Board Members Kinnie Ledford, president; Jalaine Richardson, vice-president; Sarah Morton; Andrea Ball; Ed Trimmer; Roy Andreas
Communications
USD 465 Mission Statement
Board members read the USD 465 mission statement: 'Developing Responsible Citizens for the Future.'Recognition of Visitors
Visitors introduced themselves.
Beverly DeWater Scholarship
BOE Member Jalaine Richardson provided the board with an update on the changes to the USD 465 Beverly DeWater Scholarship. The scholarship, established through a generous $198,000 donation from Beverly DeWaters, is designed to support current district staff pursuing certification or licensure.
Skyward Qmlative Student Management Suite
The Administration presented, as a first reading, a proposal to the Board of Education to purchase the Skyward Qmlativ Student Management System to replace the district’s current PowerSchool platform.
The proposed transition offers comparable long-term costs while providing enhanced data security and seamless integration with the district’s existing Skyward business suite. Skyward’s real-time dashboard will give principals, teachers, and district staff immediate access to key information on student achievement, attendance, and behavior—offering a clearer and more comprehensive view of school performance.
Implementation would begin in January, with full transition to Skyward completed by July 1. The rollout plan includes professional development for all impacted staff—principals, technology staff, teachers, secretaries, nurses, and food service personnel—to ensure a smooth and well-supported transition. Training will be introduced in stages throughout the spring while PowerSchool remains active through June 30 to maintain continuity.
Chromebook Purchase
Assistant Superintendent Phil Bressler presented a proposal to purchase 130 additional Chromebooks to ensure kindergarten students have access to touchscreen devices. An initial purchase last spring specified touchscreen models for kindergarten, but the devices delivered in June were shipped without that feature. The error was not discovered until after the vendor’s 70-day return deadline. While these non-touchscreen devices are currently in use, kindergarten students face limitations using touchpads due to age-related dexterity challenges. The vendor has acknowledged the ordering error and provided a discount on the current purchase, making them the lowest bidder for the replacement order. The original devices will be repurposed as drivers for classroom displays (projectors and flat panels), offsetting part of the planned replacement costs in the current fiscal year.
Personnel Report
Mr. Bressler presented a personnel update noting two retirements, two transfers, five resignations, and seven new hires. He also reported that the district is currently short on custodial staff and will actively increase recruitment efforts to fill those positions. Additionally, the Special Services department continues to recruit and hire paraprofessionals and elementary principals are also seeking teaching assistants to support student needs.
Bond Budget Update
The board reviewed the expenditures related to the USD 465 General Obligation Bonds through October 2025. Notable expenses include Whittier at $3,976,244, Irving at $2,380,438, and Lowell at $2,750,230. Additional costs consist of $306,526 for WELC, $83,066 for Country View, architect fees totaling $636,630, and other associated fees of $147,484.
Per Building Costs
Mr. Bressler provided the Board of Education with the per-building cost estimates for FY25. The report notes that middle school and high school data contain coding errors in Skyward, so their figures are combined and summarized under HS/MS. The final column reflects estimated expenditures per pupil based on available Skyward data.
CV: $508,229 total expenditures; $4,887 per pupil
IR: $1,014,403 total; $4,718 per pupil
LO: $870,600 total; $4,289 per pupil
WH: $1,020,969 total; $3,867 per pupil
WELC: $368,705 total; $4,496 per pupil
WMS: $1,224,945 total; $2,552 per pupil
WHS: $4,952,601 total; $8,310 per pupil
Combined HS/MS: $6,177,545 total; $5,741 per pupil
September Financials and Updates
Mr. Bressler presented the September check register with fund totals to the Board of Education and noted that the 2023–24 accounting work with AGH is expected to be completed by the end of October, after which the books will be submitted to the BFR auditor. This will allow the finalization of the 2024–25 books to begin. Board members asked about payroll operations two months into the school year. Processing earlier has helped staff proactively address issues, and principals are approving timely. With 785 employees and the shift to the 1st and 15th, compliance is improving, and the payroll team has been highly responsive, ensuring everyone is still paid on schedule.
Transportation – Activity Bus Update
Mr. Bressler provided the Board with a summary of Fall 2025 Activity Bus usage, highlighting trips for WHS and WMS students for events including soccer, JV football, cross country, volleyball, HOSA, and WRC - Truck Tober Fest. Other topics included exploring the use of activity buses as an incentive for middle school and JV athletes, fostering a sense of pride while encouraging participation in varsity sports, band, and other extracurricular programs. Mr. Bressler noted that he meets weekly with the WHS Athletic Director and Director of Transportation to coordinate and manage transportation for activities. While concerns were raised about the activity bus not always being fully utilized, Mr. Bressler explained that bus driver availability can sometimes be a factor. He and the superintendent will review scheduling.
State Assessment Data
Dr. Ray presented the 2025 Kansas State Assessment and Fastbridge Benchmarking data, including grade-level and historical trends. She noted that the District Leadership Team will review the data at their next meeting to discuss current realities and next steps. The Board acknowledged overall incremental growth, with some areas showing particularly strong progress.
Grants and Donations
The Foundation awarded $2,359 in teacher grants this year, supporting innovative classroom projects: a kid-safe 3D art tool at Irving/Country View ($564), STEM playground zones at WELC ($800), a hydroponic Little Sprouts project at WELC ($495), and robotics for gifted learners at Whittier ($500). Additional donations included $100 from Melinda Current for the Lunch Fairy program at Winfield Middle School and $720 from the David C. Norris Memorial for the USD 465 Golf Program
Enrollment Data
Winfield USD 465 reports a total enrollment of 1,972 students for 2025-26, a decrease of 76 students from the previous year. When analyzed by individual grade levels, most grades experienced incremental decreases. Discussion highlighted that declining enrollment is a trend seen across the state, and the Board considered the implications for staffing, classroom assignments, and resource planning for the upcoming school year.
Parent Teacher Conferences Update
Parent participation was strong across the district: WELC and Lowell – 99%, Irving – 98.6%, Country View – 98%, Whittier – 98%, Winfield Middle School – 86%, and Winfield High School – 30%.
KESA Accreditation
USD 465 is proud to announce that it has been awarded Accreditation by the Kansas State Board of Education in recognition of successfully meeting the standards of the Kansas Education System. The Board of Education commends our dedicated staff for their hard work and commitment in completing the necessary requirements and developing a thoughtful plan that led to this achievement.
This accreditation is effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, and will remain in effect unless modified by the Kansas State Board of Education. Accreditation is reviewed and determined annually, highlighting the district’s ongoing dedication to excellence in education.
Cell Phone Task Force
Superintendent Reiser shared that the Cell Phone Task Force will soon reconvene to continue following the Blue Ribbon Task Force guidelines on student screen time. Upcoming discussions will focus on parental oversight of district-owned devices, the effects of screen time on mental health, and follow-up on the district cell phone policy.
Strategic Plan Outline
The Board discussed all data presented at the meeting, including enrollment trends, student assessment results, and cost per building, and considered the implications for staffing, classroom assignments, and future resource planning. Discussion will continue as the Board works on the creation of Phase 2 of the Strategic Plan.
Kansans Can STAR Recognition Award – Bronze – Civic Engagement
The Board of Education proudly recognizes Winfield USD 465 for achieving Civic Engagement Bronze in the 2025 Kansans Can Star Recognition Program. The Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas State Board of Education extend their congratulations to the district for the exceptional work being done to advance the state’s vision of education—Kansas leads the world in the success of each student. This recognition highlights the district’s success in the outcome measures that Kansans value and reflects Winfield USD 465’s ongoing commitment to moving Kansas closer to achieving its educational goals.
Consent Agenda
Board members approved the following items.
Personnel
Approval of September, 2025 BOE Minutes
Approval of Grants/ Donations
Approval of September Financials
Upcoming Events
No School – Friday, October 17 – Teacher Report/Record Day
BOE Regular Meeting: The next BOE regular monthly meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. at Lowell Elementary – 1404 Millington Street.
BOE Meeting – Monday, November 10, 2025 – 5:30 at the District Office.
Annual KASB Convention – November 14-16 in Wichita, KS.