RELAY - November 2026

The monthly RELAY aims to connect our school community with news and highlights from across the district and Great Bend. We hope you enjoy this brief update. Take a moment to learn something new, celebrate with a colleague or friend, and pause to see the good happening all around you.

In this issue:

• Quick Reads
• Riley Elementary welcomes BOE for monthly luncheon meeting
• Veterans Day Assembly scheduled for Nov. 11 at GBHS
• Let's Celebrate - November Birthdays
• Sciacca named Region 4 Elementary Principal of the Year
• School Photo Highlights
• Community Events

• Nov. 1 - School Phycologist Week
• Nov. 2 - NO School, Teacher Workday
• Nov. 8 - National Parents as Teachers Day
• Nov. 9 - Board of Education Meeting, 5pm @ DEC
• Nov. 9-15 - KSHAA Fall Buffer Week
• Nov. 12 - Red & Black Ball, USD 428 Education Foundation
• Nov. 18 - Board of Education Luncheon Meeting, 12noon @ Eisenhower
• Nov. 20 - Substitute Educators Day
• Nov. 23-27 - NO School, Thanksgiving Recess

Personal referrals are the best way to find new employees!

With the launch of the Employee Referral Program, we're giving you a few more reasons to share job openings with your network of friends and family.

• Click here to view all openings.

Click here to learn more about the $250 referral bonus!

Click Here to view the 2026 Payroll Calendar

• As a reminder, standard pay dates occur on the 11th and 25th of each month.
• If a scheduled pay date falls on a weekend or a holiday, pay day is moved to the preceding business day.
• Please note that the listed pay periods are for timesheet processing purposes only.

Building Report: Celebrating Academic Success and Community Connection

Riley Elementary Principal Lisa Starr delivered the building presentation, highlighting key academic milestones, strong family partnerships, and community-focused student projects:

• Academic Celebrations & Goal Setting: Starr shared examples of student progress across grade levels, including a spotlight on a 4th-grade writing project by student Axel Mata and the recognition of 1st-grade students on the Honor Roll. The presentation also emphasized the school’s focus on one-on-one student goal setting to drive personal academic growth.

• High Family Engagement: Riley Elementary demonstrated exceptional family involvement, achieving a 96% attendance rate during recent Parent-Teacher Conferences.

• Community Service Projects: Students across grade levels have been actively engaged in hands-on service projects designed to give back to the local community, including collaborative craft and outreach activities.

• School Unity: The presentation highlighted the school's T-shirt initiative, bringing staff and students together in matching school shirts to foster pride and a strong sense of community. This project was a goal during school fundraising and they are proud to wear their shirts this fall!

Grants & Contributions: The Board formally approved several donations and grant items, including:

• The Patricia A. Schmidt Donor Advised Fund (c/o: Golden Belt Community Foundation) wishes to contribute $1,500 to Park Elementary School to support students' greatest needs.
• GBMS wishes to accept a $1,028.75 contribution from the GBMS Booster Club to purchase prizes for trivia contests and for Reality U.

• $1,350 to GBHS Robotics Club from DCCCA Inc. for participating in the SAFE Program (Seatbelts Are For Everyone). SAFE, a student-led program focuses on peer-to-peer promotion of traffic safety.

Great Bend High School (GBHS) is honored to host its annual Veterans Day Assembly, organized by the Social Studies Department, on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in the main gym. This cherished event, open to all veterans and community members, honors the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of those who have served our country.

Veterans are invited to arrive between 8:50–9:25 a.m. for a light breakfast that will be served in the GBHS Commons prior to the assembly. Each attending veteran is welcome to bring a guest.

Jeremy Foster, GBHS Social Studies Teacher, shared, “This assembly is a meaningful tradition here at GBHS as our school and community come together to express our deepest gratitude to the men and women who have served our country.”

Corporal Trever Schremmer, a proud GBHS graduate from the Class of 2012, will deliver this year's keynote address. Following high school, Corporal Schremmer served eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves from May 2015 to May 2023, earning the rank of Corporal. During his military service, he participated in Operation African Lion in Agadir, Morocco—the largest joint multinational exercise led by U.S. Africa Command and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.

The assembly will also include performances by the GBHS choir, band, and orchestra, along with a flag presentation by the Legion Riders. To support accessibility for all attendees, GBHS will provide golf carts to assist guests from the parking lot to the gym entrance, in addition to reserved parking.

Event Details:

• Veteran Breakfast: 8:50 a.m., GBHS Commons
• Veterans Day Assembly: 9:30 a.m., GBHS Main Gym

GBHS encourages veterans, families, and community members to attend this special event and join in saluting the heroes among us. For more information, please contact GBHS at 620-793-1521.

It’s time to light up the night! The City of Great Bend invites you to join the Home for the Holidays Festival & Holiday Parade on Saturday, November 28 at 5:30 PM!

This year’s parade theme is “Merry and Bright,” and we’re calling on all parade entries to deck out their floats with impressive, festive light displays! The brighter, more creative, and more magical, the better!

• Enter your float here! https://forms.gle/GsfFBGPkikwoHjAM6

Let’s make this parade a spectacular celebration of the holiday season!

🎄The holiday season is coming to Great Bend!🎄

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 28, 2026, for our annual Home for the Holidays Festival & Parade!

Are you a local business or organization hosting a holiday-related event that day? We’d love to help spread the word! Please contact Public Relations Director Evan Wedel at ewedel@greatbendks.gov to be included in our promotional materials.

More information is coming soon. Stay tuned!

It only takes a few minutes to share the GREAT things happening in your classroom! Email high-resolution photos and a quick caption and we'll share it with the community on social media!

Quick Photo Caption:

"Students are learning _______________, by doing ______________."

Submit News to media@usd428.net.