Haxtun Schools to reapply for BEST grant in 2025

The Haxtun Board of Education officially announced results of the recent BEST grant cycle and although the District did not receive funds this year, plans are to continue to move forward with applying again in 2025.

"The Haxtun Board of Education regrets to inform our community that we did not receive the 2024 BEST grant, but we are committed to improving our facilities and learning environment for our students and will continue to re-apply in the next BEST grant cycle," said an official statement from the Board.

According to former Superintendent Marsha Cody, who in June attended her final board meeting in the administrative role, the bond that was passed by voters last year to match possible grant funds will be still be applicable for future BEST grant applications.

Bond funds from ballot issue 5B are to be used to match funds from a BEST grant for an addition and renovations to the existing school building if and when one should be awarded. Bond funds will not be collected until the District has been approved for a BEST grant. The bond passed 449 to 214 in elections in November 2023.

The general scope of the project in the Haxtun BEST grant application includes a new Vo-Ag/ CTE space; new elementary and early childhood classrooms; new elementary/ auxiliary gym, locker rooms and weight room; and new centrally-located, shared-space including media arts center, kitchen and cafeteria.

During the June 19 board of education meeting, board members discussed the possibility of officially separating homecoming from Corn Festival. Corn Festival this year is slated for Saturday, Sept. 28.

Originally, board member ChristiAnne Gibson moved to approve a motion that would separate the two events, but later she repealed that motion and no official action was taken.

According to Cody, there has been some discussion among board members regarding whether or not homecoming should be the weekend of Corn Festival or the weekend before. Cody said there are home football games both weekends and the week prior there is a home volleyball game that Friday. However, the week of Corn Festival, the home volleyball game is on Tuesday, not Friday.

It has been suggested by some board members, she said, to move homecoming to the week before Corn Festival because of the impact it has on the homecoming dance. If homecoming takes place the weekend of Corn festival, the homecoming dance is typically on Friday, which shortens the amount of time students have to get ready for the dance as well as the length of the dance. Having homecoming the week before could create two weeks of special events for students and staff to navigate.

"If it is determined it is best to move homecoming to the week before Corn Festival, the home football game on Friday of Corn Festival could be called an alumni game," Cody said.

The matter of when homecoming celebrations fall this September will be up for discussion and a possible vote at the next board of education meeting.

In other business the Board:

• Approved the personnel report with the following re-assignments and appointments: Collyn Heinz, Elementary PE, Junior/Senior High PE and Assistant Athletic Director; Amanda Price, K-6 Music; Dylan Huss, Junior/Senior High PE and Social Studies; Kendra Calderon, High School Cheer Coach; Nicole Mull, Part-time Preschool Paraprofessional; and Allison Kilgour, Substitute Custodian;

• Approved Lauer, Szabo and Associates PC to perform the 2023-24 financial audit;

• Approved the 2024-25 budget. Cody said there were no major changes to the budget aside from an increase to the certified and classified salary schedules, which is the impact of not having the budget stabilization factor;

• Approved changes to bank signers to remove Cody and add new Superintendent Aron Jones, who was present at the June meeting and officially began his contract on July 1;

• Approved the purchase of a CF Moto side by side for the maintenance department not to exceed $14,000;

• Approved participating in the Sedgwick County/Fleming wrestling coop. The name of the program will now be Sedgwick County/Fleming/Haxtun on all paper work with CHSAA, but the team name will remain SCF and the colors will remain purple, black silver and lime green. By keeping the name and colors the same there will not be a need to re-brand and history records can continue. Haxtun Schools will pay one third of the cost of the expenses associated with the program.

It was noted, at the end of the meeting, that the District is still seeking one preschool paraprofessional and one special education paraprofessional for the upcoming school year.