Mark your calendar, and get ready to make a difference! Together, let's create a legacy of learning that echoes through the halls of Goddard Public Schools. Join us on March 23, 2024, under the glittering emerald city lights as we celebrate the magic of education and its incredible impact on the future. Individual Tickets (1 seat) and Table Sponsorships (10 seats) are now OPEN! Only 300 total tickets are available. To purchase tickets, visit https://secure.qgiv.com/event/oz2024/.
We hope you will join us - it's going to be Oz-some!
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.” – Elizabeth Andrew
Ray and Amy Hall, Discovery Intermediate School Family, were awarded the District Attitude Award after being nominated by Mary Kloefkorn and Alexa Heim. Their nominators wrote, “Ray and Amy Hall are the most supportive and kind parents you will find. They are the epitome of kindness and generosity. They started volunteering when Kate was in 5th grade and continue that now that she's in 6th. They are involved in many areas of Discovery and have become an invaluable part of the Discovery family. Ray says "yes" even before you've told him what you need. They show up and are involved in any way they can be. They come early, stay late to clean up, and interact with the students and staff in a positive manner. Not only are they kind and helpful, they are modeling this lifestyle for their daughter, Kate, who now looks for ways to help others and jumps in to help wherever she sees a need. If you told them that they would be nominated for this award, they would humbly brush it off and say it wasn't necessary - that they are just happy to be helpful. That's exactly the reason they should be given this award. We are thinking of keeping Kate at Discovery so we don't lose this awesome family. However, knowing the Hall's they will just tell us to give them a call and they would be happy to come and help with whatever we need.”
"School bus drivers are the people who transport children to their future."
Kristy Evers, Transportation Trainer, received the District Attitude Award after being nominated by Mr. Robert Rehse. Her nominator wrote, “As tends to happen every year, the district is short on bus drivers. That shortage is especially acute for activity drivers for sports. When the district put out feelers at the beginning of the year for coaches to sign up, lots of people were interested. At least until they saw how in-depth the training is and how much information you are required to learn. I decided to dive in anyway and once I did, I discovered Kristy was the perfect person to teach prospective drivers. She has made everything as user-friendly as possible and shows you exactly what you need to know and what are the best ways to learn it. The average person can't parallel park a car. Kristy has a method that if you simply follow the steps, you can parallel park a bus. She has a very calming presence about her teaching style and is very encouraging in her feedback. She understands that you'll make mistakes but helps you learn from them instead of dwelling on them. She made the process very bearable and helped me pass the CDL test on the first try. She is an asset to the district that often goes unnoticed so I believe she deserves this recognition.”
"Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best." –Bob Talbert.
Kaleigh Kear, Challenger Intermediate School Teacher, received the District Attitude Award after being nominated by a Challenger Family. Her nominator wrote, “Mrs. Kear excels with the inclusion of all types of learners and allows students in her math class to be themselves. She did not shy away from my son’s different learning styles and his different wiring. Instead, she reached in to meet him right where he was at. She brought in puzzles and challenges of all kinds. She created a Math Menu that allowed her students to take ownership of their learning and tailor it to their personal strengths and learning styles. But the most impactful thing she did was to just love him. She saw his differences as strengths and she helped him see himself from her perspective as well. By the end of his time with her, my son had learned so much more than just math. He learned to be proud of being a different type of thinker, he learned to feel hope toward his future and he learned to love himself just as he is, because she sure did.”
Save the Date for Oz 2024! Join us in celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Goddard Education Foundation and Save the Date for the GEF's Oz Event on Saturday, March 23, 2024, for a magical evening that transcends the ordinary and transports you straight into the enchanting world of Oz! Stay tuned for more information!
Due to extreme temperatures and dangerous wind chills that have been forecasted, there will be NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, for Goddard Public Schools. Please be safe, and have a great day! - Dane Baxa
Due to hazardous winter weather conditions, there will be NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, for Goddard Public Schools. - Dane Baxa
Due to hazardous winter weather conditions, there will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, January 5, 2024, for Goddard Public Schools. - Dane Baxa
As we celebrate National Special Education Day, we have a lot of things to be excited about as we enter our third year of being the host district in the Goddard Special Education Cooperative. Our cooperative serves 1,732 students in 21 school buildings within the communities of Goddard, Clearwater, Conway Springs, and Cheney. Our cooperative also serves students with disabilities who attend St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Wichita, Holy Spirit in Goddard, St. Joseph in Conway Springs, and St. Peter in Schulte. Our staff in these communities do an incredible job of working with all students regardless of their disability. They define the mission of our cooperative, that all students can learn together in a school community and participate meaningfully via inclusive education systems that meet the unique needs of all students.
Dane Baxa was recently recognized by the Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA) with the Distinguished Service Award! Check out the full story at https://tinyurl.com/2k9hcrkw
Check your mailboxes! The Goddard Education Foundation's first edition of ROAR should have hit mailboxes in the last few days. We are excited to share incredible feature stories and highlights representing our #265 Family and would love your feedback as we plan for ROAR 2024. Please consider filling out a brief survey to let us know what some of your favorite features were!
Click below for the ROAR 2023 Feedback Survey
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffu7lskWaB_qOg4YGi0nORYVanJKwsbcxp8fabEXLZ3rAb9Q/viewform?usp=sf_link
We need your help identifying and submitting candidates for the Goddard Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Please consider nominating a Goddard Public Schools alumni, retired staff, or friend of USD 265 who is making a positive impact. The GEF established the Goddard Hall of Fame in 2018 to celebrate, honor, and recognize these individuals' service, success, and achievements. Please select the link and complete the form below to submit a candidate for consideration.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLMYuOL2ATkI0TYJIJ4TiGCTBYL5R_97E414K-EyWSObjo-Q/viewform?usp=sf_link
What makes a HERO?
A question that Officer Shannon Heath, the newest member of the Goddard USD 265 Police Department, had the opportunity to visit with students at Apollo Elementary School about on Patriot Day, September 11, 2023.
Officer Shannon Heath described the experience, "Hero Dad, by Melinda Hardin, is a story of a military dad through the eyes of their child. Reading it puts into perspective that we have true heroes in our families and in our community. A true hero may not have the ability to fly, but they have the ability to selflessly serve their country and community. To sacrifice, put on a uniform, and go to battle day in and day out to protect the ones we love. Whether it's our military or first responders, we want our students to understand we are here to serve and protect, to be that person who is a safe and reliable individual they can come to in their time of need."
After the book was read, Officer Heath fielded several questions from students about her duties, the equipment and uniform she wears, and what makes a hero. She asked the class if they had anyone in their family serving in the military, and that's when David Daniel Alderete, proudly stood up, raising his hand to let her know about his dad, Master Sergeant David Anthony Alderete, of the United States Air Force, who had recently returned from a six-month deployment this summer. When David was asked who his hero was and what a hero looks like, he stated, "My dad is my hero. He went across the world to protect me and my friends. I am proud of him. He is close to retirement and will be getting a new job soon so we can spend more time together."
In celebration of Patriot Day, our #265Family wants to thank and recognize ALL military and first responders. Thank you for your service!
Thank you, Vrana Chiropractic and Lighthouse Chiropractic, for another successful Sports Physical campaign completing over 450 physicals and raising over $10,000 to support the Goddard Education Foundation, Renwick Schools, and Wildcats Junior Football League. We are grateful for the support of our local community businesses. We are Better Together!
Do you want to have the same work schedule as your children or grandchildren attending Goddard Public Schools and make a positive impact on the lives of students? The Nutrition Services department is hiring. Please check out the link below to learn about the openings available and apply today!
https://www.applitrack.com/goddardusd/onlineapp/
Want to positively impact students? Stop by the Job Fair, 4-6 PM TONIGHT, Aug. 16 at GHS. Learn, apply, and interview for job openings at Goddard Public Schools! https://tinyurl.com/2s3t23f7
The Backpack-to-School Supply Drive Pickup Event is happening 3:00pm-5:00pm, TODAY, Saturday, August 12, at Pathway Church Goddard Campus. If your family is in need, your children are welcome to choose the backpack they want, and fill it with the school supplies they need for a successful start to their school year!
We are so very fortunate to have such wonderful community partners, businesses that have opened their doors to be a school supply drop off site, and generous community members who have contributed supplies and donated online to the success of this initiative. It takes the whole community to educate students for lifelong success and this what makes our #265Family so amazing!
A special thank you to Megan Alexander, Counselor a Challenger Intermediate School, Pathway Church of Goddard and the Goddard Education Foundation for helping organize this initiative.
Thank you to the First National Bank, Goddard Ace Hardware, All State with Mark Collier, Iron Nutrition, Kansas Strength and Performance, Cofellow Coffee Parlor, Goddard Pizza Hut, Goddard Piblic Library, Goddard Woman's Club, Goddard Lions Club, Mrs. Cole's Tropical Sno , Chick-fil-a, Mr. B's Daylight Donuts, and Credit Union of America for contributing incentives to help secure school supply donations.
Volunteers at Pathway Church are finishing organizing the supplies this morning and are ready to serve the students of Goddard Public Schools!
There is still time to make a designated donation to help fill in any last minute gaps in school supplies that may be needed. Make a secure contribution online at https://goddardeducationfoundation-bloom.kindful.com/?campaign=1264062.
Come visit our GHS and EHS cheerleaders at Chick fil A 21st and Maize until 2:00 pm today. Donate school supplies and receive a FREE chicken sandwich! All donations help support our #265 Family and ensure they are ready for the first day of school.
Stop by Mrs. Cole's Tropical Sno today with school supply donations for our Goddard School Supply Drive now through Friday, August 11, to receive a BUY ONE GET ONE FREE discount on your favorite summer treat. Help us ensure our #265 Family is ready for their first day of school next week. You can also donate to the School Supply Drive by visiting https://goddardeducationfoundation-bloom.kindful.com/?campaign=1264062.
The School Supply Drive continues today at the Goddard Pizza Hut! Drop off school supplies and receive 15% off your restaurant order. You can also stop by Iron Nutrition, Allstate Insurance, or Kansas Strength and Performance with supplies through Friday, August 4. All donations will go directly to impact the students of Goddard Public Schools and ensure they are ready for the 2023-2024 school year!
