Great Bend Public Schools won’t have regular after-school academic and enrichment programs this year, Director of Teaching and Learning JoAnn Blevins told the school board on Monday. Lack of staffing was the major obstacle.
“It came down to not enough people,” Blevins said.
She noted that the Great Bend Recreation Commission sometimes uses school facilities to provide programming that is not connected directly with the district after-school programs. GBRC continues to have access to district facilities for their programming.
USD 428 will revisit after-school programming in the spring to explore possibilities for the fall of 2025. As it gets closer to summer, the district will also look at its plans for summer school, she said.
Water damage
In other business, the school board learned a leaking water pipe recently discovered at Lincoln Elementary School temporarily shut down the nurses’ bathroom and caused about $34,000 in damage.
There is mold behind the sheetrock, Assistant Superintendent John Popp said. “Right now there’s this huge mess.”
Superintendent Khris Thexton said Magna Dry cleaned up the mess and asked the board to approve Brentwood Builders’ bid of $34,000 to do the repairs. The damage was turned in as an insurance claim but was below the $50,000 deductible.
High graduation rate
Great Bend Public Schools achieved recognition from the Kansas State Department of Education for its high graduation rate, Superintendent Thexton reported. USD 428 received a Bronze Graduation recognition in the Kansas Can Star Recognition Program for last year’s 92.4% graduation rate.
Grants and contributions
The board approved the following grants and contributions:
• GBHS Football received $3,131 from the Panther Booster Club for Pro Varsity bags.
• The Class of 1960 donated $100 to Great Bend High School.
• The GBHS Internship Program received $2,000 from the Midwest Energy Community Fund, a fund at the Heartland Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Greater Salina Community Foundation.
• TruStage provided a $1,000 sponsorship to the VTC Electric Car.
• Great Bend Middle School received $1,000 from GBMS Booster Club for Cheerleader pom poms.
• Tyler Rydman, GBMS Computer Technology teacher, applied for and received a $529 grant funded by Kansas Gas Service and Riot Games through the Kansas Donor Choice Project. The grant will help purchase additional electronic equipment to better equip the GBMS E-Sports Club for upcoming competitions.
• The USD 428 Librarians applied for the All Readers Welcome: Supporting School Libraries program that provides $1,500 grants to selected school libraries to purchase books that may not otherwise be able to be purchased. School librarians will select the books that reflect the needs and interests of their students, ensuring that all children see themselves represented in the library’s collection.
