The Shawnee Heights Board of Education unanimously approved the meeting agenda, the minutes from the Oct. 20, 2025 regular meeting and routine business-by-consent items, and approved Shawnee County's countywide legislative priorities packet with one abstention. The packet will be used during district delegations' meetings with state legislators at the Statehouse on Dec. 8.

Board members heard staff reports on several district initiatives. Matt Hirsch described two teacher retention programs: a tuition incentive that supported 12 teachers who together earned 156 graduate credits last year (the district paid "over $30,000" toward those credits) and a district sick-leave pool that enrolled 228 of 306 teachers (about 75% participation). Hirsch said the pool provides 10 days from the pooled balance, includes a "catastrophic" clause allowing an application for up to 60 additional days, and that the board may authorize another 30 days in exceptional cases — a combined maximum of up to 100 days in unusual circumstances. He described the sick-leave structure as "almost like, kind of a short term disability policy" for staff members who face extended medical absences.

District business staff briefed the board on the annual audit and state reporting schedule. The engagement with BT & Co. was signed in July and on-site testing was completed recently; state auditors are expected to be on site again in January during the week of the 19th. Staff explained the enrollment reporting flow (PowerSchool data imported into the Kansas Individual Data on Students system, or KIDS), and that state auditors review supporting documentation and minimum-expenditure requirements as part of the state audit. The district also submitted Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) per-pupil expenditure reports in mid-October as required by federal law.

Curriculum staff reported progress on standards review and revised family-facing progress reports. Rebecca Hummer said curriculum review teams for science, health and physical education have unpacked standards and are preparing resource bids. Early childhood block-grant evaluation results for the 2024–25 year showed the district served a higher share of students at developmental or social-emotional risk (57%) than the grant average (49%), and the percentage of children on track for numeracy rose from 55% to 83% across the year. Hummer also displayed revised elementary and secondary summary reports that link standards to weekly grade entries, and noted secondary summaries now include chronic-absence information.

Communications staff summarized outreach for the bond election and plans to launch ParentSquare as a unified communications platform on Dec. 1. Tiffany Kinch said the bond campaign includes short videos, mailers, a district web page, town halls and social-media advertising; ParentSquare will centralize messages and calendars by district, school and class or group, and will be phased in with training for staff and families.

Facilities and operations updates included completion of the middle school band-room HVAC, delivery of replacement playground equipment, installation of high-school choir sound panels as part of Capitol Outlay work, and progress on the Barrington roof project (work delayed by weather; next window targeted for the Thanksgiving break). The district also has begun planning for a wide-area network (WAN) project; walkthroughs with the vendor will start next week, with planning expected to finish by mid-December and project completion targeted for June 2026. Staff noted the vendor will lay extra fiber as part of the project that could expand broadband availability in parts of the district.

During board comments, one member explained the reason for abstaining on the county priorities approval. She described personal experience seeking out nonpublic schooling options for a child with substance-use problems and said she believes parents should be able to seek alternative placements when public schools cannot meet extreme, individual needs.

The board voted to enter an executive session to discuss an individual employee's performance under the non-elected personnel exception (COMA) and subsequently adjourned the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of agenda: motion passed (voice vote recorded as 5 yes, 0 no). Motion by Christy Vanmeter; second by Rocky Buznitz.
- Approval of minutes (Oct. 20, 2025): motion passed (voice vote recorded as 5 yes, 0 no). Motion by Christina Plaming; second by Sarah Daugherty.
- Business by consent: motion passed (voice vote recorded as 5 yes, 0 no). Motion by Rocky Buznitz; second by Christy Vanmeter.
- Approval of Shawnee County "One United Voice" legislative priorities packet for Dec. 8 Statehouse meetings: motion passed (4 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain). Motion by Christy Vanmeter; second by Rocky Buznitz. The abstaining member later explained a personal reason related to parental choice and special placement options.
- Motion to enter executive session to discuss an individual employee's performance (non-elected personnel exception under COMA): motion passed (5 yes, 0 no).