WHY USD 308?

USD 308 Hutchinson Public Schools is located in the beautiful town of Hutchinson, Kansas. A friendly community of 40,000.

• For more information on our community, please visit www.hutchchamber.com

• For more information on recreational possibilities visit www.hutchrec.com

ON A QUEST - BALDRIGE AWARD What is the Baldrige Award? The Baldrige application process provides a basis for self-assessment and giving feedback to applicants based upon state, national, and international criteria for performance excellence. Facilitate the sharing of best practices within/among schools Serves as a tool for improving school performance, planning, training and organizational assessment. More information on the award? Click here USD 308 receives district accreditation - One of only seven districts nationally Hutchinson Public Schools has earned a prestigious new type of accreditation from an internationally respected independent organization. USD 308 received district accreditation from the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement during the organization's annual meeting April 2 to 5 in Chicago. The district has been a national demonstration site for the new accreditation program that mirrors the Baldrige National Quality Award criteria. Districts receiving the new accreditation have demonstrated they meet the new standards for quality school systems, engaged in a continuous systematic process for educational improvement and have effective and efficient quality assurance controls through the system. Other districts receiving the new accreditation ranged from the 3,500-student South Redford School District in Redford, Mich., to the 12,900-student Laramie County District No. 1 in Laramie, Wyo. These districts also will be models for other districts nationwide. USD 308 was the only Kansas district to be a national demonstration site. “District accreditation forces us to look at the entire district as a system,” said Dr. Wynona Winn, USD 308 superintendent. “By doing this, we understand how all parts of the district need to be optimized to have a quality school district.” Individually, Avenue A Elementary School and Hutchinson Magnet School at Allen also received accreditation from NCA for the current cycle at the Chicago meeting. USD 308 is one of the few districts nationally in which all schools – elementary, middle and high school – are accredited by NCA. The new accreditation complements other initiatives within the district. Hutchinson Public Schools anticipates applying for the Kansas State Quality Award later this year and the Baldrige National Quality Award in 2007. The Baldrige process as well as the new NCA accreditation focus on the interrelated systems needed to improve student achievement for all students. USD 308 began its quality efforts in 2000 even before Congress passed the No Child Left Behind legislation. USD 308 also was recognized at the annual convention for its long-term commitment to NCA accreditation. Hutchinson High School was recognized for a century of NCA membership. Only three other high schools in Kansas – Lawrence, Leavenworth and Fort Scott – have been members of the organization as long as HHS. Hutchinson High School has been an NCA member for the vast majority of its history. HHS will graduate its 124th senior class in May. In addition to the awards, staff from USD 308 presented at three break-out sessions during NCA's annual meeting. Jean Ann Petz, director of assessment and secondary education for USD 308, presented two seminars. Petz's sessions focused on documenting and using results and on evaulating district-wide improvement. Jan Strecker, assistant superintendent for student learning, was a co-presenter on making efficient use of assessment data to customize instruction. Founded in 1895, the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement is a non-governmental, voluntary organization that accredits more than 9,000 public and private schools in 19 states, the Navajo Nation and the Department of Defense Dependents' Schools worldwide. For more than 100 years, the organization has focused on advancing the quality of education for its members. --

Hutchinson High School is only the 4th high school in Kansas to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a rigorous pre-university course for highly motivated secondary school students.

HHS has had more than twice as many National Merit semifinalists per 100 students as the next most productive district in Reno County.

USD 308 was the first school district in Reno County to offer parents real-time access to their student’s grades and attendance through PowerSchool.

USD 308 has 8 elementary schools; one of the elementary schools is a magnet school offering parents a choice of a school which features standard dress, a self-contained curriculum delivery system, and a requirement of active parental involvement.

USD 308 enjoys a 2.4 students per computer ratio – one of the best in the State.

The HHS Salthawk Band consistently receives the top ratings in competitions.

Middle school and high school students participating in problem solving compete at the state and international levels.  USD 308 students have placed in the top ten at international competition in each of the last six years.

HHS boasted a National Forensics League All American in 2001, 2003 and 2004. Two HHS alumni are on  the top 100 list for all-time point totals with the National Forensics League.

Four Broadcast Journalism students placed at the 2004 Fall National Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association Convention.

USD 308 is one of smallest school districts geographically in Kansas – 14 square miles; the school district is confined to a portion of the City of Hutchinson.

Electives and options at Hutchinson High School are unparalleled in Reno County. Students may select  from a wide variety of course offerings as well as choose to participate in a a highly comprehensive extra- curricular program.

Across the district the student-teacher ratio is 14.4 to 1;  at the elementary school level the ratio is 14.2 to 1 and at the secondary level the ratio is 14.7 to 1.

USD 308 offers a rigorous academic program K-12.  Graduates of the school district do exceptionally well in post-high school studies.  Eighty-five percent of graduates noted that they are satisfied with the quality of education they received

The school district has a strong and competitive athletic program. Since 2000, 12 different athletic teams have competed in state-level competition. Of this twelve, eight teams have won state championships.

All USD 308 schools are accredited both by the State of Kansas and the North Central Accreditation Association.

USD 308 was selected to be one of three national demonstration sites for the new North Central Accreditation process which focuses on systemic improvement preK-12.

All eight elementary schools are nationally-certified Koalaty Kid schools. The secondary schools have begun training in the Quality Keys process.

USD 308 is known for its quality music programs, debate and forensic programs, performing arts programs and visual arts programs.

The area vocational-technical school draws students from across the county and the region. Many students enrolled in this program successfully participate in state and national competitions.

USD 308 has a highly qualified faculty and staff who are totally committed to the learning of all students. It is due to the high quality of USD 308 employees that the Baldrige process and world-class standards are natural fits for the school district.