Did you know that Kansas Day is celebrated every year on the 29th of January in recognition of the state's birthday, as well as the anniversary of the admission of Kansas into the Union.
In addition to sunflowers, our state is also known for the Western Meadowlark, and the American Bison. What's your favorite thing about living in Kansas?
Happy Kansas Day, everyone!
How many careers can offer the opportunity to serve your community, positively impact kids every day AND a fun, family environment?! By being a part of the USD 265 Transportation team, you have the opportunity to earn a competitive wage, enjoy a flexible schedule and be surrounded by coworkers that become like family!
This is a great position for parents, grandparents, retirees or anyone that wants to help their hometown community and serve the students of Goddard Public Schools. To learn more and apply today, call 316-794-4291 or visit: https://www.applitrack.com/goddardusd/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Transportation.
Please help us welcome Karaline Scott, the new Community Relations Intern for Goddard Public Schools and the Goddard Education Foundation!
Karaline Scott is a senior at Goddard High School. During her time at GHS she has been involved in many extracurricular activities including varsity cheer, marching band, and Kansas Association of Youth, but was looking for a unique experience to finish out her final semester with USD 265 before graduation. She reached out, seeking an internship with our Community Relations Department to expand her marketing and communication skills.
Karaline decided to pursue an internship at the Central Administration Center with the Goddard Education Foundation and Community Relations team because of the connection she has with the Goddard community. She has been attending Goddard Public Schools for the past 13 years and is the daughter of an educator in the District. Karaline says she admires USD 265’s ability to recognize and appreciate students and staff, and knows firsthand the impact and importance of the Goddard Education Foundation and public schools in Kansas. She is excited to get involved with innovative educators in the District as well as tell their stories in a creative way. She hopes to learn more about photography and videography as well as enhance her storytelling skills during her time on the team. She will be working on numerous projects and initiatives including Oz, the GEF's fundraising event, the “Roar on 54” magazine, Innovative Teacher Grants, and other school public relations projects.
We are excited to have Karaline Scott join our Community Relations team!
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.” – Elizabeth Andrew
Ray and Amy Hall, Discovery Intermediate School Family, were awarded the District Attitude Award after being nominated by Mary Kloefkorn and Alexa Heim. Their nominators wrote, “Ray and Amy Hall are the most supportive and kind parents you will find. They are the epitome of kindness and generosity. They started volunteering when Kate was in 5th grade and continue that now that she's in 6th. They are involved in many areas of Discovery and have become an invaluable part of the Discovery family. Ray says "yes" even before you've told him what you need. They show up and are involved in any way they can be. They come early, stay late to clean up, and interact with the students and staff in a positive manner. Not only are they kind and helpful, they are modeling this lifestyle for their daughter, Kate, who now looks for ways to help others and jumps in to help wherever she sees a need. If you told them that they would be nominated for this award, they would humbly brush it off and say it wasn't necessary - that they are just happy to be helpful. That's exactly the reason they should be given this award. We are thinking of keeping Kate at Discovery so we don't lose this awesome family. However, knowing the Hall's they will just tell us to give them a call and they would be happy to come and help with whatever we need.”
"School bus drivers are the people who transport children to their future."
Kristy Evers, Transportation Trainer, received the District Attitude Award after being nominated by Mr. Robert Rehse. Her nominator wrote, “As tends to happen every year, the district is short on bus drivers. That shortage is especially acute for activity drivers for sports. When the district put out feelers at the beginning of the year for coaches to sign up, lots of people were interested. At least until they saw how in-depth the training is and how much information you are required to learn. I decided to dive in anyway and once I did, I discovered Kristy was the perfect person to teach prospective drivers. She has made everything as user-friendly as possible and shows you exactly what you need to know and what are the best ways to learn it. The average person can't parallel park a car. Kristy has a method that if you simply follow the steps, you can parallel park a bus. She has a very calming presence about her teaching style and is very encouraging in her feedback. She understands that you'll make mistakes but helps you learn from them instead of dwelling on them. She made the process very bearable and helped me pass the CDL test on the first try. She is an asset to the district that often goes unnoticed so I believe she deserves this recognition.”
"Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best." –Bob Talbert.
Kaleigh Kear, Challenger Intermediate School Teacher, received the District Attitude Award after being nominated by a Challenger Family. Her nominator wrote, “Mrs. Kear excels with the inclusion of all types of learners and allows students in her math class to be themselves. She did not shy away from my son’s different learning styles and his different wiring. Instead, she reached in to meet him right where he was at. She brought in puzzles and challenges of all kinds. She created a Math Menu that allowed her students to take ownership of their learning and tailor it to their personal strengths and learning styles. But the most impactful thing she did was to just love him. She saw his differences as strengths and she helped him see himself from her perspective as well. By the end of his time with her, my son had learned so much more than just math. He learned to be proud of being a different type of thinker, he learned to feel hope toward his future and he learned to love himself just as he is, because she sure did.”
As we conclude National School Board Appreciation Month, a special thanks to all who joined the USD 265 Goddard Board of Education for last night's BOE Meet & Greet. What a great show of support and engagement from the Goddard community! Discover more about the Goddard Public Schools Board of Education here: https://www.goddardusd.com/page/about-boe.
Did you know that the Goddard Education Foundation helps support USD 265 educators directly, helping them make a difference right in the classroom? They've awarded over 125 Innovative Teacher Grants to classrooms all across the District. The GEF is an independent, nonprofit, community-based organization with a mission to provide resources and enrich educational opportunities for the students and staff of USD 265. Learn more by visiting the Goddard Education Foundation's website directly, or just click the link below!
https://www.goddardef.org/o/gef
Did you know that our Board of Education Members set four Core Beliefs outlined to guide them in leading the District? To celebrate School Board Appreciation Month, please join us for a Board of Education Meet & Greet to visit and learn more about our Goddard USD 265 Board of Education members including Amanda Gish, Nicole Hawkins, Jerry Longabaugh, Mark Richards, Ginger Rose, Jenny Simmons, and Ruth Wood.
Join us for snacks and soft drinks from 6:15 - 6:45 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22nd, at the Central Administration Center (201 S. Main St. Goddard, KS 67052). This event is open to the public. Let’s celebrate the pride, growth, and excellence of our #265Family!
To view the list of Core Beliefs for the Goddard USD 265 Board of Education, and learn more about what the BOE does for Goddard Schools, visit the Goddard Public Schools website, or click the link below!
https://www.goddardusd.com/page/about-boe
Due to extreme temperatures and dangerous wind chills that have been forecasted, there will be NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, for Goddard Public Schools. Please be safe, and have a great day! - Dane Baxa
“The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
As a reminder, Goddard USD 265 schools and offices will be closed today, Monday, Jan. 15th in honor of this holiday. Wishing everyone a warm and safe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!
January is School Board of Appreciation Month! To celebrate, you are invited to meet your Goddard USD 265 Board of Education members including Amanda Gish, Nicole Hawkins, Jerry Longabaugh, Mark Richards, Ginger Rose, Jenny Simmons, and Ruth Wood.
Join us for snacks and soft drinks from 6:15 - 6:45 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22nd, for a Board of Education Meet & Greet at the Central Administration Center (201 S. Main St. Goddard, KS 67052). This event is open to the public. Let’s celebrate the pride, growth, and excellence of our #265Family!
Congratulations to Shae Enegren (1st Grade Teacher at Oak Street Elementary School) and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Toribio (Mixed Abilities Teacher at Eisenhower Middle School) for being recognized today with the 2024 Kansas Horizon Award! Each school district can nominate one elementary educator and/or one secondary educator. Goddard USD 265 nominated both Enegren and Toribio, and both won!
The Kansas Commissioner of Education, Dr. Randy Watson, took time to individually call each recipient, inform them and congratulate them. Enegren and Toribio are two of only 32 educators in the state to win this award for excellence in their first year of teaching. According to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), the Horizon Award "identifies and recognizes representatives of excellent teaching in the elementary and secondary classrooms of the state." Goddard Public Schools could not be more proud of our Horizon Award winners, as well as all of the excellent educators that call USD 265 home. Thank you for all you do to make our school communities an environment of excellence for our students, staff and families!
Please join us in congratulating Shae & Lizzie on this prestigious award - very well deserved!
Thank you to Laura Rainwater, Sedgwick County Election Commissioner and Goddard USD 265 patron, for taking the time to swear in our newly elected Board of Education members Amanda Gish, Nicole Hawkins, Jerry Longabaugh, and Jenny Simmons!
Due to hazardous winter weather conditions, there will be NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, for Goddard Public Schools. - Dane Baxa
Congratulations to the Goddard High School theatre students who successfully performed their presentation of "Deadline" for the finale of the Kansas Thespian Festival (Jan. 4th - 6th) at Century II this past weekend. The cast and crew members loaded the entire set of the show, constructed the set on-site, teched the entire performance, performed the show, disassembled the set, reloaded it and then returned it all to GHS - all in one day! The students, as well as Jamie Oettle (Director & GHS Theatre Teacher), received a standing ovation at the conclusion of the performance, and there were numerous ratings of excellence awarded in a variety of categories - including GHS receiving the "Gold Honor Troupe" award. Congratulations again to all involved!
Due to hazardous winter weather conditions, there will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, January 5, 2024, for Goddard Public Schools. - Dane Baxa
Have you heard?! USD 265 has a MOBILE APP! Did you forget the lunch menu for tomorrow? Want to be the first to know about snow days? Want to know the latest and greatest events going on in Goddard Public Schools?
Download the USD 265 - Goddard Public Schools mobile app today!
Wishing our school community a happy new year from your #265Family! We can't wait to welcome everyone back for the spring semester. Let's make it a fantastic one!
