Great Bend USD 428 will receive new shoes for students in need, Director of Teaching and Learning JoAnn Blevins told the school board on Monday.
Great Bend Public Schools has accepted a partnership with Soles4Souls and its EveryKid campaign of “getting shoes for every student.”
“We will receive 50 pairs of name-brand shoes and socks,” Blevins said. She did not know when the items will arrive but expects there will be sizes for students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
According to the nonprofit organization’s website, Soles4Soles partners with schools across the U.S. to get new athletic shoes to children who are experiencing homelessness, eliminating a barrier to educational and extracurricular opportunities. The organization also allows people to donate shoes and clothing.
Handbook revisions
In other business, administrators are preparing next year’s student handbooks, teacher handbooks, and activities and athletics handbooks. The school board had a first reading of the handbooks at Monday’s meeting.
Great Bend High School Activities Director Matt Westerhaus noted a change to the dress code policy that states, “hats, caps, head coverings and tails may not be worn.” The new words are “head coverings.”
Board member Sara Williams asked if that would include wigs.
“If it’s artificial, I would consider that a head covering,” Westerhaus said. Religious exemptions would still apply. He mentioned that the new wording means doo rags are not allowed.
Another policy change will require students to be accompanied by an administrator if they want to go to the parking lot after school has started.
The activities handbook mentions that athletes traveling to school activities that are an hour away from Great Bend are issued a debit card with a meal allowance of $5 during the regular season and $7 for state/regional events. The sale of Panther Cards allows the district to offset some of the meal costs.
Board President Jacquie Disque asked if the district needs to increase the amount of the allowance, which is unchanged from last year.
Westerhaus commented that “coaches have to be creative” to cover the cost of meals.
“Are coaches being creative (by) taking it out of their own pockets?” Disque asked.
Westerhaus was not aware of that happening but said he didn’t know.
Williams also had a question about a change in the Great Bend Middle School handbook that will require students to attend Homework Help if they have missing homework, and a policy that states students must pay for the replacement of defaced ID cards. Superintendent Khris Thexton said the administration will get clarification and revise the wording before coming back to have the handbooks approved.
