McPherson – Week of March 13 2025
School calendar shortened; License plate readers approved; All Schools Day returns; Health grants secured; Tech costs rise
McPherson School Board Approves Shortened 2025-26 Calendar with Extended Days
County Approves License Plate Reader Technology to Enhance Public Safety
McPherson County All Schools Day Returns for 112th Celebration
County Health Department Secures Critical Grant Funding for Public Health Services
Technology Upgrades Drive Budget Increase for New County Building Project
Bullpup Sports Report
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Emergency logs
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Lindsborg lives up to "Little Sweden" legacy
1. McPherson School Board Approves Shortened 2025-26 Calendar with Extended Days
The McPherson USD 418 School Board approved a significant calendar change for the 2025-26 academic year, implementing a negotiated agreement to shorten the school year by eight days while adding 20 minutes to each remaining school day. After substantial discussion Monday night, the new calendar will have students starting on August 19, 2025, with a half-day and ending on May 15, 2026—the Friday following All Schools Day. The calendar revision stems from an agreement ratified by 71% of teachers and similarly supported by parents in district surveys. Several board members raised concerns about potential impacts, including graduation coinciding with All Schools Day weekend, athletic schedules, and the effect of a longer summer break on student learning and food security. "Are we going to expand summer school? What about things for student meals?" questioned one board member. Director of Operations Bill Froese, addressing food service concerns, indicated the district would likely extend meal programs further into August to address the longer break. Despite reservations from some members who wanted additional calendar committee review, the board ultimately approved the calendar as presented, emphasizing it's a one-year trial with a scheduled reassessment in January 2026 to determine its effectiveness.
Also on Monday night, the School Board signaled a desire to slow down the district's strategic planning process, requesting additional collaborative sessions before finalizing the blueprint for the district's future. Despite approaching the original March-April approval timeline, board members expressed concerns that the draft plan overemphasized facilities without adequately addressing student needs. "I don't want to rush something through just to get it done," noted board one member, echoing sentiments shared by several colleagues. Superintendent Dr. Shiloh Vincent agreed to coordinate an additional work session with board officers, acknowledging the importance of getting the plan right while ensuring broad community input beyond just those who attended initial focus groups. The strategic plan, which has been in development throughout the school year, will incorporate feedback from the District Leadership Team meeting scheduled for Tuesday (3/11) before returning to the board in a revised form. "This isn't a short-term plan," reminded one board member, emphasizing the far-reaching implications of the document that will guide district priorities for years to come.
The board also unanimously approved spending $39k for enrollment projection and building utilization studies from RSP, a move Dr. Vincent called "invaluable" for future decision-making. Bill Froese painted a concerning picture of current conditions, detailing persistent sewer backups at the high school, water pipes erupting through concrete near Eisenhower building, and plumbing systems so outdated that parts are no longer available. "It's not aging, it's completely obsolete," Dr. Vincent emphasized to the board. Chelsea Busch, a board member who supported the studies, noted they would provide critical data about building capacity needs rather than making decisions "blindly." The studies are expected to be completed by June, with results informing the district's approach to what multiple officials acknowledged were increasingly urgent infrastructure challenges.
Source: McPherson USD 418 School Board (YouTube)
2. County Approves License Plate Reader Technology to Enhance Public Safety
McPherson County Commissioners unanimously approved a five-year contract with Flock Safety for license plate reader technology during their March 10 meeting. The system, costing $64k over five years, will include four cameras strategically positioned throughout the county to automatically scan and identify vehicles of interest. The first-year cost of $16k includes installation, with subsequent years priced at $12k annually. The technology will alert law enforcement when vehicles associated with violent offenders, missing persons, or ongoing investigations enter the county. County officials cited recent successes, including a fentanyl-related arrest where similar technology proved invaluable in identifying a suspect's vehicle. The system will integrate with neighboring jurisdictions including Saline County, Abilene, Moundridge, Lindsborg, and several other locations that have already implemented or are in the process of implementing the technology. The cameras will create a regional network of surveillance that allows data sharing across communities, with law enforcement representatives emphasizing the technology's potential to enhance public safety and improve response times to potential threats.
Editors note: this Sheriff’s Dept (county) initiative should not be confused with the camera initiative from McPherson PD (city), which will deploy traditional CCTV cameras at 6 locations inside the city.
Source: McPherson County
3. McPherson County All Schools Day Returns for 112th Celebration
McPherson County is gearing up for its 112th annual All Schools Day celebration, a cherished tradition that will span from May 1-10, 2025. The festivities will kick off with the countywide button hunt on May 1, followed by May Fate celebrations at Lakeside Park and the high school Roundhouse on May 7-8. Wickersham Park will host the carnival from Wednesday through Saturday. The highlight of the celebration comes Friday, May 9, with the grand parade down Main Street featuring marching bands from surrounding areas and a special flyover. Early risers can start their day with the newly added All Schools Day Yoga event at Memorial Park from 8-9am, offering a peaceful beginning before the parade festivities. Following the parade, activities will include inflatable bounce houses, a baby crawl, and special marathons for 5th and 8th grade students. The day will conclude with entertainment at Wall Park and a spectacular fireworks display.
Source: City of McPherson (Facebook)
4. County Health Department Secures Critical Grant Funding for Public Health Services
The McPherson County Commission unanimously approved four grant applications totaling $149k from the County Health Department to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for fiscal year 2026. The funding package includes support for the department's family planning program, immunization services, public health emergency preparedness, and general clinic services. Health Department Director Shalei Shea highlighted a new partnership with Rice County, where McPherson will provide administrative oversight and mentorship to help revive Rice County's family planning services over the next three years. Importantly, the arrangement ensures McPherson taxpayers won't foot the bill for Rice County services—instead, Rice County will pay McPherson County for the administrative expertise, actually bringing additional funding into McPherson County's health department. The partnership benefits Rice County residents who previously had to travel to McPherson for services, while creating a revenue stream for McPherson's health department. The emergency preparedness portion of the funding carries significant requirements, including a full-scale public health exercise, which the director indicated might focus on measles response.
Source: McPherson County
5. Technology Upgrades Drive Budget Increase for New County Building Project
McPherson County Commissioners approved a significantly increased technology infrastructure package for the new county building at their March 10 meeting, authorizing $299k in expenditures—more than three times the originally budgeted $82k. County IT Director Jeff Butler explained that the substantial increase resulted from miscommunications during initial planning and insufficient data connectivity provisions. The building project itself is progressing at 25% completion, with demolition finished on the upper floors and continuing on the first and second levels. "We want it to be future-proof for 10-20 years," Butler told commissioners, "It's a little more money up front, but hopefully less money that we'll be spending over that time period."
Source: McPherson County
Bullpup sports report
Basketball
Boys state tournament
Boys advance to state semifinals Friday at 2p vs undefeated Ottawa
Girls state tournament
Bowling
The McPherson High School boys and girls bowling teams finished their seasons at the Class 4-1A State Tournament held at Wichita’s Bowlero Northrock. The boys placed seventh overall with a total team score of 2,939, led by Rayce Stiggins who rolled a 585 series. The girls ended the day eighth with a team score of 2,043, paced by Brooke Henry’s 495 series. Topeka-Hayden captured the boys’ state championship, while Andale secured the girls’ title.
Introducing the McPherson Citizen Journal Score Network!
We're expanding our local sports coverage beyond varsity athletics to include middle school, JV, and other youth sports programs. To make this possible, we're launching a community-driven reporting system where parents, relatives, coaches, and team supporters can easily submit game scores and tournament results.
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Sources
- McPherson USD 418 School Board, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyOLJDg8uwU
- McPherson County, https://www.mcphersoncountyks.us/949/BOCC-Recent-Agendas-Minutes-and-Video
- City of McPherson, https://www.facebook.com/CityOfMcPhersonLocalGovernment/videos/1178194957015739
- McPherson County, https://www.mcphersoncountyks.us/949/BOCC-Recent-Agendas-Minutes-and-Video
- McPherson County, https://www.mcphersoncountyks.us/949/BOCC-Recent-Agendas-Minutes-and-Video