In April of this year, Kelsey Sciacca was selected as the Park Elementary School principal at Great Bend USD 428, after teaching there for 18 years – the last six as an instructional coach for teachers as well as students. She officially began working in preparation for the new school year on Aug. 1. She is looking forward with great excitement to her new leadership role.
“We have a building-wide welcoming and inviting culture,” Sciacca said. “Our motto is ‘Every student, every day.’”
They want everyone who enters the building – whether as a student, parent, teacher or other staff member – to feel they are a part of that vision.
Sciacca coached girls volleyball at Great Bend High School for about eight years and she also did some girls softball coaching in the past. She has been here in Great Bend for 41 years.
“We are just trying to make a big difference in our community, our families and in our schools,” she said. “We want to make a difference academically and socially. We are trying to come back from the COVID-19 years and come back to what we really want, and it is not the survival mode anymore.”
Earlier this week, Sciacca was making ready for the students’ arrival with the help of new staff. She was proud to introduce two fresh faces joining her this year.
School secretary Brianna Olivas is the first face you see when you enter the school building and has an organizational role in record-keeping and fielding phone calls.
“I like to build relationships with the children,” Olivas said. “I do a lot of data entry in the Skyward System, which contains everything pertinent to that individual child, like their home-room, date of birth, and basically private information like medicines they take regularly.”
Taylor Woods, the new family engagement coordinator, is another key person on staff at Park Elementary.
“I coordinate academic nights and get-togethers, and I’m happy to provide available resources to families,” Woods said.
The official opening day of school was Thursday, August 18, when approximately 250 students streamed through the front doors. They will hopefully begin to experience the culture that Sciacca calls “Every student, every day.” The murals in the front part of the building entrance and the ceiling artwork are important to help children feel welcomed every day.
Teaching experience
Sciacca taught first graders at Park Elementary for 10 years, then spent one year as a fourth-grade teacher and math coach, and for the last six years she was an instructional coach, which meant she worked training teachers and working with data. She also developed leadership skills while coaching girls sports at GBHS, and is proud of her achievements in helping young people with teamwork and good sportsmanship skills.
Technology-wise, the school widely utilizes “one-to-one” digital education, with an i-Pad issued to each student in kindergarten and 1st grade, and Chromebooks issued to each student in grades 2-6. The iPads and Chromebooks must be returned to inventory before the students leave for home each day.
Classroom size this year is expected to be 16-20 students per teacher.
Assistant Superintendent John Popp noted that Sciacca’s promotion from instructor to principal isn’t unprecedented.
“We have extensive training that supports the growth of all of our teachers,” he said.
“Mrs. Sciacca is dedicated to the students, families, and staff that make Park Elementary a special place to learn and grow,” Popp said. “She has done a wonderful job teaching for us in the past. She has grown as a teacher at Park Elementary School and has shown that she is ready for the challenge. We are excited to see her take the lead in that building.”
