Now, we’re asking for your feedback. As we reflect on the bond election, your input will help us better understand our community’s perspectives.
📝 Take our quick survey: www.usd308.com/survey
Together, we’ll continue building a strong future for our students.
#USD308 #Salthawks #CommunityFirst #HutchinsonKS
Hutchinson, KS — USD 308 convened a special meeting of its Board of Education on Tuesday, March 31 to address a personnel report requiring timely action ahead of the district's next regularly scheduled board meeting.
The special session was called in response to a circumstance common among school districts across the state each spring: the overlapping nature of educator and staff transitions between districts. As teachers and district personnel move from one employer to another, the hiring timelines of different boards do not always align. In many cases, a receiving district must formally approve an incoming employee as a new hire before the departing district has had the opportunity to approve that same individual's resignation. This sequencing requires school boards to act promptly and, when necessary, outside of their regular meeting schedule.
USD 308 is not alone in this situation — many Kansas school districts find themselves calling special spring meetings for precisely this reason, as the hiring season accelerates and personnel decisions cannot always wait for the next regularly scheduled session.
The personnel report was the sole item on the agenda for the special meeting. Prior to the vote, the Board recessed into a brief executive session. Upon reconvening, the Board unanimously approved the personnel report. The report is available at www.usd308.com/boe
The next regular meeting of the USD 308 Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, April 14th at 6:00 p.m. at the USD 308 Administration Center, located at 1520 N. Plum, Hutchinson, KS.
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For more information, contact:
USD 308 Administration Center
info@usd308.com
1520 N. Plum | Hutchinson, KS
We’re reflecting on the recent bond election and want to better understand what matters most to our community.
✔️ What are your priorities?
✔️ What should we consider moving forward?
Take a few minutes to complete our survey today:
🔗 www.usd308.com/survey
The USD 308 Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 12:15 p.m., Monday, March 31, at the USD 308 Admin Center located at 1520 N Plum Street. This meeting will not be live-streamed. The agenda is available at www.usd308.com/boe
📣 We want to hear from YOU.
Following the November 2025 bond election, USD 308 is taking time to listen and learn from our community. Your feedback will help guide future decisions for our schools.
📝 Take our quick, 5-minute survey and share your thoughts.
🔗 www.usd308.com/survey
#USD308 #Salthawks #CommunityVoice #HutchinsonKS
The board took care of several routine items, including renewing contracts for 29 school leaders, approving annual software renewals, and greenlighting the Lil' Hawks Head Start grant for another year. They also approved the purchase of a small piece of land near Allen STEM Magnet to plan ahead for safety and parking. The board also approved a committee to consider trimesters vs semesters for grades 7-12.
Read the full recap: https://www.usd308.com/article/2784267
#USD308 #HutchinsonKS #HutchinsonPublicSchools #SchoolBoard
It's almost time, Hutch families! The Kindergarten Meet & Greet is coming up on Tuesday, April 21st from 6–7 PM at five of our elementary buildings — Faris, Graber, Lincoln-McCandless, Morgan, and Wiley!
Come tour the classrooms, meet your child's future teachers, ask all your questions, and enjoy light refreshments on us! 🍪
This is a wonderful first step for your soon-to-be kindergartner. We can't wait to welcome your family into the Hutch family! 💙💛
📅 April 21 | 🕕 6–7 PM | 📍 USD 308 Elementary Buildings: Faris, Graber, Lincoln-McCandless, Morgan, Wiley
Allen STEM Magnet will hold their Meet and Greet Thursday, April 23rd from 6 to 7pm.
Children who will be five years old on or before August 31, 2026 are eligible for kindergarten. If your child does not meet the birthday cutoff, we have a spot for them at Lil' Hawks in our Pre-K program! Visit www.usd308.com/prek for more information!
This milestone was made possible in partnership with Hutch in Harmony, a reflection of what's possible when our community comes together with purpose.
This is our values in action:
💙 Compassion — meeting families where they are
✅ Integrity — ensuring every family has equal access to the information they need
💡 Innovation — finding new ways to serve our community
Access the 2026-2027 Academic Calendar in English and Spanish at www.usd308.com/calendar — and don't forget, our website is available in four languages to make sure every family in our community feels at home.
#USD308 #HutchInHarmony #HutchKS #TogetherWeAchieve #Compassion #Integrity #Innovation
The USD 308 Board of Education will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 6:00 p.m., Monday, March 6, at the USD 308 Admin Center located at 1520 N Plum Street. The agenda is available at www.usd308.com/boe
Recordatorio de la reunión del BOE
La Junta de Educación del USD 308 llevará a cabo su reunión programada regularmente a las 6:00 p. m., el lunes 6 de marzo, en el Centro de Administración del USD 308 ubicado en 1520 N Plum Street. La agenda está disponible en www.usd308.com/boe
☀️The 2026 SUN Bucks application is open! Learn more: SUNBucks.dcf.ks.gov.
SUN Bucks provides a one-time $120 benefit per eligible child to help families pay for groceries during the summer months.
Some children are automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks. Those families should receive a letter soon confirming their enrollment.
If you do not receive an enrollment letter in the next few weeks and believe your child may be eligible based on the guidelines, you will need to apply. Applications for summer 2026 must be received by 5 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2026.
SUN Bucks 2026 benefits should be distributed this summer. We’ll share updates about the distribution timeline as details become available.
Check out www.usd308.com/article/2740775 for a recap of last week's events and a glimpse at what's coming soon!
🏆 State medals in wrestling
🎤 Forensics bringing home hardware (and a new state qualifier!)
🏀 Substate basketball tipping off
🔧 SkillsUSA competitors headed to the State Fairgrounds
🎶 Middle school choir on the road
📚 Elementary Spelling Bee this Saturday
From mats to microphones to career competitions, our students are showing perseverance, integrity, innovation, and compassion every single day. Extracurriculars aren’t “extra” — they’re how we’re educating and empowering every Salthawk for life and preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s world.
Let’s go, Salthawks! 💙💛
📣 We’re Hiring at USD 308! Join Our Team! 🍎
🔗 Apply today at: www.usd308.com/hiring
USD 308 is looking for passionate, dedicated individuals to join our team for the 2026-2027 school year and make a difference in the lives of students every day. Whether you’re an experienced educator, a recent graduate, or someone looking to support students in a meaningful way, we have opportunities available across multiple departments.
✨ Now Hiring:
-High School: Agricultural Education Teacher, English Teacher, Instructional Coach, Math Teacher
-Middle School: Art Teacher, Math Teacher, Kitchen Assistant
-Elementary School: Classroom Teachers, Instructional Support, Special Education Teacher, Structured Learning Teacher
-Early Childhood: Pre-K Teacher, Teacher Assistant, Child Care Lead & Assistant Teacher, Cook, Family Support Worker, Early Childhood Site Manager
Administrative & Support Staff Including:
-Asst. Director of Curriculum
-Elementary Principal
-Paraeducators (Instructional & Specialized)
-Hearing Impaired Interpreter
-Educational Aide
-Substitute Teachers
-Custodial Staff
-Registered Nurse
-Social Worker
At USD 308, we are committed to:
✔ Supporting student success
✔ Providing competitive pay and benefits
✔ Offering professional development opportunities
✔ Creating a positive and collaborative work environment
If you’re ready to make an impact and be part of a team that truly cares about students and community, we’d love to hear from you!
🔗 Apply today at: www.usd308.com/hiring
📍 Hutchinson, Kansas
Educating and Empowering Every Salthawk For Life ❤️
#USD308 #NowHiring #EducationCareers #HutchinsonKS #JoinOurTeam
Highlights include:
✔️ Approval of the 2026–2027 academic calendar, including a no-work, no-school day during the Kansas State Fair (Check out www.usd308.com/calendar)
✔️ Professional development focused on the power of feedback through Visible Learning
✔️ Grants and donations supporting: student athletics, elementary meal debt relief, Stephanie Kraus memorial, and Lil’ Hawks Child Care Center
Read more here: www.usd308.com/article/2726821
We’re proud of the great things happening across the district - from students advancing to the State Kid Wind Competition to a Hutch High senior earning the prestigious Rudd Scholarship! Read more good news here: www.usd308.com/news
The next Board meeting will be on March 9 at 6:00 p.m. at the USD 308 Administration Center. Full agenda details are available at www.usd308.com/boe
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Professional development isn’t just a day on the calendar — it’s how we ensure every student gets the very best from us, every single day.
In our district, we use the Visible Learning framework developed by John Hattie to guide our growth as educators. This research-based approach helps us focus on what truly makes the greatest impact on student achievement. It challenges us to reflect on our practice, use evidence to drive instruction, and continually ask: What works best for students?
A key pillar of Visible Learning is feedback. Research shows that clear, timely, and specific feedback is one of the highest-impact influences on student achievement. Effective feedback helps students understand where they are, where they’re going, and what steps they need to take next. It also encourages teachers to seek feedback on their own instructional practices — creating a culture where learning is visible not just for students, but for educators as well.
When our teachers learn and refine their practice through meaningful feedback, our students benefit. Professional development strengthens instructional strategies, builds collaboration, and keeps us aligned around high-impact practices. It ensures we are not just working hard — but working smart — with clarity, purpose, and measurable results.
Investing in our staff is an investment in our students’ success. 💙
⭐ Perseverance ⭐ Compassion ⭐ Integrity ⭐ Innovation ⭐
The USD 308 Board of Education will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 6:00 p.m., Monday, February 23, at the USD 308 Admin Center located at 1520 N Plum Street. The board will begin its meeting at 5:00 p.m. for a Lil’ Hawks Head Start & Cyber Security Training. The regular meeting will follow at 6:00 p.m.
The agenda is available at www.usd308.com/boe
Recordatorio de la reunión del BOE
La Junta de Educación del Distrito Escolar Unificado 308 celebrará su reunión ordinaria a las 18:00 h del lunes 23 de febrero en el Centro de Administración del Distrito Escolar Unificado 308, ubicado en 1520 N Plum Street. La junta comenzará su reunión a las 17:00 h para una capacitación de Lil' Hawks Head Start y Ciberseguridad. La reunión ordinaria se realizará a continuación a las 18:00 h.
La agenda está disponible en www.usd308.com/boe
From balancing varsity soccer, IB Health Sciences and leadership in HOSA, Giselle has demonstrated grit, determination and heart. Out of more than 700 applicants statewide, only 50 students were selected for this prestigious award. The scholarship covers tuition, room and board, books and more — opening doors as she pursues a nursing degree at Fort Hays State University. We are incredibly proud of Giselle and can’t wait to see the impact she will make in the health care field!
Read the full article here: www.usd308.com/article/2720245
Luke Berblinger Named New Head Salthawk Football Coach
HUTCHINSON, KS- Luke Berblinger, a Hutchinson native and Buhler High School graduate, has been named the new coach of Hutchinson High School Football.
Berblinger starred at Buhler High School, where he helped lead the Crusaders to a State Football Championship in 2013. At Emporia State University, Berblinger competed as a slotback from 2014–2017 while earning his bachelor’s degree in Health & Human Performance in 2018.
Following his playing career, Berblinger quickly transitioned into coaching, serving as a student assistant slotbacks and strength and conditioning coach at Emporia State from 2017–18, then as a graduate assistant in 2019.
Berblinger spent the last seven seasons on the coaching staff at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz, holding a variety of roles including offensive quality control, video coordinator, running backs coach, tight ends coach, and special teams coordinator.
During that period, Southeast Missouri State football was part of a stretch of sustained success, highlighted by three Ohio Valley Conference championships (2019, 2022, 2024), a peak national ranking of No. 6 in October 2024, and the program’s receipt of the 2024–25 Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner’s Cup for overall athletic excellence.
Berblinger and his wife, Baylee—a Hutchinson High School graduate—have a daughter, Lucy, and are excited to raise their family in the community that helped shape who they are today.
Photo Credit: SEMO
For interviews and media inquiries:
Stacy Goss
USD 308 Director of Communications
info@usd308.com
620-665-4048
The USD 308 Board of Education will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 6:00 p.m., Monday, February 9, at the USD 308 Admin Center located at 1520 N Plum Street.
The agenda is available at www.usd308.com/boe
Myka Thompson - Butler Community College - Volleyball
Jeremyah Gaitho-Karanu - Lincoln University - Football
Jaden Durant - Seward County Community College - Softball
Stephanie Jenkins - Missouri Valley College - Dance Team
Kylan Mendoza - Sterling College - Football
Jenna Giles - Friends University - Cheer Team
Tramel Walker - Southern Nazarene University - Football
Follow the link for the full article and additional photos : www.usd308.com/article/2682336
Middle School basketball is cancelled. The USD 308 Board Meeting will be held at 6:00pm at the Administration Center.
An important message from our mass communication system: There are current cell phone carrier delays that may delay voice calls. This alert was sent to all parents/guardians in our system via phone call, text message and email.
