Progress and Pride
There are few communities that exemplify the pride that exists in Mulvane! As a district, we are proud of the efforts that each staff member demonstrates to provide quality education programs and instruction each and every day in our schools. As a new school year begins to unfold, student achievement continues to increase. The District and each school have again made annual performance targets established by the Kansas State Department of Education and continue to maintain high standards of excellence in Reading and Math. Our students also took the Kansas Science and Social Studies assessments for the first time last spring and did an outstanding job! Our local assessment, NWEA, mirrors these academic gains and provides data teachers can use for strong instructional impact in their classrooms. Each school has a school improvement plan that serves as a catalyst for making excellent progress on identified academic targets and other programs important to overall student success. One such program that the district is implementing is Lion's Quest. It is a K-12 social development curriculum that emphasizes anti-bullying, character education and service learning components. We are very excited about working with a community advisory group to support this program implementation.
In addition to the great things that are happening on the instructional horizon, the district is taking positive steps to provide students and staff with the necessary tools to support the core center of learning. An example of this commitment is the support of the Board of Education in allocating resources to two technology integration specialists. These positions will specifically be assisting teachers in the implementation of instructional software and effective use of technology in the classroom. Other positions added this year included an additional high school mathematics teacher, music and physical education teachers at the elementary level, a social worker, special education staff, and an increased class of all day Kindergarten. The Board has also committed important resources to ensuring that our salaries at all levels reach and remain at a competitive level as the job market continues to change. Our Human Resource Department is assisting with employee training, implementation of new programs, and ensuring compliance with ever-changing requirements. The District is also working with a Community Facility Steering Committee which will take a close look at the district's current status and outlined needs in facilities and will work towards providing a recommendation to the Board of Education later this year. It is truly a time to be proud of our commitment to education and our dedication to making U.S.D. #263 a leader in every way!
Donna Augustine-Shaw
Superintendent of Schools
