Lincoln School students take the first lap on their morning walk.
Lincoln School students are starting off the school year on the right foot by joining the Walking Club each morning.
“Once students arrive to school, they may either sit in the gym or join the Walking Club on the playground,” said Principal Misty Straub.
“There are many positive benefits from participating in this initiative,” Straub said. “Students benefit from getting fresh air, movement and additional oxygen moving through their bodies, helping them to feel more awake and prepared for the school day.”
“Walking has many health and fitness benefits as well,” she said. “This activity also provides another opportunity for students socialize while walking with peers and connect in a positive way with school staff before their day begins.”
On Thursday, longtime Larned State Hospital resident, Irene M. Marshall, 65, entered a plea to one count of battery of a mental health employee in exchange for the dismissal of additional battery charges. She had been scheduled for separate jury trials on September 4-5 and September 12-13.
The charge to which she plead occurred in 2014 when she was a patient at Larned State Hospital. The cases had been delayed several times due to competency concerns and evaluations associated with her defense of mental disease or defect.
Before accepting the plea, Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman questioned Marshall about her understanding of the charges and her legal rights. The defendant acknowledged to the Court she wished to enter to the plea to avoid the potential of a longer sentence.
Marshall has been in the custody of the Topeka Correctional Facility since July 8, 2018, as a result of a 2013 criminal threat.
Following the plea, defense counsel requested a waiver of the standard pre-sentence investigation and to proceed directly to sentencing. The State had no objection and stipulated to the defendant’s known criminal history. Judge Gatterman accepted the waiver and sentenced the defendant to 29 months with the Department of Corrections to be served consecutive to her criminal threat sentence.
BOOKED: Joshua Burnah of Hays on Rush County District Court warrant for failure to appear with $650 cash bond. Hold for Rush County.
BOOKED: Ryan Lang of Great Bend for Barton County District Court warrant for criminal threat, bond set at $5,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Damien Findley on Shawnee County District Court case for failure to appear, bond amount at $1,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Mark Rogers of Great Bend on BTDC case for serve sentence.
BOOKED: Jacob Hoch on Central Kansas Community Corrections order to arrest and detain on Barton County District Court warrant for probation violation, no bond.
RELEASED: Trey Hurd of Great Bend on BCDC warrant for possession of a controlled substance after posting a $10,000 surety bond through Dynomite Bail Bonds.
RELEASED: Alexander Anderson of McPherson on BCDC warrant for parole violation after he posted a $103.50 cash bond. BCDC warrant for PV after he posted a $69.50 cash bond. BCDC warrant for PV after posting a $233 cash bond.
RELEASED: Damien Findley on Shawnee County District Court case for failure to appear after posting a $1,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.
RELEASED: Jerome T. Maravilla on GBMC warrants by order of the court.
RELEASED: Steven James Davis on GBMC warrant with a $2,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.
The USD 428 schools are over a full week into the school season, and already Superintendent Khris Thexton says enrollment numbers are gravitating back to where the figures were last year. At the USD 428 Board of Education meeting earlier this month, Thexon noted enrollment district-wide with K-12 was down 173 from the previous year. That number has gone down since the August 13th meeting.
Thexton says the student population goes up and down over the years.
Khris Thexton Audio
The total enrollment announced at the August 13th meeting was 2,625, a number expected to be higher once the final enrollment count is submitted in late September.
As for the start of the school year, Thexton says there were not many hiccups and the excitement of a new year is always contagious.
Khris Thexton Audio
The last day of school for all classes is May 23, 2019.
Ryan Axman, technology director, tells attendees about the status of technology in USD 428 schools.
A group of community members dedicated to education is still on track to meet its January deadline to the USD 428 Education.
The Community Steering Committee and all its sub committees have continued meeting this summer in hopes of developing the master plan to move USD 428 schools into the future. The plan will involve long-term building and educational needs and is being facilitated by Terry Wiggers, architect with SJCF Architects.
The Technology Sub Committee met August 23 at Washington School. Ryan Axman, technology director, explained the status of technology in the district.
“Over the past 20 years, USD 428 has progressed into a technology-rich school system,” Axman said. “Our administration and school board advocate technology advancement.”
He said the technology support system includes fiber between the buildings, wireless access points in each classroom, one-to-one devices for all staff and students, and technology staff to support the projects.
Axman said computers are more important than ever. Students use the internet and district provided materials to research and study for assignments, staff and students use Google Classroom to receive and submit papers and grades are monitored through Skyward, the student information system.
Carmen Simon with SJCF Architects visits with Don Learned, a member of the sub committee and substitute teacher.
“During the next five years our goal is to maintain our current level of technology, support the hardware needs and assist our staff to better utilize what we have are the main goals,” he told the group. “The technology department continually assesses new technology to determine what implementation would be a good fit for the district.”
Axman also noted that USD 428 has a current inventory of 2,700 Chromebooks, 800 iPads and 800 computers.
Additional committee meetings have been scheduled as follows:
• Sept. 26, 7 p.m., Steering Committee meeting at Park School
• Oct. 18, 7 p.m., review master plan option, District Education Center
• Nov. 15, time to be decided, Community feedback information, District Education Center
• Dec. 6, 7 p.m., finalize master plan solution
• Jan. 14, 5 p.m., master plan presented to the school board
Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo has big news!! Zoo Staff has officially moved the two female lion cubs, Amana & Sauda to the lion building to begin the introduction process with our male lion King Louie “Luke”. The two females were brought here to create a lion “pride” or family for the male in the big enclosure. This is exciting and anxious time for staff, therefore we need help from the public.
Zoo Supervisor Sara Hamlin stated, “We would ask that our guests bear with us during this process as we have to make decisions that we feel will create the most positive environment for our animals.” There is no timeline for how long this process will take as it all depends on the lion’s behavior. It could take as little time as a week or two up to several months. Hamlin stated, “We will have to close off the area to the public around the exhibit. In a situation like this we have no idea how the animals will react so we are planning for every possible scenario but we are hopeful that in the end we will have a happy, cohesive pride that will be ambassadors of their species.”
As far as the empty tiger exhibit, staff has plans to renovate it. It is 20 years old and is in need of some repair work. At this point we have no timeline for when renovations will happen, just that they need to happen before new tigers can be brought in. We appreciate our community’s patience while we work to provide our animals with the absolute best care we can.
BOOKED: Steven Davis of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $2,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Christopher Adams on GBMC case for criminal trespassing, bond is set in the amount of $1,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Rene Campozano on BTDC warrant for FTA, bond is set in the amount of $1,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Meryl Ramirez for Barton County District Court case for probation violation, bond set at $10,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Michael Foster on Barton County District Court warrant for criminal threat with a bond set at $5,000 C/S.
BOOKED: Alexander Anderson of McPherson on Barton County District Court warrant for probation violation with a bond set at $233 cash only. BCDC warrant for probation violation with a bond set at $69.50 cash only. BCDC warrant for probation violation with a bond set at $103.50 cash only.
BOOKED: Christopher Redetzke on Pottawatomie County District Court warrant for failure to appear with a bond of $1,500 cash.
BOOKED: Trey Hurd of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for possession of a controlled substance, bond set at $10,000 C/S.
RELEASED: Christopher Adams on GBMC case for criminal trespass after posting $1,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.
RELEASED: Rene Campozano on BTDC warrant for FTA after posting $1,000 cash bond.
RELEASED: Michael Moore on warrant for parole violation after being released on warrant withdraw. Released on warrant for distribution, possession of paraphernalia, and interference with LEO after being released by the order of the court. Released on RNDC warrant for failure to appear after posting a $4,000 surety bond through Dynomite.
RELEASED: Christopher Redetzke of Hoisington on Pottawatomie County District Court warrant for failure to appear after he posted a $1,500 cash bond.
