Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain

Greetings Piper Nation!

Last night, Piper Prairie Elementary and Piper Creek Elementary were filled with excitement as we welcomed our newest Pirates during Kindergarten Discovery and Parent Education Night. One of the most meaningful moments of the evening was our cherished “Letter of Intent” signing ceremony.

With big smiles and even bigger dreams, our incoming kindergartners officially began their journey in the Piper School District by signing their commitment to play, learn, grow, and achieve. More than just a signature, this moment symbolizes the start of a path grounded in what it means to be a proud Piper Pirate.

As these young learners placed their names on their certificates, they also took their first step toward embodying Piper’s Portrait of a Graduate, developing the skills, character, and mindset that will guide them throughout their educational experience and beyond. It was a joy to see families gathered together, celebrating this important milestone and the bright futures ahead.

We are so proud to welcome the Class of 2039 and can’t wait to watch them learn, lead, and thrive as part of our Piper family.

Proud to be a Pirate,

Dr. Jessica Dain, Superintendent

Piper USD 203

Join us for the Piper Educational Foundation Eighth Annual Breakfast, a cherished tradition that celebrates the incredible contributions of our community and business partners who go above and beyond to support Piper students. Their dedication enhances learning experiences and helps shape the future of our schools.

This inspiring morning also features the induction of a distinguished alum into the Piper Hall of Fame, honoring their achievements and lasting impact. Additionally, we recognize outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the Piper community.

Come enjoy a morning of gratitude, recognition, and connection as we celebrate those who make a difference in the lives of our students.

Cordell Hachinsky, MAJ, MD, USA

Class of 2004

A distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy, this year’s Piper Hall of Fame inductee has built an exceptional career marked by service, leadership, and academic excellence. After earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he pursued medicine at the University of Florida, completing his Family Medicine residency and achieving board certification. His military career includes key leadership roles as a Brigade and Battalion Surgeon, multiple overseas deployments—including service in Afghanistan, Eastern Europe, and Central and South America—and selection for the prestigious Command and General Staff College, where he earned a Master of Military Art and Science. In addition to his military service, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to education and mentorship as a clinical instructor and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. A recipient of both Residency Teacher and Researcher of the Year honors, he continues to impact the next generation of medical professionals while serving his country with distinction.

Piper Schools has approved a small adjustment to the 2025–2026 academic calendar to better support staff during important end-of-year transitions. Because unused inclement weather days created flexibility, the final week of school (May 18–22) will include schedule changes:

What this means for families:

• The last week of school will include some schedule adjustments.
• Early Childhood students’ last day would be Wednesday, May 20.
• K–8 students would have a half day on Thursday, May 21 (instead of a full day).
• High school students will have half days on Wednesday, May 20, and Thursday, May 21.
• Friday, May 22, would be a staff workday with no students in attendance.

These updates maintain required instructional time while allowing staff dedicated time to prepare classrooms for the upcoming school year. View the full schedule breakdown here.

KANSAS CITY, KS – Piper Schools is proud to partner with Tanger Kansas City at Legends in celebrating Earth Day through a series of sustainability-focused initiatives that engage students and the community while highlighting a shared commitment to environmental stewardship.

A centerpiece of this partnership is the pollinator garden groundbreaking and tree planting event on Wednesday, April 22 at 1 p.m. The garden, an ongoing project led by Piper High School’s Earth Club, will officially break ground on Earth Day. Tanger is enhancing this effort through a donation of trees that students will plant during the event, as well as wildflower seeds that will be distributed to students to encourage continued environmental impact beyond the school.

The pollinator garden will feature native Kansas plants, fruits and vegetables and is designed to support local ecosystems while providing hands-on learning opportunities for students.

In addition, Piper Schools will support Tanger’s sneaker recycling program by hosting shoe donation bins at four school locations:

• Piper Early Childhood Center
• Piper Prairie
• Piper Creek
• Piper High School

These bins will be available through Friday, April 24, encouraging students, families and staff to donate gently used or worn shoes of any kind. Collected sneakers will be recycled through Tanger’s partnership with Sneaker Impact, helping transform footwear into materials for playground surfaces and other sustainable products.

Click here for the full press release.

Over the past three weeks of state assessments, we have truly appreciated your support in helping your child come to school prepared, focused, and ready to do their best. Your encouragement at home—whether through ensuring good rest, providing reassurance, or simply cheering them on—has made a meaningful difference in their confidence and effort. We are proud of the perseverance our students have shown, and we know that partnership with families like yours plays a big role in that success. Thank you for being such an important part of your child’s learning journey!

Looking Ahead: Strengthening Teaching and Learning

As we look ahead to next school year, we’re excited to share important updates that will continue to strengthen teaching and learning across our district. The Board has officially adopted CPM as our new high school math curriculum for Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra 2. Additionally, our 6–12 teams are in the process of finalizing an English Language Arts pilot. This work aligns with the Kansas State Department of Education’s vision that all students deserve consistent access to high-quality, standards-aligned instruction that is engaging, rigorous, and designed to meet the needs of every learner. Research and state guidance continue to show that when strong instructional materials are paired with high-quality teaching, students have greater access to grade-level learning and experience stronger outcomes. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our teachers, we are already seeing the positive impact of this alignment in classrooms across the district. If you’re interested in supporting your child at home, many of these resources can be accessed through your student’s ClassLink account.

We are incredibly grateful for our growing partnership with BPU and Wyandotte County, which has brought invaluable real-world expertise directly into our fifth-grade classrooms. A special thank you goes to Steve Nirschl, Director of Water Production at BPU, and Jeff Miles, Director of Environmental Services for Wyandotte County, for their inspiring presentations on the critical issue of water scarcity in our state.

• Real-World Application: Their insights have challenged students to think critically about sustainability and the impact of local water management.

• Hands-on Learning: To deepen their understanding, four of our classes will take part in field trips over the next week to visit either the Water Treatment Plant or the Wastewater Plant in Kansas City.

• First-Hand Experience: These site visits will allow students to see the complex work being done behind the scenes to protect our resources and keep our community running.

Through this partnership, our students aren't just learning from a textbook; they are gaining the knowledge and motivation needed to lead the next generation of environmental stewards. Thank you for your continued support and for investing in the future of Wyandotte County!

Fourth and fifth grade students in the Fitness Club at Piper Creek have taken the initiative to organize a community fun run. They have planned the route and designed the full event experience for participants. This is a free event for the community, with an optional opportunity to donate. Any donations will go toward supporting physical education supplies as we transition into two K–5 buildings next school year. We hope to see you there!

This week's Purple Reign Award is presented to Kitty Mullins, Food Services Manager for Piper USD 203/OPPA.

A colleague said, "Kitty’s leadership goes far beyond managing our food service program, she models what true dedication looks like every single day. She’s often one of the first to arrive, ensuring everything is ready to go before the students walk through the door. When challenges arise, Kitty doesn’t hesitate to step in, whether that means rolling up her sleeves to sub in a kitchen, supporting a short-staffed team, or troubleshooting issues in real time.

Her commitment to our students is evident in the care she puts into making sure meals are not only nutritious, but served with consistency and kindness. She supports her staff, builds strong relationships across buildings, and never asks anyone to do something she wouldn’t do herself.

Kitty’s work often happens behind the scenes, but its impact is felt across the entire district. We are grateful for her tireless efforts, her positive attitude, and her unwavering focus on doing what’s best for kids. Thank you, Kitty, for all you do!"

The Piper Middle School and High School BBQ teams are opening orders one final time this year—and this time we’re serving up delicious breakfast and Italian sausage. Place your orders using the link below.

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, please review the required immunizations for your student’s grade level:

Incoming 11th Grade:

• 2nd dose of Meningococcal (MCV)
  

Incoming 7th Grade:

• Tdap booster

• 1st dose of Meningococcal (MCV)

  
  

Incoming Kindergarten:

• 5th dose of DTaP

• 4th dose of Polio (IPV)

• 2nd dose of MMR

• 2nd dose of Varicella

  
  

Please review the attached document for KDHE school immunization requirements. Submit documentation as soon as possible to your student’s building nurse:

• Prairie: taunisha.mcdonald@piperschools.us

• Creek: kris.knefel@piperschools.us

• Middle School: amy.knetter@piperschools.us

• High School: laura.arenas@piperschools.us

Sports Physicals

KSHSAA has updated its physical requirements for all incoming 7th grade through 12th grade athletes: Sports physicals completed after April 1 will be valid for the 2026–2027 school year.

Please provide the completed KSHSAA Physical Form to the office staff of the appropriate school based on your student’s grade level.

Our Food Pantry is in need of a little extra support! We’re currently collecting monetary donations to help us purchase some of our most-needed items. Every contribution, big or small, helps us better serve our school community. If you’d like to help, please click the link below to donate.

Piper Early Childhood Center is hosting a kick-off event on May 8 to welcome and screen new incoming students for the 2026-2027 school year. Students who are currently attending PECC will not have school this day (and do not need to attend the event).

Piper High School is proud to announce the creation of a Military Hall of Honor, a tribute to our alumni who have answered the call to serve our country. We are transferring the military service pictures currently housed at Piper Middle School (the old high school) to their new home at Piper High School. However, we are missing photos for the Classes of 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, and we need your help to complete this important display.

If you are a recent graduate serving in the military—or know someone who is—we ask that you provide an 8x10 photo in uniform, landscape (horizontal) format. Photos may be dropped off at the Piper High School office and left with Dr. Justin Bogart, Principal.

There is no cost for alumni or families to participate. This is our way of honoring your service and sacrifice. From all of us at Piper Schools, thank you for serving our country and for representing what it means to be part of the Piper community. We are proud to include you in this lasting tribute.

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.

The May Board of Education Meeting will take place on Monday, May 11, at 6 p.m., in the Board Room. Community stakeholders who wish to address the Board of Education should complete the following form (linked below) and send the completed form to the Board Clerk, Kim Buckner, at kim.buckner@piperschools.us no later than 12 p.m. (noon) the day of the meeting.

Access Board Docs (Agendas and Corresponding Reports)

Reminder that patrons can access agendas and corresponding reports via the website prior to or after each Board of Education meeting. For access, click here, where you will find agendas and reports from previous Board meetings.

Kansas City, Kan. — The Board of Education of Piper Unified School District 203 is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Kellen Adams as the district’s next Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Adams will officially begin serving Piper USD 203 on July 1, 2026. Click here for the full press release.

Kansas City, KS — Piper High School is pleased to announce the appointment of Brenden Olesen as the school’s new Assistant Principal. Mr. Olesen brings a strong background in instructional leadership, school improvement, and student-centered decision-making to the Piper community. Click here for the full release.