Board Brief

Board Briefs are informal reports from the regular meetings of the USD 495 Board of Education and intended as a communications service for district staff and patrons.

These are not the official minutes.

4th grade students from Larned Elementary School started the meeting off with the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you!

All consent agenda items were approved.

Student/Staff Presentation: Zoiey Garcia and Sophie Meyer from the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council introduced state tennis placers: Maggie Haas, Lauren Sleder, and Cassie Manry. They also introduced state golf qualifiers Taeten Reynolds, Addison Townsend, Khloe Smith, Ariana Meyer, Cammie DePeugh (not present: Kinley Atteberry). We are proud of you all!

Board Member Monthly Highlight: Tyson Steffen gave a shoutout to the Transportation Department and Director Richard Fairchild for the long hours and dedication they show every day. Covering more than 500 miles daily, they keep nearly 400 students safe on the road. The service center even manages its own fuel island, using about 77 gallons of fuel each day.

Brent Rothchild: Part-Time Para/Tri County

KASB Delegate Assembly: The KASB Delegate Assembly is at 8 a.m. Saturday held in conjunction with the KASB Convention in Wichita. Board members Buddy Tabler and Mike Myrick plan to attend. There are two candidates running for KASB president elect: Curt Herrman of Manhattan-Ogden and Judi Price of Leavenworth.

Mr. Wachs noted only minor updates to KASB’s legislative and federal priorities for the upcoming session.

Legislative Priorities: Mr. Wachs reviewed the district’s legislative priorities and shared the 2025 draft. He recommended removing the item related to Senate Bill 113, as those provisions have been clarified. All other priorities are still relevant. Mr. Wachs also talked about the importance of keeping the current school finance formula in place and shared updates from state-level discussions about moving special education funding to a per-student model. The board will review the draft before the December meeting.

Strategic Plan Metrics: Mr. Wachs shared ideas about building a districtwide accountability system that connects to the district’s strategic plan. Instead of focusing only on compliance, the system would highlight growth, quality, and the benefits of district initiatives. The plan includes creating performance indicators for each strategic pillar, reviewed quarterly through a public dashboard. The district will research vendors and revisit the topic at the next work session and December meeting.

Board Governance & Operating Procedures: Board President Jessie Pleasant shared a draft of proposed Board Governance and Operating Procedures developed in collaboration with Mr. Wachs. The document outlines expectations, responsibilities, communication guidelines, and overall board roles specific to USD 495. It is intended to serve as a quick reference and onboarding tool for new and current members. The draft was presented as an informational item and will remain open for feedback and edits before final approval.

Human Fetal Development Video: Mrs. McGurk presented the state-required human fetal development video last month, and the board approved its use this month. The five-minute, computer-generated video meets all legislative standards and shows the development of major organs. It will be used in courses that already cover human growth topics and may also apply to fifth grade’s “Growing Up Talk.” Parents may review the material or opt out under current policy.

Service Center Roof: The board approved a $17,897.40 proposal from Webcon Co. of Hutchinson to restore the Service Center roof with an elastomeric coating that includes a 10-year material and 2-year labor warranty.

eRate Bid: The board approved letting E-Rate bids for a new cycle to include needed battery backups for network switches. E-Rate funding will cover 80% of the cost if approved.

Mr. Wachs shared that the district’s KESA School Improvement Day is scheduled for November 17. Each district will present a 10-minute update on its current action plan and discuss implementation progress with state specialists.

Mr. Wachs shared state education report highlights, including more than 40,000 Kansas students earning college credit and over 17,000 teachers completing LETRS training. He reinforced that Kansas students are learning and capable, with continued efforts to strengthen reading instruction.

Congratulations to Jessie Pleasant and Michelle Koch, who were re-elected to serve another term, and welcome to new board member Ben Ramsey, who will take over for Buddy Tabler in January.

The board also shared their condolences for the loss of former USD 495 teacher, Mr. Jerry Ford.

The USD 495 Board of Education will meet again on Wednesday, November 19 at 9:00 AM at Larned High School for a work session. The next regular board meeting will be Monday, December 15 at 6:00 PM at the District Office.