Thomas More Prep-Marian students will be performing the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic musical “Oklahoma!” this weekend.
Show times are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. All tickets are $8 and are on sale now at www.tmp-m.org and will be available at the door.
If you are unfamiliar with the classic, it is a love story set outside of Claremore, Oklahoma, in 1906 featuring spirited songs, dance and comedy.
Travis Grizzell, director, said he chose “Oklahoma!” because coming off of the school’s last two musicals, “The Little Mermaid” and “Into the Woods,” it was a return to a classic musical. He also thought the musical would fit the student talent pool.
“It worked out well with the other two musicals in our community this fall as well,” he said. “People were treated to the music of Abba in FHSU’s ‘Mama Mia,’ and they can also discover a wonderful new show in Hays High’s ‘Bright Star’ and also revisit a golden age show in our ‘Oklahoma!'”
The challenges for this musical are the same as all the others the school has produced.
“There tends to be a perception that because a show is older or better known, that you can just crank it out easier than some others,” Grizzell said. “It’s a musical, so it still has a lot of props, multiple costumes, hours of dance and music rehearsal and a lot of set for our shared venue space. When you take all of that on and match it up with our students’ availability, it gets pretty hectic.”
He said this cast brings energy and ownership to this show. He added he has had more student help on the production side of this show than probably any other musical he’s directed.
“They’re a combination of new, young actors and older actors that have been chompin’ at the bit for that lead or featured role,” Grizzell said. “The kids are putting their heart and soul into this, making it their own and leavin’ it all on the stage each night. I think that’ll come across well for our audience.”
He said he would encourage community members to get out and attend these shows and support our local performing arts.
“I would like to add that you may think you know ‘Oklahoma!,’ but the beauty of live theater is that every single show is different,” Grizzell said. “I encourage all your readers to get out and attend these shows and support our local performing arts. It’ll be a great time, and we look forward to seeing everyone this weekend!”
TOPEKA — On Wednesday, the Senate Confirmation Oversight Committee approved Mark Hutton of Andover and Allen Schmidt of Hays to begin serving on the Kansas Board of Regents and confirmed Bill Feuerborn of Garnett for a second term on the Board. Hutton and Schmidt will fill the positions vacated by Joe Bain of Goodland and Zoe Newton of Sedan.
“Our higher education institutions play an important role in educating the next generation, which keeps our workforce and economy strong. The Regents ensure that the future of our state remains bright and prosperous by keeping our higher education system on track to meet these long-term goals,” said Gov. Jeff Colyer during his Oct. 4 announcement of the appointments. “Bill, Allen, and Mark bring a great amount of experience and talent to the Board and I am excited they’ve agreed to serve our great state.”
Bill Feuerborn was born in Garnett, Kan., and has served on the Board of Regents since 2014. He has spent the last 40 years in small business development and ranching. He also served as a state representative in the Kansas legislature from 1994 to 2012. He received his bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University.
Mark Hutton was the CEO of Hutton Construction Corporation in Wichita. He served as a state representative in the Kansas Legislature from 2013 to 2017. He is a graduate of Kansas State University, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering.
Allen Schmidt is a retired U.S. Army Colonel from Hays, where he works as the Director of Planned Giving for Development Services of Northwest Kansas. Schmidt served as a state senator in the Kansas legislature from 2011 to 2013. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas, master’s degree in psychology from Fort Hays State University, and a Master of Science degree from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Penn.
Beginning Monday, southbound General Custer Road will be closed at Downing Avenue for pavement repairs. This work is expected to be completed by 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16.
Signs will be in place to direct the traveling public. The traveling public is asked to use caution and if at all possible avoid this area.
By MARK TALLMAN Kansas Association of School Boards
Kansas’ investment in public education has been growing much slower than total income of Kansas residents and spending on most personal goods and services since 2010, according to new data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. (Link)
Mark Tallman
The decline occurred as Kansas per-pupil funding has fallen behind inflation and other states. There is a strong, positive correlation between education funding, educational attainment, higher state average income, and lower poverty rates. (See previous posts on funding and the link between education and economic prosperity.)
The BEA annually reports personal consumption expenditures by state, defined as “goods and services purchased by or on behalf of households and the net expenditures of nonprofit institutions serving households (NPISHs) by state of residence for the 50 states and the District of Columbia.” (These figures do not include increased funding for school districts beginning in 2017-18 because income and spending data is not yet available.)
KASB compared Kansas personal consumption expenditures with total Kansas personal income and total expenditures on K-12 education by Kansas school districts as reported by the Kansas State Department of Education.
Between 2010 and 2017, Kansas personal income increased from $112.1 billion to $141.5 billion, or 26.2 percent. Personal consumption expenditures increased from $86.1 billion to $106.4 billion, a slightly lower rate of 23.7 percent.
Total school district expenditures increased from $5.5 billion to $6.1 billion, or 8.8 percent. School expenditures dropped from 5.0 percent of Kansas personal income in 2010 to 4.3 percent in 2017.
The 8.8 percent increase in K-12 expenditures between 2010 and 2017 was lower than any category of personal expenditures except for gasoline and other energy goods, which decreased 2.6 percent in 2010 and 2017.
Expenditures on Financial Service and Insurance (37.2 percent), Food Services and Accommodations – dining out and lodging (31.6 percent), Housing and Utilities (29.0 percent), Recreational Services (28.9 percent) and Motor Vehicles and Parts (28.0 percent) increased faster than Kansas personal income.
Expenditures on Furnishing and Household Equipment (26.0 percent), Transportation Services (23.1 percent), Recreation Goods and Vehicles (21.8 percent), Health Care Services (21.5 percent), Food and Beverages Consumed at Home (16.7 percent) and Clothing (10.1 percent) increased less than personal income but more than K-12 expenditures.
The amount of spending on K-12 educational also ranks low compared to major personal expenditure categories. Kansas spent $21.9 billion on Housing and Utilities in 2017, $18.7 billion on Health Care Services, $17.7 billion on Financial Services and Insurance, $10.1 billion on transportation services, vehicles and fuel, $8.7 billion on Food and Beverages at home, $7 billion on recreational goods and services and $6.3 billion on Food Services and Accommodations (dining out and lodging), compared to $6.1 billion on K-12 education. Only Clothing and Footwear, at $2.7 billion, was lower than school district spending.
This data indicates that Kansas expenditures on public education have actually been a declining share of total income by Kansas since 2010 and that other categories of expenditure have grown faster than education funding. In fact, that has been true as far back as 2000. Since 2000, K-12 expenditures increased 74.6 percent, personal consumption expenditures 78.6 percent and Kansas personal income 84.9 percent.
There would be no problem spending less on K-12 education and more on personal goods and services if Kansas were getting the education results they want and need, and/or if funding made no difference in educational results. However, Kansas education funding has fallen behind inflation and other states, as have Kansas average teacher salaries. Although Kansas ranks above average national and regionally in educational outcomes, other states have been increasing funding more and improving results faster.
To meet future employment needs and compete with other states, Kansas needs to graduate more students from high school and postsecondary education. The states with the highest educational outcomes tend to spend more per pupil than most states, already spend more than Kansas; and have higher personal income and lower poverty rates. If Kansas continues to spend less on K-12 education, it will ultimately mean less personal income to spend on everything else.
There is another impact of personal expenditure changes. Since 2000, spending on “goods” has increased by 56.1 percent and spending on “services” increased 92.5 percent. Because the Kansas sales tax is generally applied to goods and not to services, this shift in consumption from goods to services is one major reason state revenues have been growing more slowly, and why lowering state income tax rates and relying more heavily on consumption taxes that do not includes services will likely further reduce revenues for public services like K-12 education.
Definitions:
Total personal income is the income received by, or on behalf of, all persons from all sources: from participation as laborers in production, from owning a home or business, from the ownership of financial assets, and from government and business in the form of transfers; from domestic sources as well as the rest of world. It does not include realized or unrealized capital gains or losses.
Essentially, the difference between personal income and consumption expenditures is the total of taxes paid, personal interest payments and transfer payments to governmental programs such as social security, and personal savings.
Total K-12 expenditures is all spending by Kansas school districts, including state, federal and local funding. Most of this revenue is from taxes, but a portion is personal payments, such as lunch fees and charges for student materials and transportation.
Mark Tallman is Associate Executive Director for Advocacy for the Kansas Association of School Boards.
Fort Hays State University’s Shotgun Team recently attended the 8th annual Prairie Circuit Classic 5-State Conference, where they were the first-place team in four out of five events and won the high overall team trophy.
The conference, held at the Lincoln County Wildlife Gun Club near Lake Maloney south of North Platte, comprised a total of 147 shooters from 11 different colleges including FHSU, University of Colorado, Concordia University and the University of Wyoming.
Shepard
FHSU’s team won first in skeet, skeet doubles, trap and super sporting, and also placed second in trap doubles.
Scores from the five events are totaled for each individual shooter. The top 10 men and the top five women overall are named to the all-conference team. The same is done for freshman shooters, but only the top five men and five women are named to the all-conference freshman team.
FHSU shooters who attended are listed alphabetically by hometown.
AKRON, Colo.: Jenny Schoenecker is a senior majoring in agricultural business
AURORA, Neb.: Lane Sorensen is a sophomore majoring in agriculture.
AVOCA, Neb.: Katie Dettmann is a freshman majoring in management.
BURWELL, Neb.: Austin Svoboda is a senior majoring in technology studies.
CAMBRIDGE, Neb.: Jake Whipple is a senior majoring in agricultural business.
COLBY: Keegan Morgan is a senior majoring in agricultural business.
FAIRBURY, Neb.: Brock Barton is a freshman majoring in information networking and telecommunications.
GEM: Jay Ziegelmeier is a senior majoring in agricultural business.
Cole Ziegelmeier is a junior majoring in agricultural business.
HASTINGS, Neb.: Blake Craig is a sophomore majoring in agricultural business.
JANESVILE, Wis.: Luke Heinzen is a junior majoring in agricultural business.
JEWELL: Michael Saint is a graduate student majoring in business administration.
LINCOLN, Neb.: Hank McVeigh is a freshman majoring in physics.
McCOOK, Neb.: Colton Lashley is a senior majoring in criminal justice.
MILBURN, Neb.: Gus Dunbar is a freshman majoring in technology studies.
MILLIGAN, Neb.: Bailey Steuben is a sophomore majoring in agriculture.
MINNEOLA: Jerrod Lies is a senior majoring in agricultural business.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb.: Josh Crankshaw is a senior majoring in technology studies.
ORD, Neb.: Hailey Zulkoski is a freshman majoring in health and human performance.
PINE VALLEY, Calif.: Heather Gordon is a junior majoring in nursing.
PLEASANTON: Hunter Secrest is a sophomore majoring in agricultural business.
PLEASANTON, Neb.: Cody Escritt is a senior majoring in technology studies.
SHELL KNOB, Mo.: Cordell Waggoner is a sophomore majoring in tourism and hospitality management.
ST. GEORGE: Will Dulohery is a freshman majoring in technology studies.
ST. PAUL, Neb.: Riley Ross is a sophomore majoring in agriculture.
TOPEKA: Wyatt Pursell is a sophomore majoring in agricultural business.
WORDEN, Ill.: Ryan St. Peters is a freshman majoring in agriculture.
FHSU shooters who were named to the all-conference team were: Svoboda; Whipple; Ross; Crankshaw; Pursell; Jay Ziegelmeier; Gordon; and Zulkoski.
FHSU shooters who were named to the all-conference freshman team include: Zulkoski; Dettman; McVeigh; Dulohery; and Barton.
Gordon was recognized as the high overall woman, Svoboda was tied for the high overall man and Zulkoski was recognized as the high overall freshman woman.
“Most of the shooters have been on the team their entire college career, so a major strength of the team is our depth of quality shooters,” said Dr. Duane Shepherd, coach for the team and associate professor of health and human performance.
“We have an outstanding group of shooters and are blessed with a quality group of young shooters who are continuing to get better,” he said.
This is a critical year for the state of Kansas. No one can sit on the sidelines in this election. The stakes are too high. We’ve seen the devastation of the last eight years and we have to put the Brownback experiment behind us for good. That is one of the reasons I’m endorsing Senator Laura Kelly for Governor.
After much thought and analyzing this race and the candidates, I understand Greg Orman cannot win. While he may have something to offer the state of Kansas, this is not the year. This year, we must come together to support Laura Kelly.
I’ve been a registered Republican for over 50 years. I seldom vote for Democratic candidates, but in this race, I strongly support Laura Kelly. Senator Kelly has worked hard and knows state government and the budget front to back. She is well-prepared to be governor and to lead our state through challenging times.
After eight years of crisis, we cannot elect someone who wants to repeat the disasters of the past. Kris Kobach has promised to do just that – risking the future of our great state.
I met Laura years ago, when she led the Kansas Recreation and Park Association. She and I share a commitment to improving the quality of life in our communities – both urban and rural. We worked together many times over the years and she was always willing to work with anyone to solve problems. When she became a state senator, we collaborated on several projects and I knew she had the right priorities. She always puts our kids and families first and not politics.
Our state faces many challenges and I trust Senator Kelly to use her good common sense to help resolve complex issues. I’ve been a gun owner for 62 years. I’m a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and I’m voting for Laura Kelly. I trust her to support the 2nd Amendment and use common sense to promote safety against gun violence. I also know she is committed to protecting thousands of current and retired public servants who depend on our state retirement system which has been short-changed for nearly a decade.
Laura Kelly is the best choice to lead Kansas. She will bring Kansans together – regardless of political party – to get our state back on the right track. She will invest in our schools, highways and natural resources so our state and our people can have a bright future. I encourage Kansans to join me and vote for Laura Kelly for governor on November 6.
Former Kansas Gov. Mike Hayden
Editor’s Note: The deadline for submission of letters related to the November general election will be Nov. 1.
SALINA – Today, schools are facing shrinking budgets and increasing demands on time in the classroom, and as a result field trips to enhance learning have become more difficult to include in the curriculum. In an effort to offer a variety of enrichment options, engaging learning opportunities and “reverse field trips” to students and teachers in northwest Kansas, the Dane G. Hansen Foundation has awarded Rolling Hills Zoo a $25,000 grant to bring the Zoo’s educational experiences to them.
“Education, both traditional and through life experiences was always a priority in the Hansen family. The Trustees are pleased to continue that tradition with the NW Kansas LEARNS initiative, offering students and teachers a variety of hands-on learning opportunities to enhance classroom education,” said Betsy Wearing, Coordinator of Programs, Communications and New Initiatives for the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.
Rolling Hills Zoo’s Zoo To You: Amazing Adaptations program will help students develop a deeper appreciation of the natural world by connecting them to animals that will both inspire and ignite their sense of compassion and love for wildlife. Not only does this program introduce students to exotic species, but it also teaches them about the native species that live right here in Kansas. In addition, students will develop a better understanding and appreciation for the region and the habitat it provides to these native species. Students will also gain a worldlier perspective by learning about animals from around the world and how to draw connections between animals of different species, including humans, and the many threads that connect us all. All Zoo to You programs meet Kansas curriculum standards.
The Zoo To You program will be offered to students from grades kindergarten through eighth grade, in schools within the Hansen Foundation’s 26-county service area beginning Nov. 1 and continuing through Feb. 28. Providing transportation to and from the schools will be a cargo van sponsored by Long McArthur Ford of Salina.
This new outreach initiative, NW Kansas LEARNS, funded by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, is combined with their other recently announced initiatives, NW Kansas ARTS and NW Kansas READS, all of which help to fulfill the Hansen Foundation’s mission to improve the quality of life and provide opportunities to the people of Northwest Kansas. Other organizations included in the NW Kansas LEARNS initiative include The Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, the Kansas Cosmosphere, and the Kansas Historical Society.
All of these opportunities are offered at no cost to northwest Kansas schools in the Dane G. Hansen Foundation service area. A schedule of the “Zoo To You” visits will be released at a later date on Hays Post.
A recent news story in Kansas was headlined: “Kobach, Schwab Fuzzy on Voting Registration Access.”
It goes on to state that “both nearly two-term Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and the Republican running to follow him in that job have mistakenly described ways to register to vote.”
Kobach is the current Secretary of State and Kansas’ chief elections officer. Schwab is running for Kobach’s job. And neither of them knows for sure how voter registration works in Kansas?
Brian McClendon does not seem fuzzy at all on the voter registration process in Kansas. Brian led the development of the nonpartisan online voter registration tool KSvotes.org. It can be used on a cell phone and takes less than 5 minutes. More than 24,000 eligible Kansas citizens have used it to register to vote in the last year and more than 19,000 Kansans used it to request an advanced ballot. Now that’s a candidate already doing the job of Kansas Secretary of State, which is more than can be said for the Kobach/Schwab partnership.
Brian is not a career politician. He’s a former Google vice president who famously made Kansas the center of Google Earth. He’ll bring the leadership of a businessman and the efficiency of his technological expertise to the Secretary of State’s office. His opponent Schwab wants to continue Kobach’s politics and we all know that’s been a mess.
It’s clear to me that the Google guy Brian BAM McClendon will be the best for Kansas.
Janis Lee
Hays
Editor’s Note: The deadline for submission of letters related to the November general election will be Nov. 1.
HAYS – The TMP-Marian boys soccer team advanced to the state semifinals Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Topeka-Hayden at Fort Hays State University soccer stadium.
Logan Shaw gave the Monarchs a 1-0 lead early in the second half and they used a stifling defense the rest of the way to secure the victory.
With the win the Monarchs have qualified for the 4-1A state semifinals for the first time in program history.
TMP will play Friday at KC-Piper High School in Kansas City. Their opponent will be announced later this week.
Eber Phelps has demonstrated that he is a strong supporter of all levels of education in Ellis County and all of western Kansas. During his two-year term in the Legislature, he was instrumental in solving the inherited fiscal problems that existed at the beginning of his term. Eber helped put the state on a fiscally sound budget and has left the state with a bright future.
Now that the state is in recovery, it is not the time to replace Eber Phelps, an experienced legislator with a demonstrated willingness to cooperate with moderates of both parties in Topeka. A vote for Eber Phelps is a vote for good education and sound economic policy. I urge you to vote for Eber Phelps.
Louis Caplan
Hays
Editor’s Note: The deadline for submission of letters related to the November general election will be Nov. 1.
