Great Bend USD 428 is working with the Kansas State Department of Education’s Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) to provide a professional learning course for instructors of reading, spelling and related skills. Assistant Superintendent Tricia Reiser said 46 teachers are signed up to participate in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training.

The grade levels they teach range from preschoolers through high school seniors. LETRS is designed to provide teachers with in-depth knowledge and tools to use with any reading program.

Meanwhile, Assistant Superintendent John Popp said the district continues to use the “Capturing Kids Hearts” program introduced at the start of the 2021-2022 school. New teachers to the district will receive training on that program during five days of orientation before the start of the fall semester.

Important dates

The start of the fall semester at Great Bend schools is five weeks away and online enrollment starts Aug. 3. School officials announced the following important dates for the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year:

• Aug. 3-4 - enrollment

• Aug. 9 - Helping Hands Preschool enrollment

• Aug. 5 and 8-11 - new teacher orientation

• Aug. 12 and 15 - teacher in-service

• Aug. 15 - business Showcase and teacher in-service

• Aug. 16 and 17 - teacher workday

• Aug. 18 - first day of classes for K-6, 7 and 9

• Aug. 19 - first day of classes for grades 8 and 10-12

The next board of education meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Aug. 8 at the District Education Center.

Summer projects

There are still students at some Great Bend USD 428 buildings in June and July, but summer is the perfect time to complete many projects in and around the buildings. Superintendent Khris Thexton shared this list of summer projects at Monday’s Board of Education meeting.

• Concrete work at Park and Eisenhower schools is complete.

• Concrete work for the new bleachers at GBHS is complete and the bleachers will be installed mid-July.

• Fence repairs are ongoing at the elementary schools.

• Concrete work at Lincoln will be completed before school starts.

• Bus and Vehicle inspections are in progress and will be complete by Aug. 1.

• Repainting of parking stalls and adding handicap parking will begin next week and should be complete in two weeks.

• High school field house locker rooms are painted and carpet has been installed. Repair and painting of the lockers are 80% complete.

• High school stage floor - replace uneven floorboards and painting will start next week.

• High school kitchen - electrical and water lines are installed for the new steam ovens.

• High school commons skylight to be completed by Aug. 1.

• Jefferson south hallway boys’ restroom replacing stall partitions.

• Riley room 154/153 permanent wall is complete. Brentwood will install the pass door between 109/111 in the next two weeks.

• Middle school luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring and painting is complete at the nurse’s office.

• Jefferson and Park gym floor refinishing will start in the next two weeks.

• Gym floor maintenance coats at GBMS south, PAC, Park and Eisenhower is scheduled for the end of July or first of August.

• Replacing rotted siding and painting of the building at the Cavanaugh Field in progress.

• All buildings - adding cameras and updating hard drives for DVR’s in progress

• All buildings - replacing defective overhead projectors per request in progress.

• All buildings - preventative maintenance on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) in progress.

• Replacement rooftop HVAC units are still on order.

• All buildings - touch up painting and repairs in progress.