Control Officer with the Hays Police Department in 2012 and continues in that role today. Tim Detrixhe – Tim joined the City as a Volunteer Fire Fighter in 2012. In 2013 he was appointed to a Career Fire Fighter position. Rick Hines – Rick has been with the City since 2012 as an Airport Maintenance Operator and continues to hold that position. Bob Shubert – Bob returned to the City of Hays in 2012 as a Part-Time Water Resources Truck Driver. In 2017 he accepted a Full-Time Position as an Equipment Operator with the Water Resources department.
10-Year Awards
Lucas Everett – Lucas started employment as a Volunteer Fire Fighter in 2007 with the City of Hays. He was promoted to a Career Fire Fighter in 2010. Tyler Brungardt – Tyler began his career with the City as a Volunteer Fire Fighter in 2007. In 2008 he was promoted to a Career Fire Fighter. In 2014 Tyler was promoted to Fire Lieutenant. Brandon Hauptman – Brandon joined the Hays Police Department in 2007 as a Police Officer. In 2014 Brandon was promoted to Police Corporal and a year later was named a Police Sergeant. TJ Mages – TJ has been with the City as a Mechanic since 2007 and still holds this position today.
15-Year Service Awards Curtis Deines – Curtis started as a Plant Trainee in 2002. In 2003 he was promoted to a Plant Operator I and transitioned to an Inspector position that same year. He was then promoted to Inspector II in 2014. Curtis’s most recent promotion happened earlier this year when he became the Superintendent for the Planning, Inspection, and Enforcement Division. Mike O’Gorman – Mike began his career as a Seasonal Maintenance Worker in 2002. That same year he was promoted to a Maintenance Worker I. In 2003 Mike transitioned to Plant Trainee and was once again promoted in 2005 to Plant Operator I. Jesse Rohr – Jesse joined the City in 2001 as an Inspector for the Planning, Inspection, and Enforcement Division. One year later he was promoted to Chief Building Official which was reclassified to Planning, Inspection, and Enforcement Superintendent in 2003. He was recently promoted to Director of Public Works. Jake Helget – Jake started with the City as a Seasonal Maintenance Worker for the Parks Department in 2002. That same year, Jake was promoted to a Park Maintenance Worker. In 2006 he was promoted to Ball Field Facilities Foreman which was reclassified to Athletic Facilities Foreman in 2011 with the addition of the Sports Complex. Jeff Ridgway – Jeff began his career as a Police Officer with the Hays Police Department in 2002. In 2004 he transitioned to the School Resource Officer position. Jeff was then promoted to a Uniformed Police Investigator in 2010. Then, in 2013, Jeff became a Plain Clothes Investigator which is his current position today. Tobin Miller – Tobin has been with the City since 2002. During that time Tobin has been a Maintenance Worker I, Refuse/Recycling Collector, Maintenance Worker II, Equipment Operator and, his current position, Water Resources Maintenance Foreman. Jessi Jacobs – Jessi started at the City as an IT Aide. That same year she became a Part-Time Information Technology Aide. In 2004 she became a Technology Technician which is the same position she holds today.
20-Year Service Awards Jeff Boyle – Jeff started with the City as a Maintenance Worker for the Parks Department in 1996. He was promoted to Parks Foreman in 1998. He now serves as the Parks Director which he has held since 1999.
25-Year Service Awards Kevin Augustine – Kevin joined the City in 1992 as a Refuse Collector. In 1993 he transitioned to a Utility Worker, which was later reclassified as a Maintenance Worker I in 2003. He was then promoted to Maintenance Worker II in 2004. In 2006 he was once again promoted to Equipment Operator. Kyle Leiker – Kyle began his career with the City as a Refuse Collector in 1992. In 1994 he became a Utility Worker which was reclassified in 2003 as a Maintenance Worker I. Kyle was promoted to an Equipment Operator in 2004. Kyle is currently a Service Division Foreman.
“Holding On” — Jenny Molina of Rooks County, Kansas
Kansas Department of Agriculture
MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture announced the winners of the 2017 KDA Photo Contest on its Facebook page last week. Ten photographs were selected as the top entries, representing five contest categories. The annual statewide contest received nearly 240 entries showcasing Kansas agriculture.
Preliminary votes on Facebook and Pinterest were tallied according to the number of likes, comments and shares earned by each photo. The totals identified the top five photos in each category: Technology at Work, Animals of Agriculture, From Farm to Table, Beauty of the Farm and Youth. These photos were then reviewed by members of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture and agriculture leaders in the Kansas legislature.
“The KDA Photo Contest gives us the opportunity to recognize talented photographers across the state, while also allowing us to promote the diversity of Kansas agriculture by showcasing these images,” said Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey.
“Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” a photo by Michelle Ross of Meade County
The Kansas Department of Agriculture values the ability to use real photos from real people in Kansas agriculture. The photos submitted to the contest have become the face of our agency publications, social media posts, promotional materials and on the KDA website, agriculture.ks.gov. Many of the photo contest submissions are used for materials to advocate for Kansas agriculture, including during the Kansas Agricultural Growth Summit. Select photos will be displayed in KDA’s Manhattan office.
The winners from each category are as follows:
Technology at Work
First Place — “The Rush Before the Rain” — Karlee Brunner of Silver Lake, Kansas
Second Place — “No Till” — Michelle Ross of Meade County, Kansas
Animals of Agriculture
First Place — “Finger Licking Good” — Erin Schwartz of Belvue, Kansas
Second Place — “A Couple of Cuties” — Ronda Meier of Palmer, Kansas
From Farm to Table
First Place — “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” — Michelle Ross of Meade County, Kansas
Second Place — “Holding On” — Jenny Molina of Rooks County, Kansas
Beauty of the Farm
First Place — “Beautiful Southwest Kansas Sunset” — Shayla Blattner of Ensign, Kansas
Second Place — “God Bless Cowboys” — Shayla Blattner of Ensign, Kansas
Youth
First Place — “Wheat Silhouette” — Conway Patrick of Lindsborg, Kansas
Second Place — “Grandpa’s Hands” — Conway Patrick of Lindsborg, Kansas
All photos submitted to the contest are available for viewing on KDA’s Facebook page and Pinterest boards. Winners in each category will receive a $100 gift card and runner-up participants will receive a $50 gift card.
Hays city commission candidates Shaun Musil, Chris Dinkel, Sandy Jacobs, John Mayers and Dustin Roths listen to a question from forum moderator Emily Brandt.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Hays City Commission candidates talked about the most pressing issues facing the city, how to create more jobs, and the strengths they each would bring to the commission table if elected, during an Oct. 17 forum at Fort Hays State University.
The event, hosted by the FHSU Student Government Association (SGA), Hays Area Chamber of Commerce and Midwest Energy, drew an audience of about 65 people who submitted their own questions to the candidates. SGA president Emily Brandt was the moderator.
There are five people running for the three open positions on the Hays city commission in the Nov. 7 general election.
The candidates are Chris Dinkel, marketing coordinator for High Plains Mental Health Center and an adjunct history professor at FHSU; incumbent Sandy Jacobs, executive director of the Heartland Community Foundation; John Mayers, a realtor with Landmark Realty and an employee of Westhusing’s, Inc., Stockton; incumbent and current mayor Shaun Musil, owner of Paisley Pear Wine Bar, Bistro & Market; and Dustin Roths, owner of Diamond R Jewelry. This is the first time Dinkel, Mayers and Roths have run for a political office.
Three main topics dominated the forum–the need for affordable housing, declining sales tax revenues and economic growth. The city’s general fund is financed solely by city sales tax receipts. Hays is the only city in Kansas to operate that way.
The two people with the highest number of votes will be elected to four-year terms. The person with the third highest vote total will serve a two-year term. The mayor is selected by the commission members.
Advance voting is underway in the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main, Hays, through noon Mon., Nov. 6.
Polls for the Tue., Nov. 7 general election are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout Ellis County.
Shirley Dinkel, a 39-year veteran of Catholic education in Hays, said she knew since she was in the second grade she wanted to be a teacher.
Dinkel was one of 11 children from a poor farming family. Her family had no books in their house.
“I passed first grade without knowing my alphabet — not knowing anything that letters made sounds and sounds made words and words made sentences and sentences made stories because no one had ever read me a story,” she said.
Shirley Dinkel, fifth- and sixth-grade teacher at Holy Family Elementary School.
Dinkel’s second-grade teacher, Sister Eloise, figured out on the first day Shirley was struggling.
When the children did circle time, Sister Eloise would sit Shirley next to her knee. She would ask one of the students a question and then ask Shirley if it was correct. In this way, Shirley learned to memorize what words meant, how to sound out words and what numbers meant.
Sister Eloise would grab Dinkel by the chin, look into her eyes and say, “You’re so cute.” For Shirley, who was a shy, scared little girl, this built her self-esteem and confidence.
“I would have walked on water for her,” she said. “She built up my self-esteem so that I thought I was a princess.”
Dinkel cried all through the summer when she had to leave second grade and Sister Eloise, but all her life she thought she would emulate Sister Eloise. She would be a teacher.
She entered a convent after college with the hopes of being a nun and a teacher. After the two years, the sisters decided she needed more maturity before she could continue, so they sent her home. She enrolled at Fort Hays State University to finish her final two years of college and worked two jobs to pay her way through college and repay the convent for her first two years of school.
In a strange twist, Dinkel would meet her beloved teacher again in her senior year at FHSU as her student teaching mentor. Eloise had left the sisterhood, was married, still working as a teacher and was known as Esther Morris. The two developed a lifelong friendship.
Dinkel, 68, is married, has four children, nine grandchildren and estimates she has taught 1,200 children in her career first at St. Joseph Catholic School and then at Holy Family Elementary School. She is now teaching fifth- and sixth-grade reading and religion.
She was selected as the Hays Post’s first Teacher of the Month from more than 40 nominees. She was nominated by four different people.
Dinkel said she tries to honor those principles Sister Eloise taught her. She spends Sunday afternoons planning out her week and constantly is thinking how she can help each individual student improve. She teaches under the motto: “There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequals.”
“I can never tailor my lessons or my expectations so that it is a cookie-cutter approach,” she said. “Some of them, the way they learn is different from anyone else. The way they think is unlike anyone else. What their life experiences are is different.”
Parent Sandee Werth said her son was the recipient of some of Dinkel’s extra attention and love. After her 12-year-old tore his ACL and needed surgery, he was out of school for two weeks and had a lot of homework to complete. Dinkel worked with Werth’s son for a full nine weeks until he was caught up.
“She would work with him every free moment she had,” Werth said. “I respect and love this lady for everything she has done for him as well as other students. The children who leave Holy Family know she truly loves them. Her faith in God shines through as the children work monthly with Tiger Tots and Good Samaritan residents. She demonstrates how to be more God like in all we do. …
“We love her for the caring, joyous, smart and fair teacher she has been to so many of her students.”
Kellie Lee had Dinkel as a teacher and now her daughter is the second generation to go through Dinkel’s classes.
“She is amazing,” she said in her nomination. “The stories she tells the kids makes the information they are learning stick with them, and the love for Jesus she plants in their hearts sticks with them for a lifetime.”
When she was embarking on her first year of teaching, Dinkel felt lost as to how to get the school year started. She sought the advice of fellow teacher Joyce Jilg.
Dinkel related Jilg’s advice, “Tell them about yourself. Find out who they are. What do they love? What makes them happy? And develop a family. This is your family for a whole year. Whatever you do, never waste their time and don’t let them waste your time.”
She took this advice to heart and promises her students every year she will not waste one moment of their time and she asks the same of them. If she finishes a lesson early, she challenges the students to a riddle, tells a story or they discusses events in the news.
Dinkel said she could not pick one memory as a favorite from her many years of teaching.
“Every day is a happy,” she said. “Even the hard days are happy days because they help me grow, and they help me reach and be a better person. I am the person I am because every day mattered so much.”
Dinkel has taught religion for 19 years. Alongside an extensive collection of bright yellow Disney Minions, her room is decorated with religious iconography — Mother Mary, angels and crosses.
“What I try to instill in them is to have a relationship with God,” she said. “I want you to be so passionate that God has a plan on my head. He has given me the time and the talents to achieve something that no one else will ever be able to achieve to the best of the ability that I can. I want to fulfill that plan.”
She said she tries to lead by example showing the children the importance of doing for the needy and raising money for charity.
“If lives are not changed and all you are is saying words, it is kind of like pebbles in a 10-gallon container,” she said. “It rattles. It is not sound teaching unless there is action behind it.”
The reason Sister Eloise was so successful with Shirley is she connected and she loved, Dinkel said.
“There has to be a heart connection. If you never meet their hearts, you are never going to meet their minds,” she said.
Although Dinkel is past retirement age, she is not ready to quit teaching any time soon. She just loves her job too much. She said she is happiest when she was teaching.
“God has to decide that and make it very clear that it is time — that it is time to do something else,” Dinkel said of her retirement. “But he better open the door and push me through, because I am staying put here until he makes it very clear it is time for me to do something else.
“I tell myself that this is never going to be a job,” she said. “It is a ministry and a passion. It is a privilege to work with children. Every morning when I wake up I say, ‘Thank you Lord for my job. Thank you for my family. Thank you for my home and my car. Thank you for me being able to pay my bills.’ I am living every minute of the journey.”
From left, Aineka Burton, Trooper Tod Hileman and Peyton Isernhagen
NORTON — Eisenhower Elementary School students Aineka Burton and Peyton Isernhagen were recently named as the northwest Kansas region winners for their age groups in the Kansas Department of Transportation’s 2017 Put the Brakes on Fatalities poster contest.
Burton was selected as the winner of the 5 to 7-year-old division and Isernhagen was chosen in the 8 to 10-year old category. Both were awarded a bicycle and helmet from Safe Kids Kansas during a presentation held on Oct. 27 at Eisenhower Elementary School.
A total of 1,048 kids across Kansas ages 5 to 13 took the time to think about safety and participated in the contest. Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day is a nationwide effort to increase roadway safety and reduce all traffic fatalities and is recognized annually on Oct. 10.
Hays city commissioners unanimously approved renewal of the city employee insurance plan during their meeting Thursday night.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas’ renewal rates for 2018 included a decrease of 0.67 percent in the city’s premium cost, according to Human Resources Director Erin Giebler.
It came as a pleasant surprise. Giebler told commissioners she was anticipating as much as a 21 percent cost increase.
City commissioner Lance Jones said he was “pretty certain two years ago when I came on here that we were going to have to bump up the city’s share, or I was going to request it, because of insurance costs on the rise. But I think you guys have done an excellent job of keeping the costs down,” he told Giebler, “so the employees don’t have to pay a tremendous amount.”
“We’ve been under that $9,500 average per employee cap on health insurance the city commission set in 2010,” Giebler pointed out. “We’re going into 2018 still being able to hold that cap and that’s thanks to our employees willing to change plans, willing to do a consumer-driven plan.”
With the Wage and Benefit Committee required to find the best insurance within the provided budget, the provider has changed several times during the past eight years.
“This is the first year in I don’t know how many years we’ve actually kept same plan. I know how annoying that can be to have deductibles changed on you, co-pays changed on you, and you don’t know how much your drugs are going to cost,” said Vice Mayor James Meier. “We have good employees who have been willing to do that in order to keep costs down for the city and I appreciate that.”
The city will pay up to $1,719,500 for the triple option health insurance plan and also authorize $100,000 to fund employees’ Health Savings Accounts both out of the Employee Benefit Levy Fund.
Health insurance for employees of the city of Hays in 2018 will be discussed during Thursday’s city commission meeting.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas’ renewal rates for 2018 includes a decrease of 0.67% based on the city’s expected enrollment, according to Human Resources Director Erin Giebler.
(Click to enlarge)
She is recommending the city continue with the fully insured triple option plan for 2018 with the same employee costs as 2017. The recommendation, with the city paying up to $1,719,500, keeps the health insurance within the budget cap set by the city commission in 2010.
“The high deductible health plan is consumer-driven and designed to help control costs. It was the most popular plan with 60 percent of those enrolled in the city’s health insurance electing this option,” Giebler told commissioners. “Due to higher medical costs, the city was expecting up to a 21 percent renewal increase. But due to our low utilization, the city saw a slight decrease in premiums.”
Nineteen percent of the employees chose the premium plan and 21 percent chose the base plan.
Staff is also recommending using $100,000 out of the Employee Benefit Levy’s Contingency fund to provide up to $700 in employer match for employee’s Health Savings Account (HSA) in 2018 only.
“This will encourage employees to fund their own Health Savings Account and encourage employees to enroll in the high deductible health plan,” said Giebler.
Employees have contributed more than $137,000 into their own HSAs, Giebler reported. “Remember, when they contribute into that, the city actually gets tax savings as well when they do that. The city has put about $65,000 in.” The HSAs can be rolled over year to year.
“Last year when we went into discussions, it was the employees who were really asking for this high deductible health plan,” Giebler pointed out.
Other agenda items include consideration of a bid for construction replacement of the water treatment plant’s carbon dioxide system not to exceed $312,000 and an update of the reconstruction of the wastewater treatment plant.
Mayor Shaun Musil will also make presentations to city employees for 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service.
The Hays USD 489 Board of Education took a look at a demographics report from the state during its meeting Monday night.
The report, which is a part of the state’s Kansans Can Kansas Report Card, showed the district is less diverse compared to state averages.
The state of Kansas has created new accreditation goals for all school districts in the state. These include kindergarten readiness, social and emotional growth, postsecondary success, increased graduation rates, individual plans of study and civic engagement. These standards are being implemented for the first time this year.
Assistant Superintendent Shanna Dinkel said the district can use the demographic data to create programs to better assist at-risk students.
“We want to make sure we are showing growth with all student populations,” she said in an interview Tuesday.
The Legislature dedicated more funds to at-risk programs for the 2017-18 school year. In its rulings on state funding of education, tThe Kansas Supreme Court noted low achievement among many students in the state is evidence school funding still needs to be increased and the state funding formula needs to be changed.
In 2017, 82.7 percent of the district’s students were white. This compares to a statewide average of 64.57 percent. The state average reflects a much larger percentage of Hispanic students. In Hays in 2017, 8.9 percent of the student population was Hispanic, but the statewide makeup was more than 19 percent.
In 2017, African-American students made up almost 9 percent of the state’s student population, but only 1.8 percent in USD 489.
Over five years, the district’s racial makeup has remained fairly steady.
Although Hays is not as diverse as other districts in the state, Dinkel said the district tries to honor diversity by teaching students to respect each other.
“Respecting one another and building character traits are things we try to develop in all students,” she said. “It probably helps to see everyone equally. We do not see (a lack of diversity) as a deficit. We use community resources, FHSU and the Hays Arts Council to pose a variety of experiences so our students can gain some diverse experiences.”
The district also has about 3 percent fewer English-language learners compared to state averages.
The percent of migrant students in the district is fairly low compared to its overall population, only 2.54 percent, but it is higher than 1.88 percent state average.
Dinkel said the higher migrant population might be reflective of prevalence of agriculture in the region. Migrants students are those students whose parents have moved in the last 36 months to take agriculture jobs.
The district receives federal funds for a migrant student program. The program has a liaison who conducts visits with students and parents to make sure the students are on course with math and reading and are on track to graduate.
“Moving creates obstacles, and migrant dollars can be used to help that,” Dinkel said. “We try to reduce the education disruption and other problems that could be caused by moving.”
The district also has fewer students who are classified as economically disadvantaged compared to state averages. In Hays, the five-year average is 40.98 percent, and the state average is 48.30 percent.
The district has a higher percentage of students with disabilities compared to the state average. Hays rate has ranged from 14 percent to 17 percent during the last five years, with the rate being 17.42 percent last year. The state five-year average is 14.42 percent.
The district is the host agency for the Hays West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative. Dinkel said the quality of the district’s programs likely has led to parents bringing their students to the USD 489 school district.
Having more disabled students is not a challenge, Dinkel said. However, she said having enough resources to provide quality programs for all students is.
The Hays USD 489 school board received its first taste of data Monday night that will be used in district accreditation starting this year.
Among the data is postsecondary progress, graduation rates, attendance, ACT scores, teacher licensure, dropout rates, demographics, standardized test scores, comparative performance and fiscal systems, and special education reports.
Assistant Superintendent Shanna Dinkel discussed the district’s postsecondary success numbers.
“We are looking more globally than a single test,” she said.
By the year 2020, an estimated 70 to 75 percent of Kansas jobs will require post-secondary degrees or certificates.
The district’s five-year graduation rate is 87 percent. The state average is 85 percent. The state goal is 95 percent.
The district’s five-year post-secondary success rate is 54 percent. That includes students who have earned degrees or certificates or are in school.
The state then figures an effectiveness rate. That takes into account the district’s number of students with risk factors such as disabilities.
The range the state would expect the district to be in is 43.2 to 48.2 percent. The district’s effective rate is 47 percent.
Superintendent John Thissen said a five-year predicted effectiveness rate of 47 percent is good. Those districts whose effective rates are at or below the state’s predicted effectiveness rate will have a greater the challenge to meet the new state standards.
Dinkel also discussed the drop out rate, which was 1.6 percent in 2015 and 1.7 percent for 2016 for the district. The district’s rates match the state’s rates for the same years.
The rate is recorded annually and accounts for all students in seventh through 12th grades who leave the district without a transferring school.
• Heard a financial report from Tracy Kaiser, executive director of finance.
Kaiser said the district has taken in about $35,000 more in miscellaneous income that it budgeted. This included Midwest energy capital credits and additional funds in tech fees.
The district has spent about 10 percent of its budget at a time when it budgeted to have spent 21 percent.
• Approved the purchase of three suburbans at a total cost of $116,856 and the purchase of two route buses at a total cost of $181,662. The purchases are part of the district’s five-year transportation plan. The bids were under the $304,000 budgeted for the purchases.
• Conducted an executive session on negotiation, but took no action.
• Heard a report on materials/ workbook fees. Thissen said the district would look closer at the possibility of lowering fees when it has a better idea of what funding will come from the state for the 2018-19 school year.
