📅 Happy October, Salthawks!
🍎 NEW: Our lunch cost calculator is live! Prepay for your child's lunches in just a few clicks: usd308.com/nutrition
🏈 HOMECOMING TOMORROW: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2nd
⏰ One-hour early release for all grades (Check the images for the release times and transportation information)
🎉 3:00 PM – Parade (Check the attached images for the route!)
🏟️ 7:00 PM – Homecoming game
To wrap up spirit week, all schools will wear our school colors of blue and gold Friday!
🚫 NO SCHOOL:
• Thu, Oct. 8 – Parent/Teacher Conferences
• Fri, Oct. 9 – No school for all grades
• Mon, Oct. 26 – Professional Development
Have a great start to the month! 💙💛
#Salthawks #USD308 #Homecoming
This fall, the HHS Wall of Honor welcomes Dr. Daniel Cavanaugh ('58), Allen Fee ('80), and Frances Garcia ('56) — a surgeon who commanded the real MASH unit, a business leader who's spent decades giving back, and Hutchinson's first Hispanic woman mayor.
Join us Thursday, Oct. 1 for the induction banquet, and catch all three honorees at the Homecoming parade and game on Friday, Oct. 2! 🏈
🎟️ Banquet seats are $15 — details in the link below.
📍 HHS Career and Technical Education Academy | 6:00 p.m.
https://www.usd308.com/article/3124747
#HHSWallOfHonor #HutchinsonHigh #Homecoming2026
Parenting can be challenging. There's no manual, no dress rehearsal, and no one does it alone — it truly takes a village. 💛
For 15 years, Dolly Parton has been part of the village for Reno County families.
Since the Dolly Parton Imagination Library launched in Reno County back in 2011, United Way of Reno County has delivered over 416,000 free books to nearly 12,000 local kids from birth to age 5 — with more than 24,000 books going out in 2025 alone.
And the impact is real: seven years into the program, kindergarten readiness in Reno County climbed from roughly 48–52% all the way up to 79%. That's what a book a month, straight to a child's mailbox, can do.
As Dolly says: "If you can read, you can do anything."
If you have a little one under 5 at home, enroll them today — it's free, it doesn't matter what your family's income is, and by their 5th birthday they could have a home library of up to 60 books. 📚
👉 Sign up here: https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/affiliate/KSRENO/?chkAvalAddressData=eyJjYWxsYmFjayI6dHJ1ZSwiYWRkcmVzcyI6eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiVVMiLCJ6aXAiOiI2NzUwMiIsInN0YXRlIjoiS1MiLCJjaXR5IjoiSHV0Y2hpbnNvbiIsImNvdW50eSI6IlJlbm8iLCJzdHJlZXQiOiIifX0%3D
Thank you, Dolly, for 15 years of helping raise readers in Reno County. 🧡
#DollyParton #ImaginationLibrary #RenoCounty #UnitedWay #EarlyLiteracy #ItTakesAVillage
Big news for the Salthawk family.
After 34 years in public education — including five years leading Hutchinson Public Schools — Superintendent Dr. Dawn M. Johnson has announced she will retire at the conclusion of the 2026-2027 school year. From the classroom to district leadership — and alongside an extraordinary 41-year career of service in the U.S. Army Reserve — Dr. Johnson has dedicated her life to serving others. While there is still an entire school year of important work ahead, we are grateful for Dr. Johnson's leadership, her commitment to our students and staff, and the lasting impact she has made on Hutchinson Public Schools.
Read the full announcement, including a message from Dr. Johnson and details about the superintendent search, here: https://www.usd308.com/article/3093088
#SalthawkStrong #DistrictOfDistinction
Reminder: The USD 308 Board of Education has delayed the start time for Monday's meeting to accommodate parents and staff who plan to attend the elementary and middle school open houses.
The USD 308 Board of Education will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 7:00 p.m., Monday, August 10th at the USD 308 Admin Center located at 1520 N Plum Street. The agenda is available at www.usd308.com/boe
However your child rolls up to school — on foot🚶, by bike 🚲, scooter 🛴, skateboard 🛹, car 🚗, bus 🚌, or unicorn 🦄 — one thing is guaranteed: a hot, free breakfast will be waiting for them at every building until that first bell rings! 🔔
Check the chart for your school's breakfast start time!
While our summer meal service has ended, families can pick up lunches via drive-thru on the West side of the Reno County Food Bank building at 921 E. 4th, Monday through Friday, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Service ends on August 12th.
Thank you to the Reno County Food Bank for filling the gap while our kitchens are being cleaned, prepped and outfitted with new equipment for the upcoming school year.
Huge thanks to Pizza Ranch for their partnership and support.
The agenda is available at www.usd308.com/boe
Need help enrolling your student for the 2026-27 school year? Join us Thursday, July 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for our districtwide In-Person Enrollment Event!
✅ Visit any Hutchinson Public Schools building to complete enrollment.
✅ You only need to visit one school to enroll all students in your family.
🏫 Hutchinson High School will also be open for self-guided campus tours during the event.
🏫 Midtown is closed during this event. Midtown staff will be at HHS.
Whether you're enrolling a new student or returning for another great year, our staff will be ready to help make the process quick and easy.
We can't wait to welcome our Salthawks back for another amazing school year! 💙💛
Enroll online anytime at www.usd308.com/enroll
#HutchPublicSchools #SalthawkPride #BackToSchool #USD308 #EverySalthawkForLife
Everything you need to get ready for an amazing year is packed into our brand-new Enrollment Newsletter. Click here to read it now: https://app.smore.com/n/1w3m2
Here's what you'll find inside:
🍎 Welcome Letter — A special message to kick off the new year
📝 Enrollment Link & Information — Secure your student's spot today
🍽️ District Meals Information — Everything you need to know about breakfast and lunch
📅 Start Dates — Mark your calendars!
✏️ School Supply Lists — Get a head start on back-to-school shopping
Don't wait — enrollment is open NOW! Click the link, complete your enrollment, and let's make 2026-2027 the best school year yet.
We can't wait to see your students this fall!
The USD 308 Board of Education held its regular meeting on June 8, 2026.
Presentations
Hutchinson High School Principal Ryan Ewy presented the Trimester/Semester Committee Report. No action is expected on the subject until later this year. Any schedule changes would not be adopted until the 2027-2028 school year.
Abby Stockebrand, Director of Finance, presented a proposal to braid two funding streams into a single plan addressing priorities identified through the District's end-of-school-year bond survey. The plan includes approximately $36,000,000 of bond-funded projects along with $30,000,000 of projects funded through capital-outlay. Proposed projects would include storm shelters, roofs, safety and security, HVAC improvements, improvements to food service areas, restrooms, interior renovations, and playgrounds. Bond-funded projects would be completed after the passage of a bond, while capital outlay-funded projects would begin after appropriate funding levels have accrued. This dual-funding approach allows the District to address critical infrastructure needs identified by staff and the community, without placing the full financial burden on a single bond issue. No action was taken by the board at last night’s meeting. The board will continue to discuss potential bond options and facility updates at each meeting.
Consent Agenda
The Board approved the Superintendent's Consent Agenda, which included Accounts Payable for May 2026, the Treasurer's Report for April 2026, an Audit Engagement Letter, HutchCC Memoranda of Understanding, Grants, and Gifts to Schools.
Action Items
Workers' Compensation Renewal : The Board approved renewal of the District's workers' compensation coverage after a brief presentation from Allen Fee, CEO of Fee Insurance. During his remarks, Fee congratulated the district on keeping their insurance claims and premiums low.
Interfaith Housing MOU — Property Demolition: The Board heard a proposal from Interfaith Housing and unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding that includes demolition of a recently purchased property north of Allen STEM Magnet School.
Meal Pricing for 2026–2027: Jennifer Tatro, Director of Nutrition Services, presented a new meal pricing plan for the upcoming school year. The plan provides no charge breakfast to all K–12 students, increases student lunch prices by $0.20, and increases adult lunch prices by $0.25.
The District did not raise meal prices last year and, even with the 2026–2027 adjustment, remains below the average for peer districts. Tatro based her analysis on pricing data from Bonner Springs, Hays, Haysville, Garden City, and Wichita.
The new model also provides the option to expand breakfast service— buildings may offer traditional breakfast, grab-and-go, or a "second chance" breakfast served between first and second hours for students in grades 8–12. Other districts have seen a 40–50% increase in breakfast participation, which generates additional federal reimbursement and supports the financial sustainability of the program. Research links regular breakfast consumption to improved health outcomes, higher test scores, and fewer behavioral and health office referrals. The Board unanimously approved the new meal pricing.
Safe & Secure Schools Grant: The new middle school officer would rotate buildings annually alongside a school counselor and Assistant Principal, following the same student cohort from HMS7 to HMS8. The goal is to provide continuity for students who spend one year at each building.
Cell Phone Policy Update: The Board adopted revisions to cell phone policy JCDC in response to state legislation taking effect July 1, 2026. The updated policy defines the school day as beginning at the first bell and ending at the final bell.
Staff-to-Student Communication Policy: The Board adopted new policy IIBGC, which limits staff-to-student communications to District-approved applications only. This policy was also adopted in response to recently passed state legislation.
Executive Session
The Board convened in Executive Session to discuss potential items for 2026–2027 contract negotiations, pursuant to the employer-employee negotiations exception under KOMA, and to discuss personnel matters pursuant to the non-elected personnel exception under KOMA. Upon returning to open session, the Board approved the Personnel Report as published.
Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting will be held on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at 1520 N. Plum, Hutchinson. The agenda will be posted in advance at www.usd308.com/boe.
✅ Last Day of School — It's Almost Here!
🎓 Graduations & Ceremonies — Celebrate Our Salthawks!
☀️ Summer Activities
🚘 Driver's Education
🍽️ Free Kids Summer Meals
📋 26-27 Enrollment Dates
https://app.smore.com/n/05v2g3
USD 308 is gathering community feedback following the November bond election. Your insights will help guide our next steps.
⏳ The survey only takes a few minutes!
🔗 www.usd308.com/survey
Thank you for helping us grow and improve. 💙
#USD308 #Salthawks #CommunityInput #BetterTogether
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
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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