MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson USD 308 officials say the new school year is off to a strong start, with encouraging results from the district's strategic plan, a smooth transition to new cellphone restrictions and improved staffing levels.
Dr. Krystal Young and Stacy Goss, USD 308 director of marketing and communications, discussed the start of the school year during an interview Thursday morning.
Young said the district's implementation of new cellphone restrictions has gone well during the opening days of school. She said students are spending more time interacting with each other and teachers have reported fewer distractions.
“I've been in every building, and it's been incredible to see students engaging with one another,” Young said. “The teachers that I've talked to have said it's going very well.”
The district is also continuing to implement its strategic plan, which began in January 2024. Goss said the plan has required an “all hands on deck” effort, but officials are already seeing measurable results.
One area of focus has been kindergarten. Changes were made after feedback from teachers indicated they needed additional resources to better serve students. Young said adjustments involving scheduling, play-based learning and opportunities for teachers to collaborate have contributed to academic gains and an 85% kindergarten teacher retention rate.
Third-grade reading has also been a major focus. The district's strategic plan called for a 5% increase over four years in the number of third-graders reading on grade level. Young said USD 308 reached that goal in just two years.
The progress has been significant enough that district officials are beginning to work with the Board of Education on updating the strategic plan, which originally was intended to run through 2028.
Goss also emphasized the importance of parents in developing reading skills. She said elementary parent participation is strong, with average attendance at parent-teacher conferences across the district's elementary schools at about 98%.
“If anything, reading to your child and reading with your child will change things for everybody,” Goss said.
Meanwhile, the district's new childcare facility is nearing capacity. Goss said the district intentionally did not fill every available space immediately as officials evaluate operations and allow room for the program to grow. She said the new facility has both added childcare capacity and replaced an older facility near Hutchinson High School that had been operating for decades.
Staffing levels are another positive development. Young said USD 308 is nearly fully staffed in custodial, food service and paraprofessional positions.
“We have started the year in a place we've never been,” Young said, adding that the staffing levels will provide additional adult support for students in district buildings.
The district is also adjusting activities because of the recent heat. Goss said some schools have moved recess indoors, while athletic practices are being adjusted based on wet-bulb readings and other safety considerations. She said district buildings and air-conditioning systems have handled the heat well.