July 2025 Maize Pulse

The countdown is on! As we prepare to welcome students back for the 2025-26 school year, we’re more energized than ever to Connect, Learn, and Lead alongside our #MaizeFamily. Whether it’s in classrooms or labs; on playgrounds, fields, courts, or stages; or through the partnerships we build with families like yours; everything we do is centered around #266Success for each student. We can’t wait to begin this next chapter together. Please explore this back-to-school edition of Maize Pulse to help get ready for the first day of school!

To kick things off, join us on our Maize USD 266 Facebook page, where we soon will count down to the first day of school. We invite you to help us spread the excitement!

We also invite you to a couple of our favorite annual summer events:

• Fill the Bus, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5 at Chick-fil-A, 10515 W. 21 St. North in Wichita. Donate school supplies for our students in need in exchange for a free Chick-fil-A sandwich! Please read more in an expanded article below.
• Super Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12 at MOXI Junction, 319 S. Park Ave. in Maize. The event is free, and I can’t wait to read a couple of children’s books and connect with families. It’s the perfect way to celebrate reading and community before school starts.

Let’s make this school year unforgettable together!

Dr. Raquel Greer

Maize USD 266 Superintendent

• On X: @rockigreer
• Email: rgreer@usd266.com
• Online: www.usd266.com/superintendent

Click here to access our 2025-26 District Calendar and mark your calendar for important dates for the upcoming school year, including parent-teacher conferences, terms, no school days, breaks, and more.

Please note updated calendars were approved July 14 by the Maize Board of Education. Updates include the addition of high school graduation dates and clarification for parent-teacher conferences. There are no changes to school day schedules.

July

• July 31: School offices open

August

• Aug. 13 and 14: Back-to-school nights and parent-teacher conferences (See complete schedule below.)
• Aug. 18: Staggered first day of school and start of Term 1 (See complete schedule below.)

September

• Sept. 1: No school, Labor Day

Our educators are excited to meet their new students and families! Please join us for these upcoming events.

Wednesday, Aug. 13

• Maize Early Childhood Center and all elementary schools: Individually scheduled parent-teacher conferences, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Intermediate schools: Open House, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Middle schools: Open House, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• High schools and Maize Career Academy: Open House, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Complete High School Maize: Parent-teacher conferences, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 14

• Maize Early Childhood Center and all elementary schools: Individually scheduled parent-teacher conferences, 8 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.
• Intermediate schools: Open House with assigned times available, 7:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
• Middle schools and high schools: Open House with individual parent-teacher conferences scheduled on request, 7:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
• Complete High School Maize: Parent-teacher conferences, 8 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.

Please note that Maize USD 266 observes a staggered start day for students as follows:

• Monday, Aug. 18: First day of school for all of grades 1 through 9 and pre-K and kindergarten students with last names beginning with letters A through K.
• Tuesday, Aug. 19: Second day of school, with school in session for all of grades 1 through 12 and pre-K and kindergarten students with last names beginning with letters L through Z.
• Wednesday, Aug. 20: School in session for pre-K through 12. Please note that, as with all Wednesdays, Aug. 20 will observe early release for professional development time for educators.

To find individual school bell schedules, navigate to your school's About Us web page. A link to each school can be found in the "Our Schools" dropdown menu on the district website at www.usd266.com.

At Maize USD 266, we are committed to fostering innovation and excellence while serving more than 8,000 students from Maize, Northwest Wichita, and the surrounding area. Our district is focused on growth, progress, and ensuring that each student achieves success. Join us in 2025-26 as we Connect, Learn, and Lead together.

Ready to enroll? Please visit the enrollment page on our website, www.usd266.com/enroll. Enrollment is available online from your home or at the Enrollment Center, 201 S. Park Ave. in Maize.

• Students must live in the Maize USD 266 district. Click here for a searchable boundary map.
• Kindergarten students must be age 5 on or before Aug. 31, 2025.
• Pre-K is available to children who are age 3 or 4 by Aug. 31, 2025 and is first come, first served. Contact the Maize Early Childhood Center at 316-722-3105 after Aug. 1 for additional paperwork.

Translation services are available at the Enrollment Center.

Elementary, intermediate, and middle school grade levels have a list of school supplies that need to be provided by the student's family at the beginning of the school year. Click here to explore the lists based on the student's school and/or grade.

High school students will receive information from their teachers about what supplies they will need to provide when they arrive on the first day of school. Some high school courses (Art, Family and Consumer Science, Industrial Arts, etc.) provide the students the opportunity to complete projects. If the student chooses to take these classes, the student will be required to pay for the project supplies.

Need school supplies? Maize USD 266 works with families who need assistance providing supplies to their children. Please contact your child's school for details.

Maize USD 266 uses RevTrak, a secure national online payment processor, for school-related fees and Food Service payments. Beginning this month, a processing fee of 4 percent will be added to all online payments.

Families may always choose to pay by cash or check instead.

• Before Aug. 1: Send cash or check payments to the Educational Support Center, 905 W. Academy Ave., Maize, KS 67101.
• After Aug. 1: Send payments directly to your child’s school. Find our Building Directory, complete with school addresses, on the Contact Us page of our district’s website at www.usd266.com/contactus.

Please include your child’s name and the purpose of the payment in the memo line of the check or with your cash payment.

Maize USD 266 drivers education is open to students ages 14 and older. Those interested in participating in the first term session must attend a mandatory enrollment meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 12 at Maize South High School, 3701 N. Tyler Road in Wichita.

During the July regular meeting, the Maize Board of Education approved updates to district policies and handbooks for the 2025-26 school year. Below are a few key changes. You can view all approved policies and handbooks on the BoardDocs portal.

• Student residency update: Students in good standing in grades 5th through 12th who move outside the district or between Maize USD 266 boundary lines may now continue to attend their current school.
• Proof of residency for enrollment: To improve the accuracy and accountability of enrollment records, families must now provide two different acceptable documents as proof of residency. The list of acceptable documents has been updated.
• Student attendance: Principals now have more flexibility to approve medically exempt absences. One doctor’s note may be used to excuse both the student and siblings in the same household for the duration of an illness.
• Classroom observations: Parents must provide at least 24 hours of notice to request to observe their child during the school day. All observations must be approved by the building administrator or designee.
• Bus Conduct Policy: To better align consequences between schools and buses, the previous list of specific bus behavior disciplinary steps has been removed. Bus conduct consequences will now align with those used for school behavior for consistency.

The Maize Board of Education on July 14 approved the construction of a new Enrollment Center to better serve families across our growing district in a more welcoming, appropriately sized space.

The new building will be located south of the Maize Educational Support Center (905 W. Academy Ave.) and east of the Maize Performing Arts and Aquatics Center (1155 W. Academy Ave.) in Maize. Funded through the district’s Capital Outlay budget, the Enrollment Center will provide a more accessible and efficient experience for student enrollment. Construction will begin soon and take about a year to complete.

In addition to supporting families during the enrollment process, the new building will also add much-needed space for our district Food Service department, including increased cold and dry storage and a loading dock, which will allow bulk food purchases for cost savings.

And finally, the new building will also increase district meeting spaces in which all departments and schools can access.

The Maize Board of Education's next regular monthly meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 at the Maize Performing Arts and Aquatics Center, 1155 W. Academy in Maize. Meetings are open to the public. Find a link to meeting agendas and minutes, school board member information, and policies at www.usd266.com/schoolboard.

Congratulations to Maize South High School junior Evan Goates, 5A singles state champion in boys tennis! He finished the year with a 29-2 record. He was the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division One champion, 2025 regional runner-up, and 2024 5A state runner-up. He and the other students on the Maize South boys tennis team were coached by Frank Reyes.

Congratulations to our recent graduates on these incredible honors!

• Maize South High School graduate Sophie Stockam was named Gatorade Kansas Softball Player of the Year and Lynette Woodard High School Female Athlete of the Year by the Wichita Sports Commission.
• Maize High School graduate Kinslea Jones was a finalist for the Lynette Woodard High School Female Athlete of the Year.
• Maize High School graduate Alan Hanna was named Gatorade Kansas Boys Track & Field Player of the Year. As a high jumper, he won state and made history, breaking the 30-year-old 6A state track meet record and recording one of the best jumps in the country this year at 7 feet, 3.5 inches.

Congratulations to the 2025 Celebrating Excellence winners! This annual Maize USD 266 award program recognizes excellence across multiple categories of our talented employees.

Congratulations to our classroom teachers who use effective strategies for improving student performance, interact positively with parents and patrons in the community to promote education, provide leadership and mentoring to fellow teachers, and work as a team player in the district to provide quality educational experiences for students.

• Maize Early Childhood Center: Kadra Boulware
• Maize Central Elementary School: Alan Collier

• Maize Elementary School: Alexis Dye
  
• Maize South Elementary School: Kylie McBroom
• Pray-Woodman Elementary School: Madison Anderson
• Vermillion Elementary School: Brooke Jakubov
• Maize Intermediate School: Maggie Hatesohl
• Maize South Intermediate School: McKenzie Seamans
• Maize Middle School: Carrie Samek
  
• Maize South Middle School: Greta Black
• Maize High School: Shelby Goss
• Maize South High School: Robbye Herrington
• Maize Career Academy: Stacy Woodard
• Maize Virtual Preparatory Academy: Dr. Michelle Parks

Congratulations to our paraeducators who support teaching and learning across Maize USD 266!

• Maize Early Childhood Center: Jessica Peterson
• Maize Central Elementary School: Citlali Flores Mendez
• Maize Elementary School: Lisa Kemmer
• Maize South Elementary School: Kelly Thomas
• Pray-Woodman Elementary School: Rachel Atkins
• Vermillion Elementary School: Heather Adams
• Maize Intermediate School: Hanna Fontes
• Maize South Intermediate School: Anthea Richards
• Maize Middle School: Jill Meister
• Maize South Middle School: Briana Dryden
• Maize High School: Lisa Cicchetti
• Maize South High School: Fulton Caster

Congratulations to our support services and related services winners, whose commitment and dedication keep Maize USD 266 achieving its best!

• Business/Finance: Brandy Riney
• Clerical: Ilham Madi
• Counselor: Andi Shipman
• Custodial: Chad Compton
• Fleet Maintenance: Rhett Sanford
• Food Service: Maria Leon
• Instructional Coach: Kim Dyke
• Library/Media: Cheryl Williams
• Maintenance/Grounds: Darrel Sanchez, Jr.
• Mechanical: Marcus Andrada
• Nursing: Loni Smith
• Technology: Kierstin Stewart
• Transportation: Joy Shumway
• Maize Performing Arts and Aquatics Center: Mike Malter
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst: Ashley Dysarz
• School Psychologist: Jody Helton

Fill the Bus with us at Chick-fil-A, 10515 W. 21 St. North in Wichita, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5! Donate school supplies in exchange for a free Chick-fil-A sandwich, and help Maize USD 266 collect the most donations. The winning district earns a prize from Chick-fil-A!

School supplies will be distributed to students and classrooms across the district as needed. Thank you to our partners at Chick-fil-A for hosting this annual event to support Maize students!

Want to volunteer at Fill-the-Bus? Contact Emi Kniffin Simmons, Director of Community Relations and Maize Education Foundation, at esimmons@usd266.com.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hit the green for a great cause! The Maize Education Foundation’s 17th Annual Charity Golf Tournament, presented by Heartland Credit Union, still has limited space available for a few additional teams.

Join us on Monday, Sept. 15 for a day of friendly competition, fun contests, and meaningful impact. Team registration is $850 for four players, and proceeds help fund programs that enrich the educational experience for students across Maize USD 266.

Can’t make it but still want to support the event? Consider a sponsorship!

Do you know someone who enjoys working with students and is looking for a flexible, rewarding job? We’re hosting a Substitute Recruiting Event and would love your help spreading the word!

• Tuesday, July 29
• 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (come and go)
• Maize Educational Support Center, 905 W. Academy Ave. in Maize

This event is a one-stop opportunity to:

• Get help applying for a Kansas substitute license
• Complete fingerprinting on-site, courtesy of the Maize Police Department
• Learn what a day in the life of a Maize substitute is really like.

Please share this with friends, neighbors, or family members who might be a great fit. Our schools rely on caring, dependable substitutes, and your recommendation could make all the difference!

Our students may be on summer break, but the learning hasn’t stopped! From Multimedia Camp and STEM Camp to Tennis and Robotics, students across Maize USD 266 have spent part of their summer building new skills, exploring their interests, and staying engaged. These are just a few of the many camps that took place throughout the district this summer.