From the Superintendent (July 2025)
As you are well aware, the safety of our students and staff is one of the Board of Education and District Administration's top priorities. To that end, please know that our BOE has approved hiring a School Safety Specialist, Officer Bryan Jaegers, to serve full-time at Gardner Edgerton High School.
Bryan has nearly two decades of experience as a School Resource Officer and a strong background in law enforcement. Bryan is familiar with campus safety, crisis management, and student support.
In this new role, Bryan will work closely with students, staff, and administrators to promote a safe and supportive learning environment. He will be stationed full-time at GEHS and partner directly with our current School Resource Officer, Kyle Smith, to enhance daily supervision, support emergency preparedness efforts, and contribute to preventative programming focused on school climate and student well-being. Bryan’s responsibilities will include ensuring the security of the building, assisting with safety drills, and addressing behavioral concerns in a proactive and student-centered manner.
USD 231 schools re-open our doors to students on Wednesday, August 13 (K - 9, and any student new to GEHS) and Thursday, August 14 (PreK, returning 10, 11, and 12th-grade students)!! We have compiled almost everything you will need - from immunizations to bus route information to food service details and much, much more - all in one location to make the start of your school year as smooth as possible!
To access this information, please click HERE.
We will update this page throughout the summer so check back often for additional information.
Enrollment for students new to the district and returning student re-enrollment will go live on Tuesday, July 16 (9:00 a.m.). Student schedules will go live for students and parents to view on Thursday, August 8 (9:00 a.m.). To access the enrollment page, click HERE.
Transportation enrollment for the 2025-26 school year runs now through July 26. Please note that bus enrollment is separate from school enrollment. You can submit an enrollment form for busing at any point before July 26.
Forms of payment are credit card, check, or money order. Payments can be made in person at the First Student office or ONLINE.
To access the enrollment information, click HERE. Please read through the Transportation Enrollment Information page before completing the Enrollment Form.
The enrollment form is a PDF you can complete, save, and email to First Student. You can submit your form by saving a copy of the completed PDF and emailing it to usd231transportation@firstgroup.com, or you can drop it off at our office (19450 S. Gardner Road). Please note that this email is only monitored for enrollment forms; please do not send other correspondence through this email.
If you have any questions, please call the First Student office at 913-856-5650.
In the most recent episode of the KSDE Insight Podcast, Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson and his guests explored the growing concern of chronic absenteeism and its impact on student success.
Aimed specifically at parents, this conversation dives into the reasons behind frequent absences—ranging from health and anxiety to transportation and disengagement—and why missing even a few days a month can add up to serious academic and social consequences.
This conversation focuses on how families can identify barriers, work with schools, and create routines that support regular attendance. Because when students miss school, they miss opportunities and together, we can help keep them on track.
As I shared in my last newsletter, USD 231 will be implementing the schoolwide framework known as BIST, which stands for Behavior Intervention Support Team. BIST will be used at all ten of our Gardner Edgerton elementary and middle schools. The mission of BIST is to create positive change and support a healthy, safe learning environment at school (and at home!) for all students and families.
A few more notes about BIST:
BIST addresses negative student behavior through Grace and Accountability. Grace is the foundation of relationships with children, demonstrating that adults provide unconditional care, even when children struggle to allow adults to partner with them. Accountability is problem-solving to learn and grow. It allows children to increase critical thinking skills, abilities to overcome obstacles, increased resilience, increased confidence, and increased effort.
Teachers (and students) are taught that it is never OK to be disruptive or hurtful, and all adults are responsible for intervening when this is violated. You may be familiar with BIST concepts like a buddy room, think sheet, or a safe seat, for instance. Each month, BIST consultants will visit each of our schools. During this time, the consultant will meet with classroom teachers, leadership team, and administrators to provide additional behavioral support. USD 231 is very much looking forward to partnering with Cornerstones of Care (the BIST parent organization) to improve outcomes for all students, families, and educators.
The Gardner Edgerton School District provides a free appropriate public education to all exceptional students residing within school district boundaries. This includes special education and related services provided in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state laws for all students with exceptionalities (0-21 years of age). Services are provided in each child's neighborhood school when possible.
The Gardner Edgerton School District offers developmental screenings for children up to 5 years (who are not kindergarten eligible). We also coordinate services with Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County (ITS) and USD 231 Parents as Teachers (PAT) for children birth to 3 years of age. If you live in the Gardner Edgerton district boundaries and have a child from birth to age 5 and you have concerns about his or her development, please call the Special Services Office at (913) 856-2080 to set up an appointment for screening.
There are other rights, which by federal and state laws are afforded to you and your exceptional child. A copy of these rights may be obtained free of charge by contacting the address or phone number below.
If you have a child who you feel may be in need of special education service(s), please contact your child’s building principal or Gardner Edgerton Special Services, 231 E Main, Gardner, KS 66030 — phone (913) 856-2080.
During their July meeting, the Board of Education approved approved a $977,741 bid from Electronic Technologies, Inc. for a districtwide camera system upgrade using bond funds. The system will enhance safety with 1,100 high-resolution camera views across 19 sites. Board members praised the upgrade’s quality and immediacy, citing it as a major return on investment for the bond.
To stay up-to-date on the progress of bond projects, click HERE.
To view the progress of Bond 2025 projects, click HERE.
When given a reasonable degree of freedom to act and contribute, most people work better, more enthusiastically, and at a higher level of motivation. When effective, the participative leadership style of the committee structure can establish a work climate in which people's potential power is unleashed.
To learn more about the Board's Advisory Committees, click HERE.
To express interest in serving on this committee, click HERE.
Board Briefs
Board Briefs are provided as a service to our community in order to quickly learn what transpired during the most recent Board of Education Meeting.
These summary documents can be found HERE.
