Dr. Greer's August 2025 Super Note

Hi, students! We are so excited to start the school year with you! We’ve been getting ready for your arrival and have big plans to learn and grow together — in the classroom, in activities and athletics, and in whatever exciting chapter you’re beginning.

I hope you had a wonderful summer doing something you love with your family, friends, and favorite people. Maybe you took a much-needed break and relaxed at home. Or maybe you took a road trip where you had a special place in mind to visit. You packed up and set out on your adventure. Along the way, you might have stopped for gas, asked for directions, or hit some construction. Maybe there were a few twisty roads. But none of that stopped you, because you kept going, had fun, and made great memories.

That’s a lot like our theme this year: Keep on Truckin’. Here at Maize USD 266, we’re setting out on a school year just like that road trip. Our destination is your success, and we’ll keep moving forward together to get there. Just like any trip, you’ll have people riding along with you: your teachers, coaches, bus drivers, principals, and everyone who makes your school day possible. You can always ask for help if you feel stuck, and there will be amazing moments along the way.

Speaking of amazing moments, I even got to wear my Keep on Truckin’ trucker hat on the big screen at a Wichita Wind Surge game recently, where we celebrated Maize employees and geared up for the year ahead. How cool is that? Maize South High School senior Erin White sang a beautiful performance of the National Anthem, and Maize Intermediate School Principal Mr. Roulhac threw out the first pitch for the game. We also had Eagle and Maverick cheerleaders there to help build excitement. It was so exciting to share and celebrate this journey with our community!

So buckle up, and let’s get this journey started! I can’t wait to see all we’ll do together.

Dr. Greer

Maize USD 266 Superintendent

Meet the members of the Superintendent Student Advisory Team! For the fourth consecutive year, this dedicated group of high school students provides insights that are crucial as the district establishes direction on key issues, giving them a unique opportunity to influence decisions that affect our community. The Superintendent Student Advisory Team consists of 27 students—freshmen through seniors—from across the district, ensuring representation from all grade levels.

Have ideas on ways to make Maize USD 266 even better? Share your thoughts with these members.

Maize High School

• Freshmen Jayden Dexter and Preston Silver
• Sophomores Emma Mengelkoch, NaTasha Nelson, and Isaac Steele
• Juniors Grace Mengelkoch, Bethany Froese, Lila Francis, Malia Taylor, and Quincy Burrow
• Seniors Hunter Jennings, Jada Best-Henson, and Audrey Purcell

Maize South High School

• Freshmen Reuben "RJ" Kerbs, Isabelle McKown, and Emily Ponce
• Sophomores Westley Buselt and Skylar Johnson
• Juniors Cody Mantano, Gisele Geromel, and Peyton Banning
• Seniors Brynn Sutton, Cy Stucky, and Keziah Eustache

Complete High School Maize

• Sophomore Lela Woodford
• Junior Coby Compass
• Senior Loren Parsons

Thanks again to the 2024-25 Superintendent Student Advisory Team for all of your hard work and great ideas! We appreciate you and the time and efforts you contributed last year!

Take a look back at recent student accomplishments!

Congratulations to Maize South High School student Evan Goates, who won 5A singles state champion in boys tennis last Spring as a junior! He finished the year with a 29-2 record. He was the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division One champion, 2025 regional runner-up, and 2024 5A state runner-up. He and the other students on the Maize South boys tennis team were coached by Frank Reyes.

Congratulations to our recent graduates on these incredible honors!

• Maize South High School graduate Sophie Stockam was named Gatorade Kansas Softball Player of the Year and Lynette Woodard High School Female Athlete of the Year by the Wichita Sports Commission.
• Maize High School graduate Kinslea Jones was a finalist for the Lynette Woodard High School Female Athlete of the Year.
• Maize High School graduate Alan Hanna was named Gatorade Kansas Boys Track & Field Player of the Year. As a high jumper, he won state and made history, breaking the 30-year-old 6A state track meet record and recording one of the best jumps in the country this year at 7 feet, 3.5 inches.

Congratulations to Maize USD 266 golfers from Maize High School and Maize South High School who competed against Goddard USD 265 golfers last spring for the annual 265/266 Challenge Cup. This competition started four years ago between the two districts. The Mavericks and Eagles finally won the Challenge Cup and presented it to the Maize Board of Education members on Aug. 11. The Mavericks are coached by Chad Christensen, and the Eagles are coached by Brad Horning.

Maize USD 266 golfers present the Challenge Cup to Maize Board of Education Vice President Kerry Fellows and President Andrew Johnson.

Maize USD 266 partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Central Kansas for before- and after-school care and programming in our schools. The organization is currently recruiting for Transition Leaders and invites students who are at least 15 years old to apply.

Please click here to access the Transition Leader: Youth Worker - Maize application. This is a great opportunity for responsible teens who have experience working with children and are seeking a part-time job that accommodates their school hours.

The position pays $10 an hour, and training will be provided.

From our Maize Early Childhood Center to our high schools, it was so great to see you and your families at our Open House events on Aug. 13! Our teachers were ready to meet you and welcome you, and we could already feel the excitement building for the new school year.

Thank you, students, volunteers, and donors, and everyone who helped make the annual Fill the Bus event a success! We couldn't have done it without your help and support. Your fellow students will be better prepared for the school year ahead because of you and your generosity with your donated school supplies. We even tied with Goddard for collecting the most school supplies.

Thanks to generous community donors, Maize USD 266 has school supplies available to support you, our students, and help you have what you need to succeed. If you need school supplies, please contact Madi Hay at 316-722-0266 or mahay@usd266.com. Please allow at least one school day to facilitate school supply pickup or school supply delivery directly to your class.

Thanks to everyone who came to our annual Super Story Time on Aug. 12 at MOXI Junction in Maize! This free event is a fun way to celebrate reading and connect before the new school year. Superintendent Dr. Greer read several children’s books, including "Little Blue Truck," which fits this year’s Keep on Truckin' theme. The story shows how teamwork and determination can help you reach your goal.

Your learning didn't stop during Summer Break! From Multimedia Camp and STEM Camp to Tennis and Robotics, many of you spent part of your summer building new skills, exploring your interests, and staying engaged. These are just a few of the many camps that took place throughout the district this summer.

Our 12 school kitchens are busy serving up amazing options for food at school! In fact, we serve 1,090 breakfasts and 4,347 lunches each school day to keep you healthy and well-fed so you can do your best at school. Our school meals feature fresh produce grown in our schools' hydroponic gardens and locally-sourced beef. Check out these resources to get your school menus.

The Maize Education Foundation is excited to announce the fall 2025 Student Enrichment Grant cycle! Starting Aug. 25, students in grades 7 through 12 are invited to apply for grants of up to $500 to support opportunities such as leadership seminars, educational camps, community service projects, and more.

Past Student Enrichment Grants have funded experiences like robotics tournaments, educational trips to the nation's capital, KAY Leadership Camps, and supplies for student-run businesses. What possibilities could grant funding open for you?

Applications are due by Oct. 31.

Did you know that students are a HUGE help to keeping schools safe? Help us keep you safe by providing anonymous tips. If you see something, please say something!

There are three ways to submit an anonymous tip:

1. Click here to be taken directly to a secure tip reporting website.
2. On your smartphone, download the free P3 Tips app from the App Store or Google Play. Then, follow the onscreen prompts to submit your tip.
3. Call 316-267-2111.

The Kansas School Violence hotline is a 24-hour hotline to report impending school violence. The hotline exists through a partnership between the Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Highway Patrol. The line is monitored 24 hours a date by the KHP Emergency Communications Center.

You can call 1-877-626-8203.

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Super Note is a Maize USD 266 e-newsletter from Superintendent Dr. Greer to students. Please enjoy reading this publication! It is produced about once a quarter and sent via email.