In this edition ...

Combining physics, competitiveness and good, old-fashioned teamwork have proven to be a winning strategy for Morgan Berkgren’s students in Oakley USD 274.  

With Berkgren’s encouragement and unwavering support, these enterprising and driven middle and high school students find success year after year in regional, state and the global KidWind Challenges, a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition that highlights wind as a renewable energy. 

Registration is open for the annual Counting KIDS workshops in August and September. 

These sessions are led by Laurel Murdie, KSDE director of fiscal auditing, and Kyle Lord, KSDE assistant director of information technology.  

*Please note: Since Sept. 20, 2025, falls on a Saturday, Count Day moves to the first school day following Sept. 20, which is Monday, Sept. 22. 

The Kansas State Department of Education is seeking nominations to fill three vacancies on the Professional Practices Commission (PPC). The open positions are: 

• Position 1 – Junior high/middle school principal (public school) 
• Position 2 – Elementary school principal (public school) 
• Position 3 – K–12 school teacher (public school) 

By Amanda Petersen, director, KSDE early childhood 

Engaging with families as children begin kindergarten supports kindergarten readiness and later student success. To advance kindergarten readiness, all Kansas elementary schools are required to partner with families of incoming kindergarten students to collect kindergarten-entry data using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2).