Dear Parents, Staff and Patrons of USD 490,

For the past two years, I have challenged our students and school staff members during our District State Standard of Excellence Celebration that, if in the coming year, they have at least one building-wide standard of excellence in every single building, we will have a scheduled "snow day." The challenge is grounded in the importance of every school making gains in student achievement and every school demonstrating the depth of commitment required to meet the rigor of building-wide excellence. It is also a goal we have never before achieved.

I am so proud to report that this past spring, every one of our buildings achieved at least one building-wide standard of excellence as measured by performance on the Kansas State Assessments!  And, true to the challenge, we will not have school on Monday, April 9th, the day immediately following Easter Sunday.

Additionally, every school had at least one grade level standard of excellence award, and my challenge for that accomplishment (again, one which we have never accomplished to-date) is to enter the gymnasium at our District-wide Celebration on a zip line. I am glad to be faced with this kind of crazy challenge in response to such important improvement in our district.  

I hope you will share in our excitement and help us stress to your children the importance of doing their best, regardless of the task, test or challenge placed before them. And I sincerely hope you are as proud of their growth as I am. To see your school's building report card, log on to http://online.ksde.org/rcard/.  

Sincerely,
Sue Givens, Superintendent of Schools