Administrators' Notice

Action Items

For All Administrators (Action)

BrightArrow Training Available

from Communications & Marketing

Greetings Principals and Teachers,

Do you have new staff members that need to learn how to use BrightArrow’s interface? Perhaps you are looking for a refresher course? BrightArrow is now offering monthly webinars for users!

Learn how to use BrightArrow’s mass notification system by covering the basics of creating and sending messages, reading reports, providing a recommended approach for weather announcements and the ins and outs of navigating the interface. These sessions are great for those users who need a refresher on how to use BrightArrow, or for those new to the system. The best part is that it is FREE!

Please follow this link to sign up for our first new user webinar held on January 26, 2022 at 12:00PM Central time: 
Register for BrightArrow User Training

Please check that users attending this session are able to log into BrightArrow.

We are pleased to provide these trainings where you can learn and ask all questions about BrightArrow’s system. We look forward to meeting you online!

Change in Mass Notification Systems

from Communications & Marketing

We want to provide you with a preview of changes coming to our mass notification systems. More details, support, and training will be provided in March and April as we make this transition to one platform. We will work collaboratively as a district to inform parents and make the transition as easy as possible for everyone.

As you are aware, we implemented the Flyer Connect two-way communication application last year to enhance our communication efforts and increase engagement among our diverse group of parents within the school district.

To streamline our applications and platforms and be financially prudent, we will cease using the Flyer Connect two-way system at the end of this school year. We will use BrightChat – the two-way communication portion of our BrightArrow application. Teachers and buildings should continue using Flyer Connect and BrightArrow in the manner they are accustomed to at this time.

Based on feedback from parents and staff, we will be limiting the number of staff who send building-wide messages through BrightArrow and BrightChat.

Early Childhood & Elementary – Building Principal + 2 additional staff members

Middle Schools – Building Principal + 3 additional staff members

High Schools – Building Principal + 4 additional staff members

https://forms.gle/NhojZpzYBGUxE6s48

You must be the principal & be logged into your m.account to complete the form. All other staff members with building wide access to BrightArrow and BrightChat will be removed March 1^st. If you have a special need at your building to submit more staff members than the form allows,, please discuss with your IIO and Edwin Birch.

If you have questions about our communication platforms & plan, please contact Edwin Birch:

Edwin.Birch@kckps.org
Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
Central Office
913-304-2981

A preview video of the BrightChat platform can be found at https://brightarrow.com/solutions/education/brightchat/

KN95 Masks Available for Staff Use

from Purchasing

KN95 masks have been donated to the District by Wyandotte County Health Department, and can be ordered from the Storeroom through BusinessPLUS by your treasurer or administrative assistant.  There is no cost for the masks.

Product ID: 93289  5 per Package

These masks are For Staff/Adult Use Only, and are not to be used by students.

Please contact Wayne Correll if you have any questions.

Classified Professional Development Poster

from HR – Talent Development
Posters that advertise our classified professional development has probably already arrived at your school/department. (If they haven’t arrived yet, they will be there soon.). Please post it in a place where classified employee can view it. If you have questions or need additional posters, contact Sherrie Piedimonte. Thanks so much for your support of our classified staff!!

Time and Effort Sheets for Retention Bonus in December 15, 2021 Pay Period

from Federal Programs

Any classified staff member employed during the 2020/2021 school year and also employed through December 15, 2021 received a retention bonus in their 12/15/21 paycheck. (Most certified staff received their retention bonus earlier in the school year.) The district used ESSER (Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief) federal funding to pay for this round of retention bonuses. The federal government requires any staff member paid from federal funds to sign a Time and Effort sheet.

An email will go out the week of 1/18/2022 – to inform staff they may be asked to sign a Time and Effort sheet.

Between 1/18/2022 and 1/31/2022 – Federal Programs will deliver to each department/building leader a folder containing the following: Cover sheet listing all department/building classified staff; Directions for completing and returning signed documents to Federal Programs; Personalized Time and Effort sheets for classified staff in department/building.

Between 1/31/2022 and 2/28/2022 – Department/building supervisors and staff sign Time and Effort sheets.

Once all Time and Effort sheets for department/building are signed by supervisor and each employee, return to Federal Programs using one of the following methods: Hand-deliver to Melissa Cantu in Federal Programs at Central Office; Call or email Melissa Cantu in Federal Programs at 913-627-2476 to arrange for a pick up from Federal Programs team member.

New District Letterhead

from Communications

Please use this letterhead template for district communications.

Annual Inventory Reporting

from Risk Management

A new year is upon us and so is the annual inventory counts for your respective buildings, departments/offices and classrooms. Attached you will find a template to help guide you with the inventory accountability process.

We DO NOT need every pencil, paper clip and staple, as those are considered supplies.
We DO need all the electronics, furniture and equipment to be accounted for.
This includes but is not limited to: Couches, Desks, Dry-Erase Boards, Cabinets, iPad charging carts, radios, TV’s computers, electronic learning devices, heavy machinery etc.

If there are any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Dennis Martine.

Inventory Instructions PDF
Inventory Template XLSX

For Elementary Administrators (Action)

NGSS Elementary Amplify Science Program Status Survey/Deadline 1/28/22

from Curriculum & Instruction

In an effort to support and advance science instruction and the implementation of Amplify Science, the Science Core Leadership Team would like to gather information on the status of science instruction in the district. We have extended the deadline to 1/28/22 for all K-5 science teachers to be able to fill out this NGSS Elementary Amplify Science Program Status Survey. This is an anonymous, 27-question survey with the majority of questions being quick multiple-choice options. It should only take about 15 minutes to complete. We appreciate you encouraging your teachers to fill out this survey and finding creative ways to give your teachers time to complete it. The team will use this information to better customize support for the implementation of Amplify Science. If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Beyer.

For Secondary Administrators (Action)

Edgenuity Account Clean-Up and UPDATES

from Curriculum and Instruction

Reminder that you should be completing the Mid-Year Account management in Edgenuity. Please refer to the handbook for procedures. Please note that there have been some changes to these processes. Updated sections are labeled in the table of contents and any procedural changes that were added on 1/12/22 have been highlighted in yellow within the handbook.

KCKPS will begin using Clever as the sign-on process for Edgenuity later this spring. To support this transition, it is important that the updated guidelines for student account creation and for account management (clean-up) are followed. Once the transition to utilizing Clever as our SSO has occurred, student and staff Edgenuity accounts will no longer need to be manually created. We will provide more information once we are approaching the launch.

This has been emailed to coordinators on 1/13/22. Contact Wendy Elkins or Suzie Legg if you have questions.

Informational Items

For All Administrators (Informational Item)

KCKPS Mobile Minute

from Curriculum and Instruction
Click here for the latest edition of the KCKPS Mobile Minute. Within this edition, you will find information on drop-in office Canvas office hours, where to find the status of different software, K-5 Canvas Math Modules, and much more! You can also go to this Google Site to view the mobile minutes. Please share with your staff. If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Elkins or Julie Leach.

NEA-KCK Benefit Opportunity

from NEA-KCK

Hello NEA-KCK Members!

LAST CALL FOR CAL-CAS HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY! Since Holiday Break was so busy, Gabby has decided to EXTEND THE CONTEST to February 4th at Midnight. California Casualty wants to help you put money back in your pocket! Not only do we help save members money, but we offer Exclusive Educator Only benefits! They are offering a $25 Gift Card for anyone that gets a quote!

Once you receive the quote, your name will go into a drawing for an ADDITIONAL – $25 E-Gift Card – of your choice! That’s a total of $50 just for simply getting a quote! All you have to do is visit www.readyforquote.com/gabby or scan QR code and you will be on your way to savings! You must get the quote in order to be included in the drawing.

Deadline Extended: LAST CALL, for the contest is FEBRUARY 4th at MIDNIGHT.

We appreciate all that you do for your students and the community!

Gabby Soles (833.989.3600)

New Hire Orientation (revised)

from HR – Talent Development
After engaging in our new format for NHO, it was necessary to make a few adjustments. One of the biggest adjustments is that starting January 26, all HOURLY new hires will report by 8am. All SALARIED new hires will report by 12:30pm. There are also some time adjustments, so please review that document. Also attached is a doc entitled Supervisor/Principal Guidelines. These are some suggestions on what you can do for building/department specific orientation training. Contact Sherrie Piedimonte for questions either by email or by phone at 913.235.8902.

Enough is Enough Virtual Community Forum Coming Soon

from Communications and Marketing

Since being established in 2020, the Enough is Enough program was built to inform the community on issues facing our students and address topics such as- homicide, suicide, mental health, and many more.

On January 27^th, we will be offering a virtual session for our families, staff, and community members to address some of the top issues facing our county, our school district, and our students.

Those adults wanting to join on January 27^th can do so by using this link.

We hope to see you there.

HR FAQ

from Human Resources
A reminder that we have an HR FAQ on our website. Please see this link.

Strikeout COVID Vaccine Event Coming Soon

from Communications and Marketing

Administrators, please share this info with staff and students:

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is partnering with the Wyandotte County Health Department and the Kansas City Royals to Strikeout Covid for those ages 5 to 11 for an upcoming vaccine event.

Disqualifiers for getting the vaccine:

• Sick now with any new fever, cough, chills, body aches, sore throat, fatigue, congestion, headache, shortness of breath, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of taste or smell
• Positive covid-19 test in the past 10 days
• Living with anyone who is positive currently.

Gloria Willis Middle School – Wednesday, February 2, 2022

A COVID-19 vaccine event will also be held at Gloria Willis Middle School on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Both events run from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Those youth receiving the vaccine will get a free meal on site and be able to pick up other great giveaways.

The Wyandotte County Health Department will be on hand to administer the Pfizer vaccine for those ages 5 to 11. A parent/guardian must be present at the event. No vaccines for those over 11 or booster shots will be offered. Masks are required at the event.

Electronic Reporting Forms for Injuries and Incidents

From Communications & Marketing

Just a quick reminder that many of the forms you need when it comes to incidents are now electronic.

Student injury forms have now been included to the list.

To find the reporting form for students go to this link: https://form.jotform.com/212366215525047

To make the reporting of workman’s compensation accidents less time consuming, the Supervisors Accident Report is now an electronic form.

Regardless of severity, immediate supervisors & directors are required to report all work-related injuries within 48 hours to Risk Management.

To do so, please use the following link: https://form.jotform.com/212304621025035

The Incident Report helps document any incident involving non employees.

This includes our students, visitors, parents and guardians.

The incident form is to be filled out for a number of situations including: a child is missing, if a student is injured in a way that could require medical attention in the future, police have to be called during an incident,  there is a fight,  or even to report property damage.

An example of a fight that needs to be recorded- a fight that breaks out that others are around and it may have been recorded. A fight that someone may not realize they are injured immediately but could later on in the day. Fights that do NOT need to be recorded: two kids on the playground hit each other in the arm over a ball.

There may be other incidents that could also require use of this form.

If you have questions about whether an incident falls into this category, please reach out to your IIO.

Here is a link to the Incident Report form:  https://kckps.org/incident-report/

For Building Principals

Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week and Day

from Student Services

RAK Week is February 13th-19th and RAK Day is Thursday, February 17th.
We encourage you to participate in RAK Week/Day this February within your school communities. Even the smallest act of kindness can change a life! To sign up, access lesson plans, activities, and tools kits please visit the Random Acts of Kindness website.

For EC and Elementary Administrators

LETRS Training Rescheduled for Feb 2, 2022

from Professional Workforce Development

The department directors and elementary IIOs met with the very difficult task of trying to reschedule the LETRS training that was cancelled Jan 19, due to reasons related to COVID.

As you already know, numerous Wednesdays have been devoted to the LETRS training during the second semester and we are utilizing all the Voyager Sopris staff developers to train our staff. The only day we did not already have LETRS training scheduled, and the first day Voyager Sopris had trainers available, is Wednesday Feb 2. Unfortunately, this is a DCI/ESOL/SpEd Wednesday. We know this impacts all of the hard work our district-level teams have put in to make these days a success. Please know, we did not make this decision lightly, but we need to reschedule the LETRS training on Wednesday, Feb 2. This will impact all elementary schools. The other schools in the district will continue with the DCI ​and/or ESOL & SpEd PD as planned.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

9:00 Elementary Schools

• 1.1 LETRS PD Session (Facilitated by certified LETRS trainers)

• Rescheduled from 1/19/2022

8:30 Elementary Schools

• Unit 2 LETRS Asynchronous Learning  (2 hrs. for online learning and independent reading)

• Rescheduled from 1/19/2022

Thank you again for all your leadership and for grace as we navigate ​these difficult decisions in 2022. The 21-22 KCKPS District PD Calendar and the 21-22 District Content PD – Locations/Links document have been updated to reflect the changes. (Please see the Elementary Curriculum tab for LETRS training links.)

Connector Tools and Calendars

from Diploma+
Connector Support is never far away:
Below are resources I have created for you and your teachers. Please review this information, print a copy of the goal dates and post it for teachers to see. Please also email them these links so they can reference these guides with any questions you may have. As always, Brittany and I are always eager to help.
Connector Goal Dates
Date Collection One Pager
Connector One Pager
FA Diploma+ Calendar for Career Day Connector video use

Canvas and Instructional Technology Support

from Curriculum & Instruction
In an effort to be available to support staff on the use of the Canvas, Wendy Elkins is hosting open, drop-in office hours (via zoom) in Jan. and February. These times occur on most Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can find the exact times and the zoom links on the mobile minutes. If you or your staff needs more personal assistance, you can schedule a time with Wendy Elkins using this Calendly Link.

Action Items

For All Administrators (Action)

New District Letterhead

from Communications

Please use this letterhead template for district communications.

Annual Inventory Reporting

from Risk Management

A new year is upon us and so is the annual inventory counts for your respective buildings, departments/offices and classrooms. Attached you will find a template to help guide you with the inventory accountability process.

We DO NOT need every pencil, paper clip and staple, as those are considered supplies.
We DO need all the electronics, furniture and equipment to be accounted for.
This includes but is not limited to: Couches, Desks, Dry-Erase Boards, Cabinets, iPad charging carts, radios, TV’s computers, electronic learning devices, heavy machinery etc.

If there are any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Dennis Martine.

Inventory Instructions PDF
Inventory Template XLSX

For Building Principals (Action)

Quarter 2 Grade Adjustment Window

from Infinite Campus Support
The grade adjustment window for Quarter 2 is open. The end time has been adjusted from January 14th to January 18th to ensure 10 school days of time for this task.
Unposted grades result in blank spaces on printed grade cards and in the parent portal. For middle and high school students unposted grades result in no credit posting to the transcript. Please review this expectation with your staff and ensure your building has a process for principals to check grades for each teacher before the end of the day, Tuesday, January 18th. This linked file has directions for reports that can help you with this.
If a teacher is struggling with the mechanics of posting grades please connect them with a staff member in your building first – often a teacher with similar courses or Instructional Coach. Most issues are specific to the way teachers have entered their assignments and marked or unmarked various options.
If the teacher and building support cannot resolve the problem send email to Infinite Campus support. Screenshots are always helpful.

Infinite Campus Parent Portals

from Student Services
All parents/guardians will need Infinite Campus Parent Portals in order to complete registration forms, submit updated information, approve student course requests, and other tasks beginning this spring. Building staff who know and have relationships with parents are a key part of this process. Please review this document and plan with your staff before district level announcements go out starting the week of January 24th.

School Improvement Plan (SIP) SMARTIE Goals Updated By Friday, 1/21/22

from Federal Programs

THANKS for your deep thinking and robust engagement in the November/December SIP Workshops! WOW – the dialogue was powerful and changes in SIPs are reflecting our deeper understanding of the SIP Impact Cycle and how that work is captured and monitored in KansaSTAR!

SMARTIE Goals should be updated in KansaSTAR by Friday, 1/21/22. As you revise, keep in mind the following:

-Revise Smart Goals to SMARTIE Goals by including data measurements for subgroups.
-Include goals for ALL the data you’re tracking (Attendance, Academics, Behavior, Academics, SEL, Graduation, Postsecondary, etc.).
-Break up content areas into separate goals to track and measure progress, celebrate successes.
-Move away from “will score proficient on the KAP in spring 2021-22” to “will demonstrate grade level expectations by spring of 2021-22” and use the specific assessments in the Performance Measures section for each goal. This approach helps to triangulate data rather than measuring success of a goal to a single assessment.
-Move away from “40%” or “50% of students will score” language to percentages that align to MTSS Tier I Goals and reflect HIGH expectations for ALL students. Move those lower percentages over to the Performance Measures section for each goal to benchmark annual progress. This approach keeps expectations HIGH, but provides a continuum to monitor progress as we increase the rigor of instruction and expand interventions, ultimately resulting in the number of students meeting grade level expectations.

Please refer to the KCK Principal Handbook School Improvement Planning resource page or call/email Lisa Walker for support!

SMARTIE Goals Worksheet PDF

For Secondary Administrators (Action)

Edgenuity Account Clean-Up and UPDATES

from Curriculum and Instruction

Reminder that you should be completing the Mid-Year Account management in Edgenuity. Please refer to the handbook for procedures. Please note that there have been some changes to these processes. Updated sections are labeled in the table of contents and any procedural changes that were added on 1/12/22 have been highlighted in yellow within the handbook.

KCKPS will begin using Clever as the sign-on process for Edgenuity later this spring. To support this transition, it is important that the updated guidelines for student account creation and for account management (clean-up) are followed. Once the transition to utilizing Clever as our SSO has occurred, student and staff Edgenuity accounts will no longer need to be manually created. We will provide more information once we are approaching the launch.

This has been emailed to coordinators on 1/13/22. Contact Wendy Elkins or Suzie Legg if you have questions.

Informational Items

For All Administrators (Informational Item)

Enough is Enough Virtual Community Forums Coming Soon

from Communications and Marketing

Since being established in 2020, the Enough is Enough program was built to inform the community on issues facing our students and address topics such as- homicide, suicide, mental health, and many more.

We know our students have a lot to deal with both in the classroom and at home, and that is why we are asking our middle and high school students to join us on Thursday, January 20^th for our virtual community forum to discuss these issues, ways to solve them, and resources available to each of them. The event will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and offer breakout rooms so students can further discuss issues going on.

Students are asked to use this link to sign up for the virtual event.

Then, on January 27^th, we will be offering a virtual session for our families, staff, and community members to address some of the top issues facing our county, our school district, and our students.

Those adults wanting to join on January 27^th can do so by using this link.

We hope to see you there.

Posted January 5, 2021

New Hire Orientation

from Human Resources – Talent Development
Here is a link to is the document that went out earlier this week. Corrections and modifications have been made, so please take a few minutes to read it carefully. I want to also let you know that we have now experienced the first new orientation process. While I think this is a very good change, we learned some things regarding the times on the schedule. I will send out the revised schedule next week. Thank you for your patience and support as we continue to improve our new hire orientation experience.

HR FAQ

from Human Resources
A reminder that we have an HR FAQ on our website. Please see this link.

Student-Centered Coaching Training for ICs

from Curriculum & Instruction

Julie Steele will be providing Student-Centered Coaching Professional Learning for all EC-12 Instructional Coaches on Tuesday, January 18th from 9am-2pm via Zoom. Instructional Coaches are already aware of this training via the District Professional Learning Calendar. Administrators DO NOT need to attend, but we wanted to make you aware of the structure and content of the day which can be found on this agenda.

Assessment Updates & Mandatory District Training

from DERA

Greetings Building Admins! With the start of the school year, DERA has several updates to share with you regarding assessments for Q3 & Q4. Please share these assessment updates with your teams; test coordinators have already been notified.

• FastBridge winter screening window is currently open (01/03-28 for EC; 01/10-28 for K-12).
• Per KSDE, 12th graders will be assessed in FastTrack Reading for both Winter & Spring. Reminder: 6-11th grade students who score below benchmark in aReading should be routed through TASN’s decision tree “FASTBridge 6th-12th Individual Decision-Making Flowchart”. Please consult the district’s companion guide “Clarifications: FASTBridge 6th-12th Reading” for further information.
• 01/04 the state released a new KITE School Cluster report to support the interpretation of the KAP Interims. They also developed grade-specific ELA/Math cluster maps as a companion.
• Virtual learning students are to be screened (FastBridge) and tested (KELPA, KAP interim/summative, ACT) at their assigned home buildings. Please make sure you connect with these students to make arrangements for successful assessment (i.e., needs regarding transportation, meals, accommodations, etc.). Reach 500 students will be tested at Central Office.
• KAP Summatives are scheduled for March 21- April 29. Please make arrangements to follow the expected testing schedule to ensure high participation, minimize fatigue, and aid in state/self-monitoring: Week 1 (03/21-25): Test Coordinators finalize user profiles and student rosters, Week 2 (03/28-04/01): Testing for ELA Week 3, (04/04-08): Testing for Math, Week 4 (04/11-15): Testing for Science, Week 5 & 6 (04/18-29): Makeups for students (Quarantine/Absent/etc.)
• KAP Summative test administrators need to complete the District’s 2022 Test Security & Ethics training before March. This training will be uploaded to Frontline. We will keep you posted on its release date.

Finally, any KCKPS staff involved in the KansasCAN web application reports need to save the date of February 22nd (Central Office staff) or February 24 (Building Admin teams), for full-day (8:30a-4p) mandatory Data Quality Certification training. The state will be providing training in 131-133 those days. This is a KESA requirement. Sign-ups will be released shortly.

Strikeout COVID Vaccine Event Coming Soon

from Communications and Marketing

Administrators, please share this info with staff and students:

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is partnering with the Wyandotte County Health Department and the Kansas City Royals to Strikeout Covid for those ages 5 to 11 for an upcoming vaccine event.

Disqualifiers for getting the vaccine:

• Sick now with any new fever, cough, chills, body aches, sore throat, fatigue, congestion, headache, shortness of breath, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of taste or smell
• Positive covid-19 test in the past 10 days
• Living with anyone who is positive currently.

Gloria Willis Middle School – Wednesday, February 2, 2022

A COVID-19 vaccine event will also be held at Gloria Willis Middle School on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Both events run from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Those youth receiving the vaccine will get a free meal on site and be able to pick up other great giveaways.

The Wyandotte County Health Department will be on hand to administer the Pfizer vaccine for those ages 5 to 11. A parent/guardian must be present at the event. No vaccines for those over 11 or booster shots will be offered. Masks are required at the event.

Standard Daily Meals & Incidental Expenses Rate Increased

from Purchasing

Beginning January 1st, the Standard Daily Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) Rate increased from $39 to $59 per day. The new rate will only apply to travel that occurs after January 1, 2022. Accompanying this message is a guide that provides information about the new rate, with examples of how to calculate for overnight and same day travel.

Questions should be directed to Wayne Correll by email, or you can call (913) 279-2270.

Electronic Reporting Forms for Injuries and Incidents

From Communications & Marketing

Just a quick reminder that many of the forms you need when it comes to incidents are now electronic.

Student injury forms have now been included to the list.

To find the reporting form for students go to this link: https://form.jotform.com/212366215525047

To make the reporting of workman’s compensation accidents less time consuming, the Supervisors Accident Report is now an electronic form.

Regardless of severity, immediate supervisors & directors are required to report all work-related injuries within 48 hours to Risk Management.

To do so, please use the following link: https://form.jotform.com/212304621025035

The Incident Report helps document any incident involving non employees.

This includes our students, visitors, parents and guardians.

The incident form is to be filled out for a number of situations including: a child is missing, if a student is injured in a way that could require medical attention in the future, police have to be called during an incident,  there is a fight,  or even to report property damage.

An example of a fight that needs to be recorded- a fight that breaks out that others are around and it may have been recorded. A fight that someone may not realize they are injured immediately but could later on in the day. Fights that do NOT need to be recorded: two kids on the playground hit each other in the arm over a ball.

There may be other incidents that could also require use of this form.

If you have questions about whether an incident falls into this category, please reach out to your IIO.

Here is a link to the Incident Report form:  https://kckps.org/incident-report/

For Building Principals

Physical Education Opt-out Form – Human Sexuality Unit

from IARC

In the past, our PE Department used an opt-in format when delivering the human sexuality and AIDS portion of our curriculum. Starting this semester, we will utilize on opt-out format. Parents who do not want their child to participate must complete the district opt-out form and return to the PE teacher. Teachers will receive details and forms this week.

Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week and Day

from Student Services

RAK Week is February 13th-19th and RAK Day is Thursday, February 17th.
We encourage you to participate in RAK Week/Day this February within your school communities. Even the smallest act of kindness can change a life! To sign up, access lesson plans, activities, and tools kits please visit the Random Acts of Kindness website.

For EC and Elementary Administrators

Connector Goals for Spring

from Diploma+

The Connector goals begin again. Below are the target goals for the spring semester.

30% Feb. 2
50% March 2
75%. March 30
90%. April 20
100% May 18

The goal is for each regular K-5 elementary teacher and every elementary counselor to share one live session with their students during the spring semester.

Please share this information with you teachers and counselors and reach out to Renee Freers if you need any assistance.

Canvas and Instructional Technology Support

from Curriculum & Instruction
In an effort to be available to support staff on the use of the Canvas, Wendy Elkins is hosting open, drop-in office hours (via zoom) in Jan. and February. These times occur on most Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can find the exact times and the zoom links on the mobile minutes. If you or your staff needs more personal assistance, you can schedule a time with Wendy Elkins using this Calendly Link.

For Secondary Administrators

Edgenuity SEL Content

from Student Services

Middle and High School Administrators, this is a reminder that your ISS/STS monitors, counselors, and social workers all have access to the Edgenuity Purpose Prep (SEL) content suite to be used for interventions with students. Our ISS/STS monitors, counselors, and social workers all received training from Edgenuity in September 2021 on how to access and utilize this platform. If you would like more information or support with utilizing this resource please contact Tracie Chauvin.

The recording the training can be found here for your reference.
Passcode: 07uK2U+m

Intervention on Purpose Content Suite Word Document

Action Items

For All Administrators (Action)

Orientation Directions

from Human Resources
Please read carefully this Word document.

New District Letterhead

from Communications

Please use this letterhead template for district communications.

Annual Inventory Reporting

from Risk Management

A new year is upon us and so is the annual inventory counts for your respective buildings, departments/offices and classrooms. Attached you will find a template to help guide you with the inventory accountability process.

We DO NOT need every pencil, paper clip and staple, as those are considered supplies.
We DO need all the electronics, furniture and equipment to be accounted for.
This includes but is not limited to: Couches, Desks, Dry-Erase Boards, Cabinets, iPad charging carts, radios, TV’s computers, electronic learning devices, heavy machinery etc.

If there are any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Dennis Martine.

Inventory Instructions PDF
Inventory Template XLSX

For Elementary Administrators

NGSS Elementary Amplify Science Program Status Survey

from Curriculum and Instruction

In an effort to support and advance science instruction and the implementation of Amplify Science, the Science Core Leadership Team would like to gather information on the status of science instruction in the district. We are requesting that all K-5 science teachers fill out this NGSS Elementary Amplify Science Program Status Survey. This is an anonymous, 27-question survey with the majority of questions being quick multiple-choice options. It should only take about 15 minutes to complete. We appreciate you encouraging your teachers to fill out this survey and finding creative ways to allow time for it. The team will use this information to better customize support for the implementation of Amplify Science. If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Beyer.

For Building Principals (Action)

School Improvement Plan (SIP) SMARTIE Goals Updated By Friday, 1/21/22

from Federal Programs

THANKS for your deep thinking and robust engagement in the November/December SIP Workshops! WOW – the dialogue was powerful and changes in SIPs are reflecting our deeper understanding of the SIP Impact Cycle and how that work is captured and monitored in KansaSTAR!

SMARTIE Goals should be updated in KansaSTAR by Friday, 1/21/22. As you revise, keep in mind the following:

-Revise Smart Goals to SMARTIE Goals by including data measurements for subgroups.
-Include goals for ALL the data you’re tracking (Attendance, Academics, Behavior, Academics, SEL, Graduation, Postsecondary, etc.).
-Break up content areas into separate goals to track and measure progress, celebrate successes.
-Move away from “will score proficient on the KAP in spring 2021-22” to “will demonstrate grade level expectations by spring of 2021-22” and use the specific assessments in the Performance Measures section for each goal. This approach helps to triangulate data rather than measuring success of a goal to a single assessment.
-Move away from “40%” or “50% of students will score” language to percentages that align to MTSS Tier I Goals and reflect HIGH expectations for ALL students. Move those lower percentages over to the Performance Measures section for each goal to benchmark annual progress. This approach keeps expectations HIGH, but provides a continuum to monitor progress as we increase the rigor of instruction and expand interventions, ultimately resulting in the number of students meeting grade level expectations.

Please refer to the KCK Principal Handbook School Improvement Planning resource page or call/email Lisa Walker for support!

SMARTIE Goals Worksheet PDF

Informational Items

For All Administrators (Informational Item)

Assessment Updates & Mandatory District Training

from DERA

Greetings Building Admins! With the start of the school year, DERA has several updates to share with you regarding assessments for Q3 & Q4. Please share these assessment updates with your teams; test coordinators have already been notified.

• FastBridge winter screening window is currently open (01/03-28 for EC; 01/10-28 for K-12).
• Per KSDE, 12th graders will be assessed in FastTrack Reading for both Winter & Spring. Reminder: 6-11th grade students who score below benchmark in aReading should be routed through TASN’s decision tree “FASTBridge 6th-12th Individual Decision-Making Flowchart”. Please consult the district’s companion guide “Clarifications: FASTBridge 6th-12th Reading” for further information.
• 01/04 the state released a new KITE School Cluster report to support the interpretation of the KAP Interims. They also developed grade-specific ELA/Math cluster maps as a companion.
• Virtual learning students are to be screened (FastBridge) and tested (KELPA, KAP interim/summative, ACT) at their assigned home buildings. Please make sure you connect with these students to make arrangements for successful assessment (i.e., needs regarding transportation, meals, accommodations, etc.). Reach 500 students will be tested at Central Office.
• KAP Summatives are scheduled for March 21- April 29. Please make arrangements to follow the expected testing schedule to ensure high participation, minimize fatigue, and aid in state/self-monitoring: Week 1 (03/21-25): Test Coordinators finalize user profiles and student rosters, Week 2 (03/28-04/01): Testing for ELA Week 3, (04/04-08): Testing for Math, Week 4 (04/11-15): Testing for Science, Week 5 & 6 (04/18-29): Makeups for students (Quarantine/Absent/etc.)
• KAP Summative test administrators need to complete the District’s 2022 Test Security & Ethics training before March. This training will be uploaded to Frontline. We will keep you posted on its release date.

Finally, any KCKPS staff involved in the KansasCAN web application reports need to save the date of February 22nd (Central Office staff) or February 24 (Building Admin teams), for full-day (8:30a-4p) mandatory Data Quality Certification training. The state will be providing training in 131-133 those days. This is a KESA requirement. Sign-ups will be released shortly.

Clever, Canvas and Other Instructional Software Reminder

from Curriculum & Instruction

Just a friendly reminder that it takes 24-48 hours for new students to become active in all instructional software platforms (Clever, Canvas, etc). If a student’s schedule is changed, it will take 24-48 hours for that change to be reflected in any instructional software.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Julie Leach or Wendy Elkins.

**Please share with staff**

Field Trip Request

from Transportation

Please remember to submit your Field Trip request at least two weeks in advance. All Field Trip requests must be submitted with 9 am departure time and arrive back to the home school no later than 2 pm (M,T,TH,F) and 9 am to 12 pm (W only). Anything currently in the field trip system outside of the current parameters, we will try to accommodate. Transportation currently unable to honor request outside of this timeframe. If you have any field trip questions, please contact Shameka Brown at 913-627-3100.

Environmental Ed Certification Through KACEE

from NEA-KCK

A message from Kansas Association For Conservation & Environmental Education (KACEE):

We, at KACEE, are very excited to have launched our eeCourses and eeCredentials during this past Fall semester and we have our Spring semester schedule up and running and ready for folks to register. We share this information out through our website, our newsletters, and social media but an area that we would be so grateful to have your help and expertise in is sharing this out at a local, regional, or even state level.

This Spring we are offering an assortment of opportunity to for professional development, graduate credit, resources, lesson plans, activities that will help connect our students with the environment. There is opportunities for early childhood through high school teachers. Below are the dates and information about each opportunity. A flyer is also attached here.

Spring Semester 2022
KACEE eeCourses and eeCredentials

Feb 7 – Apr 15 eeDoubleCourse $100 ~ 1 graduate credit hour available (additional $85) ~ approximately 4 hrs per week ~ receive PLT, WILD, WET, WILD Aquatic, and either LEP or GUW & PLT Early Childhood
Feb 7 – Apr 15 Kansas Green School Leader eeCredential $125 ~ 1 graduate credit hour available (additional $85) ~ receive PLT, WILD, WET, WILD Aquatic, and either LEP or GUW & PLT Early Childhood
Feb 7 – Feb 25 Project Learning Tree & Project WILD eeCourse $50 ~ approximately 4 hrs per week~ receive PLT and WILD
Feb 28 – Mar 28 Project WET & Project WILD Aquatic eeCourse $50 ~ approximately 3 hrs per week ~ receive WET and WILD Aquatic
Mar 28 – Apr 15 Leopold Education Project eeCourse $50 ~ approximately 4 hrs per week ~ receive LEP
Mar 28 – Apr 15 Growing Up WILD & PLT Early Childhood eeCourse $50 ~ approximately 4 hrs per week ~ receive GUW & PLT Early Childhood

Questions? Contact Ashlyn Kite-Hartwich at akite@kacee.org phone:785-889-4384
To register or for more information click this link.

Strikeout COVID Vaccine Events Coming Soon

from Communications and Marketing

Administrators, please share this info with staff and students:

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is partnering with the Wyandotte County Health Department and the Kansas City Royals to Strikeout Covid for those ages 5 to 11 for three upcoming vaccine events.

Disqualifiers for getting the vaccine:

• Sick now with any new fever, cough, chills, body aches, sore throat, fatigue, congestion, headache, shortness of breath, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of taste or smell
• Positive covid-19 test in the past 10 days
• Living with anyone who is positive currently.

Gloria Willis Middle School – Wednesday January  12, 2022, and Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Two days after the last Grant event, we will have another COVID-19 vaccine event on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, this time at Gloria Willis Middle School, located at 1735 N. 64th Terrace in Kansas City, Kansas. Another COVID-19 vaccine event will also be held at Gloria Willis Middle School on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Both events run from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Those youth receiving the vaccine will get a free meal on site and be able to pick up other great giveaways.

The Wyandotte County Health Department will be on hand to administer the Pfizer vaccine for those ages 5 to 11. A parent/guardian must be present at the event. No vaccines for those over 11 or booster shots will be offered. Masks are required at the event.

Supportlinc EAP Services

from Employee Wellness

Beginning January 1, our EAP is now through Supportlinc.

SupportLinc offers confidential and professional support, including the following resources, at no cost to you or your family:

SHORT-TERM COUNSELING Through SupportLinc, all employees and benefit-eligible family members may receive up to six (6) in-person counseling sessions with a licensed clinician to address issues such as depression, stress, relationship problems, grief, substance abuse, anxiety or other emotional health concerns.

FREE LEGAL SERVICES The SupportLinc program provides free telephonic or (30-minute) face-to-face consultation with a local attorney.

EXPERT REFERRALS SupportLinc’s knowledgeable specialists provide referrals to resources that help address a wide range of issues such as child or elder care, adoption, pet care, home repair, education and housing needs.

FREE FINANCIAL SERVICES SupportLinc provides expert financial planning and consultation through our network of licensed financial counselors.

WEB PORTAL The SupportLinc web portal provides access to thousands of articles, tip sheets and videos covering a wide array of health, well-being and work-life balance topics. The site also contains child and elder care search engines, reference libraries, legal and financial resources, self-improvement programs and educational training modules.

MOBILE APP The SupportLinc eConnect® mobile app allows you to talk or chat directly with a SupportLinc counselor or schedule a time for SupportLinc to call you.

TEXT THERAPY Exchange text messages, voicenotes and resources Monday – Friday with a licensed counselor for up to six (6) weeks, through the Textcoach® mobile and desktop app.

ANIMO Animo is SupportLinc’s personalized digital resource that strengthens mental health and overall wellbeing through a dynamic series of self-directed modules. (password to access: kckps)

NAVIGATOR Take the guesswork out of your emotional fitness. Click the Navigator icon on the web portal or mobile app, complete a short survey and receive personalized guidance for accessing program support and resources.

All requests for information or assistance through the SupportLinc program are free of charge and completely confidential. You can contact SupportLinc anytime, around-the-clock, 365 days a year. To get started, call 1-888-881-5462, or log in to the SupportLinc website www.supportlinc.com or eConnect® mobile app with username kckps.

Standard Daily Meals & Incidental Expenses Rate Increased

from Purchasing

Beginning January 1st, the Standard Daily Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) Rate increased from $39 to $59 per day. The new rate will only apply to travel that occurs after January 1, 2022. Accompanying this message is a guide that provides information about the new rate, with examples of how to calculate for overnight and same day travel.

Questions should be directed to Wayne Correll by email, or you can call (913) 279-2270.

EAP Letter

from Human Resources

Please see this PDF document for EAP information.

Electronic Reporting Forms for Injuries and Incidents

From Communications & Marketing

Just a quick reminder that many of the forms you need when it comes to incidents are now electronic.

Student injury forms have now been included to the list.

To find the reporting form for students go to this link: https://form.jotform.com/212366215525047

To make the reporting of workman’s compensation accidents less time consuming, the Supervisors Accident Report is now an electronic form.

Regardless of severity, immediate supervisors & directors are required to report all work-related injuries within 48 hours to Risk Management.

To do so, please use the following link: https://form.jotform.com/212304621025035

The Incident Report helps document any incident involving non employees.

This includes our students, visitors, parents and guardians.

The incident form is to be filled out for a number of situations including: a child is missing, if a student is injured in a way that could require medical attention in the future, police have to be called during an incident,  there is a fight,  or even to report property damage.

An example of a fight that needs to be recorded- a fight that breaks out that others are around and it may have been recorded. A fight that someone may not realize they are injured immediately but could later on in the day. Fights that do NOT need to be recorded: two kids on the playground hit each other in the arm over a ball.

There may be other incidents that could also require use of this form.

If you have questions about whether an incident falls into this category, please reach out to your IIO.

Here is a link to the Incident Report form:  https://kckps.org/incident-report/

For Building Principals

Physical Education Opt-out Form – Human Sexuality Unit

from IARC

In the past, our PE Department used an opt-in format when delivering the human sexuality and AIDS portion of our curriculum. Starting this semester, we will utilize on opt-out format. Parents who do not want their child to participate must complete the district opt-out form and return to the PE teacher. Teachers will receive details and forms this week.

Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week and Day

from Student Services

RAK Week is February 13th-19th and RAK Day is Thursday, February 17th.
We encourage you to participate in RAK Week/Day this February within your school communities. Even the smallest act of kindness can change a life! To sign up, access lesson plans, activities, and tools kits please visit the Random Acts of Kindness website.

For EC and Elementary Administrators

Connector Goals for Spring

from Diploma+

The Connector goals begin again. Below are the target goals for the spring semester.

30% Feb. 2
50% March 2
75%. March 30
90%. April 20
100% May 18

The goal is for each regular K-5 elementary teacher and every elementary counselor to share one live session with their students during the spring semester.

Please share this information with you teachers and counselors and reach out to Renee Freers if you need any assistance.

Canvas and Instructional Technology Support

from Curriculum & Instruction
In an effort to be available to support staff on the use of the Canvas, Wendy Elkins is hosting open, drop-in office hours (via zoom) in Jan. and February. These times occur on most Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can find the exact times and the zoom links on the mobile minutes. If you or your staff needs more personal assistance, you can schedule a time with Wendy Elkins using this Calendly Link.

Elementary Reading Intervention Cadre

from Curriculum & Instruction
The C&I Department is seeking K-5 Reading Interventionists and/or Instructional Coaches to engage in a cadre that will review reading intervention materials for potential adoption. This cadre will be meeting for a few hours monthly during the school day. The building administrator’s approval will be required prior to cadre selections being announced. For more information about the cadre and to view the application click this link. If you have any questions, please contact Allison Rice.

LETRS Asynchronous Learning Clarification

from  Professional Workforce Development

LETRS Asynchronous Learning Clarification: During the second semester, there are a total of six Wednesday afternoons designated to complete the Unit 2 LETRS Asynchronous Learning. All LETRS Units have a total of eight “sessions” for learners to complete; this means participants will have time to complete MORE THAN ONE session per Wednesday Afternoon. For specific time estimates for each Session, within each Unit, please go back to the: LETRS-Estimated-Time-by-Unit document.

Principals, you will need to let your IDP reps know who has completed the Asynchronous Learning to receive the PD points in Frontline. For Unit 1 a total of 11 hours should now be awarded in Frontline. Then, after Unit 2 is complete in April, a total of 12 hours will be awarded in Frontline. For specific LETRS PD dates, please see the 21-22 KCKPS District PD Calendar.

All Asynchronous Learning for Unit 1 was expected to be completed by:

• Dec 8, 2021

All Asynchronous Learning for Unit 2 is expected to be completed by:

• April 20, 2022 for 9:00 Elementary Schools

• April 27, 2022 for 8:30 Elementary Schools

As a reminder, the Zoom links for the LETRS PD sessions have been added to the Early Childhood tab and the Elementary Curriculum tab of the 21-22 District Content PD – Locations/Links document. Some schools have been grouped together for the LETRS training, please use the unique Zoom link provided for your school. Training materials have also been linked within the document.

For Secondary Administrators

Edgenuity SEL Content

from Student Services

Middle and High School Administrators, this is a reminder that your ISS/STS monitors, counselors, and social workers all have access to the Edgenuity Purpose Prep (SEL) content suite to be used for interventions with students. Our ISS/STS monitors, counselors, and social workers all received training from Edgenuity in September 2021 on how to access and utilize this platform. If you would like more information or support with utilizing this resource please contact Tracie Chauvin.

The recording the training can be found here for your reference.
Passcode: 07uK2U+m

Intervention on Purpose Content Suite Word Document

Action Items

For All Administrators (Action)

Please Vote for Our Science of Reading Star Award Finalist

from Communications and Marketing

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is happy to announce we have a finalist for Amplify’s 2021 Science of Reading Star Award. This national award honors district leaders that drive or have driven change using the Science of Reading. Today we want you to meet Alli Rice who is up for the big award. Let’s show Alli some KCKPS love – click here and vote (scroll to the bottom of the page to cast your vote). You can vote as many times as you like – but voting also ends at some point today!

KCKPS Procedures for Terminating Staff Credentials

from Federal Programs

When staff members exit the district, cross-department collaboration is needed to terminate credentials and remove access for former employees to district systems. Department supervisors, building principals, Human Resources, and TIS have specific actions that must be taken in order to ensure safety and integrity of district level systems.

Please review the KCKPS Procedures for Terminating Staff Credentials developed by Human Resources, TIS and Federal Programs. Yellow and orange highlights outline critical steps department supervisors and building principals must take in this process.

The KCKPS Procedures for Terminating Staff Credentials is located in the KCKPS Human Resources Administrator’s Guide.

New District Letterhead

from Communications

Please use this letterhead template for district communications.

Annual Inventory Reporting

from Risk Management

A new year is upon us and so is the annual inventory counts for your respective buildings, departments/offices and classrooms. Attached you will find a template to help guide you with the inventory accountability process.

We DO NOT need every pencil, paper clip and staple, as those are considered supplies.
We DO need all the electronics, furniture and equipment to be accounted for.
This includes but is not limited to: Couches, Desks, Dry-Erase Boards, Cabinets, iPad charging carts, radios, TV’s computers, electronic learning devices, heavy machinery etc.

If there are any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Dennis Martine.

Inventory Instructions PDF
Inventory Template XLSX

For Elementary Administrators

NGSS Elementary Amplify Science Program Status Survey

from Curriculum and Instruction

In an effort to support and advance science instruction and the implementation of Amplify Science, the Science Core Leadership Team would like to gather information on the status of science instruction in the district. We are requesting that all K-5 science teachers fill out this NGSS Elementary Amplify Science Program Status Survey. This is an anonymous, 27-question survey with the majority of questions being quick multiple-choice options. It should only take about 15 minutes to complete. We appreciate you encouraging your teachers to fill out this survey and finding creative ways to allow time for it. The team will use this information to better customize support for the implementation of Amplify Science. If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Beyer.

Informational Items

For All Administrators (Informational Item)

Strikeout COVID Vaccine Events Coming Soon

from Communications and Marketing

Administrators, please share this info with staff and students:

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is partnering with the Wyandotte County Health Department and the Kansas City Royals to Strikeout Covid for those ages 5 to 11 for three upcoming vaccine events.

Disqualifiers for getting the vaccine:

• Sick now with any new fever, cough, chills, body aches, sore throat, fatigue, congestion, headache, shortness of breath, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of taste or smell
• Positive covid-19 test in the past 10 days
• Living with anyone who is positive currently.

Grant Elementary School – Monday, January 10, 2022

The next COVID-19 vaccine event for KCKPS that focuses on our community’s youth will take place on Monday, January 10^th from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at Grant Elementary School, located at 1510 N. 4^th Street in Kansas City, Kansas.

Gloria Willis Middle School – Wednesday January  12, 2022, and Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Two days after the last Grant event, we will have another COVID-19 vaccine event on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, this time at Gloria Willis Middle School, located at 1735 N. 64th Terrace in Kansas City, Kansas. Another COVID-19 vaccine event will also be held at Gloria Willis Middle School on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Both events run from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Those youth receiving the vaccine will get a free meal on site and be able to pick up other great giveaways.

The Wyandotte County Health Department will be on hand to administer the Pfizer vaccine for those ages 5 to 11. A parent/guardian must be present at the event. No vaccines for those over 11 or booster shots will be offered. Masks are required at the event.

Interested in Hosting a Blood Drive?

from Heather Hamtil
Interested in hosting a blood drive or interested in finding out more? Contact Heather Hamtil to see how and if your school, department or building might like to get involved in helping others in our community.

Change to COVID-19 Testing Procedures

From Health Services

Effective immediately, the lab that is currently processing our Employee COVID-19 testing has decided to stop accepting saliva tests.  We are in the process of switching to another lab, and for now we will ONLY be administering nasal tests.  If you are in need of a saliva test, please try your local health department, pharmacy, or provider.  We are tentatively scheduled to start administering saliva tests again on February 1, 2022.  Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

KCKPS Mobile Minute

from Curriculum and Instruction

Click here for the latest edition of the KCKPS Mobile Minute. Within this edition, you will find information on drop-in Canvas hours, where to find the status of different software, K-5 Canvas Math Modules, and much more!

De-Escalation PD

from NEA-KCK
NEA-KCK and Wyandotte United are sponsoring a members only event February 10, 2022. STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR. The event will be held at the KCKPS Central Office and Training Center – Room 131. Time: 5:00-6:30pm. RSVP by 2/10 at 4pm.

De-Escalation PD Info PDF

PD points are available; click here to sign up.

For more information, contact Dom DeRosa.

Supportlinc EAP Services

from Employee Wellness

Beginning January 1, our EAP is now through Supportlinc.

SupportLinc offers confidential and professional support, including the following resources, at no cost to you or your family:

SHORT-TERM COUNSELING Through SupportLinc, all employees and benefit-eligible family members may receive up to six (6) in-person counseling sessions with a licensed clinician to address issues such as depression, stress, relationship problems, grief, substance abuse, anxiety or other emotional health concerns.

FREE LEGAL SERVICES The SupportLinc program provides free telephonic or (30-minute) face-to-face consultation with a local attorney.

EXPERT REFERRALS SupportLinc’s knowledgeable specialists provide referrals to resources that help address a wide range of issues such as child or elder care, adoption, pet care, home repair, education and housing needs.

FREE FINANCIAL SERVICES SupportLinc provides expert financial planning and consultation through our network of licensed financial counselors.

WEB PORTAL The SupportLinc web portal provides access to thousands of articles, tip sheets and videos covering a wide array of health, well-being and work-life balance topics. The site also contains child and elder care search engines, reference libraries, legal and financial resources, self-improvement programs and educational training modules.

MOBILE APP The SupportLinc eConnect® mobile app allows you to talk or chat directly with a SupportLinc counselor or schedule a time for SupportLinc to call you.

TEXT THERAPY Exchange text messages, voicenotes and resources Monday – Friday with a licensed counselor for up to six (6) weeks, through the Textcoach® mobile and desktop app.

ANIMO Animo is SupportLinc’s personalized digital resource that strengthens mental health and overall wellbeing through a dynamic series of self-directed modules. (password to access: kckps)

NAVIGATOR Take the guesswork out of your emotional fitness. Click the Navigator icon on the web portal or mobile app, complete a short survey and receive personalized guidance for accessing program support and resources.

All requests for information or assistance through the SupportLinc program are free of charge and completely confidential. You can contact SupportLinc anytime, around-the-clock, 365 days a year. To get started, call 1-888-881-5462, or log in to the SupportLinc website www.supportlinc.com or eConnect® mobile app with username kckps.

Revised Orientation Schedule

from Human Resources

This is a reminder to all principals and supervisors that the orientation for all new hires (certified and classified) has changed beginning January 12, 13, 14, 2022. All new hires will receive an email of all the orientation details and logistics from Sherrie Piedimonte on the Friday prior to the BOE meetings. If you have any questions, please contact Sherrie via email or 913.234.8902.

Revised Orientation (Word Document)

Standard Daily Meals & Incidental Expenses Rate Increased

from Purchasing

Beginning January 1st, the Standard Daily Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) Rate increased from $39 to $59 per day. The new rate will only apply to travel that occurs after January 1, 2022. Accompanying this message is a guide that provides information about the new rate, with examples of how to calculate for overnight and same day travel.

Questions should be directed to Wayne Correll by email, or you can call (913) 279-2270.

EAP Letter

from Human Resources

Please see this PDF document for EAP information.

Electronic Reporting Forms for Injuries and Incidents

From Communications & Marketing

Just a quick reminder that many of the forms you need when it comes to incidents are now electronic.

Student injury forms have now been included to the list.

To find the reporting form for students go to this link: https://form.jotform.com/212366215525047

To make the reporting of workman’s compensation accidents less time consuming, the Supervisors Accident Report is now an electronic form.

Regardless of severity, immediate supervisors & directors are required to report all work-related injuries within 48 hours to Risk Management.

To do so, please use the following link: https://form.jotform.com/212304621025035

The Incident Report helps document any incident involving non employees.

This includes our students, visitors, parents and guardians.

The incident form is to be filled out for a number of situations including: a child is missing, if a student is injured in a way that could require medical attention in the future, police have to be called during an incident,  there is a fight,  or even to report property damage.

An example of a fight that needs to be recorded- a fight that breaks out that others are around and it may have been recorded. A fight that someone may not realize they are injured immediately but could later on in the day. Fights that do NOT need to be recorded: two kids on the playground hit each other in the arm over a ball.

There may be other incidents that could also require use of this form.

If you have questions about whether an incident falls into this category, please reach out to your IIO.

Here is a link to the Incident Report form:  https://kckps.org/incident-report/

For Building Principals

Physical Education Opt-out Form – Human Sexuality Unit

from IARC

In the past, our PE Department used an opt-in format when delivering the human sexuality and AIDS portion of our curriculum. Starting this semester, we will utilize on opt-out format. Parents who do not want their child to participate must complete the district opt-out form and return to the PE teacher. Teachers will receive details and forms this week.

Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week and Day

from Student Services

RAK Week is February 13th-19th and RAK Day is Thursday, February 17th.
We encourage you to participate in RAK Week/Day this February within your school communities. Even the smallest act of kindness can change a life! To sign up, access lesson plans, activities, and tools kits please visit the Random Acts of Kindness website.

Reminder – Mentor Training in January

from Professional Workforce Development

Mentors are required to attend the training. All sessions will be virtual. A Zoom link and training materials will be sent to the Mentors a week prior to the training. Again, this training is only for Mentors; mentees do not attend. The 21-22 KCKPS District PD Calendar has been updated to reflect these changes and I have emailed all the mentors.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

• High School Mentors 1:00-3:00

• Middle School and Sumner Mentors 1:30-3:30

• 8:30 Elementary School Mentors 4:00-6:00

• 9:00 Elementary School Mentors 4:30-6:30 

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

• • High School Mentors 1:00-3:00

  • Middle School and Sumner Mentors 1:30-3:30

  • 8:30 Elementary School Mentors 4:00-6:00

  • 9:00 Elementary School Mentors 4:30-6:30

For EC and Elementary Administrators

Elementary Reading Intervention Cadre

from Curriculum & Instruction
The C&I Department is seeking K-5 Reading Interventionists and/or Instructional Coaches to engage in a cadre that will review reading intervention materials for potential adoption. This cadre will be meeting for a few hours monthly during the school day. The building administrator’s approval will be required prior to cadre selections being announced. For more information about the cadre and to view the application click this link. If you have any questions, please contact Allison Rice.

LETRS Asynchronous Learning Clarification

from  Professional Workforce Development

LETRS Asynchronous Learning Clarification: During the second semester, there are a total of six Wednesday afternoons designated to complete the Unit 2 LETRS Asynchronous Learning. All LETRS Units have a total of eight “sessions” for learners to complete; this means participants will have time to complete MORE THAN ONE session per Wednesday Afternoon. For specific time estimates for each Session, within each Unit, please go back to the: LETRS-Estimated-Time-by-Unit document.

Principals, you will need to let your IDP reps know who has completed the Asynchronous Learning to receive the PD points in Frontline. For Unit 1 a total of 11 hours should now be awarded in Frontline. Then, after Unit 2 is complete in April, a total of 12 hours will be awarded in Frontline. For specific LETRS PD dates, please see the 21-22 KCKPS District PD Calendar.

All Asynchronous Learning for Unit 1 was expected to be completed by:

• Dec 8, 2021

All Asynchronous Learning for Unit 2 is expected to be completed by:

• April 20, 2022 for 9:00 Elementary Schools

• April 27, 2022 for 8:30 Elementary Schools

As a reminder, the Zoom links for the LETRS PD sessions have been added to the Early Childhood tab and the Elementary Curriculum tab of the 21-22 District Content PD – Locations/Links document. Some schools have been grouped together for the LETRS training, please use the unique Zoom link provided for your school. Training materials have also been linked within the document.

Action Items

For All Administrators (Action)

KCKPS Procedures for Terminating Staff Credentials

from Federal Programs

When staff members exit the district, cross-department collaboration is needed to terminate credentials and remove access for former employees to district systems. Department supervisors, building principals, Human Resources, and TIS have specific actions that must be taken in order to ensure safety and integrity of district level systems.

Please review the KCKPS Procedures for Terminating Staff Credentials developed by Human Resources, TIS and Federal Programs. Yellow and orange highlights outline critical steps department supervisors and building principals must take in this process.

The KCKPS Procedures for Terminating Staff Credentials is located in the KCKPS Human Resources Administrator’s Guide.

New District Letterhead

from Communications

Please use this letterhead template for district communications.

Annual Inventory Reporting

from Risk Management

A new year is upon us and so is the annual inventory counts for your respective buildings, departments/offices and classrooms. Attached you will find a template to help guide you with the inventory accountability process.

We DO NOT need every pencil, paper clip and staple, as those are considered supplies.
We DO need all the electronics, furniture and equipment to be accounted for.
This includes but is not limited to: Couches, Desks, Dry-Erase Boards, Cabinets, iPad charging carts, radios, TV’s computers, electronic learning devices, heavy machinery etc.

If there are any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Dennis Martine.

Inventory Instructions PDF
Inventory Template XLSX

Informational Items

For All Administrators (Informational Item)

PACT Program

from Student Services

Our Positive Alternatives for Children in Trouble Program known as PACT is a drug and alcohol program that offers addiction prevention to those middle and high school students who are first-time offenders with possession and/or use of alcohol or other drugs. We work in collaboration with amazing community partners such as the Community Health Council of Wyandotte County, Kansas Assistance Network, First Call, and other organizations that help us provide additional support and resources to families in need. One of the resources we currently use is the Coping and Support Training Curriculum from Reconnecting Youth known as CAST. CAST is a school-based, small group counseling program for at-risk youth to help reduce alcohol and hard drug use, among other positive outcomes, in youth. This is offered in sessions that are conducted in English and Spanish on Monday evenings from 6:00 – 8:00 PM.

To submit a referral, please go to the Administrator Handbook/Site – Student Services – PACT. We do ask you to please complete the contract and have it signed by the guardians BEFORE submitting the referral. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Naomi Tolentino, 913-568-0147.

Language Support

from Student Services

Please share with all staff:

We understand that language support is important and Student Services is committed to provide the necessary resources to buildings. At this time, the district has both internal and contracted interpretation services to help buildings and provide language support to families via zoom meetings, phone calls, and more. Please use the links below as a guide to find how to access those resources and request language support. This information can be found in the Principals’ Handbook.

KCKPS Language Support Guide

EAP Letter

from Human Resources

Please see this PDF document for EAP information.

Mentor Program Mid-Year Updates

from Professional Workforce Development

Step 1: Look at the tab for your school to verify all of your first and second-year teachers are listed and have a mentor. 21/22 Mentee and Mentor Match

• As you know, mentoring is a state requirement. If one of your teachers does not have a mentor, they will not be able to get their professional license from KSDE.

Step 2: Principals complete the survey 2021-22 Mid-Year Mentor Program Update by January 7, 2022.

• Principals, please complete the survey even if your list is correct; this survey will serve as verification that all your new teachers have been accounted for.

• If you have more than one new teacher and/or mentor that needs to be added to your school’s list, please complete the survey as many times as needed.

• If you have more than one new teacher and/or mentor that needs to be removed from your school’s list, please complete the survey as many times as needed.

After the surveys have been completed, I will contact the New Teachers and their mentors with all of the Mentor Program information and requirements. 

Thank you for your support for our KCKPS New Teacher Mentor Program. 

Interested in Hosting a Blood Drive?

from Heather Hamtil
Interested in hosting a blood drive or interested in finding out more? Contact Heather Hamtil to see how and if your school, department or building might like to get involved in helping others in our community.

Electronic Reporting Forms for Injuries and Incidents

From Communications & Marketing

Just a quick reminder that many of the forms you need when it comes to incidents are now electronic.

Student injury forms have now been included to the list.

To find the reporting form for students go to this link: https://form.jotform.com/212366215525047

To make the reporting of workman’s compensation accidents less time consuming, the Supervisors Accident Report is now an electronic form.

Regardless of severity, immediate supervisors & directors are required to report all work-related injuries within 48 hours to Risk Management.

To do so, please use the following link: https://form.jotform.com/212304621025035

The Incident Report helps document any incident involving non employees.

This includes our students, visitors, parents and guardians.

The incident form is to be filled out for a number of situations including: a child is missing, if a student is injured in a way that could require medical attention in the future, police have to be called during an incident,  there is a fight,  or even to report property damage.

An example of a fight that needs to be recorded- a fight that breaks out that others are around and it may have been recorded. A fight that someone may not realize they are injured immediately but could later on in the day. Fights that do NOT need to be recorded: two kids on the playground hit each other in the arm over a ball.

There may be other incidents that could also require use of this form.

If you have questions about whether an incident falls into this category, please reach out to your IIO.

Here is a link to the Incident Report form:  https://kckps.org/incident-report/

For Elementary Administrators

PD Calendar Updates for Second Semester

from Professional Workforce Development

There have been a few changes to the 21-22 KCKPS District PD Calendar.

EC/Elementary LETRS PD:

The Zoom links for the LETRS PD sessions have been added to the Early Childhood tab and the Elementary Curriculum tab of the 21-22 District Content PD – Locations/Links document. Some schools have been grouped together for the LETRS training, please use the unique Zoom link provided for your school. Training materials have also been linked within the document.

For the LETRS PD via Zoom, schools are encouraged to have staff meet together, either in small groups, or whole-group, depending on the size of your staff. Please note, everyone will still need to bring their laptop to be able to engage in the online activities as directed by the LETRS presenter.

When clicking on the Zoom link, it will take you to a registration page; it is NOT necessary for every teacher to register individually for each session. Just consider entering the registration information as “credentials for accessing training” so someone at each location will need to login with the appropriate link to broadcast it for the group.

Because the trainers are not in-person to monitor the discussions and answer questions, please have at least one person capture questions and/or concerns from the group to send to the trainer after each session.

Unit 1 – Synchronous Zoom Sessions

• 8:30 Elementary Schools – Jan 12, Jan 26, and Feb 23 (2:00-4:00)

• 9:00 Elementary Schools – Jan 19, Feb 9, and Mar 2 (2:30-4:30)

• All sessions above will be facilitated over Zoom by certified LETRS trainers from Voyager Sopris Learning trainers.

• March 11 (9:00-11:00) LETRS PD – Makeup Sessions – For learners who missed any of the three dates listed above. Facilitated by KCKPS trainers.

Unit 2 – Synchronous Zoom Sessions

• 8:30 Elementary Schools – Mar 30, Apr 20, and May 11 (2:00-4:00)

• 9:00 Elementary Schools – Apr 13, Apr 27, and May 18 (2:30-4:30)

• All sessions above will be facilitated over Zoom by certified LETRS trainers from Voyager Sopris Learning trainers.

• May 27 (9:00-11:00) LETRS PD – Makeup Sessions – For learners who missed any of the three dates listed above. Facilitated by KCKPS trainers.

For Secondary Administrators

PD Calendar Update

from Professional Workforce Development

There have been a few changes to the 21-22 KCKPS District PD Calendar. 

Secondary PD:

As we continue to monitor and adjust, Middle School and High School principals have requested additional time to meet in Building PD. The following changes have been made:

Additional Building PD for Secondary Schools:

• January 26 – Building PD for MS (No longer a MS Content PD day)

• March 2 – Building PD for HS (No longer a HS Content PD day)

• March 30 – Building PD for MS (No longer a MS Content PD day)

• April 13 – Building PD for HS (No longer a HS Content PD day)

These changes are also reflected on the District Content PD – Locations/Links document.

For Building Principals

Reminder – Mentor Training in January

from Professional Workforce Development

Mentors are required to attend the training. All sessions will be virtual. A Zoom link and training materials will be sent to the Mentors a week prior to the training. Again, this training is only for Mentors; mentees do not attend. The 21-22 KCKPS District PD Calendar has been updated to reflect these changes and I have emailed all the mentors.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

• High School Mentors 1:00-3:00

• Middle School and Sumner Mentors 1:30-3:30

• 8:30 Elementary School Mentors 4:00-6:00

• 9:00 Elementary School Mentors 4:30-6:30 

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

• • High School Mentors 1:00-3:00

  • Middle School and Sumner Mentors 1:30-3:30

  • 8:30 Elementary School Mentors 4:00-6:00

  • 9:00 Elementary School Mentors 4:30-6:30