“Self-regulation is a learned skill,” says Mrs. Benteman, a counselor at Amelia Earhart Elementary. Thanks to an Innovative Teacher Grant provided through the Goddard Education Foundation, Mrs. Benteman was able to provide Calming Tool Kits for 45 of Amelia Earhart’s classrooms.
A few years ago, Benteman helped implement “Calm Areas” for students in every classroom. However, teachers were using their own resources to supply tools for students to use in their “Calm Area.” Now, every teacher will have a fully stocked Calming Tool Kit that will help students learn the skill of self-regulation in their “Calm Area” without having to leave the class setting. “Keeping students in the classroom is essential for maximizing student success. These tools, along with the designated area in their classroom, will allow us to keep students in the classroom even when they need a break to re-regulate,” shared Benteman
The social and emotional needs of students are becoming more apparent as the world rapidly changes. Mrs. Benteman hopes the Calming Tool Kits provided through an Innovative Teacher Grant will help provide students with a secure environment where they can learn to manage their emotions in a healthy way. The Goddard Education Foundation is grateful to help provide innovative resources for students that provide a safe, caring, and connected environment.
With your support, the Goddard Education Foundation provides opportunities for students to create lasting relationships despite their differences. Adaptive and Mixed-Abilities Teacher Ms. Kelley has reinstated Eisenhower High School’s Circle of Friends Club, which connects students of all abilities through fun activities and events.
Ms. Kelley saw the need for a Circle of Friends club at the high school level. She explained, “Circle of Friends works to build a bridge to aid students with special needs, who may struggle making connections with their peers.” With her 2023 Innovative Teacher Grant, the Circle of Friends club held a winter party on January 19th complete with hot chocolate, cookie decorating, movies, games, and a tie-dye station. A member of Circle of Friends, Andi Ozbun, says these activities allow her to “get to know others, learn life skills, and have fun with friends.”
Through their engagement in Circle of Friends, Eisenhower High School students learn to appreciate their fellow classmates' differences, “we’re all just people,” Terri Hallowell, a Junior at EHS, expressed. Aiden Koester, a Junior at EHS explained that Circle of Friends has given him an increased sense of empathy and perspective for his peers. Aiden explains “there are no downsides: the club is free and you get more out of it than you put in.”
Through the Goddard Education Foundation’s Innovative Teacher Grants, Circle of Friends has created a family at EHS and promotes inclusion for all students. #265family
Thank you to the 350+ business partners, community leaders, and volunteers who united in support of Goddard Public Schools at Oz, on Saturday, March 24th, 2024, for a spectacular journey "Somewhere over the Rainbow." Because of the generous support of all involved, over $130,000 was raised to inspire minds and expand possibilities for the students and educators in our #265Family. THANK YOU.
Read more about Oz 2024 by clicking the link below. https://goddardpsks.sites.thrillshare.com/o/gef/article/1541025
Only 30 Tickets remain for the Goddard Education Foundation's Oz, Fundraising Event from 5:30 - 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Vail in Downtown Wichita. Tickets to Oz include all the food, beverages, and Wizard of Oz fun you can imagine.
Visit https://secure.qgiv.com/event/oz2024/ to purchase your tickets or table sponsorship today and help positively impact ALL 6,300 students and 1,200 educators of USD 265-Goddard Public Schools. You won't want to miss this opportunity of a lifetime, it's going to be Oz-some!
What kind of event will Oz be like? Check out this video for some of the highlights from 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRa91KQERuU
Last Call to nominate an individual for the Goddard Public Schools Hall of Fame Class of 2024! The Goddard Education Foundation is proud to recognize Goddard Alumni and Retired Staff who have positively impacted the world. Submit your nomination BY Friday, February 2, 2024! Complete the nomination form by visiting https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLMYuOL2ATkI0TYJIJ4TiGCTBYL5R_97E414K-EyWSObjo-Q/viewform?usp=sf_link
Sara McDonald, age 79, of Wichita, Kansas, passed away on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. Sara was an educator, mentor, coach, district leader, advocate, and USD 265 Board of Education representative during her 56 years of dedicated service to her beloved Goddard School District.
Joining the district in 1967, Sara taught Kansas History and math to 7th-grade students. Sara would always tell you that, first and foremost, her passion in education was teaching students. Her motto, "work smarter, not harder," is remembered by her former students today.
As the Goddard School District grew, so did Sara's involvement. She served as the Math Department Chair and was instrumental in developing technology for the district.
Sara retired in 2006 after a 39-year career in the Goddard School District. Retiring from teaching but not service to the district, Sara concluded her fourth term in January 2024, representing 16 years of district leadership. She was instrumental in service to the Goddard Special Education Cooperative, helping provide opportunities and services for ALL students to be successful.
For dedicated service and leadership, Sara was inducted into the James B. McGee Memorial Honor Ring in 2015. In 2017, Sara and Ruth Wood would be the namesakes for the Goddard District Legacy Award.
In October 2022, Sara McDonald was inducted into the Goddard Public Schools Hall of Fame. To learn more about Sara's enduring legacy, click below.
https://www.goddardef.org/o/gef/page/2022
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Antioch Christian Church, 3741 W. 15th St. N., Wichita, KS 67203. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests contributions to be made to the Goddard Education Foundation. You can make a donation in honor of Sara McDonald by clicking here, https://secure.qgiv.com/for/saramcdonaldmemorial/
The Goddard Education Foundation is proud to recognize Goddard Alumni and Retired Staff who have positively impacted the world. Please consider nominating a distinguished Goddard Alumni, Retired or Former Staff, or All-Americans (Student Group, Organization, Team, or Family) for the Class of 2024 by the end of the day on February 2, 2024. To nominate an individual today visit, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLMYuOL2ATkI0TYJIJ4TiGCTBYL5R_97E414K-EyWSObjo-Q/viewform?usp=sf_link
Calling all small business owners! The Goddard Education Foundation is preparing for our 2nd Annual Oz Fundraising event on March 23, 2024 and we need your help! We are looking for Live Auction Items, Raffle Prizes, and Gift Certificates for goods or services. If you have a small business or would like to donate to help the GEF's fundraising efforts at Oz, please email aleivian@goddardusd.com or call 316-794-4007. To learn more about Oz or purchase tickets, visit https://secure.qgiv.com/event/oz2024/.
Please help us welcome Karaline Scott, the new Community Relations Intern for Goddard Public Schools and the Goddard Education Foundation!
Karaline Scott is a senior at Goddard High School. During her time at GHS she has been involved in many extracurricular activities including varsity cheer, marching band, and Kansas Association of Youth, but was looking for a unique experience to finish out her final semester with USD 265 before graduation. She reached out, seeking an internship with our Community Relations Department to expand her marketing and communication skills.
Karaline decided to pursue an internship at the Central Administration Center with the Goddard Education Foundation and Community Relations team because of the connection she has with the Goddard community. She has been attending Goddard Public Schools for the past 13 years and is the daughter of an educator in the District. Karaline says she admires USD 265’s ability to recognize and appreciate students and staff, and knows firsthand the impact and importance of the Goddard Education Foundation and public schools in Kansas. She is excited to get involved with innovative educators in the District as well as tell their stories in a creative way. She hopes to learn more about photography and videography as well as enhance her storytelling skills during her time on the team. She will be working on numerous projects and initiatives including Oz, the GEF's fundraising event, the “Roar on 54” magazine, Innovative Teacher Grants, and other school public relations projects.
We are excited to have Karaline Scott join our Community Relations team!
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
