USD 231 Board Briefs

The Board expressed gratitude for three notable donations this month. New Life Community Church contributed school supplies for Moonlight Elementary, AB Creative donated $1,000 to support the High School Girls Golf Club, and the Gardner Edgerton School Foundation provided $10,000 for the district’s convocation event. These contributions directly benefit students, extracurricular programs, and district-wide initiatives. Board members publicly thanked each donor for their generosity and community support.

The full list of donations can be found HERE

Dr. Ben Boothe, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, and Dr. Jason Jones, Coordinator of Curriculum, Professional Development, and Mentoring, presented an update on the district’s ongoing curriculum work, aimed at ensuring all students receive a guaranteed and viable curriculum (GVC) regardless of which school or teacher they have. It was explained that “guaranteed” means every student is taught the same priority standards, while “viable” means the content is realistic to cover within the school year. The district uses a “tight and loose” framework—tight elements have non-negotiable expectations across all classrooms, while loose elements give teachers flexibility to adapt to their students’ needs and bring their own teaching style.

The curriculum development process has nine steps, with the first five considered “tight.” These include: identifying essential concepts and skills, sequencing learning progressions, writing clear learning intentions, creating success criteria for students, and defining specific vocabulary expectations. The “loose” steps involve making learning relevant to students, designing teacher-selected assessment opportunities, and allowing for varied teaching artistry. Step nine, also “tight,” focuses on mastery of standards through common formative assessments that ensure consistency across classrooms and grade levels.

The district has now completed documented ELA and math curricula ready for implementation this year. However, leaders emphasized that curriculum is a process, not a one-time product—it will be continuously refined based on teacher feedback, student performance data, and any changes in state standards. Work is also underway in science, early childhood, and technology, with preliminary steps taken to evaluate course sequencing, improve integration across grades, and establish common expectations for preschool programs.

The ultimate goal, Dr. Jones stressed, is that a student’s educational experience will be consistent, rigorous, and equitable no matter where in the district they attend school.

Dr. Boothe, Christy Whitter, Executive Director of Elementary Education, and Heather Peeke, Executive Director of Secondary Education, presented an in-depth look at how the district is measuring student achievement through a balanced assessment system. This approach combines multiple measures—classroom formative assessments, Kansas State Assessments, and the FastBridge universal screening tool—to give a full picture of student learning. The emphasis is on using data not just to identify achievement levels, but to track growth over time and adjust instruction accordingly.

The team began by addressing a common question: What does “reading on grade level” mean? They noted that the term can be misleading, as reading is complex and encompasses many different types of text—from food labels to novels—each with varying difficulty. There is no universally agreed-upon definition of “grade level” reading, and high-performing students in lower grades can sometimes score at the same level as lower-performing students in higher grades. To better capture student learning, the district focuses on a range of performance indicators rather than a single label.

FastBridge plays a central role in this system. For reading, the district uses “aReading” for grades 2–10 and “earlyReading” for kindergarten and first grade. For math, “aMath” is used for grades 2–10 and “earlyMath” for kindergarten and first grade. These adaptive tests adjust question difficulty based on student responses, providing more precise information. Reports from FastBridge include three key metrics:

• Benchmark – whether a student meets grade-level skill expectations.

• Growth – whether a student is making typical or aggressive progress over the year.

• Norms – how a student’s performance compares nationally to peers.

Results from 2024–25 showed that 59% of students met or exceeded reading benchmarks and 61% did so in math. Growth data revealed that roughly 60% of students made typical or aggressive growth in reading, and 70% of students were at or above the national norm in math. Importantly, the district met or exceeded FastBridge’s own predicted growth rates between fall and spring, which means students generally progressed faster than expected.

It was stressed that growth matters for all students, not just those at risk. High-achieving students are also expected to continue growing. To monitor this, the district is setting building-level goals for 2025–26 that focus on the percentage of students making typical or aggressive growth. These goals will be tracked through multiple checkpoints during the year, with principals and teaching teams reviewing progress and adjusting instructional strategies as needed.

The update reinforced the district’s commitment to using multiple data points—rather than a single test score—to understand student needs, celebrate successes, and guide targeted support. The presenters emphasized that the focus is not just on proficiency, but on ensuring every student grows academically each year.

Dr. Boothe and Dr. Dan Pollitt, Coordinator of Social-Emotional Learning, shared encouraging news on student behavior trends. Over the past two years, in-school suspensions decreased by 18% and out-of-school suspensions by 5%, with particularly notable improvements at the high school level. Initiatives contributing to this progress include district-wide implementation of the Second Step social-emotional learning program, universal behavior screening through Sabers, BIST training for staff, and the cell phone policy introduced last year.

At the high school, suspensions have dropped by 40%, while teacher-student conferences addressing issues like cell phone violations have increased significantly, reflecting proactive engagement rather than punitive measures.

Dr. Brian Huff, Superintendent, reflected on the positive momentum within the district, highlighting unity, collaboration, and a sense of family among staff. He noted a steady decrease in staff turnover, which he sees as a sign that employees value working in the district. Dr. Huff tied many of the evening’s presentations—such as the curriculum and behavior updates—to the district’s goal of aligning practices and language across schools. He also shared excitement for the upcoming first days of school and emphasized the district’s commitment to excellence, pointing to past achievements like Blue Ribbon Awards as benchmarks for future success.

Board members offered thanks to community supporters, with special recognition for the Gardner Edgerton Schools Foundation and the Gardner Rotary Club, which recently donated $15,000. They commended the foundation’s role in supporting new teacher orientation, community breakfasts, and other events. Members also wished students, staff, and families a successful start to the school year and encouraged the graduating class of 2026 to savor their final year. Some comments highlighted pride in the district’s calm, fact-based leadership during last month’s temporary freeze on Title funds, as well as a desire to continue “blazing new trails” in educational innovation.

Mark Meyer, Executive Director of Human Resources, re-introduced a new position—the School Safety Specialist—dedicated to Gardner Edgerton High School. The idea began about 18 months ago and gained traction after the successful passage of the district bond in April. The role is designed to enhance school safety through building monitoring, risk mitigation, emergency response, and close coordination with administrators and law enforcement.

Mr. Meyer introduced Bryan Jaegers, a retired Olathe Police Department officer with 19 years of School Resource Officer experience, as the first hire for the position.

The Board reviewed and approved an amendment to its existing memorandum of understanding with the City of Gardner and the Gardner Police Department. This update formally outlines the School Safety Specialist’s role as a district employee while securing the city’s commitment to provide ongoing training and qualifications for the position.

The final safety item addressed the proposal for the School Safety Specialist to carry a firearm as part of the role’s responsibilities. Mr. Meyer explained that the position has been in conceptual development for over 15 years and is intended to act as a first responder in emergencies, often arriving before 911 services. The specialist will support risk mitigation, liaise with law enforcement, and assist both school and district administrators. Qualifications for the position exceed the job description’s expectations, and the firearm authorization is seen as a measure to enhance responsiveness and protection on campus.

The Board approved the publication of the official Budget Notice for the 2025–26 school year, a required step before the district can formally adopt its budget. Publishing the notice informs the public of the proposed budget totals, revenue sources, and anticipated expenditures, and also provides the date and time of the public budget hearing. This process ensures transparency and gives community members the opportunity to review and comment on the district’s financial plans before final approval. Once published, the notice will appear in the district’s designated newspaper, and the budget hearing will be held at an upcoming Board meeting in accordance with Kansas law.

The Board approved the annual resolution setting the district’s Local Option Budget (LOB) percentage for the 2025–26 school year. The LOB is a portion of the district’s budget that is funded through local property taxes, supplementing state funding to support instructional programs, staff salaries, and other operational needs. Setting this percentage each year is required by law and ensures the district can maximize available resources to maintain quality programs and services. The approved resolution keeps the LOB at a level aligned with previous years, reflecting both the district’s financial stability and its commitment to balancing educational priorities with fiscal responsibility.

The Board designated its representative for the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB) 2025 Delegate Assembly. This annual gathering brings together school board members from across the state to review and vote on KASB’s legislative priorities, policy positions, and advocacy strategies for the upcoming year. Having a delegate ensures USD 231’s perspectives and interests are represented in statewide discussions on education policy. The appointed delegate, Mr. Heath Freeman, will attend the assembly, participate in deliberations, and report back to the Board on outcomes and any adopted resolutions that could impact the district.

The Board approved a districtwide technology refresh to replace teacher devices, selecting a package that equips all 550 classrooms with iPads, Apple TVs, keyboards with trackpads, and large monitors. The plan also includes iPads for administrators, MacBooks for technology trainers, and Apple TVs for shared spaces such as conference rooms. Funded through the capital outlay budget, the purchase will be financed over four years at 0% interest to spread costs evenly. Deployment will begin with Apple TV installations and training for teachers who can mentor colleagues. This upgrade is designed to increase mobility, encourage interactive teaching, and better align technology with modern instructional needs.

The items referenced below can be found HERE.

• 6.1 - 6.5 - Approval of minutes of regular meeting held on July 14, 2025; Approval of financial statements; Approval of Contracts/Purchases; Approval of Memorandums of Understanding; Approval of Financial Statements; Approval of Claims; .

• 10.1 - 10.4 Approval for Publication of the 2025-26 Budget Notice Hearing and Revenue Neutral Tax Rate in the Johnson County Post on Tuesday, August 19, 2025; Approval that the Unified School District 231 shall be authorized to make a local option percentage in an amount up to 33% for the 25-26 school year; Approval of Board Member Heath Freeman as the USD 231 KASB Delegate who is entitled to one vote at the Delegate Assembly; Approval of teacher classroom technology for a total cost of $740,490.00.

• 10.7 Approval of personnel items.

​Board Briefs are informal reports from the Gardner Edgerton Board of Education's regular meetings. They are typically released a day or two after each meeting and are not meant to be accepted as meeting minutes.

To view previous Board Briefs, click HERE.

Monday, September 8, 2025 - 6:00 p.m. at THE GREENSPACE in Edgerton, Kansas