USD 327

Superintendent

Seeing the signs of spring popping up makes this a fun time to enjoy the good work happening in our schools and all around our communities. It is hard to imagine a more welcoming and caring place to learn, work and raise a family. Whether you’ve lived here for decades, or (like me) only just arrived in the last few years, USD 327 is a wonderful place to call home.

One joy of the past year has been welcoming new students into our schools, whether entering kindergarten, transferring from a nearby district or moving here. We invite all families to consider the wonderful opportunities USD 327 offers when choosing a school next year. Please help spread the word to families with children entering kindergarten this fall. Kindergarten Round-Up is set for 5-6 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at Ellsworth Elementary School. This event will include activities for incoming kindergartners while parents meet with staff to learn all that is needed to prepare for the first day of school in August.

As always, there is no shortage of good news from across our district. On March 5, we had Safety Day at Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High School. It was incredible to have 18 businesses and organizations from our community gathered for our students, along with an inspiring keynote speaker. Students learned about large equipment safety, animal safety, the effects of drunken driving, internet safety, insurance, financial well-being, first aid, self-defense, electrical and fire safety and much more. It was also an inspiring showcase for our students to see possible career paths in action.

The spring sports season is officially underway, but let’s give one last round of applause for our students in both wrestling and basketball. It’s inspiring to see how daily efforts during a season lead to special moments in the postseason. The wins and losses add up to unforgettable memories for our kids, our fans and our community.

Recently, I attended a luncheon with area superintendents and a few Kansas legislators to discuss special education funding. For the last several months, I’ve been reflecting on the ways shortfalls in special education funding affect all students in our schools. Last year alone, our district had to transfer nearly $465,000 from our general funds to cover the cost of special education services. Our general funds pay for things that help special education and regular education students, such as curriculum, technology, educators, counselors and enrichment activities. A shortage of this size affects everyone in USD 327. If the Kansas Legislature were to fully fund special education, all our kids would benefit. If you’d like to more, please contact me any time.

I also attended a presentation on artificial intelligence, or AI, sponsored by Grow Ellsworth County and Nex-Tech. This was a valuable chance to hear about the importance of AI in the workplace. I’m excited to work with our teachers to explore how we can equip USD 327 students with the technical skills and critical thinking skills they’ll need to succeed in school and beyond.

Finally, we are excited to begin welcoming new hires, including local resident Christa Lamia as Kanopolis Middle School social worker, Scott Jones as bus driver and district technology support as well as Sheila Shaffer for the role of EES principal. As we interview for other openings, I’m getting excited for the 2024-2025 school year team. If you or someone you know is looking for a flexible and rewarding job, full or part-time, we are always hiring substitutes and bus drivers. We even pay for bus drivers to earn their CDL license!

I want to end this month by recognizing the dedication and hard work of the USD 327 Board of Education. I especially appreciate the way they listen to what our students and staff members need and choose to invest in a bright future for our schools and community. Our students are so lucky to have a board and community committed to their success.

Deena Hilbig is the superintendent of USD 327. She can be reached at (785) 472-5561.