Blue Valley Today - Summer 2020 Edition

SUMMER 2020

Q&A with Outgoing and Incoming Superintendents Learning from a Distance Students Help During COVID-19 SUMMER 2020 • 1

15020 Metcalf Overland Park, Kansas 66283

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PAID U. S. Postage

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A Message

from the Superintendent The end of the school year has always been a bittersweet time for me, and this year, perhaps more so than ever before. I can honestly say that in my 35 years in education, I have never experienced a last day of school quite like this. Following Spring Break, our classrooms shifted from brick and mortar school buildings to kitchens, bedrooms and homes as students and staff sheltered in place to slow the spread of COVID19. And while I have certainly missed the traditional pomp, circumstance and celebration that occurs at all levels at the end of the year, I think we have grown stronger as a community as we have faced these challenges and opportunities together.

Through this challenging time, our Blue Valley family has proven time and time again that it is the people who make this place special. In this issue, you will see the incredible strength and spirit of the Blue Valley community, from our teachers and families who embraced a new model of learning through the district’s Continuous Learning Plan, to our behind-thescenes staff who worked tirelessly to provide essential services and support for families in need, to our inspiring Blue Valley students who, despite their own challenges, went above and beyond to support one another through this time of uncertainty.

While we may not know what exactly the future holds, one thing I am certain of is that the future in Blue Valley is bright.

Blue Valley Schools 15020 Metcalf Ave. P.O. Box 23901 Overland Park, KS 66283-0901 (913) 239-4000 Superintendent Todd White, Ed.D. 2 • B LU E VA L L E Y TO D AY

Board of Education Tom Mitchell, President Amy Tysseling, Vice President Michele Benjamin Jodie Dietz Patrick Hurley Stacy Obringer-Varhall Mike Seitz

Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to work closely with incoming superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan as she prepares to transition to her new leadership role, and I can say with every confidence that Blue Valley is in good hands. In the following pages, you will have the opportunity to learn a little more about Dr. Merrigan and her plans for the future with the district’s new strategic plan.

I am excited to see what Blue Valley has in store for the future for all kids, but in particular, for my three grandchildren as I transition to my new role as a full-time, proud Blue Valley grandparent. As I look toward this next chapter, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you. Thank you for welcoming me into your community. Thank you for daring to dream big, to reimagine learning, and for your continued support of Blue Valley Schools. Most importantly, thank you for making every day I have spent here in Blue Valley a #BVBestDay.

Todd White, Ed.D. Superintendent

Website www.bluevalleyk12.org Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube and download the Blue Valley Schools app for day-to-day district news.

Reimagining the future

New strategic plan to lead Blue Valley through 2025 Reimagining Learning | Changing the World: five simple words with one big impact. What began as a community conversation about the future of education has now evolved into a new strategic plan for the Blue Valley School District and a roadmap to reimagine learning through the year 2025. At the virtual May Board of Education meeting, Blue Valley’s Board approved the district’s newest strategic plan to guide the district’s work into the future.

“It was just over a year ago that we started the conversation about developing the district’s next strategic plan and this has far exceeded my expectations of what this process would be like, both in its challenges and opportunities,” said Tonya Merrigan, incoming superintendent. “As you know, we had a total disruption for the last quarter of school with COVID19, and we’re still experiencing that disruption. However, I believe this new strategic plan will lend itself very well to what we need to do in Blue Valley to move us forward into what education looks like in the future.”

Over the past several years, Blue Valley has continued to excel academically thanks in large part to its dedicated staff and students. During this time, the Blue Valley community has also encouraged and supported an educational environment that places student health and well-being at the heart of the district’s work. Now, more than ever, this balance between academic excellence and a focus on the whole child is of the utmost importance as students, staff and families navigate the ever-changing “new normal.”

“I think that the timing of this strategic plan is so beneficial,” said Todd White, superintendent. “We are working and living and thriving in a post-COVID-19 world, and the structure of this strategic plan allows for a great many possibilities to be realized. Our world is changing at a rapid pace, and we have to prepare our students for that—to have the skills to be successful on their path in life, whatever it may hold.”

Based on input from students, staff, families and community members,

academic achievement and personal excellence continue to surface as important cornerstones for Blue Valley in the new strategic plan. In addition, the plan includes an increased emphasis for students to learn life skills, socialemotional competencies, habits of mind and dispositions—skills that complement the academic setting but also have value outside of the classroom.

While the district is excited to incorporate the components of this new plan beginning in the 2020-21 school year, it will be a slow and steady implementation as Blue Valley focuses on helping students, staff and community members transition into the new academic school year following a nontraditional end to 2019-2020. Despite these challenging and unknown times, the district remains committed to providing the best future for Blue Valley students.

“I think it says a lot about Blue Valley that in this unprecedented time, we’re still forging on with this process,” said Lisa Stolper, Overland Trail Middle assistant principal and strategic plan action team leader. “And while every day, we’re looking at what this new normal looks like and reimagining all of the things that we do on a daily basis, we’re still looking toward the future.

We are still considering how to improve ourselves as a district and provide the best educational opportunities for our kids.”

SUMMER 2020 • 3

Learning from a distance Courtney Major I Blue Stone Studios

Blue Valley implements Excited for the arrival of his favorite

subject for the day, P.E. class, first grader Colin Weiss eagerly walks through the doors to the school gym, which happens to look a lot like his backyard at home.

Stepping out onto the lawn, Colin greets his classmates—mom, dad, brother and sister—as they prepare for today’s lesson.

What appears to be a standard deck of cards has transformed into a circuit of

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Continuous Learning Plan amid school building closures

exercises based on the card’s suit and number. Colin selects a card from a full deck—a 10 of hearts—and proudly announces the latest exercise to his “classmates”—10 jumping jacks.

These days, P.E. class isn’t the only part of school that looks a little different for the Weiss family. This new home learning environment is part of the district’s Continuous Learning Plan to provide

continued educational opportunities following the governor’s announcement to close school buildings as a result of COVID-19.

“When the announcement was made, we were totally shocked,” said Lindsay Weiss, Blue Valley parent. “The kids were sad, worried and bummed. Initially, it was just a whole lot of uncomfortable and not really understanding what anything would look

For Weiss, parent of an elementary, middle and high school student, the Continuous Learning Plan has led to a variety of new experiences not only for her children, but for her and her husband as they embrace their new roles in the home classroom.

we hope for our students,” said Lauren Garcia, Blue Valley West AP history teacher. “The district has put forward any and all opportunities that were required for students while also making sure that the Continuous Learning Plan would not penalize the kids should their family be affected by the virus. We’re all doing our best to make sure our kids close out the year in a way that is as meaningful as possible under these circumstances.”

“I don’t feel like I’m so much the teacher, because [my kids] still have really great teachers doing the teaching, but I am definitely the facilitator,” Weiss said. “I think we only have an inkling of what has gone on behind the scenes. The speed with which our teachers had to pivot and do something completely different, to try to cater an entire new curriculum to your kid and do at least some specific tailoring, I feel like they’re heroes in that aspect.”

In addition to the traditional curriculum, the need for essential services provided by schools continued. Special education teachers created Temporary Individual Learning Plans for students receiving special services, and the district remained committed to providing learning resources for families in a variety of formats, including printed packets, live lessons via Zoom, personalized instruction and more to meet the needs of all learners.

like... But from my kids’ teachers and the administration, all we ever felt was this reassurance that we’ve got this... we are here for you and that was amazing.”

“We’re all doing our best to make sure our kids close out the year in a way that is as meaningful as possible under these circumstances.”

LAUREN GARCIA BLUE VALLEY WEST AP HISTORY TEACHER

From choice learning boards and targeted instruction at the elementary level, to more independent learning at the secondary level thanks to the district’s learning management system and 1:Learner devices, education has been able to continue, albeit in a different way, for all learners.

“We wanted to make sure that students had every opportunity available and that this pandemic would not negatively affect what

“Some of the best teachers are definitely shining in this environment,” Weiss said.

“The teachers that my kids already loved have found new ways for them to be loved, and it’s really the simplest things that make the biggest difference. They’re the ones that are holding the Zoom calls that are truly dedicated to social interaction—just those little things that give back some of the social time that they have been missing so much. I love seeing those teachers just shine.”

Without a doubt, the success of the district’s Continuous Learning Plan is a testament to the foundation of Blue Valley Schools—its employees. However, the role of Blue Valley families has truly evolved as parents and guardians grew as some of the most crucial members of their child’s education team.

“People have said over and over that our teachers are superheroes, and I wholeheartedly agree,” said Tonya Merrigan, incoming superintendent. “I also think that is true of our parents who have had to adjust to something they never thought they would have to do. Like our teachers, they too are working full time

from home, trying to help teach and assist their students. I give our parents huge kudos for the work that they have done with their students in their homes.”

The dynamic between schools and families has forever changed, in many ways as a positive. For superintendent Todd White, the resiliency of families like the Weiss family, combined with the commitment of staff members to provide continued educational experiences, has revealed the true strength of Blue Valley—it’s community.

“To me, a community is not a place, it’s a state of mind,” White said. “And I would say we’ve learned that Blue Valley has a really good community of people who care about one another. We all agree that this is a great place to be. It’s fantastic for our kids, and what we have is not only worth keeping, but making sure that it thrives in the future.”

SUMMER 2020 • 5

The Helping Hands BLUE VALLEY STAFF MEMBERS PROVIDE SUPPORT DURING COVID-19

Peering out the window of the family living room, the student glances up just in time to see a delivery man hunched over as he carefully places a package on the doorstep. As the delivery man straightens up, the student quickly realizes he is not your average mail carrier or Amazon Prime employee, but rather the bus driver from the neighborhood route. Smiling, the bus driver waves to the student and points encouragingly to the package on the doorstep—a printed packet of lessons, arriving just in time for the start of the district’s Continuous Learning Plan. What the student does not yet realize is that the bus driver is simply one of many helping hands involved in making this delivery possible.

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With the closure of school buildings as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, several of the district’s behind-the-scenes supporters suddenly found themselves on the front lines, in the heart of the district’s work. Despite the unexpected challenges, the Blue Valley community rallied to support and connect with each other in new ways in order to ensure the needs of all students and families could be met.

for nutrition, members of Blue Valley’s Food Services team worked together to identify a solution for families to continue to receive school breakfasts and lunches during the unprecedented closure. With a few adjustments to the meal service model, the district offered free grab-and-go breakfast and lunches on weekdays at four locations across the district, providing approximately 2,200 meals daily.

Grab-and-Go Meal Service

Technology Support

The closure of school buildings across Kansas also meant the closure of school cafeterias and lunchrooms. Knowing that many students and families relied on the district meal service as an important source

In a time of social distancing, the importance of reliable virtual learning tools increased seemingly overnight. With the support of Blue Valley’s technology employees, the district was able to make the transition to distance learning for all students and staff. Members of the BV

BLUE VALLEY’S FOOD SERVICES

96%

BV CARE

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2200 MEALS DAILY Care team provided remote IT support through the district’s online technology help system, addressing nearly 2,500 help tickets with an average customer satisfaction rate of 96 percent. In addition, BV Care team members coordinated more than 500 individual support appointments to service district devices and completed scheduled software/system updates on Google Chromebooks for middle school students. The team worked with middle school principals to safely deliver these devices door-to-door prior to the start of the district’s Continuous Learning Plan.

Thanks to the work of the district’s Blended Learning team, students at the secondary level were able to easily transition to a safe digital learning environment using district-provided Chromebooks and MacBooks to access instruction through Blue Valley’s online learning management system.

In preparation for this transition to a digital classroom, Blended Learning employees conducted nearly 2,500 hours of on-demand professional learning

2500

NEARLY

2500 HELP TICKETS

opportunities to help teachers adjust to the new environment so that they could best support their students.

each school building to coordinate safe pick up of critical medical supplies left in buildings.

All Means All

Maintaining District Grounds

While digital learning environments played a critical role in the district’s Continuous Learning Plan, Blue Valley recognized that digital classrooms would not be a viable solution for every learner. The district’s printing services staff and Durham School Services worked together to print and deliver nearly 500 continuous learning handouts for students with special needs weekly, and learning resource paper packets for more than 600 elementary families every two weeks.

Medical Support School nurses from across Johnson County, including Blue Valley, worked regular shifts answering phones for the community hotline dedicated to providing community members information specific to COVID-19. In addition to serving as a key resource for information, school nurses worked with staff and families from

&

HOURS

OF ON-DEMAND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

In an abundance of caution, the district closed down all district grounds to the public to prevent the spread of the virus.

Blue Valley’s safety and security staff conducted regular checks of district buildings and grounds to maintain safe environments. In addition, district grounds crews and custodial staff completed regular maintenance and deep cleaning.

From supporting fundamental needs like the health and well-being of families through meal service, medical support, and maintaining safe environments, to providing educational support to meet the needs of all learners, it is clear that the strength of the district lies in the helping hands of the Blue Valley people.

Thank you to everyone in the Blue Valley community who provided support during this unprecedented time.

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RESOURCE PACKETS SUMMER 2020 • 7

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LEGACY OF

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Q&A session with Blue Valley’s outgoing and incoming superintendents Seated in his home office, superintendent Dr. Todd White opens his laptop, clicking the link to his latest Zoom meeting of the day. Moments later, deputy superintendent (and the soon-to-be incoming superintendent) Dr. Tonya Merrigan pops onto the screen, joining the virtual meeting from her home work space during the state’s school building closures as a result of COVID-19.

For colleagues who have worked so closely together over the past year, this virtual meeting room feels a little odd and impersonal, yet at the same time an, all-too-familiar part of their new normal. As White and Merrigan prepare for the superintendent succession to come to fruition with the start of the 2020-21 school year, they take time to reflect on the past, present and plans for the future...

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BV: Over the past year, you two have spent time learning from each other. Why do you feel like this transition period was important?

WHITE: The leadership transition is so crucial in organizations. Sometimes that change can appear seamless, but there’s a lot of work by a whole team of people that goes into place to make sure it feels like a smooth transition for the organization as a whole. That is exactly what Tonya, the Board and I all wanted.

MERRIGAN: I would agree—this year has been an amazing opportunity to learn and grow, and I know that is a gift. I thank our Board of Education for their foresight and for allowing this transition period to happen. Although I have worked in the district for 21 years, the amount I have learned during this year has been astronomical. This transition has also allowed our district to continue on the same trajectory that we’ve been on for the last five years with Todd. When he started his superintendency, he challenged our staff to think outside the box and “dream big.” We need to do that now more than ever.

BV: As you have learned more about Dr. Merrigan, what characteristics about her leadership style inspire you?

WHITE: Through this transition, I have grown so fond of Tonya as a leader but also as a person and a friend. I think that she’s absolutely perfect for this time, even more so now with what we’re facing, because of her strength and compassion, her thoughtfulness and all those sorts of things that are so vital for a leader going forward. I think people genuinely understand that she’s the right person in the right place with the right ideals and opportunities to move this district forward.

Not only does she exhibit so many important leadership qualities, but she brings with her a wealth of experience. She has served as a teacher, a counselor, a principal and in various leadership roles at the district office, all of which are absolutely critical for a superintendent to be able to lead effectively.

BV: What would you consider to be Dr. White’s legacy he is leaving with the district?

MERRIGAN: When Todd came in, we were on the heels of the “No Child Left Behind” era and were struggling to figure out how to get out of our own way. We were really good at excelling academically but struggled as an organization to find balance. What Todd did was come in and challenge every single person in the system to “dream big” and do what was best for kids. The world was changing and we needed education to change. That has been a consistent message and it was very well received.

The other thing that really resonated with our whole community was that notion of the “whole child” and the health and well-being of our students. Unfortunately, during Todd’s time here, we had a terrible year with student suicides. He reached out to his colleagues in Johnson County and said, “Look, we’ve got to do something about this.” That’s how the #ZeroReasonsWhy suicide prevention campaign was born. They made a deliberate choice to involve kids as leaders of this movement, and it continues to be a strong force, I believe, because of the student involvement. I would say absolutely his legacy is going to be allowing us to dream big, but probably more importantly, is that the health and wellbeing of our students is absolutely crucial.

BV: As you look toward the future, what are you most excited about for Blue Valley Schools?

MERRIGAN: I feel like the future in Blue Valley is bright. And it’s exciting, because it’s a time for us to come together as a community and to provide education for our students that mirrors what’s happening in our world. I think that our strategic plan sets us up very well for the future, and honestly, what we are dealing with right now. Some of the things that our community has identified in our strategic plan are that we want to help develop problem solvers and students who are agile, have grit and are able to persevere—this is exactly what we are modeling right now during this pandemic.

Also, we want to prepare our students for whatever the future holds. No longer is there just one track for students. Now there are multiple opportunities for kids and we need to make sure that they have the skills necessary to do whatever they want to do. We want kids to dream big so that when they leave Blue Valley, they know the sky’s the limit.

SUMMER 2020 • 9

N LEFT TO RIGHT Logo for “Inside the Mind of QuaranTEENS” podcast. Pooja Jain, creator of the”Inside the Mind of QuaranTEENS” podcast. Blake Mashburn sewing a mask. Cobalt Colts teammate and BVN junior Braden Webb wearing a mask sewn by the team.

Blue Valley students provide community support during COVID-19 In the face of uncertainty and trying situations, several Blue Valley students demonstrated their resiliency and care for others by providing support as one community, one family and #OneBV.

Together, with courage and strength, my hope is for all of us to work together and offer advice to the other teenagers in the community who are going through a hard time.”

Inside the mind of QuaranTEENS

From topics like how to manage changing milestone celebrations like graduation, to balancing self-care and productivity from home, the podcast addresses the topics weighing on the minds of many teens during social quarantine. As a teen ambassador for the #ZeroReasonsWhy campaign dedicated to teen mental health and suicide prevention, Jain has seen first-hand the positive impact teens can have when they come together to support a common goal, and this podcast is no exception.

Isolated, disconnected, uncertain and uneasy—these are just a few of the emotions that Blue Valley West 2020 graduate Pooja Jain worried her peers may be experiencing as a result of the unexpected state closure in response to COVID-19. Knowing there was a strong possibility for a spike in mental health concerns during the time of isolation, Jain decided to take matters into her own hands. The result? “Inside the Mind of QuaranTEENS”—a podcast focusing on teen mental health during the pandemic.

“Because I can’t be there for my friends and my peers, I thought this (podcast) was a different way to do that,” Jain said.

“My plan for this podcast is to connect with other local teenagers and talk about this time that we have found ourselves in.

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The faces behind the masks When the Cobalt Colts robotics team’s season was cut short due to COVID-19, the group decided to put their interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) to use outside of the robotics world to stop the spread of the virus.

Employing the same skills they use to develop robots, these students created face shields out of resin for caregivers and nursing homes. For Blue Valley Northwest student and Cobalt Colts teammate Genevieve Ansay, creating these masks helped her realize that even from home, she could be part of the solution.

“This is our way of making a difference,” Ansay said. “It’s our way of saying ‘Coronavirus, you haven’t beat us yet.’

Rather than just being helpless, I’m actually making a difference. If everyone works together, we’ll make a much better outcome than we originally have expected.”

Like members of the Cobalt Colts, Morse Elementary fifth grader Blake Mashburn joined the efforts to support this community by making masks. Using his grandmother’s sewing machine, Blake sewed masks for people of all ages and interests using everything from KC-themed fabrics to various prints and patterns. For Blake, sewing these masks was about more than just preventing the spread of germs— it was an opportunity to support those in need by donating the mask proceeds to Harvesters as the organization increased support for families who lost jobs as a result of the virus.

Whether using their skills to provide protective gear and resources to those in need, or simply offering a listening ear and a platform to talk through changing times, Blue Valley students of all ages continue to demonstrate that whether near or far, this community is #OneBV.

News & Notes Blue Valley issues first bonds from 2020 referendum, refunds bonds saving taxpayers $2.39 million

The Blue Valley Board of Education issued the first bonds from the 2020 bond referendum passed by district voters on January 28, 2020. Blue Valley registered voters approved a $186,835,000 referendum that will reinvest in facilities and technology, reinforce school safety and reimagine learning environments and programs that will benefit students and staff. The principal amount of bonds sold in the 2020-A series was $125 million. Seven institutions bid on the bonds with the low bidder being Bank of America Merrill Lynch at an interest rate of 2.151220%.

Blue Valley’s Board of Education also issued $12.485 million in general obligation refunding bonds in an effort to secure a lower interest rate and savings for taxpayers. Four institutions bid on these bonds, with the low bidder being Piper Sandler & Co. at 1.277843%. These bonds originally sold at a higher interest rate in 2009 and 2011. The new lower interest rate will save district taxpayers $2.39 million in interest payments. During a rating review in 2020, Moody’s Investor Services reaffirmed the district’s AAA bond rating and Standard and Poor’s reaffirmed the district’s AA+ bond rating.

District to build out third activities complex Blue Valley’s Board of Education approved a recommendation to upgrade the activities complex on the Blue Valley West campus to include a varsity-level competition stadium funded through capital outlay. Blue Valley West is an ideal location for a build-out due to the central location within the district, access to a four-lane divided thoroughfare with signalized intersections and the proximity of safety facilities including a hospital and emergency response. A third district activity complex will allow for no more than two schools to share a varsity football stadium, alleviate scheduling concerns and benefit student-athletes. The stadium will be the new home field for Blue Valley West and Blue Valley Southwest, with construction anticipated to conclude

by August 2021.

53 Blue Valley students named National Merit finalists 53 Blue Valley seniors were named National Merit finalists after taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Finalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. Finalists from Blue Valley are: Blue Valley High: Sivaanii Arunachalam, Ryan Brown, Thomas Compton, Samuel Hurt, William Jiang, Max Kan, Rachel Ma, Janie Rainer, Ronak Shah, Surina Walia, Ethan Watson Blue Valley North: Ethan Azar-Jagoda, Gabriel Deng, Jack Di Palo, Lasyasri Kambhampati, Matthew Motley, Kara Olander, Han Yun Park, Annika Petrikin, Micah Roening, Daniel Stutz, Jerry Wang, Sophia White, Namgyung Yoo Blue Valley Northwest: Jay A. Lewis, Aleena L. Li, Daniel Z. Li, Kenny Liou, Nikhil C. Mathur, Olivia J. Meyer, Annabelle G. Nitz, Serena S. Xiao Blue Valley Southwest: Faris Bdair, Abby Bolick, Jacob Carnes, Abigail Clement, Madelaine Magee, John Price Blue Valley West: Hassan Ahad, Destiny Arnold, Lawrence Chen, Samhita Harohalli, Pooja Jain, Shreya Lingamallu, Michael Liu, Colby McArthur, Heer Mehta, Avery Mohn, Kelsey Norkey, Rishi Pathak, Carl Pfanstiel, Jason Varghese, Aryan Verma

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Caring for our Community

For the latest updates, visit AdventHealthKC.com.

As the area’s leading faith-based health network, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission has always provided care for

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