CAPTION: From left: Board Members Gleysha Mendez-Rosario, Tad Dower, Cheryl Thompson, Darcie Canfield-Riggs, Valarie Gibson-Smith, Lance Patterson and President Laura Corey. CREDIT USD 308
By Michael Glenn
The Hutchinson USD 308 Board of Education discussed the possibility of adding a two-hour delay option for inclement weather Monday at the board’s regular meeting.
Deputy Superintendent Krystal Young said that a parent and staff survey for the 2025-2026 calendar year will also include a question about two-hour delays, as the annual calendar survey receives the largest amount of responses from parents.
“We want to use that as an opportunity to gather feedback to see if that’s something we want to look at in the future,” Young said.
Director of Communications for USD 308 Stacy Goss said the district wanted to gather feedback from parents and staff before pursuing further action.
“We’re just curious if it makes sense for USD 308 to do a two-hour delay or not,” Goss said. “We are sending it out to staff and parents today, and they can weigh in and we definitely take their responses to heart.”
Every other school district in Reno County has a two-hour delay option except Hutchinson. However, Goss said USD 308 is different from neighboring districts by how their students arrive to class.
“We would need to create our policy around what makes sense for us since we are a little different,” Goss said. “The majority of our kids arrive via private vehicle or walking and not by bus.”
Goss said the district would have to create policies for the implementation of the delay, including when staff and maintenance workers arrive and student breakfast, among other policies.
After the calendar survey results are complete, the data will be reported to the school board. Goss said the final decision will ultimately rest with the board of education for the addition of the delay.
“Right now, we’re essentially just asking if you would love it or hate it,” Goss said. “We are considerate of all factors.”
In other business, the board approved a classified substitute pay increase from $12.50 to $14.00. Young said the district wanted to make sure it was paying appropriately for those who work in the district as substitutes. Young added that classified hirings are going well.
“We are the best we have ever been with classified hirings,” Young said. “Our classified staff has never looked better, and I think that’s part of the pay we’ve done over the past two years.”
The board approved the raise unanimously.
