Week of September 18 2024

1 McPherson Schools Brace for Declining Enrollment Ahead of September 20 Count
2 USD 418 Approves $68 Million Budget, Plans Strategic Goals through 2035
3 Step MC Celebrates Largest Graduating Class, Expands Poverty Support Initiatives
4 Key McPherson Infrastructure Projects Near Completion Ahead of Schedule
5 McPherson Colleges Launch Rivalry Cup, Soccer Matches Kick Off Series
Bullpup sports

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1 McPherson Schools Brace for Declining Enrollment Ahead of September 20 Count

The McPherson School District is preparing for an official student count on September 20, with early signs pointing to a continued decline in enrollment. The district's superintendent noted that McPherson is mirroring a trend seen in 100 out of 105 counties in Kansas, where districts are seeing fewer students due to smaller incoming classes. This decline reflects broader demographic shifts, including population changes and declining birth rates, which are reducing the number of school-age children. This decline could impact future budget planning, as state funding is tied to student numbers. The district plans to provide a more detailed update, including specific enrollment figures, at the October board meeting once the official count is completed. There was no discussion of enrollment changes due to home schooling, private schools, or competition from other districts.

Source: USD 418

2 USD 418 Approves $68 Million Budget, Plans Strategic Goals through 2035

The McPherson School District board has approved a $68 million budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, marking an increase from last year’s $64 million budget, despite an expected decline in student enrollment. Key levies include 20 mills for the general fund, 8 mills for capital outlay, and 8.475 mills for bond and interest payments. The board also passed a resolution to utilize the maximum 33% of the general fund for the local option budget (LOB), allowing the district to collect additional property taxes for the budget.
During the meeting, the board noted that this will be the final year the district receives federal COVID relief funds. As these funds phase out, the district will increasingly rely on state and local revenue sources to meet its financial obligations and operational needs.

USD 418 is also about to begin a 10-year strategic planning process to guide its goals through 2035. Community input will be gathered through focus groups in November 2024 and January 2025. The district aims to finalize the plan by April 2025, with a focus on curriculum, infrastructure, and student success.

The district received a clean audit for the 2023-2024 fiscal year from the Llyod Group.

Source: USD 418

3 Step MC Celebrates Largest Graduating Class, Expands Poverty Support Initiatives

Step MC, a McPherson-based nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals overcome poverty through education, coaching, and community support, provided a positive update during a recent city meeting. Angela Brunk, the organization’s director, announced that Step MC celebrated its largest graduating class to date, with 27 participants completing the program. Of those, 17 have chosen to continue into Phase 2 for further development. The organization also launched new initiatives, including a Getting Ahead class at McPherson's alternative center and another in Moundridge, which saw its largest-ever turnout with 18 participants.

Alyssa, a former participant turned coach, shared her personal story during the meeting. Growing up in poverty and becoming a teen mom, she struggled financially for years before joining Step MC. With support from the program, she built her credit, obtained reliable transportation, and earned her GED. Now a coach, Alyssa is helping others in her community navigate similar challenges, underscoring the life-changing impact of Step MC's work. The organization is actively seeking more volunteers to serve as mentors for participants and assist with childcare.

Source: City of McPherson

4 Key McPherson Infrastructure Projects Near Completion Ahead of Schedule

Several key infrastructure projects in McPherson are making significant progress. The Elm Street Drainage Project is nearing completion, with storm sewer installations around Euclid nearly finished. Crews expect to begin placing concrete on the street by midweek, with Elm Street scheduled to reopen to traffic by the end of the week, weather permitting. The new stormwater system will help reduce flooding in the area. At Turkey Creek Golf Course, work continues on the new irrigation system. Crews have installed 66 irrigation heads on the #5 fairway and green, along with over 2,000 feet of piping and wiring. Construction on Fire Station No. 2 is ahead of schedule, with the installation of doors and interior work, including cabinetry and countertops, progressing quickly. The city has approved $19k for security cameras, networking equipment, and door access controls to make the facility fully operational. The station is expected to be completed by the end of October.

Source: City of McPherson

5 McPherson Colleges Launch Rivalry Cup, Soccer Matches Kick Off Series

McPherson College and Central Christian College have launched a new Collegiate Sports Rivalry Cup, featuring seven team sports competitions throughout the academic year. The rivalry began with soccer matches, where Central Christian won the women’s game 1-0, and McPherson College triumphed in the men’s game by the same score. The next event is a volleyball match on October 22 at Central Christian’s gym, with basketball and baseball contests to follow. The initiative aims to bring the McPherson community together to support local college athletes, with free admission to all events and broadcasts available on 98.9 Ad Astra Radio.

Source: City of McPherson

Bullpup Sports

McPherson Bullpup Football Secures First Win of the Season, Defeats Circle 28-14

CLASS 4A FOOTBALL RANKINGS
1. Bishop Miege (0-2, LW: 1) 
2. Andover Central (2-0, LW: 2) 
3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (2-0, LW: 3)
4. Wamego (2-0, LW: 4) 
5. Wellington (0-2, LW: 5) 
6. Buhler (2-0, LW: 6) 
7. McPherson (1-1, LW: 7) L
8. Louisburg (2-0, LW: 8) 
9. Chanute (2-0, LW: 9) 
10. Ottawa (2-0, LW: UR)

Girls Golf:
* Salina Central Invite (9/10): The Bullpups finished 3rd place out of 11 teams with a score of 346, setting a school record. Notable individual performances included Andi Buschbomb in 5th (77), Brodie Kuhn in 8th (79), and Reese Elliott in 16th (87).
* Winfield Invite (9/12): The team secured 1st place out of 5 teams with a team score of 371. Brodie Kuhn took 1st place individually (79), with Andi Buschbomb finishing 2nd (82), and Reese Elliott in 13th.

Girls Tennis:
* The McPherson High girls tennis team took 1st place at their recent tournament, with strong performances by singles players M. Sandbo (2nd), D. Rodriguez (3rd), and A. Sanbo (8th). In doubles, Unruh/Liebl finished 2nd, Eveland/Olson 4th, Reno/Krug 8th, and Paul/VanCampen 9th.

Boys Soccer (Maize South Tournament):
* 9/10: The Bullpups suffered an 0-8 loss to Maize South.
* 9/12: Another tough match led to a 0-4 defeat against Wichita East.
* 9/14: The team bounced back, beating Wichita Classical 3-1 in the tournament.
9/16 & 9/17 Soccer Matches:
* 9/16: The Bullpups lost 0-2 in a rematch against Wichita Classical.
* 9/17: McPherson defeated El Dorado on the road with a 4-0 victory.

Girls Volleyball:
* 9/10 Triangular: McPherson defeated Mulvane 2-0 but lost a close match to Buhler 2-1.
* 9/17: The Bullpups played a triangular meet, with the results showing a win against Circle 2-1, but the outcome against Augusta is currently unknown. REPORT SCORE HERE 

Cross Country (9/14 at Wamego):
* Boys finished 4th overall, led by Caleb Muehler, who took 2nd individually with a time of 16:16. Ethan Elder medaled with a 9th place finish.
* Girls team finished 7th overall, with Lexi Patterson breaking the school record with a time of 20:15, placing 8th. Eva Ramey also medaled, finishing 9th.

Source: Wichita Eagle, Ad Astra Radio, x.com

Sources

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SylBa6Z5GeA

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SylBa6Z5GeA

3. https://www.facebook.com/CityOfMcPhersonLocalGovernment/videos

4. https://www.facebook.com/CityOfMcPhersonLocalGovernment/videos

5. https://www.facebook.com/CityOfMcPhersonLocalGovernment/videos

6. https://www.kansas.com/sports/varsity-kansas/varsity-football/article292546519.html?tbref=hp; https://www.adastraradio.com/adastra-sports/bullpup-sports-roundup-sep-6-15-updates-from-girls-golf-boys-soccer-and-cross-country