Tuesday Talk with Dr. Dain
Dear Pirate Nation,
I can't remember where I came across the concept of "Be Scrappy" but I really liked it. Merriam-Webster defines it as "having an aggressive and determined spirit: FEISTY.” Some additional characteristics of scrappy people:
- They are positive. Obstacles indicate that they need to find a way around.
- They are resourceful. Begin looking for solutions immediately.
- They are trusting. Good intent is always the starting point.
- They have a long view. Sometimes answers don't come in the short term.
- They are resilient. Flexibility and adaptability rule the day.
- They are consistent. Day after day, they are predictable.
- They are humble. Power and authority rarely surface.
I hope your week is going well; the countdown is on for Super Bowl LVII
Proud to be a Pirate!
Dr. Jessica Dain
Superintendent of Schools
Youth Equity Stewardship (YES) begins next school year!
YES is rooted in arts-based methods that aim to bring the youth perspective, vision, creativity, and passion to the forefront of policy and progress for a 21st century school system.
YES is for current 8th - 11th grade students who are looking for leadership training and development, interested in a collaborative learning opportunity with other Piper High students and staff, and searching for a place to share their voice.
For more information visit: tinyurl.com/jkvk56pc and tinyurl.com/YESvideoInfo
Register your student's interest at tinyurl.com/YESPiper
Student interest registration closes March 10th, 2023.
Contact Amber Buck at ABuck@PiperSchools.us or 913.721.9009 with any questions.
Enrollment for the 2023-2024 School Year opens February 13!
Just a reminder that 2023-2024 enrollment opens Monday, February 13th. Please log in through your family Skyward account and complete the returning student enrollment for each of your returning students. The 2023-2024 fees will not be available nor applied until after the first week in July in order to give families the opportunity to complete the 2023-2024 Child Nutrition Free/Reduced Application which is available July 1st. More information to come on that closer to July 2023.
Enrollment Process: All enrollment PreK-12 is done online. Please scroll down to find forms and instructions for either "Returning Students" or "New Students".
During online enrollment, you will be able to upload copies of various required documentation (i.e. proof of residency, birth certificate, Kansas physical and immunization records). If you do not have scanned copies, you may instead deliver a physical copy of these documents to your student's school. For instructions on uploading required documents, please click here. This year we will have a couple of different open enrollment days/evenings at each school to provide assistance for those who do not have a computer or internet at their home. More information to come on this.
Fees: 2023-2024 school fees will not be available for parents to pay until after July 1st. This allows families to apply for Free/Reduced Meals which will be available until July 1st. The $25.00 Pre-School enrollment fee can be paid by cash check in person at Piper Early Childhood Center, or with a debit/credit card which may be completed online. A list of fees can be found in a downloadable document below. The enrollment process is not complete until fees are paid in full. In the meantime, please make sure that all of 2022-2023 school year fees and all food service account balances are paid in full prior to July 1st.
Proof of Residency: Proof of residency at the time of enrollment must be provided for all new and returning students. Proof must be current (within the last 60 days). To see the current policy, please click here.
Staffing Priorities for 23-24
Over the last six months, we have worked diligently with the Piper Teacher’s Association and directly with employees to garner real-time data from the staff on the front lines to continue to understand staffing priorities that will support the work that needs to happy to have a wonderful learning environment for our students and an amazing working environment for our staff.
As such, our responsive and supportive Board of Education gave approval for us to post several new positions for the 2023.2024 school year. These positions have begun to be posted on our employment website and more will continue to be posted in the coming days if you, or someone you know, are interested in applying.
Two quick points of additional information relating these positions I would like to share:
- I am thrilled to share that Darcey Bast will remain the principal at Piper Prairie Elementary and I will be taking her name to the Board of Education for their approval at the February Board of Education Meeting to serve as the Director of Support Services along with fulfilling her continued full-time role at Piper Prairie Elementary as the principal.
- One of the approved new positions is a District Mental Health Professional. This person will be a District-hired licensed social worker or counselor with industry certification to provide mental health therapies and interventions to work with ALL students at no cost to families. This person will be able to provide therapeutic services along with providing crisis support as needed. We continue to be concerned about the mental wellness of our students and are hopeful this position will be the first step in providing students and their families onsite, timely, free mental health support. This person will have a rotating schedule with time in each of our 5 buildings and then support crisis situations as needed.
Are you interested in joining the Pirate Nation Team? Know of any great candidates? Please visit the website at www.piperschools.com/jobs to see our current openings.
February Board of Education Meeting
The next Board of Education Board Meeting has been scheduled for Monday, February 13th at 6:00 PM in the CTE Library/Board Room. Patrons and District Stakeholders are always welcome!
COVID-19
We will continue to have COVID-19 tests available should your child become ill at school, and you wish to provide consent for them to be tested. If your child is exhibiting 2 or more COVID-19 symptoms, our nursing staff would highly recommend having them tested. As always, best practice is to keep your child home if they are feeling unwell.
Should your child test positive for COVID-19, we will be following CDC recommendations for exclusion. The date of the onset of COVID symptoms will count as day zero and your child will need to remain home for five additional days beyond the date of symptom onset. Your child may return to school as long as they are fever free for 24 hours without medication.
Upon return to school, your child will have 2 options regarding masking per CDC guidance. Option 1 is to wear a mask through day 10 following the onset of symptoms. Option 2 calls for testing on day 1 of their return and day 3 of their return. If both tests are negative, mask-wearing can be discontinued following testing on day 3. Please visit with your school nurse if you wish to pursue the testing option.