Immunizations are an important layer of protection for our school community. We want to make every effort to keep students and staff in school. USD 428 will host a series of School Vaccination Clinics in partnership with the Barton County Health Department.

For staff, the clinics provide a convenient opportunity to receive the annual flu vaccine (Fluzone) and/or COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines are provided to staff at no charge. Please visit our clinic dashboard (click here) to download the consent forms for your school and return them to your school nurse.

2022 Vaccine Clinic Schedule:

• Great Bend High School - Sept. 27, 7:30 am - 9:30 am

• Great Bend Middle School - Sept. 29, 7 am -9:30 am

• Eisenhower Elementary School - Oct. 12, 7:30 am - 9:30 am

• Jefferson Elementary School - Oct. 12, 1 pm - 2:30 pm

• Lincoln Elementary School - Oct. 12, 9:30 am - 11 am

• Park Elementary School - Sept. 28, 10 am - 11:30 am

• Riley Elementary School - Oct. 7, 10 am - 11:30 am

• Washington Education Center, Helping Hands Preschool - Oct. 27, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm

“When you combine relationship building with engaging teaching, you end up with an exceptional teacher like Mr. Bliven,” said David Reiser, principal at Great Bend Middle School. “Students naturally gravitate to him because of how he goes about establishing positive relationships. He also does a great job of making science interesting and relevant to his students.”

Bliven received his M.A. in Education Studies in 2016 from Michigan University before moving to Great Bend to be a Science Teacher at Great Bend Middle School. Within his first year of teaching, Bliven received the Panther Technology Star Award for his implementation of Google Classroom and was selected as USD 428’s nominee for the Kansas Horizon Award, a recognition program for outstanding first-year teachers.

Bliven has given back to area youth and the community through coaching and tutoring in the classroom as well as on the tennis court. In 2018, Bliven was awarded the Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in Men’s Tennis.

“I feel my greatest contribution to education is my willingness to meet students where they are,” said Bliven, “to make science something that every student can see in their own lives.”

“I believe that through carefully constructed lessons and striving to make science a relevant and applicable tool, I can change the stigma that science is only for the ‘smart kids’ and bring a sense of wonder and excitement to my students that they may not even know they are missing.”

"Mrs. Touslee has many years of experience and brings a wealth of knowledge to her students and colleagues," said Kelsey Sciacca, principal at Park Elementary. "She has an amazing ability to engage all her students in the classroom. Her students show enormous growth throughout the year and she is a true asset to our building and our district."

Touslee earned her Elementary Education Degree from Panhandle State University and later pursued a Master’s Degree in Education from Kansas State University. She has taught 4th-6th grades, worked at the district level in staff development and technology instruction, followed by the last 12 years teaching kindergarten at Park Elementary School.

Sharing her experience in education, Touslee serves as a mentor for students at Fort Hays University and Barton Community College and mentors a GBHS student who is interested in Early Childhood Education. Touslee is active in the community, serving on numerous boards and committees that all have a common interest of support the academic, emotional, and social development of youth.

While Touslee has 33 years of teaching experience, 29 of which have been served in Great Bend, she doesn’t shy away from implementing new technology into her classroom.

“I think technology is a ‘must’ in education,” Touslee said, “it is an active part of student learning.”

In recent years, she has received several grants from the USD 428 Education Foundation to implement Touchtronics, a hands-on alphabet and phonics development tool, as well as embraced iPads with a strategy to have her students record video as a way to learn and develop speaking skills.

When asked to explain her teaching philosophy, Touslee referenced a quote on her wall that came from a former kindergarten student, “Sometimes you have to get off the sidewalk.” To Touslee, it reminds her of the importance to teach the curriculum, but also of the importance, “to make it fun, and make it real.”

“I try to expand my students' knowledge and help them explore, create and discover the joy of learning,” said Touslee. “Fun is the most used word in my classroom.”

Be sure to follow Explore Great Bend on Facebook for news and events!

Volunteers will be available to assist with unloading vehicles. Learn more on the city's website or Facebook page.

It only takes a few minutes to share the GREAT things happening in your classroom! Email high-resolution photos and a quick caption and we'll share it with the community on social media!

Quick Photo Caption:

"Students are learning _______________, by doing ______________."

Submit News to media@usd428.net.