Examples of Excellence (Feb 2023)
February 2023
Overview
USD 231 is proud of the daily accomplishments in our classrooms and buildings. We are frequently notified of awards, generous donations by community members, and other occasions that warrant special attention. The USD 231 'Examples of Excellence' newsletter is produced to share the stories of our student and employee successes!
Do you have a 'feel-good' story or accomplishment to share? Let us know by submitting the information HERE.
KMEA Orchestra All State Students
Three GEHS students recently performed with the KMEA All-State Orchestra at Century II in Wichita. They represented the high school and their peers extremely well!!
Students (L to R): Josh Droegemeier, Alexa Rieder, Nicholas Belcher.
Gardner Scout Honored with BSA Medal of Merit
A Gardner, Kansas and Nike Elementary Scout has been recognized with the Boy Scouts of America's Medal of Merit after rendering first aid when her father needed help.
When Molly McKain's dad fell last year, she knew exactly what to do because of the lessons she learned in Scouting. Molly's dad, an avid hockey player, was practicing on dry land and rollerblading when he inadvertently tripped and struck the back of his head on the pavement. The force of the fall caused a bleeding head wound and potential concussion. That's when Molly sprung into action. She immediately assessed the situation, stabilized her father and retrieved a first aid kit from their vehicle. She then carefully elevated her father, applied pressure and bandaged the head wound on site.
Because she was prepared, Molly was presented the BSA's Medal of Merit at her crossover ceremony this weekend. This rare award is only presented to Scouts who perform an exceptional act of service that reflects an uncommon degree of concern for the well-being of others.
Congratulations Molly for being a Scout that we can all be proud of!
USD 231 Nutrition Services Department Receives Gold Award
On Monday, February 13, the Nutrition Services department was notified that their program was selected to receive the Gold Award in the USDA's Turnip the Beet! Summer Meals recognition program.
The USDA's Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors across the nation who work hard to offer high quality meals to children that are appetizing, appealing, and nutritious during the summer months. This award was created to showcase sponsors who are going above and beyond to ensure that children in their care are receiving high-quality meals that are both nutritious and appetizing.
This is the second consecutive year that USD 231 Nutrition Services has been recognized for outstanding service to the community during summer months through this program. Our program is one of only 31 sponsors in the United States that were recognized at the gold level of service. We are proud of the hard work and dedication our team continues to demonstrate in going above and beyond to meet the needs of the children in our community.
Link to national winners: https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource-files/2022-TUB-awardee-list.pdf
PRMS Students Learn A Lot From the Chief's Super Bowl
In order to celebrate our Kansas City Chiefs, Dr. Carolyn Doolittle's middle school students have been reading a lot of stories and articles about the Chiefs! These students have read about the history of the Chiefs, created timelines; researched the Kelce brothers, and organized information. Additionally, they have worked on a compare and contrast graphic organizer and they've created their own QARs (question-answer relationships) from information they learned from the Chiefs' Super Bowl program from Super Bowl IV.
Even their class mascot, "Boney Bob", has been enjoying reading about the Chiefs!
Backpack Project
Congratulations to Ms. Rachel Kroh's 2nd grade class at Nike Elementary, for reaching their backpack goal. She and her students set a goal to fill 20 backpacks for kids entering foster care and, as of today, they have have packed 56 backpacks. Each backpack includes three small fidget toys, a stuffie, coloring book with crayons, a pair of gloves, a stocking hat, shampoo, body wash, comb/brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, water bottle, and a notebook with a pen and pencil.
Congratulations and way to go, you all!!
Spelling Bee Winners
Recently, each elementary and middle school hosted a spelling bee and crowned a winner after fierce competition. Congratulations to the following students for spelling their way to victory!!!
Edgerton Elementary - Elijah Fairbanks
Gardner Elementary - Mary Okoti
Grand Star Elementary - Sawyer Sparks
Madison Elementary - Madelyn Berg
Moonlight Elementary - Gabriel Williams
Nike Elementary - Laila Shephard
Sunflower Elementary - Peyton Taylor
Pioneer Ridge Middle School - Mackenzie MacKinney
Trail Ridge Middle School - Mattii Haile
Wheatridge Middle School - Elijah Bitar