Great Bend USD 428 will implement a mock election with all district students this fall to coincide with the national presidential election.
This is item 19 on Superintendent Brad Reed’s list of district accomplishments in 2015-2016 that go beyond the everyday scope of providing education. This list:
1. Successfully implemented our One District-One Book community literacy celebration.
2. Installed electronic safety doors at all attendance centers for student and staff safety.
3. Made additional land purchases for future expansion.
4. Began a Therapeutic Day Treatment Classroom at Washington Elementary School.
5. Obtained a $328,000 technology grant to help move forward the 1 to 1 technology initiative in our district.
6. Have all three pieces of our assessment data in place now.
7. Started our Business Showcase as a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce.
8. Installed a new district phone system.
9. Will initiate a new social, emotional, and behavior curriculum in the district.
10. Began our three-year MTSS (Multi-Tier System of Supports) consortium training with the Kansas State Department of Education.
11 . Reed was a presenter at the National Superintendents Conference.
12. Continue to keep the district with a great financial picture. This is the third budget in a row to keep our mill rate flat.
13. Continue to expand our Back-To-School Celebration for staff.
14. Developed a new School Liaison Officer agreement with the Great Bend Police Department.
15. Began our KRR (Kansas Reading Roadmap) and FAST (Families and Schools Together) programs at all K-6 buildings to mesh with our MTSS programming.
16. Revived our “Adopt-A-School” program by our school board members.
17. Began a new cooperative effort with the Great Bend Police Department where officers eat lunch with students every day.
18. Performed a safety audit of all of our K-6 playgrounds.
19. Will implement a mock election with all district students this fall to coincide with the national presidential election.
20. Reed and principals Tricia Reiser and JoAnn Blevins presented at the state USA Conference. Reiser is now the district’s federal programs coordinator.
21. Secured a grant for our KRR program of $700,000 a year. This will be the second year at that amount.
22. Completed a second year of smooth Interest Based Bargaining process with our teachers’ union.
23. Initiated our FAST program to garner parental involvement in our reading program.
24. Completed our second straight year as a United Way Pacesetter organization.
25. Negotiated a $65,000 savings on our Barton County Academy contract with ESSDACK.
26. Secured a three-year grant to provide MTSS training for our district worth $180,000 per year.
27. Refinanced our school bonds and saved the taxpayers in USD 428 $62,000.
28. Third year in a row to fill all vacant staff positions prior to school starting.