USD 417 March District Spotlight

Spring is in full swing across USD 417, and there is no shortage of things to celebrate! From the weight room to the stage, from the mat to the classroom, our students continue to show up and make our community proud. Thank you for taking the time to read and the support you give to our kids and our district.

Basketball

We want to congratulate both our Boys and Girls Basketball teams on completing their seasons. Both programs competed in the first round of the playoffs and represented Council Grove with hard work and determination from start to finish. We are proud of everything these young men and women gave to their teams this year and are excited about what the future holds for both programs. A special congratulations goes to senior Blaise French, who was selected to participate in a local all-star game — a well-deserved honor for a deserving young man.

Powerlifting — 4th Straight State Championship!

Coach Wilkens and the Council Grove Powerlifting Team capped off a remarkable season by winning the Boys State Powerlifting Team Championship for the fourth consecutive year. That kind of sustained excellence speaks to the culture Coach Wilkens has built and the dedication of every athlete in that program. This year's team produced four individual state champions: Blaise French, Gunner Gleason, Kayden Hewitt, and Colton Elsen. In addition, many other lifters placed at the state tournament. Congratulations to the entire team — we are proud of you!

Wrestling — Three State Champions!

The Council Grove Wrestling program had an outstanding state tournament. Three Braves climbed to the top of the podium as individual state champions: Bradley Doornbos, Leo DeDonder (Northern Heights), and Tyler Hutchinson. Multiple other Braves wrestlers also earned placings at the state tournament. We are so proud of the heart and grit this team displayed all season long. Congratulations to the wrestlers, coaches, and families who supported them every step of the way!

Upcoming Plays — Mark Your Calendars!

Mrs. Davis and her talented CGJH students, along with the CG Players, are preparing to put on a fantastic evening of theater — and we hope you will come out and support them! The CGJH students will present "The Internet is Distract — OH LOOK A KITTEN!" by Ian McWethy, and the CG Players will perform "All In The Timing: Six One-Act Plays" by David Ives. One admission gets you into both productions!

Show dates and times:

• Friday, April 10th — CGJH at 6:30 PM | CG Players at 7:00 PM

• Sunday, April 12th — CGJH at 1:30 PM | CG Players at 2:00 PM

These students have worked hard and we encourage the entire community to come out and show them your support!

Forensics

Our Forensics team with Mrs. Davis leading the way continues to have a tremendous season, with more and more students qualifying for the state competition later this spring. We are excited to watch them continue to represent USD 417 on that stage. Great things are ahead!

Cheer and Bravettes

Tryouts for both our Cheer and Bravettes squads have taken place, and both groups are already hard at work preparing for the new season. We want to congratulate everyone who tried out and extend a special congratulations to those who made the squads. We cannot wait to see you in action!

Spring Sports

Our Track, Softball, Baseball, and Golf programs are all off to great starts this spring. We look forward to watching these teams grow and develop as the season progresses toward postseason play in May. Go Braves!

Music Program

Our music students and Mr. Meals have been doing outstanding work this spring. The program recently competed at the League Music Festival — and according to Mr. Meals, it was one of the best days the program has had in a very long time. That kind of result is a direct reflection of Mr. Meals' dedication and the hard work of every student who has committed their time and effort to getting better. We are so proud of all of you!

Career Exploration During Braves Time

Our 8th grade students have been taking advantage of some incredible career exploration opportunities during Braves Time — connecting with visitors from within and outside the community, and going out to meet professionals in fields that interest them. Thank you to the staff members who are making these connections happen, and to the community members and professionals who are giving their time to invest in the next generation. These experiences matter more than we can say.

Kindergarten Roundup and Early Childhood Screening

Both Prairie Heights Elementary and Council Grove Elementary will be hosting Kindergarten Roundup on April 16th. If you have a KG ready to join us next fall, we would love to see you there! We also have Early Childhood Screening taking place on April 10th at CGES. Additionally, our elementary schools have a great lineup of field trips and learning opportunities coming up this spring!

State Testing Season

It is state testing season across USD 417. While assessments may not be the most exciting part of the school year, they are an important part of what we do, and we want to see our students perform their very best. We encourage every parent, grandparent, and community member to cheer on our students, offer words of encouragement, and wish them well as they work through their state assessments. Your support means everything to them.

A Word on the Legislative Session

The Kansas legislative session has come to an end, though legislators will be returning to Topeka for a veto session. We want to be transparent with our community — it was a difficult session for public schools across the state, and the work is not yet finished.

As it currently stands, a proposal of only $6 million in new Special Education funding would fall far short of what our schools need. Kansas law requires that the state fund 92% of excess special education costs, yet last year 39% of local property taxes went toward covering the shortfall in state special education funding. A $6 million increase will widen that gap further and place an even greater burden on local property taxpayers.

Additionally, a bill that is claiming to be a property tax relief bill has passed the legislature that is structured in a way that could be very detrimental to public schools. Our funding structure is fundamentally different from cities and counties, and if this bill is signed by the Governor, it puts many things at risk for districts like ours. If we want true property tax relief in Kansas one of the first steps our legislative body could do is fully fund special education and stop putting the burden on local property taxes. There are also several other bills that would place additional requirements on schools and staff without providing the funding needed to meet them.

None of this is finalized. These bills now sit on the Governor's desk and we will see what happens next. We will continue to communicate with our community as things develop. As always, we encourage you to reach out to your state legislators and share your perspective on what public education means to our community.

Bond Survey

We have finalized the survey related to last month's bond election, and it will be going out to the community shortly. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback as we continue to plan and work through how we best address the needs of our aging facilities. 

Tyson Superintendent

USD 417 Morris County 

Superintendent of Schools 

#ForwardTogether417