Latest news with #WichitaPublicSchools
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Former Wichita teacher charged with unlawful sexual relations with a student
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A Wichita teacher made her first appearance in Sedgwick County District Court and was charged with four counts of unlawful sexual relations with a student. Nicole M. Baird was arrested on May 22 at a home in west Wichita. According to court documents, the student was over 16 and was enrolled at the school where Baird was employed. During the first appearance on Thursday, a judge set Baird's bail at 50,000. She posted bond and was released. Her next court appearance is set for June 16. $4 million drug bust turns heads on I-70 A spokesperson for Wichita Public Schools would not disclose where Baird teaches; however, KSN has learned that she teaches art at Wichita North High, according to the district's website. The district placed her on paid administrative leave, but on Friday, the district confirmed that she is no longer an employee. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wichita Public Schools launch community engagement survey
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Wichita Public Schools is launching a community engagement survey to gather input from families, staff, and the community. USD 259 hopes to gain a deeper understanding of public perceptions surrounding school funding, facilities, district communication, and overall community awareness. 'The survey will be a powerful tool for better understanding how our community perceives our schools, how connected they feel to our district, and how deeply they trust us to educate the next generation of workers and leaders,' Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld said. Summer Food Program begins for Wichita kids The district says the feedback will help guide future decision-making, ensuring that resources and strategies align with the community's needs and expectations. 'We want to make sure that our families hear from us, and we want to make sure that we hear from them, and so we want to make sure that we get the data we need to help move forward, so to help make informed decisions to make sure our students are future-ready,' Susan Arensman with USD 259 said. The survey includes 23 questions and takes approximately 5–10 minutes to complete. Click here to take the survey. It will remain open throughout June, and WPS plans to share the results in the fall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Free breakfast, lunch for kids in Summer Food Program
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Starting next Wednesday, children ages 1-18 can get free breakfasts and lunches through the Wichita Public Schools Summer Food Program. Any child in the community can participate, even if they do not attend Wichita schools. The meals will be offered May 28 through July 25 at more than 33 sites. Almost all the meals will be at dine-in sites, where children must be present and the meals must be eaten on site. No application or registration is needed. Load of trouble: Trooper catches risky haul near Emporia Adults are welcome to buy a meal. An adult breakfast costs $3.25, and an adult lunch costs $5.50. Bring exact change. The map below shows the locations and times for the dine-in sites. There will be one location that offers grab-and-go meals. Because the USDA considers Southeast High School a rural school, WPS can offer weekly bags of grab-and-go meals at the school. Children do not need to be present for the grab-and-go option, but a parent or guardian must pick up the weeklong supply of meals between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. each Wednesday. Weekly online registration is required and will be capped at 3,000 children. Visit for more information and to register. All sites will be closed July 3 and 4. Some sites may be closed on additional dates. The Kansas State Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture sponsor the Summer Food Service Program, which Wichita Public Schools has administered since 1982. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Voters on Goddard's proposed $196 million school bond
GODDARD, Kan. (KSNW) — Goddard is the latest district in a wave asking voters for approval. The school district argues that the bond will improve the lives of its students and attract new ones, but the nearly $200 million price tag is of concern to some voters. At $196 million, USD 265 guarantees the bond will not increase the mill levy tax rate more than 10.25 mills. This translates to roughly $9 a month per $100,000 of appraised home value. Nobody is denying the cost; where the contention lies is whether the cost of stimulating growth is worth the price. 'With more and more housing developments being built and more and more families moving in. The schools are bound to become overcrowded and overwhelmed,' Rachel Purdy, a Goddard voter in favor of the bond, said. Wichita Public Schools lays off 16 employees, making up for budget shortfall With new housing developments coming to the city and a population boom projection, Purdy thinks the tax is worth it. Others in Goddard disagree, arguing that extra money would unfairly impact Goddard's current citizens in favor of new ones. The school district addressed that concern head-on. 'We hope our community answers the challenge,' Dane Baxa, a Goodard school district spokesperson, said. 'The challenge is here. We've got 1,000 new students in the next 5 years, 2,000 in the next decade — it's a 30% increase. We just don't have any capacity left at our elementary schools.' They say it is their obligation to anyone living in Goddard. 'We know that the kids are coming. We don't have a whole lot to say about the developments, but we do have a whole lot to say about education and the students that enter our doors,' Ashley Miller, principal of Oak Street Elementary, said. Voters approved the last school bond eight years ago in 2017. Supporters argue that another bond so soon is necessary to spur continued growth. 'One of the reasons that my family came here and that I came here and that I stayed here is because Goddard has stayed ahead of the growth,' Miller said. Advanced ballots closed Monday, and in-person voting opens Tuesday at 7 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
School bus in crash in west Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Eleven students were on a Wichita school bus that crashed Friday afternoon in west Wichita. A spokesperson for Wichita Public Schools said the children from Brooks Middle School were not injured. The crash happened around 2:45 p.m. at Meridian Avenue and McCormick Street, just south of Kellogg. Sedgwick County dispatchers tell KSN News that the bus and an SUV collided, and one person suffered minor injuries. The school district spokesperson said another school bus arrived to take the children home. We will update this story as more information becomes available. Charter bus headed to Emporia had liquid meth instead of passengers For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
