Educational Excellence - USD 428 Provides Top Notch Public Education to Great Bend Students for Over a Century

Back in the day, a new teacher received a grade book, a set of keys, directions to a classroom, a stack of manuals and a “good luck.”

USD 428 administrators recall those not-so-good-old days and are glad they are gone. Today, a new teacher in USD 428 participates in a program that offers a comprehensive orientation to the ins and outs of the district in particular and Great Bend in general.

Back in Action- Returning faculty and staff pick up their district identification badges during orientation in August.

While students are dusting off their backpacks and asking for a new wardrobe, teachers are learning where the staplers are located and who the computer guy is. Most important, of course, they are being schooled in the most up-to-date methods they can use to help their young charges learn in the coming year.

Teachers with brand-new college diplomas, as well as those with experience who are new to the district take advantage of the district’s Teacher Induction Program (TIP). This includes information about best practices for teachers, policies and procedures, positive classroom management, instructional model, positive classroom discipline, school-wide training and mentoring.

When Tandi Mai, Riley sixth-grade teacher, talks about her experience in the program last year, her welcoming personality becomes even more animated. “It was a little overwhelming, like any new job can be,” Mai said. “But when I walked in, I was so welcomed and so comfortable right away. I was no longer anxious and the nervousness went away. It was a very special welcome to the district and a welcome to Great Bend as well.”

Teacher Training- Tandi Mai, Kara Warren and Shauna Young attend a new teacher's orientation session during the summer of 2008. The orientation allows teachers, some who are new to the area, to meet each other and learn about the school district, city and county.

Mai came to the district in the fall of 2008 with eight years of experience, which included teaching language arts at Raymond Junior High, math at Hoisington Middle School and third grade at Lincoln Elementary in Hoisington. She is a Hoisington native and graduate of Wichita State University.

As part of her transition into USD 428, Mai participated in the TIP Ambassador Program, which pairs experienced educators who are new to USD 428 with another teacher familiar with the district. The Mentoring Program is for teachers right out of college.

“My ambassador was Audrey Johnson; she was my go-to person,” Mai recalled. “She did a great job and she wasn’t the only one; everyone was so helpful. We are a team here. They are not going to let anybody fall behind. But they still respect your experience. They say, ‘we know you have experience but we are here to help with questions; we are still available.’ It was a smooth transition.”

Mai also is eager to participate in another required district activity for new teachers. “We will meet at all the different buildings in the district once a week for a semester,” Mai said. “This is a more in-depth look at the district. We will get to know the different little communities in town. I look forward to that.”

Swearing In- Newly elected school board members Dr. Larry Kutina, Wade Babcock and Joyce Carter line up to sign their oaths of office while Barton County Clerk Donna Zimmerman watches. In recent months, four members of the seven-member school board have changed, including the reappointment of board president, Dwight Young.

This program, along with TIP and the many professional development opportunities in USD 428 are geared to helping teachers help their students. Mai pointed out that all this information comes in handy on a day-to-day basis in the classroom.

“The students can detect nervousness with teachers,” Mai comments. “But when they know you are comfortable and know what you are doing, they respect you a lot more. Mrs. (Ruth) Heinrichs makes sure that teachers know about upcoming trainings, about the curriculum, and about the computer system, which helps us feel more comfortable. I know I am not going to go into the classroom, shut the door and hope I survive.”

Heinrichs, curriculum director, noted that 20 years ago, there was very little in the way of orientation or professional development. “If the district bought a new textbook, that was professional development,” Heinrichs recalled. “Then, two years later, if there was another new textbook, that was a second round of professional development.

“Now it is continuous,” she noted. “One of the main goals is improving teachers’ knowledge in their subjects. Years ago, it might be a one-day workshop; now it is ongoing training.”

In each of the USD 428 educational facilities, the faculty and staff have a student-improvement plan and a building-based staff-development plan. “They discuss needs specific to their building,” Heinrichs said. ”I work with principals and we decide whether a particular topic is specific to the building or if we need to open it up for everyone.

Keeping Things Clean- A member of USD 428’s maintenance crew ensures the carpet in the music room at Great Bend Middle School is spic and span before the school year begins.

The number of hours in professional development workshops, which cover virtually any classroom subject or education topic, varies from teacher to teacher. Some classes are mandatory for license renewal and others fill a need at a certain building.

Some training is specific to Direct Instruction, Success for All and Reading Edge, while Riley, Park and Lincoln schools schedule training every week for their special programs. In addition, Heinrichs said, there are workshops on CPR, first aid and the automated external defibrillator. “We use all our available time for staff development,” Heinrichs added.

Dan Brungardt, business director, reported there are 19 new certified teachers in the district this year. In many cases, this means new families moving to town.

“Usually we would average 30 new teachers a year,” Brungardt said. “This year it is down considerably. This is due, in part, to the decline in the economy. Schools are making cuts. We are labor intensive, so the cuts have to be in personnel. We didn’t fill open positions.”

Not only will the district personnel show the new teachers around town, the Chamber of Commerce shares its resources as well, Brungardt said. “The Chamber of Commerce has sponsored activities for new teachers for years. This includes an introduction to its New 2 Great Bend program. They give them whatever resources they need to feel at home in the community.”

Lunchtime Laughs- Elementary school students in the USD 428 district enjoy their school lunch, which is prepared daily by the school district’s Central Kitchen.

USD 428 currently operates five elementary schools, one middle school for grades 7 and 8, and one high school for grades 9-12. It also participates in a special services cooperative that operates in the Shady Grove facility west of Great Bend. In addition to the educational facilities, the school district also operates the Central Kitchen at Broadway & Williams, which is responsible for preparing and delivering school meals, as well as the bus barn at 12th & Williams, which is where all district vehicles are services and other maintenance work is based out of.

As its mission states, USD 428 strives “to educate and prepare all students to become responsible citizens and lifelong learners.” Since its informal start over a century ago, USD 428 has consistently done just that. For more information about USD 428 and its services to the Great Bend Community, visit their web site at www.usd428.net.

Keep Up with USD 428 Activities!

Team Spirit- Great Bend High School cheerleaders entertain the crowd during a Panther Basketball game during the 2008-2009 academic school year. Great Bend High School offers many extracurricular activities to its students in the form of music, athletics, after-school programs, clubs, and service organizations.

The 2009-2010 Activities Calendar is now available for download from the USD 428 web site! Simply visit www.usd428.net and click “Calendar” on the left-hand menu bar. Activity calendars can also be picked up from the USD 428 District Office, located at 201 Patton Road, or at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development, located at 1125 Williams.

Teacher Induction Program
USD 428’s Teacher Induction Program (TIP) is a multi-component plan to help teachers succeed and students learn, according to information from Ruth Heinrichs, the school district’s curriculum director.

The program consists of professional growth opportunities, as well as motivational activities. TIP’s goals include:

• Introducing new teachers to the district
• Providing instruction in effective teaching strategies and classroom management
• Transitioning new teachers into careers in education
• Maximizing the retention rate of highly qualified teachers