Congratulations to our 2022 Peabody-Burns Middle School Spelling Bee winners! In first place, Nadia Ratzlaff. In second place, Cale Gossen. In third place, Regan Somerhalder. Nadia and Cale will be participating in the Marion County Spelling Bee in February.
Dear parents and guardians,
As you are aware, the current surge in the omicron variant is creating immense pressure on our schools and staff members as we work to keep classrooms staffed and in-person learning possible.
To help alleviate some of the pressure on our schools, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), along with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), support schools implementing a 30-day temporary suspension on all contact tracing activities.
What does this mean for you as parents and guardians? Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 19, USD #398, will no longer automatically test a child who has been in close contact, through classroom or extracurricular settings, with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. We will test if your child has symptoms of COVID-19 or we receive a parental request to test.
If you believe your child has been exposed to a positive case either at school or elsewhere, please consider keeping your child home for five days after the exposure. After that, your child may resume normal activities but is required at school to wear a well-fitting mask around others indoors and outdoors for an additional five days. Have your child tested five days after the exposure or immediately if they become symptomatic. Continue to monitor your child for symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days after the exposure.
If your child is symptomatic, have him or her tested with a diagnostic test if available. Do not send your child to school if they are sick or if they test positive. Any student who tests positive for COVID-19 should stay home for at least five days and be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication before leaving home. After that, your child may resume normal activities but is required at school to wear a well-fitting mask around others indoors and outdoors for an additional five days. Please notify your school if your child tests positive.
If you have any questions regarding this change to school contact tracing protocols, please contact Antoinette Root at 620-983-2198 or aroot@usd398.com. To learn more about this guidance change, visit https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/283/Education-K-12.
Thank you for your continued support as we navigate this challenging time for our schools and communities. We will continue to keep you informed as guidance changes are announced.
Sincerely,
Antoinette Root
Superintendent
January is School Board Appreciation Month. Please let our BOE members know how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication to our schools and students.
Parenting is hard, but you don't have to do it alone. Strengthening Families Program is an evidence-based family skills training program that can help improve parenting skills and family relationships.
This 10-session virtual program is offered in partnership with K-State Research and Extension, the Marion County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, and USD 398 to help get your family back on track!
Register by February 4th at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/SFPusd398 or contact Tristen Cope at 620-382-2325!
On Friday, January 21 the high school boys’ basketball team will travel to Hope to take on Elyria Christian at 7:30. This game was originally scheduled to take place at Centre, but has been moved to Hope due to health related issues at Centre schools.
This Thursday’s JH Girls basketball games at Little River have been cancelled. The boys will still play with the following schedule:
4:30 – ½ B Boys
5:00 (Approximate) – A Boys
Both junior high teams will still have practice after school
Due to illness related issues at Wakefield, tonight’s high school boys’ basketball game will not be played. We advance in the bracket and will play Elyria Christian or Marion on Friday, January 21 (location TBD).
All high school and junior high basketball teams will practice after school today.
Attention Jr/Sr High School parents and students
Tomorrow, January 18, students will return to class. We will be in Orange for the week so students are required to wear masks and maintain 3-6 foot distancing.
Those who were in modified quarantine last week will be tested at the beginning of school on Tuesday.
Please contact Mr. Schroeder at the high school if you have any questions.
Please see the attached information if you are needing help with rental assistance.
Warrior activities for this week
Good luck to our high school boys basketball team as they travel to Centre on Tuesday, January 18 to play Wakefield at 7:30!
USD 398 will be closing ALL school buildings Thursday, January 13 and Friday, January 14. This includes the Daycare and students attending Newton Votech. The final decision was based not only on staffing shortages of essential certified and classified positions, but also on student illness and absenteeism which includes COVID and non-COVID related absences.
All staff will report to their respective buildings Thursday, January 13.
The junior high basketball game against Classical School of Wichita on Monday, January 17 has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.
Due to the increased number of staff and students who have tested positive or are in modified quarantine, the Junior High & High School will not be in session tomorrow, Wednesday, January 12th. All Junior High/High School staff will need to report. All activities for the week have been cancelled and/or rescheduled. We strongly encourage parents to please keep your children at home to help stop the spread of the virus. Our desire is to have students in school and we cannot stop the spread without your help in minimizing contacts outside of school. Please check the website for daily updates.
The WSL Scholars Bowl meet has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 20 beginning at 3 pm at PBHS.
This Thursday's Junior High basketball games at Herington have been canceled and will not be rescheduled.
Practice for JH girls and boys has been canceled for the rest of the week as well
Parents - If you are interested in having the goEdustar app on your phone to check your students grades please click on the following link for directions - https://5il.co/144dc.
If you want to be able to access them on your computer, the following link will provide directions on how to set up an account - https://5il.co/144dg.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
January is School Board Appreciation Month. Thank you to our Board members and all the do for USD #398.
Due to issues at the Jr/Sr High School, the schedule for this week has been revised.
The Jr/Sr high school is moving from green to yellow effective immediately. Everyone is to maintain a 3 to 6 foot distance at all times and visitors will be limited during the school day. Although wearing masks is highly recommended we ask that students wear them.
For students involved in activities and who are in modified quarantine, it is essential that you maintain social distancing when possible and wear a mask when not engaged in physical activity
Plan for Monday
- Today's WSL Scholars Bowl meet has been postponed. A new date will be set and announced
- Jr/Sr High students will still be released at 2:30 today
- JH Boys/Girls Basketball will practice from 2:30 - 5:30
- No practice for HS Boys Basketball on Monday or Tuesday. Practice schedule for the rest of the week will be announced tomorrow
Due to the increase in students and staff who have tested positive or are on modified quarantine, the JH/HS will be moving from Green to Yellow effectively immediately. For everyone in the school it is highly recommended that masks are worn, everyone is to maintain a 3 to 6 feet distance at all times, and visitors will be limited during the school day. Please see the website for the specific protocols and requirements. Any updates or changes will be posted on the school website.