January 11, 2021

Board Digest

January 11, 2021

 

Following each board of education meeting, the Director of Communications recaps the board meeting in the Board Digest. To view the full agenda, click here.

Learning Without Limits

Horizon Award Winner
Horizon Award
Mrs. Kennedy, Second Grade Teacher from West Indianola, was named a 2021 Kansas Horizon Award Winner. This award recognizes exemplary first-year teachers who perform in a way that distinguishes them as outstanding.

Mrs. Kennedy was notified of her award via Zoom with the Kansas Commissioner of Education, Dr. Randy Watson, last Thursday. Our school community is very proud of Mrs. Kennedy, and we thank the Kansas Department of Education for recognizing talented first-year teachers around the state.


National Board Certified Teacher
Kaitlin Gile
Kaitlin Gile, teaches 4th grade at Northern Hills Elementary and deserves recognition tonight as she was notified through the National Board Candidate Management System on December 12, 2020 that she has officially obtained her National Board Certification. This is a huge accomplishment as it is the most respected professional certification available in K-12 education across the county.

She began working on the requirements for certification during her 4th year of teaching in 2018. She completed two of the components during that school year and two more during the 2019-2020 school year. She submitted her request for certification in April of last year. She shared what has impacted her the most during this process is the amount of reflection it requires.

Kaitlin said, “I have always been a reflective teacher (Was my lesson successful? How do I know? Were most of the students engaged? How could I make it better the next time I teach it?), but it made me look at my teaching practice as a whole- all of the things I do throughout the entire year. I get to know my students, build relationships with them, and use every minute of the day to teach them. It really proved to me that I have a method to my madness and I’m making a difference, even if it’s a small difference.”

Her advice to other teachers is to be open to criticism and be open to change. Kaitlin continues, "I have never taught the same exact lesson the same exact way because I’m always learning something new. I like trying new things and I think that not only benefits my students, but myself as well. I want to push myself to be better and to grow as much as possible."


Superintendent Remarks

School Board Appreciation Month
January is School Board Recognition Month and we want to thank our board for helping lead our district through new and challenging times. We are so grateful to their leadership always but especially during this pandemic.

Thank you to these community leaders who volunteer countless hours to lead the future of our public schools.

Our board of education is comprised of seven individuals whose decisions impact the future of every child in our school and our greater school community.

They attend specialized professional development to stay on top of education issues and trends, develop policies, and make important decisions that help shape the future of our district. And they do this all on a volunteer basis.

The men and women serving Seaman USD 345 and their years of service are:

Michelle Caudill - 1 year
Keith Griffin – 3 years
Cherie Sage – 5 years and current board vice president
James Adams – 11 years and current board president
Frank Henderson – 15 years
Karl McNorton – 5 years
Fred Patton – 18 years

Our board of education are advocates for our community, our children, and our public schools, and they are committed to providing an excellent education for every child. We are grateful to have this opportunity to formally say ‘thank you’ to each of them.


President's Remarks

The recent events across the nation are trying our resilience and patience and add additional stress to an already stressful school year. I encourage us all to continue to be there for one another and continue to talk with one another, even if our viewpoints or backgrounds are different. Violence or destruction is never the answer to addressing contrasts in points of view, and we will never condone acts of violence against people or entities. We will get through this difficult time and I have every confidence that we will do so together in a united way.

James Adams
James Adams
USD 345 Board President  


Board of Education Consent Agenda

The consent agenda contains items packaged into one agenda item. They are often routine and garner very little discussion. A full list of consent items can be found by visiting the BoardDocs website


Discussion Items 

  • R2R Update
  • Teaching and Learning Report
  • 2021-22 Enrollment Fees
  • Special Services Report
  • CORE-5 Status Review
  • Business and Finance Report
  • KASB Policy Updates

  • Action Items (approved)

    • COVID-19 Relief Resolution: Approve resolution as presented.
    • Board Leadership Election Date: Approve the board election of president and vice president and set annual meeting dates and times at the regular board meeting in July.
    • Secondary 1:1 Refresh: Approve the proposed refresh for 4 years with an annual payment of $379,181.10.
    • SMS & SHS Program Planning Guides: Approve as presented
    • 2021-22 School Calendar Update: approve changing the 2022 Spring Break to March 14-18.
    • Second Semester R2R Plan: Begin the second semester as presented in the updated R2R plan with any transitions thereafter to be determined by the Superintendent using the approved set of parameters.
     

    Next 345 Board of Education Meeting

    The next regularly scheduled board meeting will take place on February 8. It is scheduled to start at 6:00 pm. The Seaman USD #345 Board of Education will plan to meet at Seaman High School, 4850 NW Rochester Rd, in the Band Room.


    Board of Education Agenda

    To review previous board of education agendas, click here.


    How Can I Watch a Previous Board of Education Meeting?

    The video from the meeting will be available by the Tuesday at noon following the meeting. The video can be viewed by clicking here.

     

    Seaman School District USD #345
    901 NW Lyman Rd | Topeka, KS 66608