Back to School: 2023-2024 edition

2023-2024 EDITION

Fresh

Iola PTO is focused on enhancing the education of students in USD #257 by fostering relationships between parents

Help us grow and benefit our children! 100% of PTO’s e orts return to USD 257 students. Last spring’s carnival raised over $19,000 in ra e ticket sales, which helped us supply teachers and students with much-needed materials.

OUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR:

• Continued support for students and teachers

• Storage shed to store tricycles

• Floor covering for the elementary school gymnasium

• Memorial garden at one of the playgrounds

COME JOIN US!

We meet the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. For more information, email Kristin Stotler at kristinfehr27@hotmail.com.

Back row from left to right: Kylie Cromer (co-vice president), Hannah Brown (co-treasurer), Torrie Lewis (co-vice president), Katrina Roush (Room Parent Coordinator), and Melanie Neely (secretary).

Front row: Kristin Stotler (co-president), Stacie Smail (co-president) and Jana Eyler (co-treasurer).

Programs geared to foster love of learning

Once the district’s SAFE BASE summer program wrapped up the end of June there didn’t seem much time before the start of the 2023-24 school year.

But before it’s a distant memory, it’s worth noting the program’s value.

SAFE BASE’s summer program is free for students in kindergarten up through eighth grade as well as those home-schooled. The program includes a free breakfast and lunch three days a week. The fourth day is reserved for field trips.

In addition to academics, the program provides field trip opportunities. This year’s included LegoLand, SeaLife and ziplining in Kansas City, the Safari Museum and Maring Aquatic Center in Chanute, Urban Air Trampoline Park in Lenexa, and the Rock River Rapids water park in Derby.

The curricula included students in fourth through eighth grade learning CPR and K-State Research and Extension volunteers taught a sewing class for students in third through eighth grades.

In all instances, the goal is to foster a love of learning and better prepare our students for the upcoming school year.

Our biggest news for the upcoming school

year is that all USD 257 students will receive free meals.

In a unanimous vote this spring, USD 257 Board of Education members agreed to provide free school breakfasts and lunches to all students, regardless of income.

We know from past experience — during the COVID-19 pandemic Congress approved across-the-board funding to provide free breakfasts and lunches for all K-12 public schools — that well-fed students perform better academically, and that free meals help curb student absenteeism.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, schools that provide free meals result in higher student test scores, fewer disciplinary problems and less bullying. These measures help us to align with our mission: “We educate all students for career and college readiness;” our vision: “To be an impactful force in a student’s life, empowering each to be a successful citizen,” and our core beliefs: “College and career readiness, compassion and respect, data-driving decisions and having a growth mindset.”

We’re excited for what promises to be an outstanding 2023-24 school year.

Stacey Fager, USD 257 Superintendent

Our biggest news for the upcoming school year is that all USD 257 students will receive free meals.

Our high school building has undergone notable upgrades, particularly with the installation of muchneeded new windows. These windows not only will enhance security but also improve efficiency, regulating temperature and energy consumption.

New school year offers new opportunities

As summer unfolds, it brings a wealth of enjoyable activities like ball games, swimming lessons, county fair preparations, Bible School participation, and memorable family vacations. But as these experiences gradually come to an end, our focus naturally shifts to the upcoming school year. We eagerly await the return of our students on Thursday, Aug. 17.

Looking ahead, the word “new” holds great significance. Our high school building has undergone notable upgrades, particularly with the installation of muchneeded new windows. These windows not only will enhance security but also improve efficiency, regulating temperature and energy consumption. Additionally, they fill classrooms with natural light, creating a welcoming and conducive learning environment.

The concept of “new” extends to our elementary teachers who are introducing newly adopted math and reading curricula. Data-driven approaches over the past three years have guided us in identifying student needs. The evidence supports implementing a new math curriculum and emphasizing

phonics. These changes aim to provide students with an excellent educational foundation.

Marmaton Valley is excited to welcome our “new” K-12 art teacher, Megan Blythe, to the family. Megan is a graduate of The College of the Ozarks and brings valuable experience from the Branson school district and other schools in that area. She will also coach high school volleyball and assist with track.

Enrollment updates will also be available on our school webpage at marmatonvalley. org. We are grateful to the Marmaton Valley Board of Education for its continued efforts in supporting local families by waiving book, technology, and activity fees for all students for the 2023-2024 school year.

Kim Ensminger, USD 256 Superintendent

Successful students are truly a partnership between schools and families. So, please reach out to your child’s teacher and school if you have questions or concerns about their progress along the way.

Partnerships, big and small, pay dividends

I love walking through Walmart when they first put out their school supplies. It brings out the excitement of starting school. For those of you enrolling some of our youngest Cubs, we would share the following advice as your littles get ready to start the year.

• Start a bedtime routine early. This is one of the most important things you can do as a family. Sleep is so important for students at all ages. Starting that routine a week or two in advance, as well as a wake-up routine, can help your kiddos be ready to conquer the first week of school.

• Practice independence. While we provide lots of support for our littles along the way, these are certainly years of building independence. So, if your child is planning to pack a lunch, practice for a few days getting out their things, opening containers, and throwing away their trash. Practice closing the restroom door and putting on their own shoes. These are very practical things that can help a child feel successful.

• As the year gets started, help frame your child’s thinking as they come home. One of the best things a parent can ask is, “What was your favorite thing from today?” It may take some practice to help a student come up with a favorite thing, but if this becomes a practice, they will spend their day looking for great things. Even better, share your favorite thing from your day. I think we can all use more positive thoughts.

Successful students are truly a partnership between schools and families. So, please reach out to your child’s teacher and school if you have questions or concerns about their progress along the way. We all want to work toward the common goal of making good things happen for your child.

Amber Wheeler, USD 258 Superintendent

Iola offers free school meals

Every student in the Iola district can get free meals at school this year.

The district asks just a couple of things in return: For families to fill out a survey at enrollment, and for students to take advantage of the free meals.

We’re happy to see you back to school!

The school board agreed to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision, a program offered through the USDA and Kansas for schools in low-income areas to provide breakfast and lunch at no cost to students.

To continue to qualify, the district needs about 22% more

Iola Elementary School students, from left, Easton Rutherford, Chloe Hart, Jayson Cuppy and Michael Evans pick out vegetables for their lunch.

students to eat school meals. Food service personnel are working on ways to improve the menu to entice more children to eat at school.

Families also will encounter a slightly different process during enrollment.

They will be asked to fill out a brief economic survey. All information is kept confidential.

The survey is necessary because the state uses the information to determine how many students are considered “at-risk” because of conditions such as low income or how many families receive food stamps. Districts receive funding from the state based on how many “at-risk” students attend.

The district will offer an incentive — by waiving technology fees — to encourage families to complete the surveys. Families will not need to complete an application for free and reducedprice meals.

If the process sounds familiar, that’s because families encountered the same type of survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. For two years, the USDA provided free school meals for every student in the nation. USD 257 introduced the survey at that time as a way to determine the number of at-risk students.

Many families completed those surveys compared to the number who apply for free and reduced meals, Superintendent Stacey Fager said. Because more families participated, the district also saw an increase in the number of at-risk students.

“It was probably more in line with what the number actually is,” Fager said.

“We may have these at-risk families out there, but if they don’t fill out the surveys, we won’t know that.”

Participation in the free meals program is a bit of a gamble for the district, which could be on the hook for about $102,000 to subsidize the meals. However, that number will go down if more students qualify for at-risk funding and take advantage of the free meals.

USD 257 is the only district in the surrounding area to offer free meals, and only a couple of districts in Southeast Kansas offer them. The Parsons school board voted recently to start offering free meals.

Fager said he hopes that might also entice families to enroll in Iola schools.

“I would encourage any family that’s looking at the Iola district to consider that free meals will be available this school year,” Fager said.

Fitness tied to better learning

As the mother of two daughters, Jamie Jensen is acutely aware of her responsibilities as a role model.

When it comes to physical fitness, “it’s got to start with the parents,” she said.

“It’s up to me to set the example of being physically fit and eating the right foods,” she said. “They look up to me. They want to do what Mom does. If I’m on my phone all day or playing video games, that’s what they’re going to do.

“The same goes if I’m outside working in the garden. That’s where they want to be.”

A Lawrence native, Jensen, age 38, coached softball at Allen Community College for nine years and continues to give private batting lessons. She’s married to Lorenzo Jensen, age 44. The couple’s daughters are Quinn, age 5, and Baylor, age 3.

An active lifestyle comes naturally for Jensen, adding that her father once played college football. As a youth, she participated in softball, track, basketball and volleyball in school as well as on travel teams.

Today, the young family stays active by tending to a large garden, jumping on a trampoline, and engaging in outdoor activities such as summer ball and swimming lessons through the Iola Recreation Department. Jensen coached both of her daughters’ ball teams.

The family also participates in activities such as color runs and competitions such as the Humboldt Fitness Center’s recent “Murph” challenge that was tailored for all ages and levels of fitness.

“The girls did five assisted pull-ups and a mile run — that they mostly walked. The goal was to get them active, which turned into a fun activity.”

As a former coach, Jensen is keen on instilling exercise as a means to an end: It helps build strong bodies.

She’s also sensitive to how it can be abused.

“It should never be used as punishment,” she said, recollecting how certain teachers and coaches would insist students run laps if they misbehaved, forcing them to miss out on activities.

To Jensen, social interaction with classmates during recess is just as important as the opportunity to be active.

Such discipline only conditions youths to view physical exercise as a punishment, Jensen said.

“That’s such a detrimental mindset,” she said. “It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized that to live a long and healthy life that I have to move. We should never do anything to disincentivize physical activity.”

As an adult, Jensen also views exercise as a stress reliever.

“I feel I’m a much better parent if I do stuff in the yard or fit

in a workout. My fuse isn’t as short then,” she said. “I expect the same goes for kids.”

Jensen said these lessons were reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was “a dark place for me,” she said, in part because of social media.

“I was so engulfed in Facebook,” she said.

She also worried about its effect on the youths she knew.

“They just went into a black hole during COVID.”

Jensen thinks social media negatively affects our behavior.

“People don’t care about what they say anymore. They’ll say whatever they want. It doesn’t seem to matter if it hurts

Jamie Jensen, with daughters Quinn, 5, at top, and Baylor, 3, is well aware of how physical fitness is tied to productive learning.

somebody’s feelings. That worries me about preteens, who are so vulnerable.”

When COVID hit, Jensen’s daughter Baylor was 3 months old.

“I struggled. With a new baby and COVID, I holed up instead of being outside. It was not healthy. Food became my coping mechanism, and I gained a ton of weight,” she said.

Though she can laugh about it now, Jensen remembers how the family stored up massive amounts of packaged food when the pandemic struck.

“It was as if we were never going to eat again,” she said with a laugh.

“It was all there in the pantry. I had nowhere to go. No one was going to see me. We had nothing to do. So, I ate.”

She shudders at the memory.

“It wasn’t healthy food, either. It was prepackaged stuff loaded with preservatives to make it last.”

“Then when the world started opening back up, I knew I needed a new lifestyle to get the weight off and regain my life.”

Her answer was to join a gym and find a nutrition program that “turned my life around,” she said.

Daughter Quinn begins kindergarten this year at Iola Elementary School.

With two years of preschool under her belt, “she’s ready,” her mom said. “She’s a good listener and loves to learn.”

Iola Elementary School PE teacher Chris Weide gives a fist bump to fourth-grader Carter Warden following a hike along the Lehigh Portland Trails in Iola as a school activity during the 2022-23 school year.

Keeping schools in tip-top shape

Aaron Cole, USD 257’s maintenance supervisor, said Iola Elementary School’s janitorial staff adapted quickly to their new environs last year.

“First of all, it’s a great building,” Cole said. “They’re still working out a few kinks with the contractors, as with any new buildings. There may be a small leak here or a light switch that doesn’t work. They’ve been good about getting things fixed for us.

“For the janitorial staff, it was a good transition.”

With the new elementary opening in the fall of 2020, and Iola’s old Lincoln, Jefferson and McKinley elementaries closing their doors, most of the staff moved to the new building, although there was a little turnover with retirements, Cole said.

Aside from a few minor shift changes, the protocol remains the same at the new building.

“Now, instead of one main custodian during the day, we have a couple of people working,” Cole noted.

Two workers are on hand early in the morning as students arrive, and partake in breakfast.

One comes in at midday to help handle the lunch crowd.

The rest of the staff arrives at the end of the school day for

daily cleanup throughout the building.

There, the custodians can easily work around post-school activities, such as SAFE BASE sessions or sports practices.

Because the district has not officially sold the three old schools, Cole and crew are responsible for their upkeep through the school year.

The other primary difference was scheduling summer maintenance projects.

With SAFE BASE summer activities filling the building in June, and summer school following in July, Cole noted projects typically are planned well in advance to avoid disruptions.

“We’re actually a little more structured, which means we don’t have people getting pulled off of one job to help with another.”

If there was one surprise, it’s that Iola Elementary School contains more carpeting than Cole realized.

With that in mind, the district acquired a ride-on vacuum cleaner.

Staff training was completed in early July.

“We’re hoping that piece of equipment will be very beneficial,” Cole said. “It should cut down our vacuuming time dramatically.”

Mark McFarland of Pur-O-Zone, Lawrence, demonstrates how to operate a riding vacuum cleaner to Iola Elementary School custodians this summer.

Mental, physical health vital

In order to succeed at school, students need more than just a good education. They need to be healthy, both physically and mentally.

Area schools in recent years implemented programs aimed at helping students with their mental and physical health. They meet with students at school, reducing absences and making it easier for families.

Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center offers school-based therapy and case management in 12 school districts, including those in Iola, Humboldt and Moran.

Meanwhile, the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas introduced a school-based health clinic at Iola schools this year. That’s in addition to providing nursing staff, which started a few years ago.

Stacey Fager, superintendent of the Iola school district, said both programs are working well.

“They’re very successful. There’s a great need in our community for those services,” Fager said.

“They’ve kind of embedded themselves in our school system. Our counselors and administrators work hand-in-hand with those entities.”

There’s no cost to families for the programs. For those who have health insurance, the visit will be billed to their health insurance but the family does not have to pay any sort of co-pay.

The mental health services provide therapy and interventions beyond the capabilities of a school counselor, Fager said. SEKMHC therapists might work with students about issues they’re facing at home, which could affect their ability to perform well at school.

The health clinic offered through CHC/SEK began in January. It allows students, their families, and staff to be seen by a healthcare provider without the need to leave school. Students and staff can visit the clinic for a variety of health care needs: wellness checks; immunizations; sports physicals; tests for flu, COVID, strep and other conditions; chronic illness management and other types of routine health care.

The provider determines if more care is warranted, and if it’s better for the child to go home or return to class.

Fager said he doesn’t yet have statistics to show how the program may have reduced absences, but administrators believe it has been helpful.

SARA CLIFT is the provider for the school-based health clinic. A primary goal of the program is to remove barriers for families that need health care services, Clift said in an earlier interview.

“It’s a way to fill in the gaps and remove those barriers. Maybe

parents can’t take time off work.

Maybe they can’t afford the costs, or don’t have transportation. Some of these students might not be able to get the care they need if we weren’t here to help,” she said.

For families that have a primary care provider, the goal is not to replace that relationship but enhance it. Clift communicates with parents and providers as needed to maintain a continuity of care. Parents also can attend their child’s visits.

“We keep the visits fairly short so a child isn’t missing a whole day of school or even a half-day. We can check them out and send them home if they are sick, or we can give them the reassurance they need to go back to class,” she said.

“When a child feels better, they’re going to perform better in the classroom.”

SEKMHC’s first school-based program began about four years ago, when the agency was approached by Humboldt school officials to put a part-time therapist in schools there. A grant helped pay for the therapist.

“We naïvely believed we were already serving them well because we had case managers that would go in and out of the school supporting kids in need,” SEKMHC director Nathan Fawson told the Register.

“But in very short order we learned this was a significant need and benefit to those kids to have a therapist on site, and a benefit to the teachers who were struggling in managing problematic child behavior.”

Soon other districts approached the mental health center to request similar services.

“The way we’ve approached the schools is not to tell them what it looks like, but first listen to them and hear what they need,” Fawson said.

“And then we develop our personnel according to their needs. Along the way, we wished we could meet their needs more rapidly, because the needs are immediate. Unfortunately, because of therapist shortages, we’ve slowly offered them the support they need, in the form of part-time therapy.”

Nichole Smith, from left, Sara Clift and Heather Weast, provide school-based health services at Iola Elementary School.

Back to School IMMUNIZATIONS

If your child is enrolling in kindergarten through 6th grade, they will need to have the following immunizations:

5 doses DTaP

4 doses Polio

2 doses MMR

2 doses Varicella

3 doses Hepatitis B

2 doses Hepatitis A

Ages 11 and 12 will also need the immunizations listed below on their record.

1 dose Tdap 1 Meningitis* HPV (recommended)

*Two doses required. Routinely given at entry to 7th grade (11-12) and 11th grade (16-18 years). For children 16-18 years with no previous Meningitis, only one dose is required.

All these immuniza ons are available at SEK Mul -Coun Health Depar ent. We accept KanCare and most major insurances. Call our o ces for an appoin ent!

Early education changes abound

The earlier you can prepare students for school, the better. Early childhood education looks a little different than you might think though, Jenna Higginbotham, USD 257 curriculum director, said.

It’s about learning social and emotional skills that will prepare them not just for kindergarten but for all the years to come after that.

“Getting along with other kids. Being able to function in a classroom setting. Sitting quietly for a story. Learning how to transition from recess,” Higginbotham listed.

“We have seen really big benefits for kids that go to preschool. If any parent is on the fence, I hope they give it a try.”

USD 257 offers preschool for all 3- and 4-year olds in the district. Some attend Iola Elementary School, which has four preschool classrooms. Others attend two private preschools, Ready Set Learn and Munchkinland. All students learn the same curriculum; teachers work together and receive the same training provided by the district.

The district also provides transportation to and from private daycares so those children can attend the IES preschool.

Typically, the district’s preschool program has about 90 4-year-olds and 75 3-year-olds.

This year, USD 257 joined the Early Childhood Coalition organized by Thrive Allen County. The coalition brings together representatives from daycares and preschools across the county. They discuss opportunities to help each other and meet the need for child care.

It’s important to address the need for child care and early childhood education, Superintendent Stacey Fager said.

“There’s some synergy happening. A lot of entities — whether it’s the county, city or school district — are looking at how we can develop those opportunities,” Fager said.

“What’s coming into focus is the need for child care for birth to 18 months. I can’t tell how specifically the school district is going to help with those efforts, but I think that will be a focus in different ways in the next school year.”

The lack of child care for those early months and years is a concern for all parents, including those in USD 257, Fager said. Potential teachers and other staff members are unable to work if they cannot find good, affordable child care.

“We’ve seen that in the hiring process,” Fager said. “If they can’t find child care, they’re very limited. Expanding those options will allow more people to enter the workforce.”

Humboldt

The Humboldt school district has offered a preschool program

for many years.

It began at a building formerly used as a board office at 910 New York St., before moving to a classroom at the elementary school.

The program takes both 3- and 4-year-olds as space allows, with a priority for 4-year-olds. The district has a capacity of 30 students, split into a morning and afternoon session of 15 each. The district has a little flexibility with that number, Superintendent Amber Wheeler said, because it’s an inclusive program that includes special needs and at-risk students.

The district also partners with The Growing Place, a private preschool and daycare center. A grant provides between eight and 10 preschool slots there.

The district provides professional development training for

Preschool students enjoying Play Day, front to back, Ellie Sigg, Brooks Trammell, Nellie Sigg, Reese Cole, and Tylen McKarnin.

Early: Preschools offer benefits

Continued from Page 19

The Growing Place staff, but the center uses a Montessori-based curriculum that is different from the school district’s.

“I’m a huge proponent of early childhood education. That piece is so important,” Wheeler said.

“If you look at the research, the earlier you intervene with students, the better. Early childhood is where you build foundational structures for kindergarten.”

With a school bond project that will renovate part of the elementary school, Wheeler hopes to find room to expand the preschool program.

Meanwhile, The Growing Place recently received a $1.2

million grant to expand its early child care options.

Some students will attend the school district’s preschool in the morning, then go to The Growing Place in the afternoon.

“We do a lot of things together,” Wheeler said.

The district takes applications for its preschool program at any time, but typically enrollment is done at the same time as other classes.

Marmaton Valley

The Marmaton Valley district has offered an at-risk preschool program for about 20 years.

This fall, they’ll offer preschool to 3-year-olds for the first

Jalayne Nelson, a preschool teacher at Iola Elementary School, demonstrates an experiment with a pumpkin.

Superintendent Kim Ensminger also hopes to offer some sort of daycare program starting in the 2024-25 school year.

The changes are part of the countywide effort to better address child care. She, too, has been attending the Early Childhood Coalition meetings and is pleased to see more attention being given to those needs.

Ensminger said school districts need to get involved for three reasons:

“First, it would be to identify students that need extra help much sooner, potentially avoiding special education services.

“Second is the socialization piece, where they start learning the process of listening, following instructions and what the school climate is like.

“Third, it helps parents.”

Marmaton Valley’s preschool targets at-risk students who must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Live in a single parent home

• Have a parent who was a teen parent

• Have a parent lacking a high school diploma or GED

• Low income

• Developmentally or academically delayed

• SRS referral

• Limited English proficiency

There is no charge for families who qualify. Those who don’t can attend if space is available, and will pay a small fee that is less than the cost of a typical preschool.

Ensminger estimated between half to a third of students are

not at-risk. The new 3-year-old program will have those same requirements.

Marmaton Valley’s preschool program has room for 18 students in each age group. The 3-year olds will attend in the morning, with the older group in the afternoon.

Ensminger isn’t sure what the proposed daycare program will look like. Perhaps it will start with preschool-aged children who aren’t part of the school’s at-risk program, then can be expanded.

“The community is very receptive and very intrigued with the possibility of daycare,” Ensminger said.

Preschool students reading a book with Mr. Gottlob (the dinosaur) and Mrs. Koehn to celebrate the Letter D Day.

Be wise, stay immunized

Before students start school, they must have a record of immunizations on file, as well as any type of physical required to participate in sports activities.

Each of the three districts in Allen County follow the same guidelines regarding requirements for immunizations and athletic physicals. They also have similar policies regarding distribution of medications, both prescription and nonprescription.

Kansas law requires a series of immunizations, given at specific times, before a student can enter the public school system. Some exemptions can be made for a physical condition, as documented by a physician, where immunizations would endanger the child’s life; or for religious reasons.

Here’s your guide to immunizations in your community:

USD 257 — Iola, Gas and LaHarpe

The district’s health services include medication administration, immunization audits, communicable disease control, follow-up of chronic absenteeism, coordination of school physicals and health screenings, promotion of a safe school environment and health/wellness education. A schoolbased health program, offered by Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, offers nursing staff and a provider to see children at school.

The district also partners with SEK Mental Health System to offer counseling services.

The district will dispense medication as needed, according to a policy. Prescription medication requires written permission from the prescribing physician. Medication must be in its original pharmacy bottle. Most pharmacies will provide an extra empty bottle for this purpose.

Non-prescription (over-the-counter) medicine does not require a physician’s permission. Only the dosage recommended on the bottle can be administered. The medicine must be in

the original bottle and marked with the student’s name.

All medication must be kept in the office, except for students using asthma inhalers, which require a prescription medication form from their doctor.

For more information, contact the district’s nurse at 365-4785.

USD 258 — Humboldt

The Humboldt district requires current immunizations/ physical and information pertaining to medications or special needs a child might have. The 504 Plan is the medical equivalent of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

The district also offers regular health screenings:

• Annual dental screening

• Distance vision screening every 2 years

• Pure Tone hearing screening every 3 years

The district has a 98% immunization rate, district nurse Wendy Froggatte said. Families who need to opt out of the immunizations must submit written exemption letters annually. The district allows 45 days before sending a student home if they are not current, depending on the circumstances, such as if a parent is on chemotherapy, or compromised immunity.

Medications are as simple as a parental consent for over the counter medications and a doctors/parents consent form for

Students must be immunized to attend school.

prescribed medications.

All medications that are not retrieved when a student leaves or at the end of the year are turned over to the medication disposal box at the Humboldt Police Station.

USD 256 — Marmaton Valley

Superintendent Kim Ensminger said staff will notify families when immunizations need to be updated.

Like other districts, Marmaton Valley will distribute medications as needed. The medication needs to be in its original bottle and labeled with the child’s name. Include specific instructions about when and how the medication should be dispensed.

The State of Kansas requires the following immunizations.

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP/Tdap): Five doses required. Doses should be given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, and 4-6 years (prior to kindergarten entry). The 4th dose may be given as early as 12 months of age, if at least 6 months have elapsed since dose 3. The 5th dose is not necessary if the 4th dose was administered at age 4 years or older. A dose of Tdap is required at entry to 7th grade.

Hepatitis A (HepA): Two doses required. Doses should be given at 12 months with a minimum interval of 6 months between the 1st and 2nd dose.

Hepatitis B (HepB): Three doses required. Doses should be given at birth, 1-2 months, and 6-18 months. Minimum age for the final dose is 6 months.

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR): Two doses required. Doses should be given at 12-15 months and 4-6 years (prior to kindergarten entry). Minimum age is 12 months and interval between doses may be as short as 28 days.

Meningococcal-Serogroup A,C,W,Y (MenACWY): Two doses required. Doses should be given at entry to 7th grade (1112 years) and 11th grade (16-18 years). For children 16-18 years, with no previous MenACWY, only one dose is required.

Poliomyelitis (IPV/OPV): Four doses required. Doses should be given at 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, and 4-6 years

(prior to kindergarten entry). Three doses are acceptable if the third dose was given after 4 years of age and at least 6 months have elapsed since the second dose.

Varicella (Chickenpox): Two doses are required. Doses should be given at 12-15 months and 4-6 years (prior to kindergarten entry). The second dose may be administered as early as 3 months after the first dose, however, a dose administered after a 4-week interval is considered valid. No doses are required when a student has a history of varicella disease documented by a licensed physician.

Legal alternatives to school vaccination requirements are found in K.S.A. 72-6262.

In addition, to the immunizations required for school entry the following vaccines are recommended to protect students: Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Two doses recommended at 11 years of age or three doses if the series is started after 15 years.

Influenza: Annual vaccination recommended for all ages older than 6 months. The number of doses is dependent on age and the number of doses given in previous years.

Vaccination efforts by school and public health officials, immunization providers, and parents are key to the success of protecting our children and communities from vaccine preventable diseases.

PTO offers chances to give back

For many years, Kristin Stotler preferred to stay close to home, letting others take the lead.

But as her three children have become more independent, Stotler also is finding her wings.

Last year, she became president of USD 257’s Parent Teacher

“It’s a wonderful way to show the kids that the community cares about them,” she said of the organization.

Stotler recalled a fourth-grader telling her he’d never been

Organization, a role she’s taking into the 2023-24 school year, along with Stacie Smail as co-president.

Iola Elementary School PTO officers include, back row from left, Kylie Cromer, Hannah Brown, Torrie Lewis, Katrina Roush; front row, Kristin Stotler, Jana Eyler, Stacie Smail and Melanie Neely.

to a carnival, the school’s annual fundraiser, and asked what it would be like.

“That broke my heart,” she said. “I want to show kids who aren’t as lucky as others that their community is looking out for them. The PTO is a great avenue for that.”

Stotler said her first experience with PTO was “discouraging.” Participation had dwindled to less than a handful. Rumors swirled that it was to be disbanded.

Her goal is not only to grow membership but also dispel the group’s “cliquish” stigma.

“PTO appealed to me because I want to get more involved with the kids. They make me happy,” she said. “I see so many kids who need people to care about them and love them. That’s my motivation with PTO.”

Assuming the role “initially took me out of my comfort zone,” she admitted. “I’m not the most outgoing person. The experience is helping instill some confidence.”

“I’d always been interested in helping, but I was scared it would take away from my time at home with the kids. Now that they don’t need me as much, I figured this was something I could do for me.”

“I also want my children to be proud of me. I want them to look up to me and see that I’m doing things out in the community.”

Stotler’s children are 17, 14 and 8. She works full time in the Allen County Attorney’s office.

Stotler takes no credit for last year’s jump in participation.

“Maybe it’s because after COVID, people missed the fellowship that comes with working together on projects.”

About 15-20 regularly attend the meetings. In addition to parents, school administrators and staff frequently attend.

“They give us a lot of valuable input,” she added.

Among the group’s responsibilities are fundraisers to help students and faculty.

Last spring’s carnival raised $19,920 in raffle ticket sales.

The proceeds are used primarily to help purchase shoes — both for gym and everyday use — for students and supplies for both students and teachers.

As the school year wears on, teachers typically put out the call for tissues and wet wipes.

“Teachers shouldn’t have to purchase those supplies out of their own pockets,” Stotler said. “I envision the PTO having a fully stocked closet of school supplies.”

PTO also paid for an ice cream truck at the year end’s Field Day, bottled water and snacks for school field trips and one dinner for teachers and staff during parent/teacher conferences.

See PTO | Page 27

Social media and schoolchildren

By Megan Moreno and Jenny Radesky, American Academy of Pediatrics (TNS)

Social media plays an important role in the lives of many tweens and teens. More than one-third of 13- to 17-year-olds reported using social media sites such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook “almost constantly” in 2022. And while many social media platforms set a minimum age of 13 to sign up, 38% of kids ages 8-12 say they have used social media.

All this media use can influence young people in a variety of ways. And with a reported rise in depression and anxiety among teens, you may wonder how social media may impact your child’s mental health. Research suggests it depends on how they use it. Understanding potential connections between social media and mental health can help you guide your kids toward healthy social media habits.

One of the ways kids use social media is for social connection. Sharing photos and comments on social media platforms can

help keep them in touch with peers and family who live far away, for example. Teens can also join groups that represent aspects of their identities or interests, such as groups around sports, theater, music or LGBTQ pride and support.

Another positive way adolescents use social media is to learn. They can explore and follow organizations such as art museums, local park systems or recipe bloggers. Some platforms also allow them to create and share their own content. Adolescents have described sharing their own crafts, hobbies and art to their social media audiences.

Using social media too much, though, can push out other important activities. Examples include being in person with friends and family or getting enough sleep.

Social media can also expose adolescents to content that is

See SOCIAL MEDIA | Page 29

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Continued from Page 25

Other goals for PTO members include a shed to store tricycles, a floor covering for the elementary school gymnasium and a memorial garden at one of the schools.

Stotler also hopes to provide pizza parties and dances for Iola Middle School students.

“I would like to show them more support,” she said.

Stotler said Iola’s small size makes it conducive to providing a strong support network for students.

“I’ve lived here my whole life. Iola is my favorite little town. I love seeing familiar faces.”

“Kids can benefit from those connections, too,” she said. “For some children, the relationships they have at school are the only positive ones in their lives. I’m a firm believer that if they’re not getting the support they need at home, then we should work to fill that gap. That’s what being a community means.”

PTO meets the third Monday of the month from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Iola Elementary School library.

For more information, email Stotler at kristinfehr27@hotmail. com.

Social media: Mental health

Continued from Page 26

violent, dangerous or inaccurate. Further, social media can present idealized images of people that can lead to issues with body image for some teens.

There have been a lot of news stories lately about whether too much social media use contributes to depression. Some studies have found that young people who used more social media were more likely to report depression symptoms. It is important to consider that these studies could not tell if more social media use was impacting depression, or whether participants with depression already were using more social media. The causeand-effect relationship for social media and depression remains unclear.

There are also research studies that found no relationship between the amount of social media use and depression symptoms. In a few other studies, researchers found that there was a small effect on depression, but only with very high levels of social media use.

All of these studies focus on the quantity of social media use; they do not address the different ways that each unique child may use social media.

Another important consideration about social media and mental health is how your child uses social media.

Some studies show that teens who use social media in a passive way, such as by scrolling and looking at content as it goes by on the screen, had a higher likelihood of feeling depression symptoms. These studies also found that adolescents who used social media in a more active way, such as by liking or commenting on people’s posts, or making their own posts and sharing them, did not have a negative impact on mental health.

These studies suggest that it is not just quantity of time a child spends on social media, but the quality of time using social media.

Newer research studies are teaching us that not all adolescents use social media in the same way. We’re also learning that some kids may be at risk for negative consequences while others may not. This approach in research is called “differential susceptibility.” What this means is that adolescents have unique combinations of risks and strengths that they bring to, and that impact, their social media use.

A recent study looked at technology use and possible links to health and well-being behaviors, mental health and parenting. Two-thirds of adolescents in the study were doing well with their technology use and mental health. This group was called “Family-Engaged Teens,” since they reported good communication with their parents about technology use. Their parents also had low levels of their own social media use.

The smaller one-third group of teen participants had higher

rates of negative health outcomes such as depression and loneliness. This group was called “At Risk Teens.” This group of teen participants reported higher rates of social media use by their parents, as well as less frequent communication with their parents about their social media use.

Another recent study found that adolescents who had higher depression symptoms reported that their parents spent up to 8 hours a day on social media. These studies highlight the important and positive role parents can play by communicating with their children about social media, and serving as role models in monitoring their own social media use.

Here are steps you can take to help promote positive social media use for your child:

• Establish a Family Media Plan for rules about social media use. Make sure that you are also following rules and role modeling healthy use for the family. AAP has also introduced an online Q&A portal where experts answer questions submitted by parents, teachers and others about teens and social media.

• Have conversations with your child about their media use, including how they are using these platforms. What do they like about them? Have they seen anything concerning? Make this an ongoing conversation.

• If you as a parent use social media, be sure to role model positive actions. For example, you can put away your phone at important family times such as during dinner, or during family time.

• Be cautious about children under 13 years old using social media. Most platforms set 13 as the minimum age to sign up.

• If you’re concerned about your child’s mental health, be sure to talk with your pediatrician.

More than one-third (35%) of 13- to 17-year-olds reported using social media sites such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook “almost constantly” in 2022. (Image: Adobe Stock)

KNOW SCHOOLS YOUR

Stacey Fager

IOLA

USD 257

usd257.org

Superintendent of Schools....620-365-4700

Scott Carson

Iola High School Principal.....620-365-4715

Brad Crusinbery

Iola Middle School Principal..620-365-4785

Andy Gottlob

Iola Elementary Principal.......620-365-4820

Aaron Cole

Building & Grounds...............620-365-4705

Staci Talkington

Food Coordinator...................620-365-4711

Bowlus Fine Arts Center

Dan Kays.................................620-365-4765

SAFE BASE

Angela Henry..........................620-365-4780

Middle School Guidance

Staci Crusinbery.....................620-365-4795

High School Guidance

Kelsey Johnson......................620-365-4727

USD 257 Board of Education

Jennifer Taylor...................................President

Dan Willis..................................Vice-President

Doug Dunlap........................................Member

Tony Leavitt..........................................Member

Robin Griffin-Lohman.........................Member

John Masterson...................................Member

John Wilson.........................................Member

Teresa Taylor.............................................Clerk

Marcie Boring.....................................Treasurer

MARMATON VALLEY

USD 256

marmatonvalley.org

Kim Ensminger........................Superintendent

Kim Ensminger...............Elementary Principal

Brian Campbell...............Jr./Sr. High Principal

Brian Campbell...................Activities Director

Hali Drake.......................Jr./Sr. High Secretary

Cynthia Johnson..........Elementary Secretary

Trista McVey..................Food Service Director

Denny Lasley............Maintenance Supervisor

USD 256 Board of Education

Sherry Henry.............................................Clerk

Jim Armstrong...................................President

Ken McWhirter..........................Vice-President

Kenneth McVey.........................Board Member

Bob Rhodes..............................Board Member

Kris Smith..................................Board Member

Jackie Walls..............................Board Member

District Phone Numbers

Board of Education Office..........620-237-4250

Jr./Sr. High School Office............620-237-4251

Elementary School Office...........620-237-4381

CREST

USD 479 usd479.org

Walter Shane Superintendent of School......620-852-3540

Travis Hermreck High School & Middle School Principal, Athletic Director.....................620-852-3251

Stephanie Edgerton

Elementary School Principal.620-852-3529

Nancy Ellington Food Service Director............620-852-3521

Lynnette Prasko Board Clerk.............................620-852-3540

Mark Wiley

Maintenance Director.............620-852-3251

USD 479 Board of Education

Travis Church.....................................President

Kevin Nilges...............................Vice President

Jason Beckmon........................Board Member

Nathan Beckmon......................Board Member

Seth Black.................................Board Member

Lance Ramse............................Board Member

Laura Schmidt...........................Board Member

District Phone Numbers

Crest High School/ Middle School.........................620-852-3521

Elementary School......................620-852-3259

Board Office.................................620-852-3540

Humboldt High School...................................................................620-473-2251

Humboldt Middle School...............................................................620-473-3348

Humboldt Elementary School.......................................................620-473-2461

Humboldt Preschool......................................................................620-473-3997

Amber Wheeler • Superintendent of Schools..............................620-333-9669

John Johnson • High School Principal.......................................620-473-0441

HUMBOLDT

USD 258

usd258.net

Ron James • Middle School Principal & Athletic Director..........620-429-3943

Staci Hudlin • PreK & Elementary School Principal....................620-365-0420

Jody Siebenmorgen • Virtual Education.....................................620-228-4186

USD 479 Board of Education

Joyce Allen

Nathan Ellison

Ashley Johnson

Drake Tilman

Sandy Whitaker

Tony Works

Josh Wrestler

HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR!