Menu
Jan. 16, 2025
Janet Waugh, 83, the longest serving member of the Kansas State Board of Education, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. She was first elected in 1999 and retired from the board in 2023.
After several years with no program, music once again fills the halls of Girard Middle and High School thanks to the vision and leadership of former Girard student Meredith Reid.
Reid, who earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in music from Kansas State University, was hired by the Girard district to reestablish the choral music program that was nonexistent when she herself attended the school years earlier. In just five years, she has developed an award-winning program that competes regularly in state competitions and performs throughout the Girard community.
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education at their January meeting in Topeka received an update on the structured literacy requirements certain educators will have to meet beginning in 2028 to renew their teaching licenses.
Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson told board members that more than 12,000 educators, mainly at the elementary level, have completed or are in the process of completing structured literacy training in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling® (LETRS®), a state-approved program. Other approved training programs include Keys to Literacy and AIMS Pathways to Proficient Reading.
As recently announced by Kansas Lt. Gov. David Toland, all fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students in your school this week should begin receiving complimentary copies of KANSAS! Kids, a new magazine created especially for young Kansans, just in time for Kansas Day on Jan. 29.
In this edition | Feature Story | Assessments and Accountability | Reporting and Operations Standards and Instruction | Student Health and Nutrition | Upcoming Events, Trainings and Recognition
Questions about this page contact:
Denise Kahler (785) 296-4876 dkahler@ksde.org
In this edition
Sections
The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. (more information...)
To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.gov or by 785-296-3201.