Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain
A Message from the Board of Education President, Ashley Biondi
On behalf of the Piper USD 203 Board of Education, I would like to share an update regarding the search for our next Superintendent.
The Board has selected the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB) to lead a closed and confidential Superintendent search process. This decision followed a thorough Request for Proposals process, during which a Board-appointed committee reviewed four highly qualified firms and advanced two finalists for interviews. After careful consideration, the committee recommended KASB, and the Board approved that selection.
The Board intentionally chose a closed, confidential search process because it often results in a larger and stronger pool of candidates. Many highly qualified leaders are currently serving in superintendent or senior leadership roles and are only able to explore new opportunities if their interest can remain confidential. This approach allows Piper USD 203 to attract exceptional candidates who may not apply in a fully open search, ultimately strengthening the quality of finalists considered.
While the search will be confidential, community input is a critical and valued part of this process. Over the coming weeks, KASB will engage a wide range of stakeholders, including staff, students, families, and community members through two days of in-person focus groups. These sessions will provide meaningful opportunities to share feedback on the strengths of our district, our priorities moving forward, and the leadership characteristics most important for our next Superintendent.
If you are interested in participating in the community focus group, please provide your information in this form. While space for participation is limited, we will be working to include a balanced cross-section of stakeholders. An additional opportunity for input will be available in the form of a community-wide survey in the coming weeks so that all voices in our community have a chance to be heard throughout the search process.
While specific candidate information will remain confidential, the Board of Education remains committed to transparency and to keeping our community informed throughout the process. We will continue to provide updates in the weeks ahead to ensure confidence and trust as we move forward.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement as we work together to select the next Superintendent of Piper USD 203.
Sincerely,
Ashley Biondi
President, Piper USD 203 Board of Education
Third Grade Researchers in Action
Our third graders are deep in a rich research unit that beautifully weaves together speaking, listening, and note-taking skills while honoring strong student voice and choice. In some classrooms, students explored the Olympic Games by researching history, host cities, and events, then sharing their learning through creative formats like podcasts, postcards, brochures, books, slideshows, and dioramas, all leading to presentations, hands-on Olympic experiences, and even culinary connections to Italy. Other classrooms dove into influential figures from history or the study of habitats, with students choosing meaningful ways to communicate their learning and connecting their discoveries to real-world careers like zoology. This powerful learning reflects our Portrait of a Graduate and keeps students future ready through real-world learning that builds curiosity, communication, and purpose.
Polly Vader
Secondary Real World Learning Coordinator
Jessica Asbury
Text messages will now accompany emails and phone calls to share important updates, including weather-related notices and cancelations. To setup text alerts, please follow the link below for instructions on updating your contact information in Parent Skyward to ensure you're connected.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact your building secretary.
