NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson USD 308 Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson is looking ahead to the future of the district and how they can be intentional, even as student numbers start to fall. USD 308 will be working with the Community Engagement Institute (CEI) at Wichita State University to facilitate the new strategic planning process.
"We want to contribute to the economic growth of our community," Johnson said. "We really want to be invested in student success. Keeping those kind of things in mind, we really need to think about, how do we shape ourselves in the next five years? How are we moving? I've talked about our enrollment dropping, probably just around Reno County with everyone. How do we shape and shift again and provide the best quality education that we can?"
It's also a challenge to find people who want to get into teaching, or stay in it.
"We are finding shortages for teachers," Johnson said. "We are just starting to get into the advertising business of those positions. They haven't been out there very long, but there's not a whole lot. When I started in this business a long time ago, if you had an elementary opening, you'd probably have a hundred applicants. Today, if we have an elementary opening, we'll be lucky if we have one."
Work on the future of facilities in the district will begin with a facility committee. If someone would like to be considered for this committee, contact the district office at (620) 615-4009 to provide your name and contact information.
"I'll be looking and reaching out to folks in the community," Johnson said. "If folks think they'd like to be on this committee, they should probably call me. We're looking for 30 to 45 people maybe, to be on this committee. That will go through about a 15-month timeline. By March of 2024, we hope to be able to say, here are some decisions that the board could pull off the shelf in the future, or pull off the shelf right then, or wherever they think that they might be in that process. If you, at 2035, think you're going to be down to 3500 students, maybe this is what that plan looks like."
With the long-term child care needs of the community, repurposing facilities is an idea that is on the table for the committee to discuss, among others, once members express interest.
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