Blue Valley Today - Fall 2022

A Messagefrom the Superintendent

The first day of school can bring excitement and jitters from our youngest students to the district’s superintendent. I had the privilege of visiting several schools on the first day, August 17, this year. Seeing the smiles as students reconnected with their friends and teachers, families smiling taking photos of their children in front of the school and staff energized for the year are some of my favorite moments to experience. We had an amazing start to the 2022-23 school year. On pages eight and nine, you will have the opportunity to see several first-day-of-school photos and see what our students across the district are excited about this school year.

Before the first day of school, the district had the amazing opportunity to welcome back all of our staff with an in-person Rally in the Valley! The energy and excitement our staff brought to this event really showcased how ready they are as a collective group for this school year. Great teaching occurs every day in Blue Valley because of our extraordinary educators and their commitment to our learners. I say this often, but I truly believe that our staff are the best of the best in our area, region, state and nation.

As you read the stories in this magazine, I hope you notice

the impact educators have on our children. None of us would be where we are today without a great teacher. On pages four and five, you will read about a couple of staff members who started their journey in Blue Valley as students and are now educators for this district.

I am honored and blessed to have begun my career with Blue Valley nearly 23 years ago as a counselor and to continue leading this district with extraordinary staff by my side. To all of our staff who serve our students each day and call Blue Valley their home, thank you.

Each new year provides a renewed opportunity for the district to provide the best possible education for all students. On the next page, you will see the district’s 2022-23 goals. These goals are set in order to continue providing extraordinary educational opportunities for all students. Together, we will make this a tremendous year.

Let’s continue to make the 2022-23 school year a memorable one by working together to positively impact the lives of our students. Because when we are #BVTogether, we are a better district.

Tonya Merrigan, Ed.D. Superintendent

Blue Valley Schools

15020 Metcalf Ave.

P.O. Box 23901

Overland Park, KS 66283-0901 (913) 239-4000

Superintendent Tonya Merrigan, Ed.D.

Board of Education

Patrick Hurley, President

Kaety Bowers, Vice President

Jodie Dietz

Jan Kessinger

Gina Knapp

Jim McMullen

Tom Mitchell

Website www.bluevalleyk12.org

For more information about Blue Valley Today, contact the Communications Department 913-239-4329.

STUDENTS AT HEART OF DISTRICT’S

2022-2023 Goals

Students are and will continue to be at the heart of Blue Valley’s strategic plan. With four strategic initiatives as a roadmap, district administration and the Board of Education set goals each year that further the mission of Reimagining Learning and Changing the World to ensure life readiness and personal excellence for all students. This year’s goals include five areas of focus — math, literacy, high school experience, mental health, and recruitment and retention.

STRATEGICALLY AGILE SYSTEMS

• Create bond project list for Board consideration of a 2023 mail-in ballot election

• Evaluate school boundaries and develop plan to address elementary school enrollment and building capacity issues

• Develop and deliver balanced operating budget plan for the 2023-24 school year

• Design and construct remaining 2020 bond projects prior to start of the 2023-24 school year

EXEMPLARY EDUCATORS

• Compensate every educator competitively

» Salary schedules will reflect highly competitive wages

» Recruit highly skilled educators from a competitive and diverse candidate pool

• Build capacity of every educator to ensure a transformative educational experience for every student

» Educators will have received district-wide quality professional development and training

• Increase efforts to retain and support every educator

» District will increase number of diverse candidates retained Accountability

• Monitor student growth measures for 2022-23 school year

• Monitor implementation of school goals

• Emphasize monitoring and analysis of student data with emphasis on providing intervention through tiered supports K-12

• Expand structured literacy professional learning for grades 6-12

• Increase percentage of students at or above benchmark on assessments (specific goals available on district website)

• Facilitate and monitor implementation of new iReady math resources K-8

• Increase percentage of students at or above benchmark on assessments (specific goals available on district website) School Experience

• High school study team will present recommendations by end of 2022-23 school year:

» Updated graduation requirements Identify courses for client-connected projects embedded in revised curriculum

» Review extracurricular and cocurricular student opportunities

» Begin to reimagine high school schedule with potential second semester recommendation

• 70% of students in 2023 class will leave Blue Valley with a Market Value Asset

• Continue to implement Year 1 and 2 BVEdge goals

• BV Food Pantry planning team will continue preparation for spring 2023 opening

BALANCED HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES information about the district’s Strategic Plan 2022-23 goals available at www.bluevalleyk12.org/strategicplan.

• Continue to expand an emphasis on mental well-being in order to ensure learning environments that are trauma sensitive, safe and accessible for all students

Blue Valley alumni return to teach in district HOMEGROWN EDUCATORS

A model student who was engaged, produced quality work, participated in class and followed the rules. These are the attributes Oxford Middle School teacher Megan Trimble used to describe her former student Brock Robbins.

“He displayed all of the qualities in terms of his character, work ethic and personality that will be tremendous assets to him as a teacher,” Trimble said.

These qualities remain true as Robbins begins his first year as an 8th grade English language arts (ELA) and social studies teacher at Prairie Star Middle. He is one of many homegrown educators who have returned to the Blue Valley nest.

The district welcomed this school year more than 250 new teachers. More than 30 of those teachers are Blue Valley alumni, some of whom are now teaching at the same

high school or feeder system in which they attended.

Blue Valley’s new teachers have expressed excitement to share the many lessons, traditions, mentorships and friendships they experienced and developed as students.

“I’m very excited to work with the students, and I’m also very excited to work with my 8th-grade team and see how we work together despite our different content,” Robbins said.

Robbins attended Oak Hill Elementary, Oxford Middle School and graduated in 2018 from Blue Valley Northwest. He credits many of his elementary and secondary teachers like Trimble, Kyle Farrington and Kerry Kinkelaar for inspiring him to teach.

“Then as I student taught in Blue Valley, several educators further cemented that

love for teaching as I worked with them,” Robbins said.

Trimble said playing a role in inspiring Robbins to teach validates her calling to teach. It is a full circle moment for Trimble as she can see firsthand the positive impact she has on her students.

“Not only are we teaching them academics but life skills in order to be successful,” Trimble said. “Pretty much everything I set out to accomplish, Brock is an example of that. To me, that means everything.”

Blue Valley Southwest teacher Shauna Rinearson also recently experienced a full circle moment as her former student Corinne Simmons found her way back to the Blue Valley School District.

Simmons, who attended Stilwell Elementary and Blue Valley Middle, graduated in 2015 from Blue Valley

New teacher Corinne Simmons feels right at home as she begins her journey with her alma mater, Blue Valley Southwest.

Blue Valley Northwest alum Brock Robbins returns to the district as a teacher at Prairie Star Middle.

Southwest. She is now a teacher at her alma mater where she has the opportunity to work with Rinearson as colleagues.

“As a student, Corinne was very studious, very organized,” Rinearson said. “She had really strong self-management skills, she had a passion for literature and was a very strong writer.”

Simmons’ path to becoming a teacher didn’t start when she graduated high school. She received her undergraduate degree in business but later realized her heart belonged elsewhere.

Simmons worked as a substitute teacher in Blue Valley during the COVID-19 pandemic and reconnected with former teachers who encouraged her to consider returning to the classroom as a teacher.

in action in the classroom with students, she met every expectation that I had for her,” Rinearson said. “Her lesson plans are really well-designed, she develops strong rapport with our students and she’s a very hard worker. All of those traits I saw in her when she was a student continued to characterize her as a teacher as well.”

Simmons isn’t the first teacher Rinearson has inspired to become an educator but serving as a mentor to students holds just as much weight today.

“It means everything to me,” Rinearson said. “This is my 24th year of teaching and my 10th year in Blue Valley. I’ve had several former students go into education at all levels and it always makes me really proud. …To have Corinne now as a colleague feels like coming full circle.”

Simmons’ high school class was one of the first to grace the halls of Southwest when it opened in 2010. Being able to establish the school’s traditions and culture gave her ownership over her high school experience.

She hopes to instill that love for Southwest in her students.

“I felt like Southwest really helped to shape who I became and I grew so much in my time there, and I really felt like it was an environment where I was given the chance to grow,” Simmons said.

“A very key factor in that was Shauna,” Simmons said. “She was very influential in encouraging and pursuing teaching. She asked me some questions that really got me thinking about what I wanted my legacy to be and what that might look like.”

While Simmons worked toward her master’s degree, she reached out to Rinearson to ask if she could be her student teacher. Rinearson was thrilled.

“Once she joined us for her student teaching experience and I got to see her

She looks forward to being able to connect with her students since she once sat in the same classrooms and walked the same halls.

“I’m excited to give back to the community that I felt like kickstarted my direction in life,” Simmons said. “I also just really love that I am getting to work with some of my former teachers. …I think I’m really excited to have a classroom and space I can create for students. Having that autonomy to shape what our interactions are going to look like in the room is really valuable.”

Join us in the classroom, in the lunchroom and in our schools to help us provide the best learning experience for our students.

Blue Valley is seeking applications for the following support roles within our district:

These positions offer flexible schedules, full benefits and retirement plans. If you are looking to make a positive impact in your community and in the lives of our children, we encourage you to apply for one of these support opportunities in the district, or share this information with someone you think would be a good fit to join our team.

Apply online on the district website www.bluevalleyk12.org.

“I’m excited to give back to the community that I felt like kickstarted my direction in life”

CORINNE SIMMONS BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST TEACHER

Classroom thumb-turn door locks allow staff to easily lock doors from the inside in the event of a security breach. The 2020 Bond has provided thumb-turn door locks for all classrooms or secure spaces in all schools.

Pleasant Ridge Middle received a reimagined library media space as part of the 2020 Bond.

Flexible Learning Environment (FLE) at Lakewood Elementary. FLEs provide more options for instructional delivery and personalized learning.

Elementary 24, the district’s newest school located in the growing southwest portion of the district on 182nd and Long, is set to open Fall of 2023.

FLE added at Leawood Elementary. All elementary schools throughout the district will have FLEs before the start of the 2023 school year.

Blue Valley Northwest added a multipurpose gym and shelter space. This allows more space for athletics, performing arts, PE, assemblies and more.

The hum of excitement filled the air at Indian Valley Elementary’s (IVE) traditional Backpack Night before the first day of school. While the night was filled with anticipation around meeting the teachers and dropping off supplies, students and families were also eager to get their first peak at the newly renovated learning environments at IVE.

“Students and families were amazed at the building’s transformation,” said Kristin Venable, Indian Valley Elementary principal. “They commented on how the building looked like a new school and how the flexibility of the spaces would allow for many more educational opportunities. You could feel their excitement.”

Indian Valley was one of seven elementary schools to undergo reimagined flexible learning environments (FLEs) this summer thanks to Bond 2020 work. The spaces are highlighted by more natural light, moveable walls between classrooms and mobile furniture to provide flexibility in the classroom for large and small group learning.

Summer bond work also focused on reinforcing elementary classrooms with thumb-turn classroom door locks. The interior locks provide visual “locked” and “unlocked” indicators for both staff and students. These locks were installed at middle and high schools previously as part of Bond 2020 construction.

“Thumb-turn locks provide one more layer of security to an already robust security plan for our students and staff,” said Jake Slobodnik, executive director of operations. “The thumb-turn locking mechanism functions quickly and the visual indicator allows teachers to immediately recognize their space is locked down. This allows more time to focus on the well-being of our students without the added pressure of ensuring the space is secure.”

Learning environments, safety highlight summer bond Theater lighting/rigging/safety schools

Learn about the projects made possible thanks to the community’s investment in Bond 2020 and a recap video at www.bluevalleyk12.org/bond. In the coming months, the district will share information with the community on an upcoming bond referendum.

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL

Blue Valley welcomed more than 22,000 students to school on Aug. 17, 2022, to five high schools, nine middle schools, 21 elementary schools, Blue Valley Academy, the 18-21 Services/GEAR program, the Center for Advanced Professional Studies and Hilltop Early Learning campus. The first day of school brought many emotions for students, families and staff. For some students, it is their very first day of school in Blue Valley. For others, it is their last first day of high school. Starting with Blue Valley’s youngest learners through high school, students will be met with meaningful educational opportunities their entire journey.

What are you excited for this year?

Market day in 2nd grade. — Summer Jones, 2nd, Cottonwood Point Elem.

PE and recess because I get to play soccer with my friends. — Carlito Coppage, 2nd, Overland Trail Elem. Getting to take Chinese. — Max Meadows, 6th, Overland Trail Middle

I’m in the CAPS program so my first three hours of the day I spend over at the CAPS building. I’m really excited because I’m getting my CNA certification if I pass the test at the end of the semester.

— Holly Davis, 12th, Blue Valley High

Mr. Nichols. He is the greatest, according to what my sister says. — Seth K., 5th, Cottonwood Point Elem.

Learning Spanish. — Aubrey Koedatich, 7th, Overland Trail Middle

I think this year I’m in a lot of STEM classes so I’m going to have a lot of fun exploring more about the STEM field.

– Josselyn Bui, 11th, Blue Valley High

To get taller — Gage Taylor, 5th, Cottonwood Point Elem.

I’m really excited for my geography AP class and my honors classes and getting to experience high school as a freshman. Manuel Onentia, 9th, Blue Valley High

If you could support your teachers in one way this year how would you do that?

Give them ice cream. — Amy Freeland, K, Overland Trail Elem.

I wish we could have nap time again so the teacher could take a break. — Gage Taylor, 5th, Cottonwood Point Elem.

I have some of those Expo markers, I could give them to her. I already gave her Kleenex’s.

— Andrew Klein, 2nd, Overland Trail Elem.

Be a good student but I feel like every teacher appreciates a nice little Target gift card.

— Maya Glickman, 7th, Overland Trail Middle

I normally drop by and say hi or I will get them a gift as an appreciation. — Gunnar Thomason, 12th, Blue Valley High

What is your favorite thing about your teachers?

They usually take time to care about their students. — Maisie Young, 6th, Overland Trail Middle

Here, it’s really a community. All the teachers remember you by name and genuinely care about you. — Claire Joseph, 12th, Blue Valley High Ms. Chapel. She’s just so sweet and she matches everyone’s energy. — Camila Becerra, 7th, Overland Trail Middle

What is the best thing about your school?

I think the student rooms and flex space really give teachers a place to have students collaborate and do more teamwork activities.

— Josselyn Bui, 11th, Blue Valley High

All the nice teachers. — Lilliane Planchon, 4th, Cottonwood Point Elem.

I’m a theater student so the new flex theater is great. — Holly Davis, 12th, Blue Valley High

The waffles — Andrew Klein, 2nd, Overland Trail Elem.

Tradition. Blue Valley High is the oldest Blue Valley school and everyone here takes pride in being a Tiger. — Lindsay Cho, 11th, Blue Valley High