By John Mesh The Hutchinson Trinity Catholic High School boys golf team dominated the Heart of America League Tournament Monday with a 310 score on the par-72 Hesston Golf Course. Sterling placed second with a 352 score, followed by Berean Academy 385, Sedgwick 409, Inman 418 and
CAPTION: Back row: USD 313 Board Members Chris Shank, Greg Lackey, Tim Lackey, Monte Cross Front row: Dr. Michael Green, Jessica Goering, Laura Meyer Dick CREDIT BUHLER USD 313
By Adam Stewart
Buhler High School is a leader in student participation and achievement in agriculture education, school board members heard at Monday’s USD 313 Board of Education meeting.
Agriculture education teacher John Clark told the board that one-third of students took an agriculture class this year, and he estimated that 75% of this year’s graduating class took at least one class during their high school careers.
This year, Buhler High School had 13 students who received the State FFA Degree, and the number would have been higher if weather cancellations hadn’t happened during a key part of the application period, Clark said. Buhler students also accounted for 14 of the 200 Career and Technical Education Scholars in the state, and 22 of the 44 recipients of the Agriculture Skills and Competence Certificates awarded by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.
Forensics champions
The board also recognized three students who won state championships in forensics events.
Seniors Henry Trumpp and Chase Beals won the state championship in Duet Acting, going undefeated the entire season. Also undefeated was sophomore Kiron Bradley, state champion in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Overall, Buhler placed fifth in state forensics.
Medical committee warns against summer burnout, injuries
Board member Dr. Tim Lackey, who is on the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s Medical Advisory Committee, said that since KSHSAA greatly relaxed restrictions on summer practice and conditioning a few years ago, there has been a noticeable increase in students suffering from burnout and overuse injuries.
That committee isn’t ready to recommend reinstating the old summer practice limits yet, but if the trend doesn’t improve, they may ask KSHSAA to step back in with tighter limits on summer practices, he said.
Board members talked about the competitive pressures facing both students and coaches. Even with voluntary workouts, students may worry about getting playing time if they don’t make it to those workouts and others do. And coaches may worry about having their teams ready, especially early in the fall season, if they aren’t doing as much over the summer as their opponents.
Virtual learning costs increasing as current platform shuts down
The platform the district has used for virtual learning the past four years is shutting down this summer, with the company behind it pushing schools to new software that costs dramatically more without meaningful improvements. If Buhler stayed with its current provider, its per-student cost would increase from about $25 per year to about $800 per year.
Instead, administrators recommended software from SchoolsPLP, which does have better features at the lowest cost of the platforms they looked at. The cost for USD 313 with Schools PLP will be about $230 per student, Paul Erickson said during a break in the meeting. That is still a considerable increase, but Erickson said it covers all subject areas for virtual academy students.
Wednesday, Sunday activity policy updated
The board approved an update to its policy regarding activities Wednesday nights and Sundays. Superintendent Cindy Couchman said the existing policy wasn’t followed, so the district should either follow it or change the policy.
Previously, the policy was that there would be no school activities on Wednesday nights without written approval from the superintendent and a report to the school board. Couchman said that some sports and activities postseasons may include a Wednesday night, which is out of the district’s control, and sometimes games need to be rescheduled and Wednesday is the only time both teams have available.
Couchman proposed an updated policy that calls for activities on Wednesdays after 6 p.m. only when necessary and given consideration of family and community commitments. The policy also specifies activities can take place after 1 p.m. on a Sunday.
The board approved the policy update 6-0. Board member Laura Meyer Dick was absent.
Unified communications of activities sought
During an update about the district’s strategic plan, Couchman said she has heard from parents frustrated at how many different methods updates about student activities are sent through. Different teams, clubs, and groups use different apps to send updates, while others use email or SMS text messages, and it can be difficult to keep track of all those different communication channels for parents of students who are involved in many different activities.
No plan was presented Monday, but Couchman said that is an issue that is being looked at.
Facilities projects, phone towers discussed
Tennis courts at Prairie Hills Middle School are scheduled for resurfacing starting this Friday.
The administration is also getting quotes for roof repairs at the Union Valley and Buhler Grade School gyms and Ad Astra Academy.
The district has looked into solar panels for electricity, but Couchman said they would take too long to pay for themselves based on information the district gathered.
The board asked administrators to negotiate further with Branch Communications, who has requested a lease to put up a cell phone tower on district property. The company’s initial proposal was one the district couldn’t approve, as state law limits those leases to 10 years, Director of Finance Shane Hecox said.
With that information, Branch Communications’ latest proposal was instead for a 50-year easement rather than a lease. They were offering an up-front payment of $250,000 for such an easement, which works out to about $417/month.
Couchman said she wasn’t comfortable with a 50-year agreement, and it wasn’t entirely clear that the difference between a lease and an easement would matter for the state law.
Board members also weren’t satisfied that the amount Branch Communications was offering was an appropriate rate.
CAPTION: Back row: USD 313 Board Members Chris Shank, Greg Lackey, Tim Lackey, Monte Cross Front row: Dr. Michael Green, Jessica Goering, Laura Meyer Dick CREDIT BUHLER USD 313 By Adam Stewart Buhler High School is a leader in student participation and achievement in agriculture education, school
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 Hutchinson USD 308 Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson provided an update on the district’s Screen Time Task Force work at the
The Reno County Commission is expected to approve a request for a local vineyard to build an event venue and retail sales store near the corner of 43rd Avenue and Jupiter Hills Drive at its first May meeting on Wednesday, May 14.
The commissioners will hear the annual report on solid waste.
The Reno County Sheriff’s Office’s annual report will discuss staffing, current projects, and jail and case numbers for the jail, patrol and detective divisions.
After the meeting, the commissioners will enter into a study session regarding the Reno County Landfill methane project.
The meeting agenda and supporting documentation are viewable on the commission website.
The study session document is available here.
The Reno County Commission meets at 9 a.m. on the second, fourth and fifth Wednesdays of each month in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse.
The Reno County Commission is expected to approve a request for a local vineyard to build an event venue and retail sales store near the corner of 43rd Avenue and Jupiter Hills Drive at its first May meeting on Wednesday, May 14. The commissioners will hear
By John Mesh The Hutchinson High School Salthawk varsity girls soccer team lost to the Wichita Trinity Academy Knights 4-0. The Knights sit atop the standings in the 4-1A West bracket. “There were plenty of unknowns hosting an unfamiliar opponent in the non-conference matchup,” said Hutchinson assistant
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Reno County Health Department confirmed a positive measles case in a county resident.
In a press release, the KDHE states the alert lists only one potential exposure location, date and approximate timeframe, the Hutchinson Public Library on Saturday, May 3, from 2-5 p.m.
The press release said, “The measles virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Because the measles virus is highly contagious, anyone who visited the Hutchinson Public Library at the date and times listed above may have been exposed to measles and should take the following steps:
Measles is highly contagious and is spread through coughing, sneezing or talking. Symptoms usually begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. A skin rash develops three to five days after the initial symptoms appear.
The best prevention is the MMR vaccine.
For more information, visit www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles, contact the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at (877) 427-7317 (option 5) or email KDHE.epihotline@ks.gov.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Reno County Health Department confirmed a positive measles case in a county resident. In a press release, the KDHE states the alert lists only one potential exposure location, date and approximate timeframe, the Hutchinson Public Library
Thursday May 15 NJCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championship at Gowan Stadium Coffee at the Cosmosphere, 9 a.m. Third Thursday Downtown, 6-9 p.m. The Summer Block party in downtown Hutchinson, featuring the first large-scale community art installation in Chester I Lewis Plaza. The Mental Health Task Force
Herbert drives to victory at Fairgrounds By John Mesh Buhler High School senior Davian Spies rolled to his fourth consecutive Class 4A regional singles title Friday, winning the championship match 6-0, 6-1. Spies won the title at the 4A regional played on his home court at Buhler High
By Gina Long
Congratulations, Michael.
Today you graduate from high school.
The new Trinity Catholic High School gym will be packed with proud relatives and friends of the Class of 2025. It is not just a rite of passage, but a gateway to a whole new experience. You will continue to ease The Hutchinson Tribune’s transition to new ownership while preparing yourself to pursue a journalism degree at the University of Kansas on the prestigious John P. Kaiser Scholarship.
It is tough to believe that I have only known you for a little over two years. From the philosophy book club to starting and running the Tribune, I feel like I have known you my entire life, and I am watching a friend move on to a greater destiny.
I want to send you off with some things to think about as you begin your college academic life. Some of these I learned along the way, and others I learned well after graduation:
Spend your money, time and energy on experiences, not things.
A top-of-the-line new gaming computer versus a concert or lecture ticket? Go to the lecture. See the concert.
If your community asks you to be Clark Kent, grab a notepad and look for phone booths.
Shiny new things wind up in a drawer or on a shelf and have to move when you do. Electronics become obsolete quickly. Clutter takes up an incredible amount of spatial and mental bandwidth.
Have a ready-to-go bag in your dorm room or car. No need to pack — just grab and go!
On the other hand, memories are carried with you in your head, accessible at any time.
Get out of your comfort zone, but do it safely. Remember skiing?
Keep a journal and write it by hand.
Writing your thoughts and experiences by hand forces you to slow down and think. Write in ink so there is no “delete” button. Scan your completed journals into PDFs and store them externally.
Write your story like you’re on a hero’s journey. Organic chemistry homework causing despair? It isn’t homework; it’s a quest to level up by gaining esoteric knowledge. It sounds weird, but it works.
Journaling helps with decision-making because it allows you to reflect on your thought process and see the context and assumptions you used then.
People want to know your story, and they will want to know it one hundred years from now. Only you can tell it. Take photos and fill out the information — who, what, where, and when, and store those, too.
Eat well.
College cafeteria food is much more nutritious and has much more variety than it did back in my day. Remember to eat your fruits and vegetables and try lots of new things. Try the kebabs, the falafel, the tikki masala and the turtle soup. Enjoy the adobo, mafongo and arepas. Food unites people, and nutritious food keeps you healthy.
Remember when we first started the Tribune and ate at McDonald’s because it was affordable and they had free Wi-Fi? The luxury of better choices is incredible.
Don’t forget to exercise.
I am not talking the required elective PE classes. Play intramural sports. Take a long, leisurely walk through a park or a quiet neighborhood. Go for a run regularly. College requires a lot of sitting around — in lectures, homework, in front of computers. Give your body a break and work off stress and tension. Put it in your schedule, along with meal times and laundry. Your health will thank you in the future.
Spend time in nature.
So much college life is spent under roofs. Take your shoes off and walk in the grass. Stop and smell the roses. Read a book under a tree. Listen to the birds. Watch the cheeky squirrels. Zealously protect your campus green spaces. Not everything needs to be paved over.
Make and cultivate friendships that will last decades.
Meet people who don’t share your background and worldview. Use that journalistic curiosity and seek out random strangers. Everyone is unique. Make their stories part of your own. Journal about them.
Call your parents frequently.
Just do it. They have been your biggest cheerleaders. Share your triumphs and your learning experiences with them at least weekly. If you don’t, I know where to find you.
Congratulations, again, and I look forward to watching your walk across the stage in cap and gown, marching into a brilliant future.
By Gina Long Congratulations, Michael. Today you graduate from high school. The new Trinity Catholic High School gym will be packed with proud relatives and friends of the Class of 2025. It is not just a rite of passage, but a gateway to a whole new experience. You
CAPTION: Pork carnitas can be made in a pressure cooker and yield flavorful, delicious pulled pork that is especially delicious in a taco. By Lindsey Young Any time I find pork shoulder at a great price at our local grocery store, it’s a no-brainer for me to
