5 Takeaways from USD 418 Board of Education meeting on June 16, 2025
Board Advances Major Strategic Planning Initiatives and Reviews Key Policies
1. Architect Hired to Lead Major District Facility Planning
The Board of Education unanimously approved the selection of incite Design Studio as the district’s architectural partner to develop a new long-range facility plan. The decision follows a multi-step interview process involving a facilities committee. The firm will begin immediately by conducting a comprehensive assessment of all district buildings, looking at physical condition, educational adequacy, capacity, and capital needs. This process will include gathering input from staff and the community to create a “building report card” for each facility. The timeline aims to have a potential bond issue ready for voters by March 2026.
2. Board Approves New Five-Year Strategic Plan
After extensive work and review, the board unanimously approved a new five-year strategic plan for the district. The comprehensive plan contains 44 specific goals and 17 measures of assessment. During the discussion, a board member noted the plan's ambitious scale and questioned how the board would effectively monitor progress on so many items. The superintendent clarified that the plan is intended to be accomplished over five years, not one, and that the district's leadership team will prioritize which goals to focus on each year. The administration will provide regular updates on implementation and evaluation of the plan's goals.
3. High School Cell Phone Policy Sparks Debate
The board engaged in a lengthy discussion regarding the personal cell phone policy at the high school while reviewing annual handbook changes. While the middle school has a more restrictive policy requiring students to keep phones in their lockers, the high school's current rules are less stringent. Several board members shared feedback from parents and other districts, highlighting concerns about social media-related anxiety and distraction versus parents' desire to be able to contact their children, especially given the high school's open lunch policy. The administration proposed continuing with the current high school policy for the upcoming year while a team gathers more feedback from parents, students, and staff to inform a potential future policy change for the 2026-2027 school year.
4. District Outlines Top Budget Priorities
The board reviewed the annual District Needs Assessment, a report required by law that identifies key priorities to guide the budgeting process. Based on feedback from school leadership teams, the district has identified five main focus areas for resource allocation: employee compensation; curriculum alignment and resources; staff development; facilities and technology; and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) for student interventions. These priorities, which align with the district's strategic plan, will serve as the filter for spending decisions as the administration finalizes the budget for the upcoming school year. No action was required, but the report provides transparency on the district's financial direction.
5. Community Donations Bolster School Programs
The board formally accepted several donations from the community that benefit students and programs across the district. Washington Elementary received new soccer goals as well as touchscreen Chromebooks to help students use the online library catalog. The McPherson High School debate and forensics program received a donation from the All Schools Day association. A donation was also made in memory of Vic Snyder to benefit the district’s vocal music programs. The superintendent noted the “amazing giving” that supports students and programs in unique ways each month.
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