The Prairie Hills USD No. 113 Board of Education (BOE) met at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at Axtell Public School. Board members present were Leslie Scoby, Kathy Lippert, Jim Scoby, Ann Shaughnessy, Tim Aberle, Todd Grimes and Stan Keim via phone. Also present was Superintendent Rob McKim, Board Clerk Kaitlin Shafer, Director of Learning and Teaching Curtis Hamilton, and Building Administrators Nate Bauman, Andrew Lillie and Whitney McGinnis. Three guests were present. Not present was Sabetha Middle School Principal Matt Garber.

The board adopted the agenda as presented.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Rhonda Hasenkamp of Axtell thanked the board for allowing Axtell schools to co-op with Sabetha for softball. Rhonda Hasenkamp said her daughter — Regan Hasenkamp — has been enjoying playing with the team for the past two years.

Regan Hasenkamp, Axtell Student Council President, gave the board an update on their projects that they have been working on this year, such as Eagle Pals, Homecoming and more. Regan Hasenkamp also thanked the board for allowing Axtell to co-op with Sabetha softball.

Administrative Reports

The board received written reports from building administrators Nathan Bauman, Andrew Lillie, Matt Garber and Whitney McGinnis, as well as Director of Learning and Teaching Curtis Hamilton.

Axtell Public School: McGinnis’ written report highlighted a donation made by the Eagle Booster Club; Manhattan Technical College brings its Career Lab to Axtell; the K-2 field trip to Rokeyroad Creamery and Sycamore Springs; Eagles Pals kicking off on Sept. 30; the new security cameras; and upcoming events.

Sabetha High School: Bauman’s written report highlighted a look into six different classrooms, including Mr. McCoy (Science and Woods), Mrs. Smith (Art), Mr. Edelman (Fin. Literacy & FACS), Mrs. Stallbaumer (Math), Mr. Ackley (English) and Mrs. Evans (School Counseling); seniors participating in Apply Kansas activities; juniors taking the WorkKeys exam; freshmen taking the PreACT exam; sophomores participated in various community service activities; three foreign exchange students who are attending SHS; sports accomplishments; assessment scores; and upcoming events.

Sabetha Middle School: Garber’s written report highlighted Grandparents Day with approximately 247 adults attending during the three-day event; sports teams are wrapping up their fall seasons; Red Ribbon Week; United 4 Youth tailgate party; parent teacher conferences; the SMS Auditorium Sound System; and the SMS Facebook Page.

Sabetha Elementary School: Lillie’s written report highlighted FastBridge screening has finished; Fire Safety Day; parent-teacher conferences; the character trait of the month for September was “respect;” and upcoming events.

Director of Teaching and Learning: Hamilton’s written report highlighted that they had completed their second share out on High-Impact Instructional Practices in the classroom; building administrator walkthroughs; the MTSS Conference in Wichita; the completion of the SAEBRS and mySAEBRS assessments; completing the Local Consolidated Programs application; Title funding; professional development day; and the new state reporting system, KEDS, which also links for PowerSchool.

FastBridge Screeners

Hamilton gave a report to the board on the fall FastBridge Screener and told the board they were working “diligently” on the at-risk plan that is due in October.

Hamilton said the FastBridge screeners are looking for “basic foundational learning” and as the students progress through school they should begin to see more of that foundational knowledge.

Hamilton explained that pre-kindergarten through first grade take the earlyReading screener, while second through 12th grade take the aReading screener. Hamilton said that in both earlyReading and aReading, they want to see low-risk scores around 80 percent. Currently, the fall screener is showing 62 percent in low-risk for earlyReading and 65 percent (college pathway and low-risk) for aReading. Hamilton said these lower scores are more than likely due to “summer slide.”

Hamilton said that as students get older, those foundational skills are there and that is why the baseline will begin to shift.

Then, Hamilton discussed the math screening results, which they still want to be scoring at 80 percent low-risk. In earlyMath (pre-kindergarten through first grade), 82 percent of students scored in the low-risk category. In aMath (second through 12th grade) 74 percent scored in the low-risk/college pathway categories.

Hamilton said that in order to support students in their education, teachers use: sub-tests and screeners that allow the staff to breakdown necessary foundational skills; whole class instructional needs; tiered interventions; progress monitoring; and testing three times per year.

Aberle asked if these screeners were in addition to the state assessments, which Hamilton said they were and that state assessments are only given once per year.

Lippert questioned how these screening results are communicated to parents.

“Every building does it a little differently,” Hamilton said. “Communication is a little different, but everybody communicates in one way or the other. Like Sabetha Elementary, for instance, they send out letters saying exactly what tier and what intervention they’re going to be working on. Then, the second part of that comes more during parent-teacher conferences.”

Hamilton said the screening results are shared with the state.

“This is also the beginning year of our at-risk accountability plan, where we have to show the state what how we are spending our at-risk money to help at-risk students in our district, which was really set up by our screening and interventions, because that really is where we spend a lot of our at-risk money and time on helping our at-risk kids,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton said there are 12 different factors that determine if a student is considered “at-risk.”

“If a student meets any of these, they are considered at-risk in Kansas,” Hamilton said.

Those factors are as follows:

• is not working on academic grade level;

• is not meeting the requirements necessary for promotion to the next grade or is failing subjects or courses of study;

• is not meeting the requirements necessary for graduation from high school or has the potential to drop out of school;

• has insufficient mastery of skills or is not meeting state standards;

• has been retained;

• has a high rate of absenteeism;

• has repeated suspensions or expulsions from school;

• is homeless or migrant;

• is identified as an English language learner;

• has social-emotional needs that cause the student to be unsuccessful in school;

• is identified as a student with dyslexia or characteristics of dyslexia;

• is a foster care student or otherwise in the custody of the secretary for children and families.

“So our largest indicator is this right here [not working at academic grade level],” Hamilton said. “As we screen, we notice that a kid is off the grade level and on the FastBridge screener, and we mark that in what we give the state in our data, and it shows that student is being at risk.”

Hamilton said the district is usually around 30 students who are considered “at-risk.” He also confirmed when asked by Grimes, that those students who are considered “at-risk” are identified by student number in the report given to the state.

Then, Hamilton went over the district’s at-risk accountability plan — new this year — which contains two cohorts — first and fourth grade. The district also selected math as the subject they would be analyzing. The district’s goal is to increase level threes and fours.

These two grades will be followed for four years each to evaluate if the district is trying to help those students who are identified as “at-risk.” The identified cohorts will be initially tested on year one. During years one through three, the district will work with the at-risk students to increase scores. Then, according to Hamilton, in year four, the students will be tested again and if scores haven’t improved they will have another year to try and increase those scores.

Hamilton emphasized that knowing where students are academically is where state assessments and FastBridge screeners come into play.

Aberle asked how the schools are incentivizing the students to do their best on these tests, since tests and screeners are given so frequently — one state assessment per year and three FastBridge screeners per year — and students tend to get bored with multiple tests that are outside of the normal curriculum.

Hamilton said it is different at every building, but they do have certain things to encourage students to do their best on the assessments.

Superintendent’s Report

Enrollment: McKim went over the unaudited enrollment information — headcount and full-time equivalency (FTE) — with the board. McKim said for headcount the district is down about 10 students, but FTE was down 16.3 students. FTE represents whether a student is full-time or part-time based on standard scheduled hours. Other factors that feed into FTE funding are transportation, free and reduced lunch, low enrollment weightings, CTE (career and tech ed pathway classes, etc.).

See a full story on Prairie Hills USD No. 113 enrollment data on the front page of the Wednesday, Oct. 14, issue of The Sabetha Herald.

Technology Committee: McKim said that the technology committee met again, along with him and three board members. McKim said that all teachers entered their information into a spreadsheet and sorted it out into a multi-page report. McKim said they are reviewing that report and working through it and hoping to bring it back to the board in November. McKim said they hope to have more information back from the State Board of Education by then as well.

McKim said he also wanted the committee to think about and discuss the use of AI (artificial intelligence) and identify what they believe the district’s students should know about AI.

“The State Board of Education is going to provide some guidance for us, but we still might be a little different than Hiawatha or Seneca or Topeka, and we want to make it so that Axtell and Sabetha have the AI box that most benefits our kids,” McKim said.

Preliminary Superintendent Evaluation Information: McKim said it was time for an evaluation for him again. He encouraged the board to change up the goals a “little bit.” L. Scoby said McKim’s evaluation had to be completed in November and April. She asked the board to take the evaluation with them and do it on their own. Then, the board will get together and compile the notes to give to McKim.

Also at the meeting:

The board approved the consent agenda as presented, including the following: minutes from the September special board meetings RNR Hearing, September special board meeting, Budget Hearing, and September regular meeting; Financial Reports from APS, SHS, SMS, SES and USD No. 113; September bills for the amount of $920,267.46; September payroll for the amount of $636,027.96; donations from Lukert Chiropractic & Wellness in the amount of $900 for SHS Athletics, from Lukert Chiropractic & Wellness in the amount of $600 for SMS Athletics, from the Brad and Pam Wenger Family in the amount of $300 for SHS Football, from Saylor Insurance, Saylor Farm and Land Holdings, World Giving Foundation in the amount of $11,458.79 for the SMS scoreboard replacement, and from the Eagle Booster Club in the amount of $213 for APS; resignations of Daniel Sines as APS Custodian and Carol Holthaus as APS Kitchen Staff; contracts with Corey Meyer as SMS Assistant Boys’ Wrestling; Facility Use Form for Sabetha Youth Tackle Football at SHS; a field trip on Oct. 20 for Axtell third, fourth and fifth grade to Atchison, Kan.; the purchase of a replacement receiver for an Ashly Protea Digital Matrix System Processor and installation at SMS for $6,295 from Sound Products by TSI Global; and replacing the SHS south gym bleacher rollers by Lee French bleacher repair at a cost of $17,600.

McKim told the board that Marysville has formally applied to become a member of the Big East League. McKim said if approved by Big East member schools, the change would take place beginning with the 2028-29 season. McKim said he didn’t need approval by the board, but the board said they were in favor of Marysville joining the league.

The board unanimously approved cooperative agreements for Axtell and Sabetha for high school softball and baseball for 2026-27, as well as Axtell and Onaga Middle School football for 2027-28.

During the board business portion of the meeting, the board thanked Rhonda Hasenkamp for coming in and speaking to them. The board also thanked those who had donated to the schools in the past month.

Aberle said that one positive thing he saw in the district was the sophomore class service project, which was cleaning up outside at the schools, nursing homes and city parks.

L. Scoby commented on the Sabetha senior class working on their professional materials, such as employment materials or information for college, etc.

Lippert said she thought the SES fourth grade chicken program was a good program.

Lastly, L. Scoby said the SES Watchdog Program was a great thing, despite it not kicking off quite yet.

Board members went into a 10-minute executive session using the exception related to action impacting or affecting a student under KOMA (Kansas Open Meetings Act) for 10 minutes. Present for the executive session were the board members and McKim. No action was taken following the executive session.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, at the district office in Sabetha.