Takeaways from Dodge City USD 443 Education Board Meeting
Week of August 11, 2026
Board approves contract with new security firm
State grant to fund security camera upgrades
District to decouple fire monitoring from security systems
Board authorizes $84,750 fire alarm replacement at Sunnyside Elementary
Emergency chiller repairs ratified for Bright Beginnings
District welcomes 25 new teachers amid reduced vacancies
Special education achieves full local funding
District monitoring potential impacts of Ford County data center proposals
Board approves contract with new security firm
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The Dodge City Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a $137,894 contract with Aquila Protective Services to provide security services for the 2026-27 school year. The agreement will place one unarmed security officer at Dodge City High School, Comanche Middle School and Dodge City Middle School to operate magnetometer stations. The district sought a new provider after its previous security company ceased providing services prior to the upcoming school year. Superintendent Jason Scheck noted the district is also exploring the long-term feasibility of developing an internal security department to expand security coverage at extracurricular events while potentially reducing contracted service costs.
State grant to fund security camera upgrades
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The board of education accepted a $47,392 Safe and Secure School Grant from the Kansas State Department of Education to upgrade security cameras across the district. Because the state legislature reduced the total grant pool from $3 million to $2.5 million this year, funds were distributed to Kansas districts equitably based on full-time enrollment. The board unanimously approved a dollar-for-dollar match from the district's capital outlay fund to complete the technological upgrades.
District to decouple fire monitoring from security systems
DODGE CITY, Kan. — In an effort to resolve ongoing technical errors, the board approved a $23,500 equipment purchase to shift its fire alarm monitoring to Davis Fire Systems. The fire monitoring was previously tied to the district's general security system, under which the district experienced false alarms and errant late-night phone calls to district personnel. While the initial equipment installation will be paid from capital outlay funds, the district expects the new $7,150 annual monitoring fee to yield significant long-term savings compared to the estimated $17,000 previously spent on the combined system.
Board authorizes $84,750 fire alarm replacement at Sunnyside Elementary
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The board unanimously approved an $84,750 project to replace the aging fire alarm system at Sunnyside Elementary School. An unnamed district business services official explained that the current proprietary system frequently triggers false alarms and can no longer be serviced by outside vendors. The new system will be installed by Davis Fire Systems through a Greenbush purchasing cooperative agreement and will be funded entirely by the district's capital outlay budget.
Emergency chiller repairs ratified for Bright Beginnings
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The board ratified a $26,794 emergency repair to a broken chiller at the Bright Beginnings early childhood center. An unnamed district business services official reported that a condenser coil failure required immediate action earlier this summer due to extreme temperatures. The district utilized P1 Service for the repairs, bypassing the standard prior-approval bidding process due to the extenuating weather circumstances and the urgent need to cool the building. The repair costs were drawn from capital outlay funds.
District welcomes 25 new teachers amid reduced vacancies
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Superintendent Jason Scheck announced the district hired 25 new certified teachers for the upcoming school year, signaling a stabilization in local educational staffing. Scheck highlighted that four of the new hires are graduates of the district's Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program, successfully moving from apprentices to certified classroom teachers. Currently, the district has only four open teaching positions — three at Dodge City High School and one at Comanche Middle School. Scheck stated that building "bench strength" from within has significantly reduced the district's reliance on rotating long-term substitute teachers.
Special education achieves full local funding
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The board announced that the district's special education program is fully funded at the local level for the current school year. The financial milestone follows a recent special meeting of the Southwest Kansas Area Cooperative District where area members voted to increase local assessments to cover program costs. The milestone was noted as a major success for the district, though it was clarified that the program is currently only fully funded at the local level, separate from state and federal funding shortfalls.
District monitoring potential impacts of Ford County data center proposals
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The board discussed the potential local impacts of proposed commercial data centers in Ford County, particularly concerning district enrollment, staffing and tax revenues. Questions were raised about whether the high-paying tech and construction jobs might draw away district staff, or if the district should prepare new Career and Technical Education pathways to funnel students into the local workforce. Superintendent Jason Scheck assured the board that the district is actively participating in discussions with county officials to ensure the schools are prepared for any demographic or financial shifts the developments might bring.
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