Full Moon Week - We Survived

A full moon (Harvest Moon with an eclipse) week in junior high/high school can feel like a whirlwind. We often joke about how full moons can affect behavior, with more students acting out, becoming more easily distracted, and testing boundaries. Hallways are noisier, and there's a sense of restlessness in classrooms, making it harder to keep students focused on lessons. We experienced all of this over the week.

Homecoming Week

It is Homecoming Week next week, and we are excited to celebrate with a spirit week for both Junior High and High School. Below, you will find the dress-up days planned for the week.

Please refer to the Homecoming Schedule that Courtenay Slinkard shared for additional important details.

Friday will feature our Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally on Main Street. The parade will kick off at 1:40 PM, followed by the Pep Rally at 2:10 PM. F&M Bank will provide drinks for staff and students.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Conferences are approaching on October 15 and 17 from 4:00–8:00 p.m., providing a valuable opportunity to meet with families and discuss how their students are doing in school. However, if a student is struggling, this should not be the first time parents are hearing about it. Maintaining consistent communication with families is essential, allowing us to collaborate in supporting students and helping them succeed.

Big Thanks

Thank you for making connections with your students and families. Your ongoing commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for our students shines through in everything you do. We appreciate all of your efforts.

Julie

You now have the opportunity to purchase your very own "Be Kind Jayhawk" shirt, which is being given to students selected in our Cultivating Kindness campaign. The purchase links are provided below.

USD 346 Teacher of the Year Nomination Process

USD 346 is extremely excited about participating in the Kansas Teacher of the Year program beginning in the 2024-25 school year. Being nominated for the Kansas Teacher of the Year award within our district is an incredible opportunity to celebrate the dedication and passion you bring to your students every day. This prestigious recognition highlights not only your commitment to excellence in the classroom but also your impact on the school community. Those selected as USD 346 Teacher of the Year will receive district support to participate in the state-level process, showcasing their achievements while representing the best of our district. It’s a chance to inspire others and be celebrated for the lasting difference you make in education.

Nominations for the USD 346 Teacher of the Year are now open, and each building principal will be accepting nominations until September 27, 2024. Each principal will review all nominations and may select up to two teachers from Jayhawk Elementary and two from Jayhawk Linn Jr/Sr High School to move forward. Principals may also choose not to submit any names. Once nominated, selected teachers will complete an application form to be reviewed by the principal and forwarded to the Superintendent.

The Superintendent will gather a district selection committee, including administrators, the Student Improvement Services Director, and site council members. This committee will evaluate the applications and select one elementary and one secondary teacher as the USD 346 Teacher of the Year. In future years, previous winners will join the selection committee to help choose the next honorees.

Selected teachers will receive district support as they prepare for the Kansas Teacher of the Year process. This includes help with paperwork, a substitute teacher for a day, and assistance with required photos. These teachers will also be recognized at various ceremonies within the school, district, and community for their outstanding contributions.

The nominations for the USD 346 Employee of the Year shall be submitted to each building principal by December 6, 2024. The building principal will review al nominees and has the authority to make the decision as to the number of employees to submit for consideration. The principal shall have the option to not submit any names for consideration.

Once the building principal has determined the nominees from their respective building, they wil submit requests for letters of support and/or other documentation. Once this si completed, the nominations and supporting documentation will be submitted to the building leadership team. Building leadership teams will use the nomination forms and supporting documentation to select up to two winners in each building.

We are excited to announce that USD 346 is partnering with F&M Bank and My Power of One to recognize students throughout the school year through our Kindness Initiative.

This program will run for 30 weeks and will highlight one student each week from Jayhawk Elementary, Jayhawk Junior High, and Jayhawk High School who has demonstrated an act of kindness. Teachers and staff will have the opportunity to nominate students by submitting a form describing the student's random act of kindness.

We will select a student each Friday. Please take a moment to nominate a student.

Bertha Becerra

Brenlyn Bogan

Brilyn Bogan

Trevor Brownback

Ryan Broyles

Trent Broyles

Kanyon Carpenter

Brody Clark

JoVeia Clark

Brylee Doleshal

Brea Dawson

Rayse Dean

Dayson Eastwood

Adrian Felix

Brady Felt

Alleah Gillis

Pyper Grote

Callie Holt

Jayden Holt

Tanner Holt

Reed Krull

Mylee Leisure

William Lloyd

Aubrey Mayhugh

Kiera McGrew

Brevin Mendenhall

Braeden Nation

Kenzley Nation

Clay Nichols

Micah Orr

Karley Owenby

Adeline Randall

Celeste Schneider

Truman Schneider

Janessa Scott

Vivien Smith

Gabe Springer

Jacen Taylor

Breck Umphenour

Eleanor Vaughn

Jude Wade

Carson Walton

Rachel Walton

Denton White

Kaylee Wisdom

September 20 - HS V Football vs Olpe

September 23 - Girs V Golf @ Chanute

September 23 - JH Volleyball A/B QUAD vs Crest/SE Cherokee/Central Heights

September 23 - HS JV Football @ Olpe

September 24 - V/JV Volleyball TRI @ Crest with Pleasanton

September 25 - FFA - Land Judging

September 26 - HS/JH XC @ Prairie View

September 26 - JH Volleyball TRI vs SE Cherokee/SCC

September 26 - V/JV Volleyball TRI Marmaton Valley/Central Heights

September 26 JH Football vs Cherokee

September 27 - HOMECOMING - HS V Football vs Erie

September 30 - Girls Varsity Golf @ Uniontown (Woodland Hills)

September 30 - JH Volleyball A/B Tri @ Marmaton Valley with Arma

September 30 - HS JV FB @ Erie

October 1 - Cottey College Rep Visit

October 1 - V/JV VB TRI at Yates Center with Pleasanton

October 2 - FFA - Regional Land Judging

October 2 - Girls V Golf @ Painted Hills GC Tonganoxie Tourney

October 3 - FSCC Rep Visit

October 3 - HS/JH XC @ Central Heights

October 3 - JH Football @ Central Heights

October 4 - HS V FB @ Pleasanton

Bob Beckham - Assistant Principal

Brett Kramer - Counselor

Julie Samuels - Principal

Jeanna Brownback - SS

Jason Casner -Science

Kirk Holt - AD/Science

Courtenay Slinkard

Kevin Spencer - Math

Jessie Storey - SPED

Theresa White - ELA

MEETING DATES

Sep 25, 2024 - Site Council Meeting at 4:30 - JES

Oct 16, 2024

Nov 13, 2024

Dec 11, 2024

Jan 15, 2024

Feb 12, 2024

Apr 2, 2024

Apr 16, 2024

September 13, 2024

September 6, 2024

August 29, 2024

August 23, 2024

August 16, 2024

August 9, 2024

August 2, 2024