Many school board members have experienced some tough times recently related to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have often been in long meetings, making tough decisions on school operations while sometimes being yelled at by people upset over masking policies or other issues.
But on Tuesday, several school board members expressed enthusiasm about their service and the direction of Kansas schools after attending meetings on the Kansans Can Success Tour.
The 50-city tour was in Newton, McPherson and Manhattan. The tour, led by Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson and Deputy Commissioner Brad Neuenswander, is meant to inform the public about the gains made by Kansas public schools in recent years, the challenges that lie ahead and to seek input on the future direction of education, focusing on the success of each student.
Newton School Board President Mallory Morton said while it is important for Kansas public schools to compare well with other states, it is more important for individual students to show growth from where they are.
That individual student growth should be “monitored and praised,” she said. Morton, who has three children attending Newton public schools, said she is frequently impressed by the self-awareness of students. Numerous students attended all the meetings Tuesday and have frequently participated in the tour.
Andy Ortiz, also a school board member in Newton, said he had several “aha” moments during Watson’s presentation. “It was nice to hear the higher level goals,” Ortiz said.
He said teachers and school administrators, in concert with the community, need to lead eduction reforms. Ortiz said he serves with several community organizations and will bring the Kansans Can information to those groups.
Both Morton and Ortiz are relatively new school board members — Morton having served for 1 1/2 years and Ortiz, one year.
Jeff Johnson, who has served on the McPherson school board for 26 years, said the message of improving graduation and post-secondary rates was encouraging. “It’s a good reminder of why we do this,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he hopes education advocates can push past the current fights over masks and vaccines. “We have to come together as a community,” he said.
During the meetings, Watson and Neuenswander review what Kansans told them in 2015; that the key to success was both academic knowledge and non-academic skills, such as communication, teamwork and persistence.
In Manhattan, USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Board President Jurdene Coleman said Kansans showed high expectations from their public schools. “The data was compelling that then and now, Kansans want students to engage in the global community. We’ve done a lot of work in the last 10 years to focus on ALL kids, but we know we still have work to do. I hope tonight’s conversation inspires community support for the Kansans Can Vision.”
TinaRae Scott, vice president of the Council Grove school board and KASB Region Region 5 Vice President, expressed confidence in public schools.
“I think we’re headed in the right direction and I was excited to see students here tonight (at the Manhattan meeting). I think we should take these concepts inside the schools and let the students talk about them among themselves,” Scott said. “We need to continue to pull groups together to focus on children as individuals and not stay pigeonholed in our current ideas.”
Rod Stewart, former president of KASB and president of the Washington County USD 108 school board, agreed, saying, “As an employer, I observe how important the non-academic skills are. They are vital to the success of the employee and the company.”
Stewart said that USD 108 is redesigning in alignment with State Board of Education goals. “Our students and staff are starting to implement many of these concepts to better address the individual needs of each student. It is an exciting time for our district,” he said.
He added, “I hope that we can get back to some normalcy and start to put the pandemic behind us. These are some of the most exciting years of a student's life and they need to have all the educational opportunities that they desire.”
For a schedule of meetings, go here.
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