HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson spent time at three USD 308 schools on Friday, learning about programs at each.
Dr. Watson went to Faris Elementary School, Hutchinson Middle School – 8 and the Hutchinson Career and Technical Education Academy on the Hutchinson High School campus.
While at Faris, he held an extended conversation with Principal Dan Ackland and USD 308 Superintendent Shelly Kiblinger.
Ackland, in his first year as principal at Faris, has focused on improving parent and community communication and customer service. The school now has a Facebook page and regularly sends home backpack notes and makes calls to all parents about events at the school. The new principal knows the school has suffered from public image issues and realizes the best way to improve that image is to start with families of students who attend there.
Faris also has resurrected its PTO and site council, groups that had lapsed in the past few years. The PTO already has scheduled monthly meetings and had a successful first fundraiser at the school this fall.
The district also is changing resources available to schools to better meet student and family needs. All schools in the district are using Safe and Civil Schools to improve student behavior and reduce bullying.
Faris also has a part-time social worker, providing additional assistance to students and their families. Ackland said he would like to have a full-time social worker, but any additions to staff in the current budget environment mean cuts elsewhere in the district.
Ackland also talked about many of the challenges at Faris. The school has a high rate of mobility – a lot of students who start there in kindergarten won’t be there in first grade much less in sixth grade. The school also has 88.5 percent of its students on free or reduced-priced meals.
Dr. Watson and Willard also toured HMS-8, speaking with Principal David T. Patterson. The two talked about the program Career Cruising the district uses with middle school and high school students for career and coursework planning.
At the Career and Technical Education Academy, Travis Riebel, CTEA director, gave Watson and Willard a tour of the facility. Students at the academy benefit from the close relationship between the district and Hutchinson Community College. Several programs provide certifications at both HHS and at HCC.