Though the start of school is still a good six weeks away the conditions under which the ’08-’09 term ended for county schools as well as the ongoing, visible progress on the new $50 million County School taking shape in Greensburg begs a mid-summer check on what lies ahead for Kiowa County public education come the resumption of classes next month.
Haviland going to combo-administrator…
It wasn’t long after Haviland’s Board of Education decided in April to keep its high school doors open another year that Superintendent John Wyrick let it be known his first year as the leader of USD 474 would also be his last. Wyrick decided not to renew his contract for the upcoming year in favor of taking a similar position at Erie, a town of 1,200 in southeastern Kansas and the seat of Neosho County.
Wyrick’s decision was a hard one for BOE member Vic Hannan to accept, owing he and Wyrick are personal friends. Hannan, however, said his first thought upon learning of Wyrick’s departure was to ask Principal Clint Corby if he could fill both positions. Corby was, in Hannan’s words, “willing right off the bat” to accept the challenge, a willingness that will save the financially ailing district much-needed dollars.
“It (Corby’s agreement to take on the superintendency) will save us some money, there’s no question of that,” Hannan said. “But it will also put a big burden on Mr. Corby.
“He’s up to it I’m sure, though. We’re just very pleased by this. He’ll make a terrific superintendent. He’s an energetic, young guy that knows what he’s doing.”
Hannan indicated that until Corby’s qualifications for assuming a superintendent’s post are finalized sometime in early August Greensburg’s Superintendent Darin Headrick would fill formal responsibilities of the position. Headrick will also be serving as Corby’s mentor in the near future according to Hannan.
USD 474 cuts offerings…
Reducing an administrative position is not, of course, the only step Haviland is taking to make the upcoming school year financially manageable. The district decided months ago to switch to a four-day school week starting in August to save around $50,000 annually in transportation, meal and utility expenses.
Eliminating offerings and staff is another alternative Haviland turned to, as evidenced by the fact that no instrumental music will be offered there and vocal music will be available only for grades one through eight.
Having to inform music teacher Andrea Grace the money would not be available to pay her to teach 5-12 vocal and band this coming year was again a painful necessity for Hannan, as the former Haviland instructor was someone else he counted among his friends.
“I really hated that we couldn’t fund her position for another year, because she’s also a good friend, but that’s the way it was,” Hannan said.
Greensburg fills Haviland gap…
Hannan pointed out, however, that Haviland high school students wanting to take either band or industrial arts have the option of doing so first hour at Greensburg.
Headrick told The Signal he and High School Principal Randy Fulton agreed to offer Haviland students the opportunity when Fulton realized pre-enrollment numbers indicated either class could absorb a few more students without any difficulty.
“Randy agreed to make the offer when he saw there was a light load in those first hour classes,” Headrick said. “Right now those are the only two classes we’re making available to Haviland kids since they won’t be able to take them at Haviland. But if it turns out there are other ways we can help out with that we’ll be glad to do it.
“Either program is a great opportunity to be involved in and we’re glad we can offer it to Haviland kids.”
Mike Brummet leads the recently award-winning band program at Greensburg, while Peter Kern has been the industrial arts instructor in recent years. Kern’s first-hour class will feature cabinetry, an area in which his students have fared well in recent years’ competition.
Driver’s education is another elective Haviland has discontinued, as Hannan’s son had to recently complete the course at Greensburg.
USD 422’s construction on schedule…
Headrick, meanwhile, told The Signal Thursday that thanks to recently favorable weather and the workmanlike habits of General Contractor McCowan Gordon work on Greensburg’s new school campus is so far on track to open a year from August.
“The critical path I talked about recently is still on schedule,” Headrick said. “So that bodes well for us getting done on time.”
The “critical path” is a reference to continuously advancing a block wall to the east in consecutive sections; so that once the connecting steelwork of one section is complete the next section has been finished to accept its share of steel.
“There’s one more block of wall to be done and we have 10 days right now to get it done,” Headrick said. “Right now the steel on Gym B is getting done and in a few days we should start the steel on Gym A.” The block wall serves to separate the gymnasium complex from the rest of the school.
Will football field be ready for opener?
As well as work on the adjoining football field is likewise progressing, Headrick sounded a note of caution in regard to the facility being ready in time for the season and home opener against Pawnee Heights scheduled for September 4.
“This is a real bubble issue,” he said. “It’s going to be tight, as to whether we have it ready for the first game. That’s our goal and that’s what we’re working toward right now. If we don’t make it we’ll play our opener at Mullinville.” Mullinville’s facilities have served as Greensburg’s home field/court the past two seasons.
Asked if he’d considered extending an offer to the schools on the away portion of Greensburg’s football schedule to travel instead to offer their players an opportunity to play on artificial turf, Headrick said he’ll stick to the schedule as is.
“I don’t think that’s realistic (expecting other teams to give up a home date to play on Greensburg’s new field),” Headrick said. “Now if they were to volunteer to do that we’d be glad to accept. You always like an extra home date, but I don’t expect that to happen.”
As for another idea often floated locally—that of Greensburg hosting either the Division I or Division II eight-man state championship game, Headrick did say he’s mentioned the idea to Gary Musselman, executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association.
“I think it would be great if they did that and I’ve mentioned it to Gary, but that decision’s beyond me,” Headrick said. “I know they like to go for central location, and there’s lodging considerations and so forth, but we’d be glad to host it if they should ever go that direction.”
Numbers game…
As always the more students, the more money from the state to a local school district, and Headrick is optimistic about what pre-enrollment numbers are indicating about attendance at Greensburg come mid-August.
“Early indicators are we’re going to be up,” he said. After falling to 196 students K-12 the year after the tornado, USD 422 edged up to 210 for this past school year. Headrick said he sees that number climbing to as high as 240 for the coming term.
“Of course, you always have some that walk in the first day of class you weren’t expecting and some you were expecting that don’t come, but it’s looking pretty good right now,” he said. “What will be rough will be next year and the year after that.”
Headrick also said Greensburg will again be offering “everything we had before the tornado” again this year in the way of programming and activities.
While Haviland, meanwhile, had to cut its offerings in order to keep its high school open another year, Hannan, ever the eternal optimist, said he expects his town’s high school to “be around a long time.”
“We’ve got the (Barclay) college that’s hired some new people that have about 10 kids that will be going to school here so that’s a bright sign,” he said.
Hannan also said he expects most of those Mullinville students who attended Haviland a year ago to return to the east end of the county next month despite the cooperative agreement between the two being ended a year early, meaning any that decide to switch to Greensburg won’t have to sit out of activities for a semester.
Asked if it’s likely Haviland’s High School remaining open will continue to be a year-to-year decision for the foreseeable future, Hannan responded, “If Greensburg starts to lose students they’ll have to look at things on a year-to-year basis instead of us.”
Hannan, did, however, say he expects the looming prospect of Mullinville’s consolidation with Greensburg to be “a done deal” by this time next year. “I’d have to bet on that,” he said.
