Growing up, I loved having company over to our house. It meant we would pull out our favorite recipes, dress ourselves up and be reminded to use our best manners. I also have very fond memories of our family working together to get ready. We’d spend the morning with music playing as I was dusting, my sister was vacuuming and dad was sprucing up the yard. It really was a family affair.

Recently, USD 327 had the chance to be the host of Leadership for Tomorrow, and getting ready for that special day reminded me of how we’d work together to get ready for special guests.

This past summer I requested suggestions on what to showcase from our district, and I was grateful for the collaboration that formed to spotlight the great things happening in our schools. Our visiting group of principals, superintendents and school board members from across the state spent the day with us, and you can bet they were treated to some of our best.

I presented to our guests about the district’s journey, the development of the strategic themes and the many successes prompted by our listening sessions, including the growth of our CTE programming and the additions of a grow-your-own teacher Don Smishney Educator Scholarship program, as well as the Legacy and Future Endowments.

It was a joy to see our FFA and FCCLA present to the groups. They led a four-station rotation, where our guests learned about Farm to Table, making a bouquet of wildflowers and making a soup-in-a-jar to take back to their district as a fundraising idea. One participant expressed his delight that he would arrive home with dinner and flowers! The group also heard from EJSHS senior Mallory Dobrinski about a collaboration with Farm Bureau. A $700 grant will allow families in need to receive food and support just in time for the holidays.

I just can’t say enough good things about the way our students and staff welcomed the group organized by the Kansas Association of School Boards. We have so many reasons to be proud.

As I mentioned in my August column, we continue to focus on facility needs that our district will address with a longterm plan. I want to thank everyone who participated in a community conversation about our district’s future in August. We are continuing to gather feedback from employees and other community groups and will be working with high school staff to collect ideas and opinions from students.

The school board has also been finalizing a responsible school district budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. On Sept. 8, the board held its revenue neutral rate hearing and approved the budget. As I mentioned last month, the board’s work has led to a decrease in the overall mill levy, while exceeding the RNR. I sincerely appreciate the shared commitment to be trustworthy stewards of the community’s investment.

This month, I also learned that we received a grant from the Patterson Family Foundation totaling $83,752 to improve student access to high school career and technical education! Two years ago, a grant like this helped us create a CTE coordinator role and begin building a strong and integrated program. We have grown from eight to 13 pathways, while prioritizing the quality of opportunities we offer. This grant will pay for the addition of exciting hands-on equipment and offer students possible business models to explore. Consider the possibilities for learning with an embroidery machine, 3D printers and computers, as well as a wood pellet machine that manufactures pellets of glued sawdust.

Looking around, it’s hard to miss that the 2025-2026 school year is off to a great start.

One last shout-out in this column: I want to express my enormous gratitude to the many organizations that have donated school supplies to our district. It is wonderful to have such a supportive community looking out for the success of our students. We are truly better together — striving for excellence at USD 327!

Deena Hilbig is the superintendent of USD 327 and can be reached at 785-4725561.