From the Desk of the Superintendent

Dear USD 429 Parents, Patrons, and School Community,

May 1 has arrived! While students and staff may have a countdown going, I tend to avoid that—though I am very aware of how many school days remain. There was a time in my life when I wondered if a day or week would ever end. Now, it feels like there’s never quite enough time. May is always a busy time in the school year, with events happening nearly every day and evening, including some weekends. The days are quickly winding down.

Please encourage your children to maintain their daily and evening routines. We still have two full weeks and a few additional days left in the school year, and there are many activities taking place both during and after school. Keeping a consistent routine during these final weeks will be important, and we will work to do the same during the school day.

This year, many laws were passed in Topeka that affect public schools, including our district and your children. Perhaps the most significant is the new statewide school cell phone ban. While it is too late for debate, as it has been passed and signed by the Governor, it will go into effect next school year.

So what will this look like for our students? The law establishes a “bell-to-bell” ban, meaning cell phones may not be used during the school day. While this type of policy is not entirely new to our district, it is now state law and will require some adjustments. We will be working with the Board of Education to determine the best way to implement and follow this requirement. This law also addresses communication between staff and students, which is another topic we will review and share more information about in the future.  Texting will not occur between a coach/sponsor/teacher and students.  We will be looking at  uniform way to communicate with our students and those participating in school activities.

I have always believed that if we do not police ourselves, others will step in to do it for us. While I am not personally in favor of government involvement in this matter, the law is now in place, and we will move forward accordingly. We expect parents and students to respect and follow this new rule, and we appreciate your support in helping us do so.

Let’s make the most of these final weeks. There is still much to accomplish and celebrate. Thank you for all you do to support our schools.

Sincerely,
Patrick E. McKernan
Superintendent of Schools
Troy USD 429