Great Bend High School’s basic Physical Education class could see added classroom lessons on topics such as substance use, abuse and addiction, while evolution and ecology lessons may be added to the Principles of Biomedical Science course next fall. Also, a new Public Speaking course could be offered for dual credit at GBHS and Barton Community College, GBHS Principal Tim Friess told the school board this week.
Friess and other GBHS teachers talked Monday about the Curriculum Steering Committee recommendations for the 2020-2021 program of studies. The school board will have a month to review the recommendations and will be asked to approve them at the December 9 meeting.
Healthy Living standards can be incorporated into the Physical Education I classes taken by high school freshmen or sophomores next year, Friess said. Adding Kansas Healthy Living standards to the PE class taken by all students will ensure that students receive the information without requiring them to take another class.
Required Healthy Living topics such as substance abuse aren’t currently taught in PE but probably should be, Friess said.
Changes in the Biomedical Pathway of studies are also recommended. The proposal is to add the Medical Intervention course to this pathway. The Principles of Biomedical Science course will count as a Life Science credit.
Science teacher Travis McAtee told the school board that the Principles of Biomedical Science class closely mirrors the Biology I class, and freshmen and sophomores interested in health careers are taking it as they follow the Continuing Technical Education (CTE) Biomedical Pathway. This class could fill the Life Science credit requirement with a few additions, he said.
“The only standards that the PBS classes are missing, right now, are an ecology standard and evolution standard,” he said. “And in talking with (science teacher Andrea Stalcup, who also teaches PBS), she feels like she could easily incorporate those. And therefore, that class will be meeting all the same standards that Biology meets.”
Friess said the board will also be asked to approve a Public Speaking course for the program of studies. GBHS English teacher Kim Heath is approved to teach this course for concurrent credit with Barton Community College.
Bus passes and more
Lincoln Elementary School students who need a ride to school may benefit from a donation of General Public Transportation bus vouchers. At Monday’s Great Bend USD 428 school board meeting, Superintendent Khris Thexton said the school wished to apply for and accept a $318 grant from the Golden Belt Community Foundation to purchase student bus passes.
Grant applications and contributions are routinely brought before the school board for approval. Here are the other contributions approved Monday:
• Hiss Sherman Wealth Management made prize contributions to USD 428 schools as winners of the “Cram the Van” food drive hosted by Wheatland Electric:
- 2nd Place: Riley Elementary - $300
- 3rd Place: Jefferson Elementary PTO - $200
- 4th place: Park Elementary- $100
In addition, Hiss, Sherman Wealth Management contributed $50 to Eisenhower PTO and $50 to Great Bend High School for their participation and increased average pounds from previous years.
• Kroger donated $263.31 to Riley Elementary and $444.73 to Lincoln Elementary for Kroger incentive rebates.
• Ken Botzung, GBHS science teacher, will accept a $900 contribution from Midwest Energy Inc.
• Isaac Enochs, GBHS orchestra teacher, was allowed to apply for and to accept $25 and $50 gift cards through Kroger and Walmart to purchase hospitality food for the Western Kansas Orchestra Festival event hosted at GBHS on November 22-23.
• Barton County Special Services Cooperative will receive $600 in contributions to fund holiday activities for students in classes of special education teachers Jessica Nelson, Connie Ward, Tina Vondracek and Dawn Galusha. First Christian Church contributed $400 and the Makinna Ann Hope Foundation and Superior Essex each contributed $100.
