The Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants Friday in the area of Vine St. to Macarthur Rd. between 13th St. and 22nd St. 

This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually. 

Inspecting fire hydrants ensures that the valves operate properly and that there is no damage or obstructions that will prevent or interfere with the prompt use of fire hydrants in an emergency. Firefighters are also checking the pressure and volume of water mains in each neighborhood for firefighting purposes.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588196742299.jpeg" alt="File photo by city of Hays" />
 <figcaption>File photo by city of Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysThe Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants Friday in the area of Vine St. to Macarthur Rd. between 13th St. and 22nd St. This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually. Inspecting fire hydrants ensures that the valves operate properly and that there is no damage or obstructions that will prevent or interfere with the prompt use of fire hydrants in an emergency. Firefighters are also checking the pressure and volume of water mains in each neighborhood for firefighting purposes.&nbsp;

Hays firefighters to do more hydrant inspections today

SCOTT COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m.&nbsp; Thursday in Scott County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Katherine Cornelius, 53, Scott City, was eastbound on Kansas 96 at Rodeo Road.&nbsp;

The Jeep struck the drivers side of a northbound 2019 International HXS driven by Leroy A. Baker, 42,&nbsp;Marienthal, Kansas, that failed to stop at the sign.

EMS transported Baker to the Scott County Hospital. Cornelius was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

SCOTT COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m.&nbsp; Thursday in Scott County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Katherine Cornelius, 53, Scott City, was eastbound on Kansas 96 at Rodeo Road.&nbsp;The Jeep struck the drivers side of a northbound 2019 International HXS driven by Leroy A. Baker, 42,&nbsp;Marienthal, Kansas, that failed to stop at the sign.EMS transported Baker to the Scott County Hospital. Cornelius was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after Jeep, truck crash

The TMP-Marian Monarchs opened the 2A state basketball tournament in Manhattan Wednesday with a 52-27 win over Horton.

Due to KSHSAA regulations, Hays Post was not allowed to stream video of the game live. But you can watch the replay here!

The Monarchs will take on Moundridge Friday at 6 p.m. in the state semifinals.

The TMP-Marian Monarchs opened the 2A state basketball tournament in Manhattan Wednesday with a 52-27 win over Horton.Due to KSHSAA regulations, Hays Post was not allowed to stream video of the game live. But you can watch the replay here!<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eHPEaOaKmEA"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Monarchs will take on Moundridge Friday at 6 p.m. in the state semifinals.

🏀🎥 REPLAY: Thomas More Prep-Marian vs Horton

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Renovations at Roosevelt Elementary School should begin this summer, according to a report given to the Hays USD 489 school board Monday.

The work is part of a $143.5 million bond issue. Roosevelt, which has three classes of each grade, is scheduled to be expanded to accommodate five classes of each grade.

The estimated cost for the project is $18.7 million, which is in budget. Mike Fahey, DLR architect, said the project is scheduled to be completed in December 2024.

The school will be able to accommodate 690 students once the renovations are complete.

Although the school likely will not need to open all five sections immediately, Superintendent Ron Wilson said the expansion will give the district room to grow.

The current building will be completely renovated. The addition will include a new library, offices, main entry, gym and fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms.&nbsp;

The learning wing in the addition will include lockers for the fourth and fifth-graders. Fahey said this was added to the design to allow for more storage.

The art room will be moved to a new location with windows to allow in natural light.

The gym also will be a storm shelter and be able to accommodate all of the children in the school. The children at Roosevelt are currently being sheltered in the utility tunnels, which are not ADA-accessible because they have to be accessed by stairs.

All of the school will be ADA-accessible after the renovation with the exception of a storage room off the gym and the stage, which will be used for expanded seating in the cafeteria.

The school now has one room that is used as the gym, cafeteria and auditorium. The old gym will be used as a cafeteria. Steps will be added to the stage and further lunch seating will be added to that space.

The new gym will have a partition so two gym classes can be conducted at the same time. It will have a small set of bleachers and a drop-down screen that can be used for presentations.

The entrance to the gym will be able to be accessed after hours while the rest of the school remains locked.

The new entrance will lead visitors into the office for security purposes. All other entrances will be secured during the school day.

Upgrades were recently made to the Roosevelt HVAC system. Fahey said those will be maintained. A new system will be added to the addition. Some fire sprinklers will be added to the building during the renovations. The original 1966 building was not required to have them.

Parking will be reconfigured to allow for more stacking off of Donald Street.&nbsp;

A new rubber surface will be installed for the playground and the current playground equipment moved.

The new school will include an outdoor courtyard and learning center.&nbsp;

The architect dubbed the library the Learning Park. It will include a reading cave as well as large touch-screen monitors that can be used for instruction.

Board member Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp said, as a former librarian, she had several questions about the learning park.&nbsp;

She expressed concerns about the lack of flexibility that fixed shelving offers as well as the height of the bookshelves, which would make books inaccessible to small children.

Fahey said the district could add further mobile shelving units. The design also includes bookshelves in the hallways for more space.

Zampieri-Lillpopp also asked if classes could be offered in the library. Fahey said they could be. Students could be broken into small groups or the space as a whole can accommodate up to 40 students.

She also expressed disappointment that the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) lab was not connected by an entrance to the library.

Fahey said he had met with teachers and staff members at the school during the design process.

Board member Allen Park asked if he had met with parents.

Although as much work as possible will be done during summers, the district plans to rent 10 modular classrooms to use during construction. This will give the school some flexibility in the construction process, Wilson said.

A parent addressed the school board on Monday night and said he was concerned about a threat by a student at Roosevelt school. 

Although he heard a call for a police officer to respond to school over the police scanner, parents were not informed of the threat.

He said he discussed his concern with the principal and Superintendent Ron Wilson. He said he was not happy with how Wilson responded to the incident or his concerns.&nbsp;

The parent urged the school board to further review how threats are handled and when and if parents are notified.

Wilson said the incident was not deemed a credible threat and that was why parents were not notified.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678295560251.jpeg" alt="A rendering of the new entrance of Roosevelt Elementary School. The school is being renovated as part of a $143.5 million bond issue. A new addition will increase the school's capacity to five classes for each grade. Image courtesy of DLR" />
 <figcaption>A rendering of the new entrance of Roosevelt Elementary School. The school is being renovated as part of a $143.5 million bond issue. A new addition will increase the school's capacity to five classes for each grade. Image courtesy of DLR</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostRenovations at Roosevelt Elementary School should begin this summer, according to a report given to the Hays USD 489 school board Monday.The work is part of a $143.5 million bond issue. Roosevelt, which has three classes of each grade, is scheduled to be expanded to accommodate five classes of each grade.The estimated cost for the project is $18.7 million, which is in budget. Mike Fahey, DLR architect, said the project is scheduled to be completed in December 2024.The school will be able to accommodate 690 students once the renovations are complete.Although the school likely will not need to open all five sections immediately, Superintendent Ron Wilson said the expansion will give the district room to grow.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678295727788.jpeg" alt="A rendering of Roosevelt's new library. The round entrance on the right will be for a reading cave. The library will also be equipped with touchscreen monitors, which will allow classes to be taught in the space. Image courtesy of DLR." />
 <figcaption>A rendering of Roosevelt's new library. The round entrance on the right will be for a reading cave. The library will also be equipped with touchscreen monitors, which will allow classes to be taught in the space. Image courtesy of DLR.</figcaption>
 </figure>The current building will be completely renovated. The addition will include a new library, offices, main entry, gym and fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms.&nbsp;The learning wing in the addition will include lockers for the fourth and fifth-graders. Fahey said this was added to the design to allow for more storage.The art room will be moved to a new location with windows to allow in natural light.The gym also will be a storm shelter and be able to accommodate all of the children in the school. The children at Roosevelt are currently being sheltered in the utility tunnels, which are not ADA-accessible because they have to be accessed by stairs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678295864794.jpeg" alt="A new courtyard at Roosevelt could be used for outdoor classes. Image courtesy of DLR" />
 <figcaption>A new courtyard at Roosevelt could be used for outdoor classes. Image courtesy of DLR</figcaption>
 </figure>All of the school will be ADA-accessible after the renovation with the exception of a storage room off the gym and the stage, which will be used for expanded seating in the cafeteria.The school now has one room that is used as the gym, cafeteria and auditorium. The old gym will be used as a cafeteria. Steps will be added to the stage and further lunch seating will be added to that space.The new gym will have a partition so two gym classes can be conducted at the same time. It will have a small set of bleachers and a drop-down screen that can be used for presentations.The entrance to the gym will be able to be accessed after hours while the rest of the school remains locked.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678295960413.jpeg" alt="Roosevelt's new gym also will be a storm shelter. It will have a drop-down screen that could be used during assemblies and a partition that would allow two gym classes to be conducted at once. Image courtesy of DLR" />
 <figcaption>Roosevelt's new gym also will be a storm shelter. It will have a drop-down screen that could be used during assemblies and a partition that would allow two gym classes to be conducted at once. Image courtesy of DLR</figcaption>
 </figure>The new entrance will lead visitors into the office for security purposes. All other entrances will be secured during the school day.Upgrades were recently made to the Roosevelt HVAC system. Fahey said those will be maintained. A new system will be added to the addition. Some fire sprinklers will be added to the building during the renovations. The original 1966 building was not required to have them.Parking will be reconfigured to allow for more stacking off of Donald Street.&nbsp;A new rubber surface will be installed for the playground and the current playground equipment moved.The new school will include an outdoor courtyard and learning center.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678296061065.jpeg" alt="A rendering of one of the new classrooms at Roosevelt. Image courtesy of DLR" />
 <figcaption>A rendering of one of the new classrooms at Roosevelt. Image courtesy of DLR</figcaption>
 </figure>The architect dubbed the library the Learning Park. It will include a reading cave as well as large touch-screen monitors that can be used for instruction.Board member Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp said, as a former librarian, she had several questions about the learning park.&nbsp;She expressed concerns about the lack of flexibility that fixed shelving offers as well as the height of the bookshelves, which would make books inaccessible to small children.Fahey said the district could add further mobile shelving units. The design also includes bookshelves in the hallways for more space.Zampieri-Lillpopp also asked if classes could be offered in the library. Fahey said they could be. Students could be broken into small groups or the space as a whole can accommodate up to 40 students.She also expressed disappointment that the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) lab was not connected by an entrance to the library.Fahey said he had met with teachers and staff members at the school during the design process.Board member Allen Park asked if he had met with parents.Fahey said no.Although as much work as possible will be done during summers, the district plans to rent 10 modular classrooms to use during construction. This will give the school some flexibility in the construction process, Wilson said.<h2>Roosevelt threat</h2>A parent addressed the school board on Monday night and said he was concerned about a threat by a student at Roosevelt school. Although he heard a call for a police officer to respond to school over the police scanner, parents were not informed of the threat.He said he discussed his concern with the principal and Superintendent Ron Wilson. He said he was not happy with how Wilson responded to the incident or his concerns.&nbsp;The parent urged the school board to further review how threats are handled and when and if parents are notified.Wilson said the incident was not deemed a credible threat and that was why parents were not notified.

Hays' Roosevelt school renovations to start this summer

Marla Matkin is pleased to announce the publication of her second children’s book, "A Dragon’s Tale," released at the end of 2022.&nbsp;Like her first book "Custer’s Mouse," this story is steeped in history.

&nbsp;The book tells a tale that traces its origins back to the Late Cretaceous Epoch and the dinosaurs, in this case one special plesiosaur (marine reptile), whose remains were found near Fort Wallace in northwest Kansas in 1867. 

By utilizing literary license, the story is told by a fanciful young boy with a love of adventure. He leads you on a journey through time from King Arthur’s Court and dragons to the Old West and the frontier military.

But to hear the rest of the story, you will have to join The Society of Friends at Historic Fort Hays on Sunday at 2 p.m. for the behind-the-scenes details and fun activities. In addition, you will be treated to a delicious dessert bar along with an opportunity to purchase a copy of "A Dragon’s Tale," as well as "Custer’s Mouse," signed by the author.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678286781945.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedMarla Matkin is pleased to announce the publication of her second children’s book, "A Dragon’s Tale," released at the end of 2022.&nbsp;Like her first book "Custer’s Mouse," this story is steeped in history.&nbsp;The book tells a tale that traces its origins back to the Late Cretaceous Epoch and the dinosaurs, in this case one special plesiosaur (marine reptile), whose remains were found near Fort Wallace in northwest Kansas in 1867. By utilizing literary license, the story is told by a fanciful young boy with a love of adventure. He leads you on a journey through time from King Arthur’s Court and dragons to the Old West and the frontier military.But to hear the rest of the story, you will have to join The Society of Friends at Historic Fort Hays on Sunday at 2 p.m. for the behind-the-scenes details and fun activities. In addition, you will be treated to a delicious dessert bar along with an opportunity to purchase a copy of "A Dragon’s Tale," as well as "Custer’s Mouse," signed by the author.&nbsp;

Children's book author to discuss plesiosaur remains found near Fort Wallace

GRAHAM COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Thursday in Graham County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Silverado driven by Tanner Michael&nbsp;Herskowitz, 16, Lenora, was southbound on U.S. 283 ten miles north of U.S. 24.

The driver lost control of the pickup while on an icy bridge. The vehicle entered the east ditch and the driver overcorrected. The pickup then turned onto its side, slid across the highway into the west ditch, rolled and came to rest on its top facing north.

EMS transported&nbsp;Herskowitz to the hospital in Hill City. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

GRAHAM COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Thursday in Graham County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Silverado driven by Tanner Michael&nbsp;Herskowitz, 16, Lenora, was southbound on U.S. 283 ten miles north of U.S. 24.The driver lost control of the pickup while on an icy bridge. The vehicle entered the east ditch and the driver overcorrected. The pickup then turned onto its side, slid across the highway into the west ditch, rolled and came to rest on its top facing north.EMS transported&nbsp;Herskowitz to the hospital in Hill City. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

NW Kan. teen injured after pickup rolled on icy bridge

On this episode of the Post Podcast West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative assistant director of special education Lindy McDaniel, along with students Wyatt and Michael discuss Westside school's family-style lunches.

<div><iframe title="Westside’s family-style lunch brings students, community together" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=n7cmj-13b0bc3-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative assistant director of special education Lindy McDaniel, along with students Wyatt and Michael discuss Westside school's family-style lunches.

🎙 Post Podcast: Westside’s family-style lunch brings students, community together

By TISA MASON FHSU president

The future of rural Kansas stands at a crossroads. Decades of declining and aging populations have stripped our communities of the critical human capital that fuels and sustains economic prosperity. A series of informal conversations between North Central Kansas Technical College President Eric Burks, Northwest Kansas Technical College President Ben&nbsp;Schears, and I&nbsp;rapidly&nbsp;became a shared vision for what we, working in close collaboration,&nbsp;could do to contribute to a brighter tomorrow for the communities we serve.&nbsp;

In January, that shared vision evolved into a comprehensive plan for a voluntary strategic affiliation to align the efforts of our three institutions. Over the course of a couple of weeks in mid-January, that plan was proposed and unanimously and enthusiastically approved by the three governing boards that oversee our institutions. We are deeply grateful to the Area of Board Control, the governing body for Northwest Tech, the NCK Tech Board of Trustees, and the Kansas Board of Regents.&nbsp;These&nbsp;endorsements&nbsp;provided invaluable early momentum to our affiliation plan.&nbsp;

In late January, our plan was submitted as Kansas House of Representatives Bill 2290. Fortunately, we enjoyed the strong support of several organizations and leaders in our community. We were blessed to include in our legislative packet strong written endorsements from the City of Hays, The Kansas Chamber, the Chamber in Hays, and Mark Hess, the Vice President of Sales and Services with Hays-based Hess Services, Incorporated.&nbsp;

On February 21, 2023, HB2290 was brought before Chair Steven Howe’s House Higher Education Budget Committee. At the hearing, we were honored to be joined by Dr. Sheree&nbsp;Utash, the President of WSU Tech, who strongly endorsed the proposed legislation on behalf of the Kansas Association of Technical Colleges. With no opposition submitted or presented to the committee, the affiliation plan bill was unanimously approved.&nbsp;On March&nbsp;2, HB2290 was passed by the full Kansas House of Representatives. The bill was referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee on March 6.&nbsp;

We are overwhelmed and immensely thankful for the tremendous support we’ve received since introducing&nbsp;this plan in early January.&nbsp;While there remain several stages this legislation must pass, we are confident that this is the right affiliation plan at the right time for rural Kansas. We believe&nbsp;our efforts will forge stronger connections between our three institutions, our students, and the communities and businesses we serve.&nbsp;

Please follow our strategic affiliation initiative and share your feedback and questions online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/president/affiliation/">fhsu.edu/affiliation</a>.

By TISA MASON FHSU presidentThe future of rural Kansas stands at a crossroads. Decades of declining and aging populations have stripped our communities of the critical human capital that fuels and sustains economic prosperity. A series of informal conversations between North Central Kansas Technical College President Eric Burks, Northwest Kansas Technical College President Ben&nbsp;Schears, and I&nbsp;rapidly&nbsp;became a shared vision for what we, working in close collaboration,&nbsp;could do to contribute to a brighter tomorrow for the communities we serve.&nbsp;In January, that shared vision evolved into a comprehensive plan for a voluntary strategic affiliation to align the efforts of our three institutions. Over the course of a couple of weeks in mid-January, that plan was proposed and unanimously and enthusiastically approved by the three governing boards that oversee our institutions. We are deeply grateful to the Area of Board Control, the governing body for Northwest Tech, the NCK Tech Board of Trustees, and the Kansas Board of Regents.&nbsp;These&nbsp;endorsements&nbsp;provided invaluable early momentum to our affiliation plan.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In late January, our plan was submitted as Kansas House of Representatives Bill 2290. Fortunately, we enjoyed the strong support of several organizations and leaders in our community. We were blessed to include in our legislative packet strong written endorsements from the City of Hays, The Kansas Chamber, the Chamber in Hays, and Mark Hess, the Vice President of Sales and Services with Hays-based Hess Services, Incorporated.&nbsp;On February 21, 2023, HB2290 was brought before Chair Steven Howe’s House Higher Education Budget Committee. At the hearing, we were honored to be joined by Dr. Sheree&nbsp;Utash, the President of WSU Tech, who strongly endorsed the proposed legislation on behalf of the Kansas Association of Technical Colleges. With no opposition submitted or presented to the committee, the affiliation plan bill was unanimously approved.&nbsp;On March&nbsp;2, HB2290 was passed by the full Kansas House of Representatives. The bill was referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee on March 6.&nbsp;We are overwhelmed and immensely thankful for the tremendous support we’ve received since introducing&nbsp;this plan in early January.&nbsp;While there remain several stages this legislation must pass, we are confident that this is the right affiliation plan at the right time for rural Kansas. We believe&nbsp;our efforts will forge stronger connections between our three institutions, our students, and the communities and businesses we serve.&nbsp;Please follow our strategic affiliation initiative and share your feedback and questions online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/president/affiliation/">fhsu.edu/affiliation</a>.

LETTER: Thank you to the champions backing affiliation initiative

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

If the goal of education is learning and problem solving, the Hoisington Middle School robotics team is mastering it. Two teams recently finished first at the state competition in Garden City. The eight students from those two teams are now headed to the VEX Robotics World Championships in Dallas April 30 through May 2. The teams presented to the USD 431 Board of Education at Monday's meeting.

"I see it every single day where they build something," said HMS Robotics Teacher Augustus Anders. "They have a great idea, they build it, and they test it. Sometimes it works great the first time. Most of the time, though, it doesn't work perfectly, so they have to change it up. Sometimes if something goes wrong in transportation, they have to build right at the tournament. To see my teams focused and striving for that one goal, it's amazing."

Nineteen middle school teams competed at the state competition in Garden City this year. All seven Hoisington teams qualified for state, with four of those teams making the finals. Teams from different schools are paired for each of the six qualifying rounds. Both teams get the points in the collaborative effort, and the points are averaged to determine the 10 finalists. That's where Hoisington lucked out.

"We were up pretty high in the beginning but we moved down a few points," said DJ Wyant, a programmer and driver that was one of eight students nominated for Robotics Student of the Year at state. "What they do is take the top-10 teams and put first and second together, third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and so on."

Because Hoisington was sitting third and fourth, those two teams were put together for the finals: a single round of competition that would determine who goes to Dallas.

"We were lucky enough to have two of our teams paired up," Anders said. "They got 112 points, which is the highest score in the finals in the state of Kansas. Team A also got the highest score overall in the state of Kansas by scoring 120 points. We were pretty excited about that."

The robotics class meets daily. In those 45 minutes, the students are introduced to the game for the competition. Brody Rossman explained this year's game.

"This year's was a game called Slapshot" he said. "There are five towers, and the goal is to get all the pucks out of the towers and to shoot them under a bar. On the other side of the bar, there is a two, a three, a four, and a one-point zone. Whenever you shoot them underneath the bar, you add up all the points at the end."

Each tower requires a different mechanical operation to dispense the discs, from lifting a bar to spinning a wheel to pushing a button. Not all teams will get all the available discs to shoot under the bar for points, but 45 points are on the line for teams that free up all the pucks.

"That's also kind of the beauty of it," said Anders. "Some teams want to focus on one or two towers. They're banking on another team getting the towers they can't get. We were actually fortunate enough that both teams that are going to Dallas can do all three different styles of towers, which is partly why were able to go to worlds."

VEX sponsors virtually everything about the robotics competitions, from the pieces to the playing fields. All schools have access to the same VEX components, though some schools have more VEX pieces. Teams know the goal and set off to construct the robots that will accomplish that goal. Brayden Smith explained the robots have to be smaller than 11 x 19 inches in size, and no more than 15 inches tall. No tools are required as the pieces fit together like Legos.

"It really depends on how much experience you have with it," Smith said. "We've had to change it a lot because we've come up with ideas that haven't worked. We've run into a lot of difficulties finding things that do work."

Isaiah Mitchell explained that once the drive trains are built, the teams must then learn how to activate the towers and build accordingly. All the movement is done by remote control, which the students must program themselves.

"It's a lot simpler on the programming this year," Wyant said. "We program it ourselves. We just go on a computer and type what we want the stuff to do."

Gavin Jackson mostly builds the robot but does a little of everything else. He said the competitions are unique in that teams compete against one another, but they must also work together to maximize points.

Lincoln Blankenship programs and drives and explained the scoring for this year's game. The robot's "shooter thing" is not completely accurate, but the team has a good idea where the pucks will go. The goal is to hit the 4-point zone, which is past the two and three-point zones, but before the 1-point zone that means the puck was overshot.

"We just kind of scoot up a little closer," he said. "We've done this a lot and know the right position to get it into the 4-point zone."

Anders likens this year's game to Shuffleboard with the various point zones. Each team has two drivers and one minute to complete the game, so each driver has approximately 30 seconds to maximize points.

Once the puck is fired under the line it cannot be moved. However, when a team feels it has sufficient points, or as time runs down, they can use an extension arm on the robot to increase or even double points by touching an expansion zone.

The world competition at Dallas' Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center will feature more than 800 teams, each with four or five members. Blankenship was one of the HMS students who was able to attend last year's competition. "It was really interesting because it was like nothing I've ever seen before," he said. "It was really fun meeting a bunch of people from all over the world."

Students on the teams include Smith, Mitchell, and Xavier Stevenson on Team A, and Blankenship, Jackson, Rossman, Wyant, and Cameron Knackstedt on Team D. Coaches are Anders and Anne Selfridge.

"We both work hard with each team both in class and during tournaments," Anders said. "Our job is to encourage and give advice to the students. VEX robotics is a student-lead program, so the kids build the robots, learn the rules of the game, and respectfully keep the refs accountable with calls and scoring."

Registration for the world championships is $1,200 per team. Anders said the teams are seeking donations and sponsorships to help with costs for registration, travel, and boarding. Anyone willing to donate can call the Hoisington Middle School at (620) 653-4951.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678308590788.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostIf the goal of education is learning and problem solving, the Hoisington Middle School robotics team is mastering it. Two teams recently finished first at the state competition in Garden City. The eight students from those two teams are now headed to the VEX Robotics World Championships in Dallas April 30 through May 2. The teams presented to the USD 431 Board of Education at Monday's meeting."I see it every single day where they build something," said HMS Robotics Teacher Augustus Anders. "They have a great idea, they build it, and they test it. Sometimes it works great the first time. Most of the time, though, it doesn't work perfectly, so they have to change it up. Sometimes if something goes wrong in transportation, they have to build right at the tournament. To see my teams focused and striving for that one goal, it's amazing."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678322794870.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Nineteen middle school teams competed at the state competition in Garden City this year. All seven Hoisington teams qualified for state, with four of those teams making the finals. Teams from different schools are paired for each of the six qualifying rounds. Both teams get the points in the collaborative effort, and the points are averaged to determine the 10 finalists. That's where Hoisington lucked out."We were up pretty high in the beginning but we moved down a few points," said DJ Wyant, a programmer and driver that was one of eight students nominated for Robotics Student of the Year at state. "What they do is take the top-10 teams and put first and second together, third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and so on."Because Hoisington was sitting third and fourth, those two teams were put together for the finals: a single round of competition that would determine who goes to Dallas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678322835381.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"We were lucky enough to have two of our teams paired up," Anders said. "They got 112 points, which is the highest score in the finals in the state of Kansas. Team A also got the highest score overall in the state of Kansas by scoring 120 points. We were pretty excited about that."The robotics class meets daily. In those 45 minutes, the students are introduced to the game for the competition. Brody Rossman explained this year's game."This year's was a game called Slapshot" he said. "There are five towers, and the goal is to get all the pucks out of the towers and to shoot them under a bar. On the other side of the bar, there is a two, a three, a four, and a one-point zone. Whenever you shoot them underneath the bar, you add up all the points at the end."Each tower requires a different mechanical operation to dispense the discs, from lifting a bar to spinning a wheel to pushing a button. Not all teams will get all the available discs to shoot under the bar for points, but 45 points are on the line for teams that free up all the pucks."That's also kind of the beauty of it," said Anders. "Some teams want to focus on one or two towers. They're banking on another team getting the towers they can't get. We were actually fortunate enough that both teams that are going to Dallas can do all three different styles of towers, which is partly why were able to go to worlds."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678322894541.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>VEX sponsors virtually everything about the robotics competitions, from the pieces to the playing fields. All schools have access to the same VEX components, though some schools have more VEX pieces. Teams know the goal and set off to construct the robots that will accomplish that goal. Brayden Smith explained the robots have to be smaller than 11 x 19 inches in size, and no more than 15 inches tall. No tools are required as the pieces fit together like Legos."It really depends on how much experience you have with it," Smith said. "We've had to change it a lot because we've come up with ideas that haven't worked. We've run into a lot of difficulties finding things that do work."Isaiah Mitchell explained that once the drive trains are built, the teams must then learn how to activate the towers and build accordingly. All the movement is done by remote control, which the students must program themselves."It's a lot simpler on the programming this year," Wyant said. "We program it ourselves. We just go on a computer and type what we want the stuff to do."Gavin Jackson mostly builds the robot but does a little of everything else. He said the competitions are unique in that teams compete against one another, but they must also work together to maximize points.Lincoln Blankenship programs and drives and explained the scoring for this year's game. The robot's "shooter thing" is not completely accurate, but the team has a good idea where the pucks will go. The goal is to hit the 4-point zone, which is past the two and three-point zones, but before the 1-point zone that means the puck was overshot."We just kind of scoot up a little closer," he said. "We've done this a lot and know the right position to get it into the 4-point zone."Anders likens this year's game to Shuffleboard with the various point zones. Each team has two drivers and one minute to complete the game, so each driver has approximately 30 seconds to maximize points.Once the puck is fired under the line it cannot be moved. However, when a team feels it has sufficient points, or as time runs down, they can use an extension arm on the robot to increase or even double points by touching an expansion zone.The world competition at Dallas' Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center will feature more than 800 teams, each with four or five members. Blankenship was one of the HMS students who was able to attend last year's competition. "It was really interesting because it was like nothing I've ever seen before," he said. "It was really fun meeting a bunch of people from all over the world."Students on the teams include Smith, Mitchell, and Xavier Stevenson on Team A, and Blankenship, Jackson, Rossman, Wyant, and Cameron Knackstedt on Team D. Coaches are Anders and Anne Selfridge."We both work hard with each team both in class and during tournaments," Anders said. "Our job is to encourage and give advice to the students. VEX robotics is a student-lead program, so the kids build the robots, learn the rules of the game, and respectfully keep the refs accountable with calls and scoring." Registration for the world championships is $1,200 per team. Anders said the teams are seeking donations and sponsorships to help with costs for registration, travel, and boarding. Anyone willing to donate can call the Hoisington Middle School at (620) 653-4951.

Hoisington Middle School robotics team headed to world championships

Hays Area Children’s Center announced that Brandi Oakley has accepted the position of Child Care Director. 

In this position, Oakley will be responsible for multiple functions for the organization including scheduling staff, coordinating childcare, budgeting, marketing, fundraising and overseeing the educational curriculum at Hays Area Children’s Center, 94 Lewis Drive.

“We are so excited to welcome Brandi to the team and know her previous roles will serve her well in this new position,” said Jessamyn Staples, board president for HACC. “Brandi possesses the leadership and strong work ethic along with a passion for childcare that will help Hays Area Children’s Center grow and take on the challenges that are ever-present in the childcare industry.”

Oakley began her role in January. Her 12 years of experience in childcare and then a transition in social work have encompassed a variety of responsibilities. As a longtime resident of the community, she graduated from Hays High School and holds a degree from Fort Hays State University that included coursework in early childhood education. Outside of work, Oakley and her husband Seth like to follow their four children to their favorite sporting and academic activities.

About Hays Area Children’s Center

Hays Area Children’s Center is a quality childcare provider offering educational, developmentally enriching activities to over 70 young children in the community. Hays Area Children’s Center focuses on providing the highest level of care, as well as the educational support to growing children in the very crucial years of early childhood development. For more information, call 785-625-3257 or visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hacc.info/?fbclid=IwAR0ZCXPhZI2C0Aj9Ztktdh_-bU5UihSo8y1JowvEWHrZXlUh3k5nv3u7ypg">www.hacc.info.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678292875341.png" alt="Brandi Oakley" />
 <figcaption>Brandi Oakley</figcaption>
 </figure>HACCHays Area Children’s Center announced that Brandi Oakley has accepted the position of Child Care Director. In this position, Oakley will be responsible for multiple functions for the organization including scheduling staff, coordinating childcare, budgeting, marketing, fundraising and overseeing the educational curriculum at Hays Area Children’s Center, 94 Lewis Drive.“We are so excited to welcome Brandi to the team and know her previous roles will serve her well in this new position,” said Jessamyn Staples, board president for HACC. “Brandi possesses the leadership and strong work ethic along with a passion for childcare that will help Hays Area Children’s Center grow and take on the challenges that are ever-present in the childcare industry.”Oakley began her role in January. Her 12 years of experience in childcare and then a transition in social work have encompassed a variety of responsibilities. As a longtime resident of the community, she graduated from Hays High School and holds a degree from Fort Hays State University that included coursework in early childhood education. Outside of work, Oakley and her husband Seth like to follow their four children to their favorite sporting and academic activities.About Hays Area Children’s CenterHays Area Children’s Center is a quality childcare provider offering educational, developmentally enriching activities to over 70 young children in the community. Hays Area Children’s Center focuses on providing the highest level of care, as well as the educational support to growing children in the very crucial years of early childhood development. For more information, call 785-625-3257 or visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hacc.info/?fbclid=IwAR0ZCXPhZI2C0Aj9Ztktdh_-bU5UihSo8y1JowvEWHrZXlUh3k5nv3u7ypg">www.hacc.info.</a>

Oakley hired as Hays Area Children's Center child care director

Thanks to the generosity of the Robert E. &amp; Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation, new donations made in the 2022-23 school year to the Hays Catholic Schools were matched up to $100,000. In February, Hays Catholic Schools were able to reach that goal to raise the funds for the match. New donors came in at an astonishing 67 percent of the new dollars raised.

Hays Catholic Schools of Thomas More Prep-Marian and Holy Family Elementary would like to thank the Robert E. &amp; Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation and all those who continue and have begun their journey of support for local Catholic education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678304010492.jpeg" alt="From left: Rachel Wentling Principal Holy Family Elementary, Mason Ruder Advancement Director Hays Catholic Schools, Gary Shorman President of the Schmidt Foundation, Chad Meitner Principal Thomas More Prep-Marian." />
 <figcaption>From left: Rachel Wentling Principal Holy Family Elementary, Mason Ruder Advancement Director Hays Catholic Schools, Gary Shorman President of the Schmidt Foundation, Chad Meitner Principal Thomas More Prep-Marian.</figcaption>
 </figure>TMP-MThanks to the generosity of the Robert E. &amp; Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation, new donations made in the 2022-23 school year to the Hays Catholic Schools were matched up to $100,000. In February, Hays Catholic Schools were able to reach that goal to raise the funds for the match. New donors came in at an astonishing 67 percent of the new dollars raised.Hays Catholic Schools of Thomas More Prep-Marian and Holy Family Elementary would like to thank the Robert E. &amp; Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation and all those who continue and have begun their journey of support for local Catholic education.

Schmidt Foundation matches new Hays Catholic Schools donors

The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to begin work on a bridge replacement project on K-181 in Osborne County starting Friday.

Crews will be replacing the bridge spanning Twin Creek, which is located approximately 5 miles south of Downs. K-181 will be closed to traffic at the bridge during the project. Motorists should follow the signed detour on U.S. 24, U.S. 281 and K-18.

The new bridge is expected to open to traffic in November, conditions permitting.

KDOT awarded the $1.6 million project to Bridges Inc. of Newton.&nbsp;

KDOTThe Kansas Department of Transportation plans to begin work on a bridge replacement project on K-181 in Osborne County starting Friday.Crews will be replacing the bridge spanning Twin Creek, which is located approximately 5 miles south of Downs. K-181 will be closed to traffic at the bridge during the project. Motorists should follow the signed detour on U.S. 24, U.S. 281 and K-18.The new bridge is expected to open to traffic in November, conditions permitting.KDOT awarded the $1.6 million project to Bridges Inc. of Newton.&nbsp;

K-181 bridge to be replaced south of Downs

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678311262994.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on March 9, 2023, in the area of Vine St. to Indian Trail between 27th St. and 33rd St. and Hall St. to Vine St. between 16th St. and 27th St. also, Canterbury Dr. to Commerce Pkwy. between 22nd St. and 27th St. 

This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616106491764.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysHays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on March 9, 2023, in the area of Vine St. to Indian Trail between 27th St. and 33rd St. and Hall St. to Vine St. between 16th St. and 27th St. also, Canterbury Dr. to Commerce Pkwy. between 22nd St. and 27th St. This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.

More flushing, testing of fire hydrants today in Hays

MANHATTAN – The TMP-Marian Monarchs boys basketball team is headed back
to the state semifinals for a third straight season after they defeated Horton
in the opening round of the 2A state tournament Wednesday 52-27.

The Monarchs (22-2) and Chargers (15-9) traded a pair of 5-0 runs to open
the game for the first of two ties in the first quarter at 5-5. The second time
the two teams were tied was at 10-10 with one minute left in the first quarter.


But on the next TMP possession Joey Mindrup connected on his
second three of the first quarter putting TMP up 13-10 and sparking a 21-3 run
that covered the end of the first quarter, the entire second quarter and the
first four minutes of the third quarter. A total of 12 minutes and 50 second of
game time.

The Monarchs led 31-13 with four minutes left in the third quarter
as a result of the run and the Chargers offensive struggles.

Dylan Werth, who played just two minutes in the first
quarter because of foul trouble, scored all of his game-high 14 points in the
second half as the Monarchs closed out the 52-27 victory, their 21st
consecutive.

Kade Harris added 10 points for the Monarchs.

TMP will take on Moundridge in the 6 p.m. semifinal game Friday
in Manhattan. They defeated St. Marys 63-31.

The other semifinal game will feature the top-seed Wichita
Independent and the No. 5 seed Medicine Lodge. 

Independent beat St. Marys Colgan 55-46 and Medicine Lodge
knocked off the four-seed Bennington 56-45.

MANHATTAN – The TMP-Marian Monarchs boys basketball team is headed back
to the state semifinals for a third straight season after they defeated Horton
in the opening round of the 2A state tournament Wednesday 52-27.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1464569908&color=%23294b71&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/03-08-23-tmp-v-horton-coach-interview" title="03 - 08 - 23 TMP Coach Bill Meagher v Horton" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">03 - 08 - 23 TMP Coach Bill Meagher v Horton</a></div></div>The Monarchs (22-2) and Chargers (15-9) traded a pair of 5-0 runs to open
the game for the first of two ties in the first quarter at 5-5. The second time
the two teams were tied was at 10-10 with one minute left in the first quarter.
But on the next TMP possession Joey Mindrup connected on his
second three of the first quarter putting TMP up 13-10 and sparking a 21-3 run
that covered the end of the first quarter, the entire second quarter and the
first four minutes of the third quarter. A total of 12 minutes and 50 second of
game time.The Monarchs led 31-13 with four minutes left in the third quarter
as a result of the run and the Chargers offensive struggles.TMP led 35-17 through three quarters.Dylan Werth, who played just two minutes in the first
quarter because of foul trouble, scored all of his game-high 14 points in the
second half as the Monarchs closed out the 52-27 victory, their 21st
consecutive.Kade Harris added 10 points for the Monarchs.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1464569977&color=%23294b71&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/03-08-23-tmp-v-horton-boys-highlights" title="03 - 08 - 23 TMP v Horton Boys Highlights" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">03 - 08 - 23 TMP v Horton Boys Highlights</a></div></div>TMP will take on Moundridge in the 6 p.m. semifinal game Friday
in Manhattan. They defeated St. Marys 63-31.The other semifinal game will feature the top-seed Wichita
Independent and the No. 5 seed Medicine Lodge. Independent beat St. Marys Colgan 55-46 and Medicine Lodge
knocked off the four-seed Bennington 56-45.

🏀 TMP boys advance to state semifinals with win over Horton

After a chilly, gloomy Wednesday with expected rain Wednesday night, the National Weather Service in Dodge City is promising a sunny, pleasant March weekend.

There is a slight chance of drizzle in the Hays area beginning after 5 p.m., increasing to 80 percent in the early morning hours of Thursday. Less than a tenth of an inch of moisture is expected, although totals could be higher in the event of a thunderstorm.

The winds Thursday afternoon will be sustained at 17 to 22 mph, gusting to 33 mph.

By noon Thursday, a strong northwest wind will blow in, bringing with it warmer air. The high Thursday through Monday is expected to be in the low-50s to low-60s with mostly sunny skies and calmer winds.

The next chance of rain in the extended forecast is a slight chance on Tuesday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678315309045.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After a chilly, gloomy Wednesday with expected rain Wednesday night, the National Weather Service in Dodge City is promising a sunny, pleasant March weekend.There is a slight chance of drizzle in the Hays area beginning after 5 p.m., increasing to 80 percent in the early morning hours of Thursday. Less than a tenth of an inch of moisture is expected, although totals could be higher in the event of a thunderstorm.The winds Thursday afternoon will be sustained at 17 to 22 mph, gusting to 33 mph.By noon Thursday, a strong northwest wind will blow in, bringing with it warmer air. The high Thursday through Monday is expected to be in the low-50s to low-60s with mostly sunny skies and calmer winds.The next chance of rain in the extended forecast is a slight chance on Tuesday night.

NWS: Pleasant weekend will follow gloomy Wednesday

Many school districts around Kansas, including Great Bend USD 428, will celebrate Spring Break the week of March 13-17. But that does not mean the learning has to pause. Director Curtis Wolf said activities planned for each afternoon during the break at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center.

"It makes sense to provide these opportunities when people are available," he said. "Spring Break, obviously, is a time when kids are out of school. A lot of times, families are looking for things to do. Hopefully the weather's good, so people are wanting to get out and about. We offer Spring Break activities. These are just drop-in, come-and-go, free activities that happen during the afternoons during Spring Break."

Pam Martin and Mandy Kern do most of the educational programming at KWEC, but Wolf said Spring Break will be a good time to let part-time staffers and graduate students in on the fun. "This is a great opportunity for them to get the experience of coming up with a program, putting together promotional materials for it, then actually doing the program," he said.

The activities run from 1 to 4 p.m. daily, but will be available anytime during that period. Various activities will be available for grades K-12 daily.

"Each day will be a different program," Wolf said. "In past years, we've had families come out every single afternoon to catch the new program. It's very come-and-go, very informal. Come out and spend just a little time at the center, do the activity, come and check out the other exhibits."

The topic for Monday, March 13, will be frogs with a craft activity planned. Tuesday is bird adaptations and a bird bingo game. "Where Birds Lie" is the theme for Wednesday, with the opportunity to craft a nest. Thursday will tie in various birds to the popular Pokemon game, and nature journaling is the subject of Friday's activity. Martin will also host the Turtle Tots program for ages 3-5 on Friday from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m, with the topic of animal eyes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668179001105.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostMany school districts around Kansas, including Great Bend USD 428, will celebrate Spring Break the week of March 13-17. But that does not mean the learning has to pause. Director Curtis Wolf said activities planned for each afternoon during the break at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center."It makes sense to provide these opportunities when people are available," he said. "Spring Break, obviously, is a time when kids are out of school. A lot of times, families are looking for things to do. Hopefully the weather's good, so people are wanting to get out and about. We offer Spring Break activities. These are just drop-in, come-and-go, free activities that happen during the afternoons during Spring Break."Pam Martin and Mandy Kern do most of the educational programming at KWEC, but Wolf said Spring Break will be a good time to let part-time staffers and graduate students in on the fun. "This is a great opportunity for them to get the experience of coming up with a program, putting together promotional materials for it, then actually doing the program," he said.The activities run from 1 to 4 p.m. daily, but will be available anytime during that period. Various activities will be available for grades K-12 daily."Each day will be a different program," Wolf said. "In past years, we've had families come out every single afternoon to catch the new program. It's very come-and-go, very informal. Come out and spend just a little time at the center, do the activity, come and check out the other exhibits."The topic for Monday, March 13, will be frogs with a craft activity planned. Tuesday is bird adaptations and a bird bingo game. "Where Birds Lie" is the theme for Wednesday, with the opportunity to craft a nest. Thursday will tie in various birds to the popular Pokemon game, and nature journaling is the subject of Friday's activity. Martin will also host the Turtle Tots program for ages 3-5 on Friday from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m, with the topic of animal eyes.

KWEC planning full slate of activities for Spring Break

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Police Department Lt. Brandon Wright shares severe weather safety tips.

<div><iframe title="Spring weather brings severe weather threats; now is the time to prepare" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=9mczv-13afb10-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Police Department Lt. Brandon Wright shares severe weather safety tips.

🎙 Post Podcast: Spring weather brings severe weather threats; now is the time to prepare

The Kansas Board of Regents is expected to move forward with next steps later this month after a consulting firm studied duplicated programs within the system.

Consulting firm rpk presented an oral report to the Regents in December and a final written report was issued in January.

The Regents have accepted feedback from the state's universities since that report was issued,&nbsp;Fort Hays State Univesity Provost Jill Arensdorf said

&nbsp;Arensdorf said she expects the Regents' next step will be to consider changing how it reviews programs.

Although teacher workload was a part of the rpk study, Arensdorf said she did not expect the Regents to take any further steps to address that part of the report at this time.

The current system requires programs at all state universities to be reviewed every eight years. Rpk recommended the process be done more frequently, especially with the duplicated programs that it found to be underperforming.

"We at Fort Hays don't wait to look at programs every eight years," Arensdorf said. "We know we have to do that for the Regents every eight years, but we are always looking at data on enrollments and market demand and data that informs us about programs.

"I'm hoping we will have more direction, and then we will start doing more of our own work in terms of interpreting the rpk data specific to Fort Hays."

She added, "I don't think it's in Fort Hays' best interest to get in front of the Regents on what they are going to do with the report."

The report found 55 percent of all majors across all state universities were concentrated in five disciplines—business, education, engineering, health and psychology.

Based on the 2017-2021 data,
there are 13 bachelor’s programs and nine master’s degree programs that are duplicated across the system and were listed as needing to either be optimized or reviewed, according to rpk report.

Fort Hays State University has all of the bachelor's degrees on this review list with the exception of linguistics and theater. Although FHSU has a bachelor's degree in math, its emphasis is on teaching.

FHSU has the following master's programs on the rpk review list —biology, communication studies, English, art, history and nursing.

Hays Post made a public records request to find out the number&nbsp; of students in majors that were suggested for review in the rpk report. FHSU released the average number of students in the majors between the academic years of 2017 and 2021, the time frame that was reviewed for the rpk report.

FHSU said that only two programs fell below the Regents review minimum: music and physics. A master's degree in communications has already been recommended to be phased out as a major at FHSU. That recommendation was part of an already established review cycle and was not related to the rpk report. 

However, the university noted that the review process will likely be changed as a result of the rpk recommendations.

A full list of the average students at FHSU in each of the majors noted in the rpk report is listed below.

Bachelor's degree (average number of junior and seniors in the majors between 2017 and 2021) Chemistry-28 English-42 Art-120 Geology-72 History-43 General studies-777 Math-25 Music-12 Philosophy-28 Physics-22 Sociology-173 Master's degrees Biology-35 English-25 Art-23 History-50 Nursing-119 Communication studies-15

Arensdorf said no programs have been recommended for elimination at this time at FHSU as a result of the rpk report.

She said she hopes the Regents will consider Fort Hays' geographic location in program reviews. FHSU is the only state university in the western half of the state.

"Fort Hays is geographically positioned where I think we do need to serve a wide variety of programs because we want our population to be able to access those programs in their region," she said.

Aresndorf said she hopes the rpk report will not affect the recruitment and retention of faculty and students in programs discussed in the report.

"I think we absolutely have to wait on KBOR to see how they define duplication ..." she said.&nbsp;

The university plans to continue to recruit students into all its current programs, she said.

Part of the impetus behind the rpk report was to better meet Kansas workforce needs and address nationwide declines in college enrollments.

Arensdorf said FHSU is already tackling that in several ways.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/066e12c6-fa90-4b83-90a0-135810573ce0">The Robbins Banking Institute provides classroom training based on real-world observation from banking professionals.</a> Its internship program enhances relationships with bank professionals, leading to job opportunities.

With an aging population of bankers and an increasing number of job openings, the institute expedites the training of students to fill banking positions, Arensdorf said.

Thanks to funding from the Kansas Legislature, the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a3736bdf-8ec8-459f-b046-066abe5b8d87">Cybersecurity Institute and Technology Incubator</a>&nbsp;launched last fall. The FHSU Department of Informatics is leading this effort and working with the Small Business Development Centers, the new program's staff, and local businesses to identify micro-internship opportunities for FHSU students this spring and summer.

Student interns will work on special cybersecurity projects that develop essential technical and entrepreneurial interpersonal skills. Regional small businesses will benefit from the infusion of new talent and state-of-the-practice cybersecurity expertise, Arensdorf said.

FHSU’s social work cohort programs in southwest Kansas were designed for students already established and engaged in their local communities. The cohort model enables students to complete a bachelor of social work degree without frequent travel or relocation to Hays.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/418a3927-3998-4ba1-bafa-ef77d5ddc9c9">Afrensdorf also touted the recently announced affiliation with North Central Kansas Technical College and Northwest Kansas Technical College. </a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/418a3927-3998-4ba1-bafa-ef77d5ddc9c9">I</a>f approved by the Kansas Legislature, it will unify the three institutions and focus on workforce development. Initial academic pilot projects in agriculture, construction and nursing were selected to address pressing workforce development needs in rural Kansas.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6490bbfa-d4d8-4d7b-b490-2ffad4c755ce">Fort Hays last year began a reorganization of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, which administrators said was a proactive step to address changing enrollments within the college.</a> That reorganization was implemented before the rpk report was released.

The plan consolidated the college's departments from 11 to five.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4d1305d2-d547-4286-b892-d233575130d9">Fort Hays State University overall reported an enrollment decline of 8 percent year over year in the fall.&nbsp;</a>

FHSU has seen a drop in headcount of 18.6 percent from a five-year high of 15,908 in 2019 to 12,951 on Sept. 20, 2022.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2d790f37-173d-4569-8fe5-48137bb35063">Emporia State University, which has experienced smaller declines in enrollment compared to FHSU, took steps in the fall to reorganize the university and cut costs. This included suspending tenure and firing some faculty.</a>

Arensdorf contributed some of the declines in enrollment to the pandemic, and she said university officials expect FHSU to recoup some of those losses. She said FHSU already saw some rebound in online enrollment for the spring semester.

The university budgeted for the anticipated pandemic-driven decline in enrollment, she said.

FHSU reduced operating budgets and carefully reviewed new and open faculty and staff positions over the last several years with a focus on finding efficiencies to reduce personnel costs, Arensdorf said.

"At the same time, the university dedicated specific funding to the creation of a dedicated student recruitment marketing team," she said. "We also established a $1 million annual budget for student recruitment marketing that has placed significantly more potential students than ever before in our admissions pipeline."

Arensdorf admitted there are also regional factors that may be influencing FHSU enrollment numbers. These included population decline in western Kansas as well as low unemployment rates, which may allow students to enter the workforce right out of high school and gain skills on the job.

FHSU is also facing more competition for online students, she said.

Enrollment has also been down in the university's China programs, Arensdorf said. Those numbers are determined by the Chinese ministry of education.&nbsp;

"I have no indication right now that China is going to cut our programs," Arensdorf said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659382922756.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell / Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell / Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Kansas Board of Regents is expected to move forward with next steps later this month after a consulting firm studied duplicated programs within the system.Consulting firm rpk presented an oral report to the Regents in December and a final written report was issued in January.The Regents have accepted feedback from the state's universities since that report was issued,&nbsp;Fort Hays State Univesity Provost Jill Arensdorf said&nbsp;Arensdorf said she expects the Regents' next step will be to consider changing how it reviews programs.Although teacher workload was a part of the rpk study, Arensdorf said she did not expect the Regents to take any further steps to address that part of the report at this time.The current system requires programs at all state universities to be reviewed every eight years. Rpk recommended the process be done more frequently, especially with the duplicated programs that it found to be underperforming."We at Fort Hays don't wait to look at programs every eight years," Arensdorf said. "We know we have to do that for the Regents every eight years, but we are always looking at data on enrollments and market demand and data that informs us about programs."I'm hoping we will have more direction, and then we will start doing more of our own work in terms of interpreting the rpk data specific to Fort Hays."She added, "I don't think it's in Fort Hays' best interest to get in front of the Regents on what they are going to do with the report."The report found 55 percent of all majors across all state universities were concentrated in five disciplines—business, education, engineering, health and psychology.Based on the 2017-2021 data,
there are 13 bachelor’s programs and nine master’s degree programs that are duplicated across the system and were listed as needing to either be optimized or reviewed, according to rpk report.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677605146255.png" alt="Chart courtesy of Kansas Board of Regents" />
 <figcaption>Chart courtesy of Kansas Board of Regents</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677605111123.png" alt="Chart courtesy of the Kansas Board of Regents" />
 <figcaption>Chart courtesy of the Kansas Board of Regents</figcaption>
 </figure>Fort Hays State University has all of the bachelor's degrees on this review list with the exception of linguistics and theater. Although FHSU has a bachelor's degree in math, its emphasis is on teaching.FHSU has the following master's programs on the rpk review list —biology, communication studies, English, art, history and nursing.Hays Post made a public records request to find out the number&nbsp; of students in majors that were suggested for review in the rpk report. FHSU released the average number of students in the majors between the academic years of 2017 and 2021, the time frame that was reviewed for the rpk report.FHSU said that only two programs fell below the Regents review minimum: music and physics. A master's degree in communications has already been recommended to be phased out as a major at FHSU. That recommendation was part of an already established review cycle and was not related to the rpk report. However, the university noted that the review process will likely be changed as a result of the rpk recommendations.A full list of the average students at FHSU in each of the majors noted in the rpk report is listed below.Bachelor's degree (average number of junior and seniors in the majors between 2017 and 2021) Chemistry-28 English-42 Art-120 Geology-72 History-43 General studies-777 Math-25 Music-12 Philosophy-28 Physics-22 Sociology-173 Master's degrees Biology-35 English-25 Art-23 History-50 Nursing-119 Communication studies-15 Arensdorf said no programs have been recommended for elimination at this time at FHSU as a result of the rpk report.She said she hopes the Regents will consider Fort Hays' geographic location in program reviews. FHSU is the only state university in the western half of the state."Fort Hays is geographically positioned where I think we do need to serve a wide variety of programs because we want our population to be able to access those programs in their region," she said.Aresndorf said she hopes the rpk report will not affect the recruitment and retention of faculty and students in programs discussed in the report."I think we absolutely have to wait on KBOR to see how they define duplication ..." she said.&nbsp;The university plans to continue to recruit students into all its current programs, she said.Part of the impetus behind the rpk report was to better meet Kansas workforce needs and address nationwide declines in college enrollments.Arensdorf said FHSU is already tackling that in several ways.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/066e12c6-fa90-4b83-90a0-135810573ce0">The Robbins Banking Institute provides classroom training based on real-world observation from banking professionals.</a> Its internship program enhances relationships with bank professionals, leading to job opportunities.With an aging population of bankers and an increasing number of job openings, the institute expedites the training of students to fill banking positions, Arensdorf said.Thanks to funding from the Kansas Legislature, the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a3736bdf-8ec8-459f-b046-066abe5b8d87">Cybersecurity Institute and Technology Incubator</a>&nbsp;launched last fall. The FHSU Department of Informatics is leading this effort and working with the Small Business Development Centers, the new program's staff, and local businesses to identify micro-internship opportunities for FHSU students this spring and summer.Student interns will work on special cybersecurity projects that develop essential technical and entrepreneurial interpersonal skills. Regional small businesses will benefit from the infusion of new talent and state-of-the-practice cybersecurity expertise, Arensdorf said.FHSU’s social work cohort programs in southwest Kansas were designed for students already established and engaged in their local communities. The cohort model enables students to complete a bachelor of social work degree without frequent travel or relocation to Hays.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/418a3927-3998-4ba1-bafa-ef77d5ddc9c9">Afrensdorf also touted the recently announced affiliation with North Central Kansas Technical College and Northwest Kansas Technical College. </a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/418a3927-3998-4ba1-bafa-ef77d5ddc9c9">I</a>f approved by the Kansas Legislature, it will unify the three institutions and focus on workforce development. Initial academic pilot projects in agriculture, construction and nursing were selected to address pressing workforce development needs in rural Kansas.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6490bbfa-d4d8-4d7b-b490-2ffad4c755ce">Fort Hays last year began a reorganization of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, which administrators said was a proactive step to address changing enrollments within the college.</a> That reorganization was implemented before the rpk report was released.The plan consolidated the college's departments from 11 to five.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4d1305d2-d547-4286-b892-d233575130d9">Fort Hays State University overall reported an enrollment decline of 8 percent year over year in the fall.&nbsp;</a>FHSU has seen a drop in headcount of 18.6 percent from a five-year high of 15,908 in 2019 to 12,951 on Sept. 20, 2022.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2d790f37-173d-4569-8fe5-48137bb35063">Emporia State University, which has experienced smaller declines in enrollment compared to FHSU, took steps in the fall to reorganize the university and cut costs. This included suspending tenure and firing some faculty.</a>Arensdorf contributed some of the declines in enrollment to the pandemic, and she said university officials expect FHSU to recoup some of those losses. She said FHSU already saw some rebound in online enrollment for the spring semester.The university budgeted for the anticipated pandemic-driven decline in enrollment, she said.FHSU reduced operating budgets and carefully reviewed new and open faculty and staff positions over the last several years with a focus on finding efficiencies to reduce personnel costs, Arensdorf said."At the same time, the university dedicated specific funding to the creation of a dedicated student recruitment marketing team," she said. "We also established a $1 million annual budget for student recruitment marketing that has placed significantly more potential students than ever before in our admissions pipeline."Arensdorf admitted there are also regional factors that may be influencing FHSU enrollment numbers. These included population decline in western Kansas as well as low unemployment rates, which may allow students to enter the workforce right out of high school and gain skills on the job.FHSU is also facing more competition for online students, she said.Enrollment has also been down in the university's China programs, Arensdorf said. Those numbers are determined by the Chinese ministry of education.&nbsp;"I have no indication right now that China is going to cut our programs," Arensdorf said.&nbsp;She said she thinks the number of students in that program is going to stay level. FHSU is working to expand its international programs in other countries, including <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/7c3bac99-3e73-419c-aafe-59c01e0584b8">Cambodia</a> and Senegal."The bottom line is I hope some good can come out of this work with rpk," Arensdorf said. "I really think that Fort Hays State is positioned to have a voice in that work. "I am also committed to be responsible here as an institution and to work closely with our faculty, students and staff to make good decisions for our institution, region and beyond."

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