Board Brief

Board Briefs are informal reports from the regular meetings of the USD 495 Board of Education and intended as a communications service for district staff and patrons.

These are not the official minutes.

All consent agenda items were approved.

The board approved the yearly organizational appointments and resolutions as presented. You can view these under the Consent Agenda in the third section labeled “Yearly Organizational Appointments and Resolutions” on the agenda by clicking here.

Staff additions were as follows: Hannah Smith - Head Girls Track/LHS (2026-27 School Year); Shane Weiszbrod - Head Boys Track/LHS (2026-27 School Year); Carter Atteberry - Para/Tri-County (2026-27 School Year); Brandi Martinez - Para/Tri-County (2026-27 School Year); Carter Atteberry - Head Wrestling/LMS (2026-27 School Year); Reed McNett - Assistant Football/LMS (2026-27 School Year); Reed McNett - Assistant Girls Basketball/LMS (2026-27 School Year); Reed McNett - Assistant Track/LMS (2026-27 School Year); Ella Fleske - BYBA Team Member/LES (2026-27 School Year); Jessica Thacker - Para/Tri-County (2026-27 School Year); Jayden Minkler - Para/Tri-County (2026-27 School Year)

Mason Miller shared about his recent trip to Atlanta for the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference. He talked about what it takes to qualify for the national competition, explaining how students advance through the state contest before earning a spot at nationals. Mason also explained how the competitions are judged, including what judges look for and how participants are scored.

He shared a few highlights from the trip and gave everyone a better idea of what the national competition is like. Mason was joined at nationals by Slade Sundahl and Trenton Devine, who also represented the school at the event.

Larned Middle School gym update: Dr. Wachs reported that all of the wall painting has been completed. The gym floor refinishing has been completed with new graphics, lines and finish. The baseboards and the installation of the new volleyball standards are scheduled to be completed next week. The new bleachers are expected to ship on July 22 with installation following upon arrival.

Regular Board of Education Meetings: The board approved the resolution to hold regular meetings on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 PM at the District Office. Board work sessions will be voted on at next month's meeting. The board discussed which days and times would work for members.

2026-2027 Inclement Weather Days: Inclement weather days are built into the calendar as required school days. Attending on these dates keeps us eligible for a state waiver if weather causes future cancellations. The board approved September 21, 22, 24, 25, & 28, 2026, as this year’s inclement weather days.

Current fitness center membership fees for staff and students will remain unchanged:

• Staff: $10
• Students: $25

A recommendation was presented to replace the resident/non-resident membership categories with a property ownership-based structure. Eligibility will be based on ownership of residential or commercial property within the district, verified through a county records search. It was also noted that the district does not have the personnel available to administer monthly memberships.

Following discussion, the board approved the new annual fitness center membership rates as:

• Residential and commercial property owners: $100
• Non-property owners: $200

Ben also reported that the Recreation Commission would like to purchase additional fitness equipment geared toward older adults. The proposed equipment would be designed to better meet the needs of senior users by providing safe, accessible exercise options while expanding the variety of equipment available at the fitness center for the community.

Dr. Wachs reported that the annual budget review is scheduled August 6th with KSDE as part of their annual budget review service. Dale Dennis will conduct the review, which is a valuable resource provided each year to help districts evaluate and better understand their budget information. A meeting with Mark Bauer is also scheduled for July 14th to continue budget discussions and get the budget in order for the upcoming August 6th meeting at the state.

The new Education Commissioner reached out to Dr. Wachs via email to introduce himself and expressed interest in visiting with Dr. Wachs about ideas, priorities, and topics related to education moving forward. Dr. Wachs plans to follow up and schedule an introductory meeting.

Dr. Wachs provided an overview of the Kansas Superintendent Leadership program, which he has participated in for the past two years. He shared that the program provides valuable leadership development opportunities, professional networking, coaching, and resources for participating superintendents. The program also provides benefits for districts and boards through continued professional growth, collaboration, and engagement opportunities. Additional opportunities are available for superintendents, administrators, and board members to participate in professional learning sessions and activities connected with annual conferences.

President, Jessie Pleasant, shared that she had recently spoke at the Larned Pride meeting, where she discussed information about board and superintendent roles, along with initiatives that support staff and students. She highlighted ideas focused on creating a positive experience for students and staff.

Jessie also shared an update from her involvement with the Foundation. The Foundation is considering providing an additional $50 to each teacher’s new school year account, in addition to the district provided annual $150 contribution. This item will be discussed further at the Foundation’s meeting on Thursday.

The USD 495 Board of Education will meet again on Monday, August 10th at 6:00 PM at the District Office.