News & information from Wichita Public Schools - August 2010

Payne students rewarded for attendance

PreK through fifth-grade students at Payne Elementary were rewarded for perfect attendance for the school year. The students who had perfect attendance were given bicycles on the last day of school.

The students who received bikes are Connor Richardson, PreK; Sheyla Paz- Velasquez, kindergarten; Kayla Kelley,
third-grade; Yvette Fabela, Colton Minnick and Zoey Large, fourth grade; Dashiell Mitchell, Cintia Cruz-Tello, Payne students rewarded for attendance Ashley Crumrine and Leslie Lopez, fifth-grade. Large, Fabela and Kelley have had multiple years of perfect attendance.

Globe Engineering, one of the school’s partners, purchased the bikes for the students. Globe Engineering provides support and mentors for Payne throughout the year and has supplied bikes for students with perfect attendance the past several years.

Horace Mann teacher finalist for Presidential Award

Rachel Aponso, math teacher at Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet, has been named one of three Kansas finalists for the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science from the National Science Foundation.

Finalists were selected based on five areas including mastery of math/science content and knowledge, use of instructional methods and strategies to support student learning, effective use of assessment strategies and educational leadership outside her classroom. Aponso will receive $500 to use in her classroom. National winners for the Presidential Award will be announced in May of 2011.

High school seniors receive millions in scholarships

The 2010 senior class received many scholarships to help support their future educational endeavors. The amount of
scholarships given to students throughout all high schools totals $26,098,121. “We are incredibly proud that many of our students will have the opportunity to go to college with financial assistance,” said Denise Wren, Assistant Superintendent of High Schools. “Whether it’s a large or small scholarship, it really makes a difference for our students.”

Students receive scholarships from Assistance League

Nine high school graduates received scholarships from the Assistance League of Wichita to help them continue their education.
Most of the students who were selected are the first in their family to graduate high school and go on to college. The students will attend Butler Community College or Wichita Area Technical College in the fall.

East students in top 5 at Forensics Tournament

Two students from East High School received fifth-place at the National Forensic League National Tournament in Kansas City. Jonathan Lewallen, 2010 graduate, finished 5th in International Extemporaneous Speaking. In the final round, he spoke before an audience of approximately 1,500 on the topic of what the international community can do to combat terrorism.

Salman Husain, incoming senior, finished 5th in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate category. The topic discussed was whether including non-felons’ DNA in government databases was just or unjust.

Both students received their awards during the NFL Awards Ceremony on June 18.

Jardine received grant from Laura Bush Foundation

Jardine Technology Magnet received a grant from the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries. The school will
receive $6,000 to expand and update its library book collection. Jardine will purchase books for their general collection, their bilingual/foreign language collection and for audio books.

Jardine was one of 188 schools across the country to receive the grant.