When visiting with students, parents, or even recent graduates about what makes Maize USD 266 so great, I often hear about our exceptional teachers. Ensuring our schools are full of talented and passionate educators requires strategy and effort. One of our Lead Forward strategic plan's focus areas is Attract Expert Educators.

Specifically in this area, Lead Forward seeks to bolster total compensation, energize workplace culture, and create impactful professional learning. This semester, we have new data to guide us as we work toward these goals. We had 100 percent participation in a recent Emporia State University Teacher Retention Study, and I am really proud that so many of our teachers took time to tell us about their needs. Our survey shows that we have made some significant improvements in some areas since the first time this survey was given statewide in 2021. However, our work to keep the very best teachers in Maize USD 266 is not yet finished.

A team of community members, school board members, district leaders, and teachers will meet next month to analyze the survey data and look for key areas we can improve for teacher retention and recruitment. I also am excited to extend this conversation to our teachers who most recently have been nominated for and/or won Kansas Horizon Award and Kansas Teacher of the Year recognition. We and the Kansas State Department of Education recognize them as among our best and brightest, and I welcome their perspectives in this collaborative work. This team will review the survey data in April to further refine our efforts. In addition to small group discussions, I also continue to hear from all Maize USD 266 employees during the ongoing Superintendent Employee Listening Tour, now in its second year.

I also welcome you as parents to share your appreciation for our teachers when you visit with them during the upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences later this month. We are all better, and can help our students achieve their greatest success stories, when we work together. Thank you!

Dr. Raquel Greer

Superintendent

Maize USD 266

• On Twitter: @rockigreer
• Email: rgreer@usd266.com
• Online: www.usd266.com/superintendent

February

• Monday, Feb. 12: No school, Professional Development Day
• Thursday, Feb. 22: No school, Parent/Teacher Conferences (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
• Friday, Feb. 23: No school, Conference Comp Day

March

• Thursday, March 7: End of Term 3
• Friday, March 8 through Friday, March 15: No school, Spring Break
• Monday, March 18: Start of Term 4

April

• Friday, April 5: No school, Professional Development Day
• Monday, April 8: No school
• Friday, April 26: School is in session

Please note that the updated 2023-24 district calendar, approved during the July 10 Maize Board of Education meeting, includes a half day of school on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the last day of school for the school year. Please stay tuned for more information about that day's schedule.

So far this school year, the district has had three snow days or no school days due to inclement weather. At this time, no changes are needed to the district calendar to make up this time.

On Jan. 15, Maize Board of Education members unanimously approved a new policy addressing traffic safety on district property. With this change and as state law allows, the school board consents that city ordinances pertaining to parking and traffic regulations on city streets apply to the roads, streets, and driveways on school and district grounds. The school board also gives authority to city law enforcement officers to issue municipal court citations for parking and traffic violations, including speeding tickets, on school property.

Thousands of vehicles move across school and district property each school day, and vehicles and pedestrians share many of the same traffic corridors. This policy helps promote enforcement for added safety and precaution during this very busy time in district parking lots and roads. Work will continue to identify other opportunities to enhance traffic safety and education for drivers and pedestrians.

As shared in the December 2023 Maize Pulse, the district's branding is evolving, and school board members during their February meeting will have an opportunity to consider approval of a proposed digital-friendly updated logo. The district will continue to use imagery with the letter M and a star, the district color scheme of red and gold, and block text, as has been the case since the current district logo was adopted in 2009. This refreshed logo will be featured on a new district website, which will launch later this calendar year. A goal of this work is to update the district's branding in a way that reflects the continuous improvements to the district's growth and standards of excellence. Throughout January, district leaders engaged with stakeholder groups, including those representing students, parents, teachers, principals, and school board members, to gather feedback.

Before 2009, Maize USD 266 used a logo with images that conveyed a schoolhouse and satellite to visually highlight the balance of a tight-knit school environment with forward-thinking innovation and technology, as pictured. Much has changed in the district and in logo usage since that time. Please stay tuned for more information about the modernized alternate logo along with the new district website. We are excited to Lead Forward!

Please explore Maize USD 266's 2024 Legislative Platform, which Maize Board of Education members approved in December. Please also consider reaching out to elected Kansas legislators to share Maize successes and needs! The following state representatives and senators represent the Maize USD 266 community. We appreciate their service to the people of our community!

• Rep. Leo Delperdang
• Rep. Dan Hawkins
• Rep. Carl Maughan
• Rep. Brenda Landwehr
• Rep. Emil Bergquist
• Sen. Chase Blasi
• Sen. Carolyn McGinn

The Maize Board of Education's next monthly meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12 in the classrooms at the Maize Performing Arts and Aquatics Center, 1155 W. Academy in Maize. Meetings are open to the public. Find a link to meeting agendas and minutes, school board member information, and policies at www.usd266.com/schoolboard. Regular monthly meetings are broadcast live at bit.ly/Maize266YouTube.

Maize USD 266 recently honored members of our Maize Board of Education during Kansas School Board Recognition Month. Please join us in thanking these volunteers for all they do for our students, employees, district, and community! Our school board members are, as pictured from left, Vice President John Harrison, Todd Dumler, Andrew Johnson, President Kerry Fellows, Michael Russell, Troy Palmer, and Jessica Pereira.

Maize USD 266 leaders and school board members occasionally surprise a teacher with a tag out. This is when the teacher gets "tagged out" of the classroom to take a brief break and enjoy the gift of time. The district leader or school board member continues teaching and learning with the students during that break. The fun program also allows our leaders to get to know our students and classes better and shows appreciation for our educators.

Maize USD 266 is actively hiring teachers. Join our team to make an important difference in Maize Schools and the lives of our students!

A huge congratulations to Maize South Middle School teacher Ivy Daugherty and Maize South Elementary School kindergarten teacher Haley Miller, both surprised last month with the excellent news that they are winners of the Kansas Horizon Award! The annual Kansas State Department of Education award recognizes and celebrates exemplary beginning teachers. No more than 32 teachers statewide are recognized with this award each year, and Maize USD 266 is honored and proud to celebrate two of our own outstanding educators on this year's list!

Congratulations to Maize High School senior Faith Swart, recipient of a Wichita State University Barton School of Business scholarship for $50,000! WSU representatives surprised her at school this week and celebrated the amazing accomplishment. Faith's experience at Maize High includes being National Honor Society president and Student Ambassador's president. She has interned at Textron in interior design, learning how to make airplanes functional and beautiful. As a Shocker, she plans to study marketing.

Congratulations to Maize USD 266 Chief Financial Officer Matt Morford, named part of the Wichita Business Journal's 2024 CFO Awards class! We are so proud and appreciate all he does to support our operations, schools, and students! We are better because of his expertise and professionalism.

During the school day, Brooke Sorenson works as a counselor at Maize South High School. After the bell rings, she steps into her new role as coach of the school's new powerlifting team. She serves as a source of motivation and inspiration to her 32 student lifters on the team, who continue to train for competitions this winter. She also happens to be one of only a few known female school powerlifting team coaches in the state. The team is preparing for the upcoming 5A state meet on Feb. 24. Thanks to KWCH for featuring her in a story this week! Check it out by clicking on the link below. Maize High School also has a new powerlifting team this year. Good luck to our Mavericks and Eagles this season!

Please join the Maize Education Foundation at its inaugural Birds and Bulls Gala on Feb. 29! Located at the beautiful Prairie Hill Vineyard, this fundraising gala will be an elegant evening of dinner and dancing, live and silent auctions, entertainment, and more. Funds raised at the Birds and Bulls Gala will allow the Maize Education Foundation to build on its existing grant initiatives, creating more opportunities to elevate learning for our students. The Birds and Bulls Gala is presented by Credit Union of America.

Own a business? Show your Maize USD 266 support with a Birds and Bulls Gala sponsorship. Sponsorships start at $500 and range up to $6,000. Consider a premiere Red level sponsorship for $5,000. A Red level sponsorship would cover 50 First Year Teacher classroom allowances, 10 student grants, or five Legacy Scholarships per school! For details, contact Maize Education Foundation Director Emi Simmons at esimmons@usd266.com.

Maize USD 266 students in grades 7 through 12 are eligible to apply for a grant of up to $500 to help cover the costs associated with enrichment, leadership, and educational activities like leadership seminars, science expeditions, national competitions, community service projects, and more. Click here to learn more or contact Maize Education Foundation Director Emi Simmons at esimmons@usd266.com. Applications are due Friday, March 22.

Thank you to Maize USD 266's District Site Council members, who met Jan. 29 and meet regularly to discuss ways to continue to improve the district this school year and beyond. Members include representatives of school site councils, parent leaders, administrators, employees, Maize Board of Education members, and community members. They share perspectives, experiences, and expertise regarding initiatives and goals to help make Maize USD 266 the best it can be for students. Participants represent diverse industries, experiences, and connections to the district.

Join district leaders in celebrating Maize School employees represented by the following recent appreciation days:

• National Maintenance Worker Day
• National School Counselor Week

Please keep these reminders in mind:

• Please ensure that you have updated your information for notifications: If you want to receive phone calls and/or text messages from Maize USD 266, please log into Skyward Family Access and click “Skylert” on the left. Skylert enables you to receive notifications concerning your child(ren). Snow day-related notifications and the majority of district-sent parent communications fall into the category of “General.” You can check the boxes under “General” in Skyward to select how you prefer to receive this information. Please also make sure your phone number is accurate. Please click “Save” in the upper-right corner if you make any updates.

• Make sure to opt in to notify your carrier if you want to receive text messages: Those who want to receive the district’s School Messenger text messages also will need to opt in by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. This informs your mobile carrier that you approve of receiving text messages from School Messenger. Those wishing to opt out can do so by sending “Stop.” Please click here for more information. Text recipients will receive automated district messages from the number 67587.

• In the event of school being dismissed or canceled because of inclement weather: The district will send out notifications via phone call, text (SMS), and email to those who have elected to receive them. Phone notifications will go out as early as 5:30 a.m. on the day of the closure. If a decision is made the night before to call off school, calls and texts will go out no later than 10:30 p.m. District officials will update the district’s website (www.usd266.com), official Twitter/X account (@maize266), and official Facebook page as soon as the decision is made to call off school. When in doubt, the district encourages parents and employees to verify school closings by consulting multiple official district sources. Please do not rely on only one form of notification, such as a text message, if you are uncertain.

Thank you for your cooperation in preparing for potential inclement weather this winter.