The Great Bend High School Panther football team will enter Memorial Stadium through an inflatable tunnel in the fall semester, thanks to a donation from April Gatton. Her donation to the GBHS Activities Department is valued at $5,000.

These and other donations and grant applications were approved Tuesday at the Great Bend USD 428 Board of Education meeting. The GBHS Activities Department also received two gifts from the GBHS Panther Booster Club: $3,214.80 for hurdle carts and $3,957.62 for Hack Attack pitching machines for the baseball and softball programs.

Also approved:

• Barton County Special Services Director Ashley Riley received a Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Local Education Agency (LEA) grant for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) VI-B Funds. 

• USD 428 received a Fiscal Year 26 KSDE Kansas Preschool Pilot grant for $194,185.00, which supports the programming of Little Panthers Preschool. 

• USD 428 has received a KSDE matching grant (a minimum of 50 cents for every $1) for $54,550 for the Parents as Teachers program. This program supports families and children from birth to 5 years old during these important milestone experiences in their formative years.

• Reward incentive contributions for the following schools have been received:

• Lincoln Elementary $10.70 from Box Tops 

• Jefferson Elementary $18.10 from Box Tops 

• Little Panthers Preschool 60 cents from Box Tops 

• Riley Elementary $17.20 from Box Tops 

• Eisenhower Elementary $12.30 from Box Tops 

• Riley Elementary $206.12 from Kroger 

• Lincoln Elementary $361.62 from Kroger 

• Eisenhower Elementary School received a $650 contribution from Mpire Realty Group LLC for the Eisenhower Basic Needs Closet.

Meetings and 

calendars

In other business, the board approved next year’s meeting schedule. Regular board meetings are at 5 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at the District Education Center, 1809 24th St. During the school year, noon luncheon meetings are typically scheduled on the fourth Wednesday of the month (third Wednesday in November), with a different attendance center hosting each month.

The board also reviewed the 2025-2026 school calendar and approved the 2026-2027 calendar.

Ready for summer

Director of Teaching & Learning JoAnn Blevins provided an update on the planning for summer learning for PreK through 12th grade. PreK through fifth grade will host summer school by invitation at the Little Panthers Preschool and all elementary buildings. Great Bend Middle School and Great Bend High School will host summer school for grades 6-12.

Summer school will run from June 2-27.

USD 428 Food Service will provide breakfast and lunch through the summer food program. In June and July, food service will provide a complimentary breakfast and lunch for anyone up to 18 years old.

Staff will be able to take advantage of professional development opportunities this summer. These will include numerous online courses as well as onsite and virtual curriculum training for recent curriculum adoptions, and workshops for building leadership teams to analyze the progress made in 2024-2025 and strategize for 2025-2026.