Preliminary enrollment decline prompts staffing adjustments in Manhattan-Ogden schools

District to hold revenue neutral rate and budget hearings in September

High school administrators report success with new cellphone restrictions

Board of education prepares for potential state mandates on screen time

Board finalizes termination of Marlatt Elementary principal

New three-tier busing system eases tardiness but causes afternoon delays

School foundation awards over $100,000 for district after-school programs

District educators complete 434 graduate credit hours through professional development

Longtime Manhattan High School math teacher and coach announces retirement

1. Preliminary enrollment decline prompts staffing adjustments in Manhattan-Ogden schools

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Preliminary enrollment in Unified School District 383 schools has dropped compared to last year, a trend administrators attribute to historically low national birth rates. To adjust to the decline, the district has utilized a three-year average calculation for its budget and reduced its elementary teaching staff by five positions paid through the general fund. Administrators also noted a significant drop in direct certifications for at-risk weightings due to recent cuts in Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. District officials stated they have contingency plans in place and will present additional cost-saving options to the board of education later in the school year.

2. District to hold revenue neutral rate and budget hearings in September

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Unified School District 383 board of education will hold a public hearing on the district's revenue neutral rate, followed immediately by a budget hearing at its next regular meeting. The hearings will give taxpayers an opportunity to review and comment on the district's proposed spending and tax levy for the upcoming fiscal year. To accommodate the hearings, the board will begin its next meeting early, starting at 6:20 p.m. before transitioning into its regular agenda.

3. High school administrators report success with new cellphone restrictions

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Manhattan High School's new restrictions on cellphone usage are showing positive early results, according to district administrators. Officials noted that devices have largely disappeared from classrooms and hallways since the policy's implementation. While some students have chosen to eat lunch in their vehicles to use their devices, administration reported few disciplinary incidents regarding the ban, stating that students are generally complying with the rules rather than risking severe penalties for insubordination.

4. Board of education prepares for potential state mandates on screen time

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Anticipating upcoming technology use policies from the Kansas State Board of Education, Unified School District 383 board members expressed a desire to proactively address student screen time locally. Board members discussed recent trends in other Kansas districts, such as banning one-to-one devices for kindergarten through second grade and restricting iPad use during indoor recess. Citing research that connects high screen time to delayed focus and lower self-regulation in children, the board plans to review the developmental appropriateness of its devices and the potential shift from iPads to Chromebooks before the state imposes mandatory tech policies.

5. Board finalizes termination of Marlatt Elementary principal

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Unified School District 383 board of education has officially upheld the termination of Marlatt Elementary School Principal Sheila Henke. The board's final decision follows an administrative hearing and previous proceedings that cited alleged violations of board policy and a failure to perform contractual duties. District administrators indicated the matter was investigated and handled in accordance with established law and district personnel procedures.

6. New three-tier busing system eases tardiness but causes afternoon delays

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The district's transition to a three-tier school start and end time system has yielded mixed results during the first week of classes. Administrators reported a decrease in tardiness and absenteeism at elementary schools as families adapt to the new schedule. However, logistical challenges remain at Manhattan High School, where campus congestion is causing buses to arrive late for afternoon middle school pickups. Despite the delays, the schedule change successfully allowed district maintenance staff to remain focused on repairing air conditioning units during a severe heat wave rather than covering bus driving routes.

7. School foundation awards over $100,000 for district after-school programs

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Manhattan-Ogden Public Schools Foundation announced it awarded more than $100,000 in YES Funds to support after-school programs across nine district schools last academic year. The grants, funded through the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, supported diverse teacher-led activities, including rocketry, robotics, choirs and jump rope clubs. Additionally, the foundation awarded 32 scholarships totaling nearly $80,000 in renewable college funds, including new memorial scholarships honoring former educators and the late James Rezac, who served as principal of Manhattan High School for 24 years before his retirement.

8. District educators complete 434 graduate credit hours through professional development

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Unified School District 383 teachers earned 434 graduate credit hours last year through a professional development partnership with Friends University. The program allows district educators to earn graduate credit for $70 per hour while attending scheduled district professional development days. The affordable credits enable teachers to fulfill continuing education requirements and advance on the district's salary schedule, resulting in the equivalent of 12 complete master's degree programs earned collectively by the staff in a single year.

9. Longtime Manhattan High School math teacher and coach announces retirement

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The board of education recognized the retirement of Scott Mall, a long-serving math teacher and coach at Manhattan High School. Mall, who began his career in the district as a teacher in 1990, was celebrated for his outstanding leadership, dedication to student development, and more than three decades of service to the Manhattan community.

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