Prairie Hills Middle School

Each month all USD 313 students and staff focus on a core essential skill. February's skill is respect. Respectful is also one piece of the DNA of a Buhler graduate. We practice being respectful in many ways through the hard work of learning and growing together, both in the classroom and through extracurricular activities. Take some time to talk about respect with your students this month! #BetterTogether #Bexceptional

This year we started a new recognition award for staff who have gone above and beyond for staff, students, and/or community. You all came through (like always) with an outpouring of support and appreciation for our staff. It is this partnership that makes Buhler so exceptional. In a random drawing from this group of recipients, Sarah Cherry (PCE PreK teacher) and Melissa Newcome (UV Media Specialist) won a $25 gift card to Dillons. Thank you to The Buhler Education Foundation for supporting this program!! #Bexceptional

Due to road conditions, Buhler USD 313 will start two hours late on Wednesday, January 25th. Please see below for specific building start times and information. All scheduled bus pick up times will be two hours late. For instance, if your scheduled time is 6:45 am, it will now be 8:45 am. With the 2 hour late start, the following will be implemented: No morning PreK No breakfasts will be served Shining Stars will be open 2 hours late All start times will shift back two hours: BGS 9:50 UV/PCE 10:10 PHMS 9:45 BHS 10:00 High school students will report directly to 1st hour Middle school students will report directly to 1st hour Many roads are snow packed in spots with a layer of ice under the snow. Please drive with caution and allow plenty of room for the car in front of you. Cindy Couchman, Superintendent Buhler USD #313

January is "School Board Appreciation Month!" Last week we delivered Standing Ovation Awards to each of our board members. This feels inadequate to thank them for the long hours they spend guiding our district. Each of them care so much about our students, staff, and our entire community and we are lucky to have them! Top, from left: Monte Cross, Miranda Engelken, Todd Carr Middle, from left: Greg Lackey, Matt McCabe, Tim Lackey Bottom: Laura Meyer Dick Thank you!

The USD 313 school board approved a resolution to move forward with an 8 million dollar bond election for facility enhancements. A public vote for USD 313 patrons will take place in person on April 4th, 2023, with advance voting starting March 27th. This project will include: Ad Astra Academies Learning Space District Leadership and Support Staff Consolidation Indoor Activity Facility Elementary Playground Enhancements This project can be completed without raising the bond and interest mill levy. You can find detailed information, including the recording of our community Zoom meeting on January 11th, on our web page here: https://www.usd313.org/page/raising-the-standard-bond-issue

JOIN US for a Community Zoom on Wednesday, January 11th, at 7:00 pm!! Come learn about the bond resolution that was passed Monday night. You will learn about the scope of the project, what it will cost to complete, the cost to taxpayers, and also learn a little about school financing. We hope by doing a zoom, it will be easier for more people to attend and ask questions. If you can't make this informational meeting, there will be more community zooms and meetings in the future. Click on the link below to join us tomorrow at 7:00 pm. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89842720730?pwd=bGN6NGVobUZmMUNodWE1NnNpczJ0QT09

Any day is a great day to recognize teachers but today was very special. In a surprise phone call, Kansas Commissioner of Education, Dr. Randy Watson, notified Ashley (Sides) Bunting, 6th grade science teacher, that she was awarded the Horizon Award. The Kansas Horizon Award Program is a regional competition based upon the state’s four U.S. congressional districts. Four elementary classroom teachers and four secondary classroom teachers per region are selected which makes Ashley one of 32 exceptional teachers recognized.

Prairie Hills Middle School and Plum Creek Elementary are both in need of Main Dish Cooks! Come join us! For more details and to apply online click here: https://www.applitrack.com/buhlerschools/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Food+Service

IT IS TIME FOR A STANDING OVATION!!! Congratulations to the staff pictured below for "going above and beyond for students, staff, and/or community members." In a random drawing from this group of recipients, Shannon Vieyra (PCE 4th grade teacher) and Denise Ingalls (PHMS Social Studies teacher) won a $25 gift card to Dillons. Thank you to The Buhler Education Foundation for supporting this program!!

Today was our final day delivering Operation Joy prizes to randomly chosen staff members. Today’s prize was a gift certificate to DJ’s, generously donated by DJ’s! Congratulations to our winning staff members! #BetterTogether #Bexceptional

We delivered our final class prizes from Call in to Win today. Remember, our amazing sponsors were: Chick Fil A Hutchinson Papa John’s Hutchinson Pizza Ranch Hutchinson The Mustard Seed in Buhler Holly’s Sweet Treats in Hutchinson Scooter’s Hutchinson Mrs. Couchman Congratulations to our winning classes! #BetterTogether #Bexceptional

As we have mentioned so often recently, we absolutely have the very best community support. We have more to share today! Midway Motors in Hutchinson has generously donated $400 worth of $25 Amazon gift cards to allow us to continue our mission of recognizing and celebrating our exceptional staff. Thank you Midway! #BetterTogether #Bexceptional

Yesterday we continued Operation Joy by delivering prizes to randomly chosen staff members. The Buhler Education Foundation supports this drawing where we get to shower staff members with a gift! Yesterday's prize was an Echo Dot. Congratulations to our winning staff members! #BetterTogether #Bexceptional

Yesterday we continued Operation Joy by delivering prizes to randomly chosen staff members. The Buhler Education Foundation supports this drawing where we get to shower staff members with a gift! Yesterday's prize was a selfie stick. Congratulations to our winning staff members! #BetterTogether #Bexceptional

Today we continued Operation Joy by delivering prizes to randomly chosen staff members. The Buhler Education Foundation supports this drawing where we get to shower staff members with a gift! The prize for Monday was a pair of wireless earbuds and today was a cozy blanket. Congratulations to our winning staff members! #BetterTogether #Bexceptional

Buhler Families, We are seeing an uptick of sickness in our buildings this time of year. Please remember to keep your student home if they are displaying the following symptoms Nausea Vomiting Diarrhea Body aches Fever (24 hours fever free before return to school) Teachers and staff will be placing some extra emphasis on hand washing, hand sanitizing, and other hygiene procedures to help slow the spread of the illnesses going around our community. Thank you for helping us keep students and staff healthy! Cindy Couchman Superintendent of Schools

It is easier to teach and learn when you are having fun, so we work hard and play hard in Buhler USD 313. Leading up to Christmas break we really lean into the FUN! On Monday we have a LIVE Call in to Win show. Teachers and students can call in from their classroom phone to try and be the correct number caller and win treats for their class. You can follow along with us live at this link: youtu.be/luwlyY2tEsM See below for our schedule. We will be LIVE 5 minutes prior to the top of the hour until we have a winner. We want to share a special thank you to our sponsors who donate these class prizes. 8:00 PHMS (Donuts) 9:00 Open to all 313 classrooms (Chick Fil A) 10:00 UV (Scooters) 11:00 BGS (class winner will also share with the Alternative Academy) (Holly's Sweet Treats) 12:00 BHS (Pizza Ranch) 1:00 PCE (The Mustard Seed) 2:00 Open to all 313 classroom (Papa John's)

Each month all USD 313 students and staff focus on a core essential skill or character trait. December's word is JOY. Take some time to talk about joy with your students this month! #BetterTogether #Bexceptional

This year we started a new recognition award for staff who have gone above and beyond for staff, students, and/or community. You all came through (like always) with outpouring of support and appreciation for our staff. It is this partnership that makes Buhler so exceptional. We handed out a third of the nominations for November. In December and January, we will do it again!! In a random drawing from this group of recipients, Lori Zachary (BHS PE teacher) and Leanna Porter (PCE PreK para) won a $25 gift card to Dillons. Thank you to The Buhler Education Foundation for supporting this program!!

This year we will again celebrate the holidays with 15 days of themed attire. All students and staff are welcome to participate! Feel free to join us at home or your place of work for Operation Joy! See the attached image and get your best holiday socks ready for Thursday. #Bexceptional