July 13 - From the Superintendent
July 13, 2022
JULY 13, 2022
Hello, USD 231 Patrons and Employees.
As I began my first full week as superintendent, it did not take long to be reminded why USD 231 is one of the best school districts in Kansas, if not the entire country. While visiting buildings and interacting with employees, I observed our Nutrition Services team preparing and providing summer meals for children ages 18 and under, visited with members of the maintenance and operations teams who were hard at work to ensure our buildings and grounds are in excellent shape prior the start of the new school year, and participated in meetings with our administrative team focused on next year's "Guiding Principles". There is no doubt it is the people who make this district great!
During the 2022-23 school year, we will work together to develop a Strategic Plan that guides our actions for years to come. More information to follow regarding this process and how students, employees, and families can (and need to be) involved. In the meantime, there are three "Guiding Principles" that will be in place during the 2022-23 school year that will inform every decision we make:
- Every decision made will be with student success and support in mind;
- Student achievement and post-graduation success for all students is the only option;
- We will embrace a culture that values students, staff, parents and community partners.
I am proud to join a community of educators committed to the learning and achievement of the 6,000 young people across our schools. I am eager to work alongside our Board of Education, employees, and community to realize this commitment for every student.
Let's build on the many accomplishments of the Gardner Edgerton School District and work together to ensure all students are prepared for their future!
Sincerely,
Brian
P.S. - Please be sure to follow me on Twitter (@usd231supe) for more frequent updates!
Back-to-School Central
USD 231 schools re-open our doors to students on August 11 and 12! We have compiled almost everything you will need - from immunizations to bus route information to food service details and much, much more - all in one location to make the start of your school year as smooth as possible!
To access this information, please click the icon on the right.
We will update this page throughout the summer so check back often for additional information.
Change to National School Breakfast and Lunch Program
As we approach the start of a new school year, USD 231 Nutrition Services would like to inform you of changes to school meals beginning the first day of school. The federal government allowed schools to offer free meals to all students during the pandemic, but Congress did not extend this benefit for the 2022-2023 school year. Families that are eligible for free or reduced-price meals must again apply to receive them, and all other students must pay full price for their meals beginning the first day of the new school year. (This does not affect our summer meals program running through August 5, 2022!)
If your household has received an email from our office in the past few days notifying you that your students are directly certified for the 2022-2023 school year, you do NOT need to complete an application. Please follow the instructions in the second email sent in order to obtain bus and fee discounts.
Under certain circumstances, some families will be eligible for temporary carryover status for the first 30 days of the school year for meals (only), but this will not apply to transportation or instructional fee discounts. If your household is eligible for this carryover status, you should have received an email from our office on July 7, 2022, and will need to complete the online application before you can obtain fee/transportation discounts in 2022-2023.
We encourage all other households who wish to be considered for free or reduced-price meals in 2022-2023 to complete the meal benefits application as soon as possible. All applications can be submitted online through the link at https://bit.ly/USD231onlineapp
If you have additional questions, please contact our office by email at nutrition@usd231.com for assistance.
Enrollment for the 2022-23 School Year
Enrollment for students new to the district and returning student re-enrollment will go live on Monday, July 18 (9:00 a.m.). Student schedules will go live for students and parents to view on Tuesday, August 9 (9:00 a.m.).
Annual Public Notice Regarding Developmental Screenings
The Gardner Edgerton School District offers developmental screenings for children up to 5 years (who are not kindergarten eligible). We also coordinate services with Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County (ITS) and USD 231 Parents as Teachers (PAT) for children birth to 3 years of age. If you live in the Gardner Edgerton district boundaries and have a child from birth to age 5 and you have concerns about his or her development, please call the Special Services Office at (913) 856-2080 to set up an appointment for screening.
There are other rights, which by federal and state laws are afforded to you and your exceptional child. A copy of these rights may be obtained free of charge by contacting the address or phone number below.
If you have a child who you feel may be in need of special education service(s), please contact your child’s building principal or Gardner Edgerton Special Services, 231 E Main, Gardner, KS 66030 — phone (913) 856-2080.
Transportation for SY 22-23
Transportation enrollment for the 2022/2023 school year is underway and runs through July 22, 2022.
To access the enrollment information, please click the icon on the right.
The enrollment form is a PDF you can complete, save, and email to First Student. You can submit your form by saving a copy of the completed PDF and emailing to usd231transportation@firstgroup.com or you can drop it off at our office (19450 S. Gardner Road).
To view events occurring at the district-level, please click the icon on the right. To view school-specific calendars, please visit each building's respective website.
As a district parent, guardian, alumni or community member, you will receive A Message from Gardner Edgerton USD 231, our email newsletter with updates, celebrations and upcoming events, in your inbox.
Please be sure to follow USD 231 Schools on social media to keep up with all the great accomplishments happening across our district!