USD 265 Goddard Public Schools - Home of the Lynx

Let's give a warm welcome to the new teachers at Challenger Intermediate School! Welcome to Goddard Public Schools, we all hope you have a fantastic school year!

Let's give a warm welcome to the new teachers at Oak Street Elementary School! Welcome to Goddard Public Schools, we all hope you have a fantastic school year!

Let's give a warm welcome to the new teachers at Explorer Elementary School! Welcome to Goddard Public Schools, we all hope you have a fantastic school year!

Let's give a warm welcome to the new teachers at Clark Davidson Elementary School! Welcome to Goddard Public Schools, we all hope you have a fantastic school year!

Let's give a warm welcome to the new teachers at USD 265-Apollo Elementary! Welcome to Goddard Public Schools, we all hope you have a fantastic school year!

Let's give a warm welcome to the new teachers at USD 265-Amelia Earhart Elementary! Welcome to Goddard Public Schools, we all hope you have a fantastic school year!

These smiling faces say it all! Our students are back and ready to learn, but behind every successful first day are the incredible people who make it all possible.

To our MAINTENANCE CREW who worked tirelessly to ensure every classroom was cool and comfortable; to our BUS DRIVERS navigating new routes with patience and care, safely delivering our most precious cargo; to our FRONT OFFICE HEROES answering countless questions with grace and helping everyone find their way; and to our TEACHERS opening their hearts and classrooms, welcoming each student back with enthusiasm and compassion - THANK YOU for being the strong foundation that makes learning possible!

Our students shine because of your dedication. Wishing everyone a fantastic school year ahead!

Registration for the fall 2025 session of USD 265 Driver Education opens TOMORROW, August 13th, at 10:00 a.m. Program cost is $275, and participants must be 14+ by/before Friday, August 29th, 2025, and currently enrolled USD 265 students. Register early - space is limited and enrollment is first-come, first-served!

The program consists of three parts:
- Required in-person meeting (Aug. 25th - 26th)
- Online course (Sept. 22nd - Oct. 9th)
- Individual driving sessions (Aug. 29th - Dec. 19th)
Important: Payment deadline is Thursday, August 21st by 10:00 p.m. to secure your spot.

BONUS: Optional AAA Defensive Driving Course available Oct 17th ($20), which may even help lower insurance rates!

Questions? Contact Jacob Holle at jholle@goddardusd.com or 316.794.4142

We were so excited to welcome all of the students today, the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! Whether your child(ren) returned to the halls for another fantastic year, or just began their journey in Goddard Public Schools, faculty and staff all across the district have worked hard to prepare for today. It’s the first step of a journey that will continue the educational excellence here in our community. Welcome back, #265Family!

We’re so excited to welcome back the entire #265Family for the first day of school on Monday, August 11th! Make sure to check your school’s website for everything your student will need to ROAR into another great school year, including school supply lists, upcoming events, school meal menus, start-of-year announcements, and so much more. Download the USD 265 mobile app to easily access all this and more on the go!

REMINDER - Open House will be held at each school TONIGHT (Thursday, August 7th).

Pre-K - 6th Grade Open House will be held from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

7th - 12th Grade Open House will be held from 5:15 - 7:15 p.m.

Meet your child(ren)’s principal and teachers, and get materials and resources that will help your family start the school year off right!

On Monday, district and building leaders welcomed back all of the incredible educators, faculty, and staff that call Goddard Public Schools home! The Goddard Education Foundation awarded cash prizes to donors of school supplies, and GEF Business Partners (Credit Union of America, Lange Real Estate, Equitable Advisors, Holle Homes, BCS, FNB, Phoenix Financial Group, Casey Vornauf - Horace Mann) had raffles and swag for everyone. A new addition to District Orientation this year was a health fair for all staff - there was truly something for everyone! Thank you to everyone that contributed to an amazing event, and we look forward to starting another amazing school year with the best staff. Their dedication to educational excellence continues to unite all of our school communities and help our students shine. Let’s make this year the best yet!

Last Thursday, Goddard Public Schools welcomed new teaching staff with a New Teacher Orientation that included presentations and welcomes from district leadership, building administrators, and more. Breakfast was generously provided by the Goddard Education Association and, after a school bus tour of the district and coffee from CoFellow Coffee Parlor, these educators were ready to get to work. In partnership with the Goddard Education Foundation and Credit Union of America, welcome gift bags and a courtesy lunch were provided to each new educator calling Goddard Public Schools home. Please join us in welcoming these fantastic new additions to our #265Family!

Help set students up for success this school year by participating in the USD 265 School Supply Drive! Drop off school supply donations to the USD 265 District Office (201 S. Main St. Goddard, KS 67052) to help us provide much needed supplies to those in need, to be provided at the “Backpack 2 School” event at Goddard Pathway Church on Tuesday, August 5th. BIG thanks to all that have contributed so far!

Pro Tip: If you bring items to the 21st & Maize Chick-Fil-A on Tuesday, August 5th, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. you’ll get a FREE chicken sandwich!

Attention student athletes! Don’t forget to get your sports physicals done for the new school year. Stop by Vrana Chiropractic or The Lighthouse Chiropractic by Friday, August 1st, and the proceeds will benefit the Goddard Education Foundation. Thank you to these valuable GEF business partners for their support year after year. Let’s ROAR into another great school year together!

Heads up, #265Family! The dedicated USD 265 Transportation team (our amazing bus drivers) will be out practicing routes to ensure a smooth start to the school year. You might see them in district vehicles or even buses as they familiarize themselves with the routes and timing for the coming school year. If you're visiting our schools, please help us out by avoiding parking in bus loading zones during these times.

Here's when they'll be practicing:
Thursday, July 31st: All Day
Friday, August 1st: All Day
Tuesday, August 5th: 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday, August 6th: 6:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
Thursday, August 7th: 6:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. - 5:20 p.m.
Friday, August 8th: 6:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. - 5:20 p.m.

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation as our team prepares to safely transport students all across the district!

A huge thank you to all community members, parents, staff, and administrators who joined us for the 2025 USD 265 Community Education Retreat! The day’s activities included district updates, a Board of Education candidate forum, and insightful discussions that help shape the future of Goddard Public Schools. We appreciate your commitment to our #265Family!

LAST CALL! If you are involved with a local youth organization, community group, business, non-profit group, or civic entity that provides services/products/programs benefiting USD 265 families, please complete the application linked below BY/BEFORE 5:00 p.m. TODAY, Wednesday, July 16th, to sign up to participate in the upcoming C.A.T. Kickoff Rally!

https://forms.gle/vkTRcR5kqdXBTDb2A

Join us for this exciting community engagement event from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. next Tuesday, July 22nd, at the Goddard High School Gym. PRO TIP: If you bring school supplies to donate to the Backpack 2 School school supply drive, you’ll receive a Chick-Fil-A card good for one free item!

We’re excited to share an inspiring initiative that took place during Summer Learning with our incoming 5th-6th grade students: the return and expansion of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program!

Thanks to the amazing support from a Goddard Education Foundation Innovative Teacher Grant, this program is bringing vital life skills and positive decision-making strategies to our #265Family. A huge thank you to Officer Heath and Officer Lamar for their dedication and truly investing in the future of Goddard Public Schools students! We look forward to seeing the continued impact of this invaluable program.

Learn more about past Innovative Teacher Grants and how you can support future grants at: https://goddardpsks.sites.thrillshare.com/.../teacher-grants

Read the full story here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AFej2ZQdi/

CALLING ALL USD 265 FAMILIES PREPPING FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR! Join us for the first annual C.A.T. Kickoff Rally! This community engagement event will have something for everyone. From ON-SITE SPORTS PHYSICALS to FREE HOT DOG MEALS, and family friendly activities, you won't want to miss this!

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
Goddard High School Gym

Do you need help loading funds onto your child(ren)’s school meal account? Are you looking for the next step in your career in a rewarding working environment? Needing to pick up school supplies for the school year? The C.A.T. Kickoff Rally has everything you need:

School supply lists ready for pickup
Enrollment support
Sports physicals ON-SITE
FREE hot dog dinner
Helpful school-related information
Family activities galore

Free and open to all USD 265 families, this is school year prep made easy! Don’t miss out - mark your calendars today!