Diana Lynn Morris, 72, of Russell, Kansas, died, surrounded by her family, on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas, after a long battle with cancer.

Diana was born on October 30, 1950, in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Ronald Lester and Dolores Del (Read) Burbridge. 

She grew up in Bellevue, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa where she attended local schools and graduated salutatorian from Southeast Polk High School in Des Moines, Iowa. After high school, she attended Drake University and graduated from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines, Iowa. 

She met Terry E. Morris on a blind date on New Year’s Eve, 1970. They fell in love and were united in marriage on July 1, 1972, in Omaha, Nebraska. They moved to Russell, Kansas in 1973. From this union they were blessed with three sons, Matt, Mark, and Jon. 

Diana worked as a registered nurse for Drs. White, Pettijohn, and Schulz. 

She was a longtime and very active member of the Bible Baptist Church in Russell, Kansas where she taught Sunday school, ladies’ Bible study, played piano, and directed the choir. She was a talented pianist and vocalist. She enjoyed painting, quilting, biking, walking, and reading. Most of all, Diana enjoyed spending time with her family and especially enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren.

Surviving family include her husband Terry of the home, sons Matt Morris and wife Kaysie of Hays, Kansas, Mark Morris and wife Amanda of Bunker Hill, Kansas and Jon Morris and wife Amanda of Trimble, Missouri and eight grandchildren: Camden, Chase, Audrie, Jake, Chailyn, Wyatt, Jack, and Maggie.

She was preceded in death by her parents Ronald and Dolores Burbridge, and brother Ronnie Burbridge.

A celebration of Diana’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. A graveside service and burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at the Burr Oak Cemetery in Burr Oak, Kansas. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary with family greeting guests from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday evening. 

In lieu of sending flowers please consider providing a memorial donation to Bible Baptist Church. Contributions and condolences&nbsp;may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of these arrangements.

<h2>Diana Lynn Morris, Russell</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686871398395.png" alt="Diana Morris" />
 <figcaption>Diana Morris</figcaption>
 </figure>Diana Lynn Morris, 72, of Russell, Kansas, died, surrounded by her family, on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas, after a long battle with cancer.Diana was born on October 30, 1950, in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Ronald Lester and Dolores Del (Read) Burbridge. She grew up in Bellevue, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa where she attended local schools and graduated salutatorian from Southeast Polk High School in Des Moines, Iowa. After high school, she attended Drake University and graduated from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines, Iowa. She met Terry E. Morris on a blind date on New Year’s Eve, 1970. They fell in love and were united in marriage on July 1, 1972, in Omaha, Nebraska. They moved to Russell, Kansas in 1973. From this union they were blessed with three sons, Matt, Mark, and Jon. Diana worked as a registered nurse for Drs. White, Pettijohn, and Schulz. She was a longtime and very active member of the Bible Baptist Church in Russell, Kansas where she taught Sunday school, ladies’ Bible study, played piano, and directed the choir. She was a talented pianist and vocalist. She enjoyed painting, quilting, biking, walking, and reading. Most of all, Diana enjoyed spending time with her family and especially enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren.Surviving family include her husband Terry of the home, sons Matt Morris and wife Kaysie of Hays, Kansas, Mark Morris and wife Amanda of Bunker Hill, Kansas and Jon Morris and wife Amanda of Trimble, Missouri and eight grandchildren: Camden, Chase, Audrie, Jake, Chailyn, Wyatt, Jack, and Maggie.She was preceded in death by her parents Ronald and Dolores Burbridge, and brother Ronnie Burbridge.A celebration of Diana’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. A graveside service and burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at the Burr Oak Cemetery in Burr Oak, Kansas. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary with family greeting guests from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday evening. In lieu of sending flowers please consider providing a memorial donation to Bible Baptist Church. Contributions and condolences&nbsp;may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of these arrangements.

Diana Lynn Morris

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Thursday marks the 11th anniversary of a program that was created during the Obama administration to temporarily protect undocumented children from deportation.

But congressional inaction and legal challenges have led to more than a decade of limbo for the 600,000 people enrolled, with no end in sight. They are often called “Dreamers,” based on never-passed legislation in Congress called the Dream Act.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that was meant to be a temporary stopgap is now the only tool that protects those brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. A pending court case out of Texas will determine whether DACA is legal — and what happens next.

“It’s a little bit of a kick in the gut,” Salma Vizcaino Garcia, a 25-year-old DACA recipient who lives in Ellenwood, Georgia, said of the court case.

Vizcaino Garcia, who is preparing to apply to medical school, said she and many DACA recipients aren’t hopeful about the outcome of the Texas case. She said she’s focusing her efforts on advocacy, and educating people about the program.

She said she hopes that through collective action, enough people will urge state and federal lawmakers to create a permanent pathway to citizenship.

“I genuinely am of the opinion, if I was able to talk to every person that was against us, that I could change their minds,” she said. “We’re just regular people. We’re just trying to live our lives.”

For more than two decades, Congress has tried and failed to pass immigration reform.

With the current divided Congress, the only&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/05/24/new-bipartisan-immigration-legislation-proposed-in-u-s-house/">recent bipartisan piece</a>&nbsp;of legislation is from six U.S. House lawmakers called the Dignity Act. The bill doesn’t specifically address DACA recipients, but is aimed at creating a legal pathway to citizenship for the estimated more than 11 million undocumented people in the country.

If the bill manages to clear the House on a bipartisan vote, it would still need to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. The last time Congress passed major immigration legislation was during the Reagan administration in 1986.

A case in Texas threatens the legality of the DACA program, prompting immigration advocates and attorneys to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6160a38f44d6a328d59c3e3d/t/64186a9dc39bcd4b2608d743/1679321759261/2023.03.20.PUBLISHED.DED4DACA.LawProf_Letter.pdf">lobby</a>&nbsp;the Biden administration to exert its authority to use&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/deferred-enforced-departure">Deferred Enforced Departure</a>, which is not a specific immigration status, but allows those covered to be exempt from deportation for a certain period of time.

The Texas challenge is likely to reach the Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority. A decision likely would come in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newjerseymonitor.com/2023/01/29/lengthy-timeline-for-daca-legal-fight-puts-lives-on-hold-for-years/">spring of 2024, or later.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>

President Joe Biden issued a DACA statement on Thursday urging Congress to act.

“While Vice President Harris and I will continue fighting to pass legislation to protect Dreamers and create a path to citizenship, only Congress can provide permanent and lasting stability for these young people and their families,” Biden said. “Congress must act to protect our Dreamers.”

On Thursday evening, the White House is hosting a screening with DACA recipients and immigration advocates of the movie “Flamin’ Hot,” a directorial debut from Latina actress Eva Longoria that tells the legendary origin story of “Flamin’ Hot Cheetos,” a popular snack in the Latino community. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-16/flamin-hot-cheetos-richard-montanez">L.A. Times has debunked the tale</a>, but it’s still a popular rags-to-riches story.

“The Biden-Harris administration continues its effort to lift up and engage the Latino community by showcasing their stories and celebrating their contributions to our country,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday during a press briefing.

Jaime Rangel was part of the first wave of DACA applicants when the program was created. There was a lot of apprehension about applying, but eventually he submitted his high school transcript and went through a background check to enroll.

“There was just a lot of unknowns and uncertainty, but we went for it because it provided me an opportunity to have some lawful presence in the country,” Rangel said. “It was better than being in the shadows.”

Rangel, who is the regional government relations director for a pro-immigration lobbying group called FWD.us, argues that DACA recipients are in every industry across the U.S. and the nation would feel the effect of an immediate loss of hundreds of thousands of employees.

In his home state of Georgia, there are about 20,000 DACA recipients who contribute $100 million in state and local taxes. DACA recipients contribute more than $1.2 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://itep.org/state-local-tax-contributions-of-young-undocumented-immigrants/">according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>, a nonpartisan tax policy organization.

A DACA recipient for more than a decade, Rangel is now 32 and married to another DACA recipient. They have a 3-year-old son.

“It’s great that we can celebrate 11 years, as DACA recipients, of celebrating our contributions to this country, celebrating all that we have achieved in 11 years. But at the same time, we cannot just stick to celebrating on a program that’s ultimately is going to end and go away,” he said of the Texas court case. “We need Congress to act.”

The closest Congress came to bipartisan immigration reform was in 2013, when the “Gang of Eight,” made up of four Republican and four Democratic senators, crafted a bill that would create a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented people. It cleared the Senate, but Republican House Speaker John Boehner never brought it to the floor for a vote.

Despite the fight to keep DACA in place, many immigration policy experts have called the program outdated because there are now thousands of undocumented youth who are not eligible for the program, some because they were not even born yet. To qualify, an undocumented youth needs to have continuingly resided in the U.S. since 2007.

“Congress’ continued inaction has led to multiple court challenges to DACA, which put DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth in limbo,” Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, the deputy director of federal advocacy for United We Dream, said in a statement.

United We Dream is one of the largest youth immigrant-led advocacy groups.

Macedo do Nascimento said that because the program is outdated, it’s led to more than 100,000 undocumented high school graduates who will not be able to qualify for DACA.

The same federal judge who ruled in 2021 that the program the Obama administration created was illegal — preventing any new applications — continues to preside over the case.

It’s estimated that there are 95,000 applicants that are blocked due to a judge’s order blocking new applicants from being accepted,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/DACA_performancedata_fy2022_qtr4.pdf">according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data.&nbsp;</a>

In addition, it’s estimated that there are 400,000 eligible undocumented youth who are unable to meet DACA eligibility requirements because they came to the U.S. too recently,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fwd.us/news/daca-anniversary/">according to FWD.us research.</a>

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen initially determined that the program was illegal because the Obama administration failed to follow proper rulemaking procedures when it created the program in 2012 through a memorandum.

The Department of Justice appealed the case, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with Hanen. But because the Biden administration was putting forth a new DACA regulation to replace the Obama-era memo that was set to go into effect in October, the appeals court decided that the case&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2022/10/06/daca-ruled-unlawful-by-federal-appeals-court-but-program-continues-for-now/">should be returned to Hanen.&nbsp;</a>

Hanen on June 1 heard oral arguments about whether the Biden administration’s new rule, which is nearly identical to the memo creating DACA, is lawful.

The Obama-era memo is being challenged by nine Republican-led states who argue the White House overreached in creating a program that should have been left to Congress. Those nine states also argue that under the Biden administration, they were harmed financially by incurring costs for DACA recipients’ health care and education.

Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia.

This Texas case is not the first time the DACA program has been challenged. In 2017, the Trump administration also tried to end the program. Three years later, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the White House inappropriately ended DACA, keeping it in place.

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Thursday marks the 11th anniversary of a program that was created during the Obama administration to temporarily protect undocumented children from deportation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, on the 11th Anniversary of DACA, I celebrate the Dreamers who enrich our nation every day, and who deserve lasting stability in the only home they have ever known. Dreamers are Americans — and I want them to know they have an advocate and ally with me in the White House.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1669333352053088256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But congressional inaction and legal challenges have led to more than a decade of limbo for the 600,000 people enrolled, with no end in sight. They are often called “Dreamers,” based on never-passed legislation in Congress called the Dream Act.The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that was meant to be a temporary stopgap is now the only tool that protects those brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. A pending court case out of Texas will determine whether DACA is legal — and what happens next.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I believe wholeheartedly in the American Dream. And I believe in our Dreamers. Today, on the 11th anniversary of DACA, I join Byron, Rex, Juana, and Norma in calling on Congress to provide all Dreamers with permanent protections including a pathway to citizenship. <a href="https://t.co/2MxTvzZzmU">pic.twitter.com/2MxTvzZzmU</a>&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1669343317145051137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s a little bit of a kick in the gut,” Salma Vizcaino Garcia, a 25-year-old DACA recipient who lives in Ellenwood, Georgia, said of the court case.Vizcaino Garcia, who is preparing to apply to medical school, said she and many DACA recipients aren’t hopeful about the outcome of the Texas case. She said she’s focusing her efforts on advocacy, and educating people about the program.She said she hopes that through collective action, enough people will urge state and federal lawmakers to create a permanent pathway to citizenship.“I genuinely am of the opinion, if I was able to talk to every person that was against us, that I could change their minds,” she said. “We’re just regular people. We’re just trying to live our lives.”<h2>Stalled in Congress</h2>For more than two decades, Congress has tried and failed to pass immigration reform.With the current divided Congress, the only&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/05/24/new-bipartisan-immigration-legislation-proposed-in-u-s-house/">recent bipartisan piece</a>&nbsp;of legislation is from six U.S. House lawmakers called the Dignity Act. The bill doesn’t specifically address DACA recipients, but is aimed at creating a legal pathway to citizenship for the estimated more than 11 million undocumented people in the country.If the bill manages to clear the House on a bipartisan vote, it would still need to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. The last time Congress passed major immigration legislation was during the Reagan administration in 1986.A case in Texas threatens the legality of the DACA program, prompting immigration advocates and attorneys to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6160a38f44d6a328d59c3e3d/t/64186a9dc39bcd4b2608d743/1679321759261/2023.03.20.PUBLISHED.DED4DACA.LawProf_Letter.pdf">lobby</a>&nbsp;the Biden administration to exert its authority to use&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/deferred-enforced-departure">Deferred Enforced Departure</a>, which is not a specific immigration status, but allows those covered to be exempt from deportation for a certain period of time.The Texas challenge is likely to reach the Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority. A decision likely would come in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newjerseymonitor.com/2023/01/29/lengthy-timeline-for-daca-legal-fight-puts-lives-on-hold-for-years/">spring of 2024, or later.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>President Joe Biden issued a DACA statement on Thursday urging Congress to act.“While Vice President Harris and I will continue fighting to pass legislation to protect Dreamers and create a path to citizenship, only Congress can provide permanent and lasting stability for these young people and their families,” Biden said. “Congress must act to protect our Dreamers.”On Thursday evening, the White House is hosting a screening with DACA recipients and immigration advocates of the movie “Flamin’ Hot,” a directorial debut from Latina actress Eva Longoria that tells the legendary origin story of “Flamin’ Hot Cheetos,” a popular snack in the Latino community. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-16/flamin-hot-cheetos-richard-montanez">L.A. Times has debunked the tale</a>, but it’s still a popular rags-to-riches story.“The Biden-Harris administration continues its effort to lift up and engage the Latino community by showcasing their stories and celebrating their contributions to our country,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday during a press briefing.<h2>‘Unknowns and uncertainty’</h2>Jaime Rangel was part of the first wave of DACA applicants when the program was created. There was a lot of apprehension about applying, but eventually he submitted his high school transcript and went through a background check to enroll.“There was just a lot of unknowns and uncertainty, but we went for it because it provided me an opportunity to have some lawful presence in the country,” Rangel said. “It was better than being in the shadows.”Rangel, who is the regional government relations director for a pro-immigration lobbying group called FWD.us, argues that DACA recipients are in every industry across the U.S. and the nation would feel the effect of an immediate loss of hundreds of thousands of employees.In his home state of Georgia, there are about 20,000 DACA recipients who contribute $100 million in state and local taxes. DACA recipients contribute more than $1.2 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://itep.org/state-local-tax-contributions-of-young-undocumented-immigrants/">according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>, a nonpartisan tax policy organization.A DACA recipient for more than a decade, Rangel is now 32 and married to another DACA recipient. They have a 3-year-old son.“It’s great that we can celebrate 11 years, as DACA recipients, of celebrating our contributions to this country, celebrating all that we have achieved in 11 years. But at the same time, we cannot just stick to celebrating on a program that’s ultimately is going to end and go away,” he said of the Texas court case. “We need Congress to act.”The closest Congress came to bipartisan immigration reform was in 2013, when the “Gang of Eight,” made up of four Republican and four Democratic senators, crafted a bill that would create a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented people. It cleared the Senate, but Republican House Speaker John Boehner never brought it to the floor for a vote.Despite the fight to keep DACA in place, many immigration policy experts have called the program outdated because there are now thousands of undocumented youth who are not eligible for the program, some because they were not even born yet. To qualify, an undocumented youth needs to have continuingly resided in the U.S. since 2007.“Congress’ continued inaction has led to multiple court challenges to DACA, which put DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth in limbo,” Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, the deputy director of federal advocacy for United We Dream, said in a statement.United We Dream is one of the largest youth immigrant-led advocacy groups.Macedo do Nascimento said that because the program is outdated, it’s led to more than 100,000 undocumented high school graduates who will not be able to qualify for DACA.<h2>Texas case</h2>The same federal judge who ruled in 2021 that the program the Obama administration created was illegal — preventing any new applications — continues to preside over the case.It’s estimated that there are 95,000 applicants that are blocked due to a judge’s order blocking new applicants from being accepted,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/DACA_performancedata_fy2022_qtr4.pdf">according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data.&nbsp;</a>In addition, it’s estimated that there are 400,000 eligible undocumented youth who are unable to meet DACA eligibility requirements because they came to the U.S. too recently,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fwd.us/news/daca-anniversary/">according to FWD.us research.</a>U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen initially determined that the program was illegal because the Obama administration failed to follow proper rulemaking procedures when it created the program in 2012 through a memorandum.The Department of Justice appealed the case, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with Hanen. But because the Biden administration was putting forth a new DACA regulation to replace the Obama-era memo that was set to go into effect in October, the appeals court decided that the case&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2022/10/06/daca-ruled-unlawful-by-federal-appeals-court-but-program-continues-for-now/">should be returned to Hanen.&nbsp;</a>Hanen on June 1 heard oral arguments about whether the Biden administration’s new rule, which is nearly identical to the memo creating DACA, is lawful.The Obama-era memo is being challenged by nine Republican-led states who argue the White House overreached in creating a program that should have been left to Congress. Those nine states also argue that under the Biden administration, they were harmed financially by incurring costs for DACA recipients’ health care and education.Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia.This Texas case is not the first time the DACA program has been challenged. In 2017, the Trump administration also tried to end the program. Three years later, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the White House inappropriately ended DACA, keeping it in place.

‘We’re just trying to live our lives’: DACA hits 11-year mark still mired in the courts

SYLVAN GROVE— During its spring grant cycle, the Post Rock Community Foundation awarded over $50,000 to fourteen projects throughout Lincoln County and those served by USD 298 and USD 299. &nbsp;

The following organizations received funding:&nbsp;

• City of Lucas, $5,000 to support the material and labor costs for the new storage shed and concession stand at the Lucas baseball field.&nbsp; • City of Sylvan Grove, $3,040 to help fund the renovation costs of the Sylvan Grove baseball field.&nbsp; • Lucas Area Community Theater, Inc., $800 to purchase two cash registers.&nbsp; • USD 299, $550 to purchase the Prestan Ultra-lite 4 pack CPR mannequins and one AED trainer.&nbsp; • Bethlehem Lutheran Church, $10,000 to help with the purchase and replacement of heating and cooling units in the church. &nbsp; • USD 298 Lincoln, $10,000 to help fund the Lincoln Track Renovation project.&nbsp; • USD 299, $300 to purchase materials for Social Emotional Learning in grades kindergarten through third grade. &nbsp; • Bud Finch Memorial Community Theatre Foundation, $2,000 for the purchase of a new popcorn machine. &nbsp; • City of Lincoln, $3,000 to purchase additional equipment for a music park for the City of Lincoln Park and cement to hold equipment in place.&nbsp; • Luray Senior Center, Inc., $2,500 to help with their patio replacement project.&nbsp; • USD 299, $400 to purchase a mobile snack cart with locking doors and cash box and snacks and flavored water to fill the cart to sell to the students and staff at the high school. &nbsp; • USD 298 Lincoln, $8,000 to help purchase playground equipment for the preschool and childcare expansion project.&nbsp; • USD 299, $360 to purchase 6 ball chairs.&nbsp; • USD 299, $5,000 to help pay Sunflower Restaurant Supply Co. for a 3-door freezer, which includes delivery and removal costs.&nbsp;

This round of grants was made possible by five funds at the community foundation: the Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, the Post Rock Community Action Fund, and the Sylvan Area Fund, which all focus on improving quality of life throughout the county, the Kansas Health Foundation Fund for Post Rock and the Post Rock Healthy Living Fund both of which supports the public health of Lincoln County and those served by USD 298 and 299.

The foundation’s next grant cycle opens August 1, with online applications due October 1, 2023. For more information, visit <a href="https://postrockcf.org/grants/">http://postrockcf.org/search-apply-for-a-grant/</a>.&nbsp;

About Post Rock Community Foundation&nbsp;

Since 2010, the Post Rock Community Foundation has been connecting donors with philanthropic causes they love. As an affiliate of the Greater Salina Community Foundation, PRCF is proud to serve the communities of Lincoln County and those served by USD 298 and USD 299. 

For more information, visit <a href="https://postrockcf.org/">www.postrockcf.org</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686320911476.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PRCFSYLVAN GROVE— During its spring grant cycle, the Post Rock Community Foundation awarded over $50,000 to fourteen projects throughout Lincoln County and those served by USD 298 and USD 299. &nbsp;The following organizations received funding:&nbsp;• City of Lucas, $5,000 to support the material and labor costs for the new storage shed and concession stand at the Lucas baseball field.&nbsp; • City of Sylvan Grove, $3,040 to help fund the renovation costs of the Sylvan Grove baseball field.&nbsp; • Lucas Area Community Theater, Inc., $800 to purchase two cash registers.&nbsp; • USD 299, $550 to purchase the Prestan Ultra-lite 4 pack CPR mannequins and one AED trainer.&nbsp; • Bethlehem Lutheran Church, $10,000 to help with the purchase and replacement of heating and cooling units in the church. &nbsp; • USD 298 Lincoln, $10,000 to help fund the Lincoln Track Renovation project.&nbsp; • USD 299, $300 to purchase materials for Social Emotional Learning in grades kindergarten through third grade. &nbsp; • Bud Finch Memorial Community Theatre Foundation, $2,000 for the purchase of a new popcorn machine. &nbsp; • City of Lincoln, $3,000 to purchase additional equipment for a music park for the City of Lincoln Park and cement to hold equipment in place.&nbsp; • Luray Senior Center, Inc., $2,500 to help with their patio replacement project.&nbsp; • USD 299, $400 to purchase a mobile snack cart with locking doors and cash box and snacks and flavored water to fill the cart to sell to the students and staff at the high school. &nbsp; • USD 298 Lincoln, $8,000 to help purchase playground equipment for the preschool and childcare expansion project.&nbsp; • USD 299, $360 to purchase 6 ball chairs.&nbsp; • USD 299, $5,000 to help pay Sunflower Restaurant Supply Co. for a 3-door freezer, which includes delivery and removal costs.&nbsp;This round of grants was made possible by five funds at the community foundation: the Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, the Post Rock Community Action Fund, and the Sylvan Area Fund, which all focus on improving quality of life throughout the county, the Kansas Health Foundation Fund for Post Rock and the Post Rock Healthy Living Fund both of which supports the public health of Lincoln County and those served by USD 298 and 299.The foundation’s next grant cycle opens August 1, with online applications due October 1, 2023. For more information, visit <a href="https://postrockcf.org/grants/">http://postrockcf.org/search-apply-for-a-grant/</a>.&nbsp;About Post Rock Community Foundation&nbsp;Since 2010, the Post Rock Community Foundation has been connecting donors with philanthropic causes they love. As an affiliate of the Greater Salina Community Foundation, PRCF is proud to serve the communities of Lincoln County and those served by USD 298 and USD 299. For more information, visit <a href="https://postrockcf.org/">www.postrockcf.org</a>.&nbsp;

Post Rock Community Foundation awards over $50,000 in spring grants  

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame (KSHOF) has announced the members of the class of 2023 who will be inducted on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at the Kansas Star Casino.

The KSHOF is also proud to announce the Kansas Star Casino as the host and title sponsor for the 2023 KSHOF Induction Ceremony on October 1. This is the fifth year the Kansas Star Casino has been the title sponsor and is the fourth year of hosting the event.

Doug Lang, Vice President and General Manager of the Kansas Star Casino said, “We are pleased to once again help honor the outstanding achievements by Kansas athletes and coaches in this year’s class, both in the world of sports and here in the local community. We’re very excited to host this prestigious banquet at the Kansas Star Casino and can’t wait to celebrate all of the inductees. We look forward to the continued success of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, in preserving the unique and rich history of our state’s greatest sport’s icons.”

Jordan Poland, President and CEO of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame said, “We’re excited to be planning for this year’s induction to honor the legacies of this amazing group of athletes, coaches, and contributors. This group of inductees represents the wide array of skills and talents produced by the Sunflower State and we’re looking forward to a special evening celebrating their accomplishments.”

The KSHOF Class of 2023 consists of twelve members. Those inductees include: Wichita native and All-American softball player at the University of Kansas,&nbsp;JILL LARSON BRADNEY; All-American decathlete and three-time Division II track and field Coach of the Year at Pittsburg State University,&nbsp;RUSS JEWETT&nbsp;from Olathe; three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference basketball selection and honorable mention All-American from Wichita State University,&nbsp;LYNBERT “CHEESE” JOHNSON; Negro Leagues Baseball triple crown hitter&nbsp;OSCAR “HEAVY” JOHNSON&nbsp;from Atchison; long-time Wichita State baseball assistant coach and athletic department official,&nbsp;BRENT KEMNITZ; eight-time All-American selection in cross country and track at Pittsburg State,&nbsp;CHRISTIE ALLEN LOGUE&nbsp;from Altamont; professional golfer and two-time member of the United States Ryder Cup team,&nbsp;HAROLD “JUG” MCSPADDEN&nbsp;from Monticello; fourteen year Major League Baseball player&nbsp;RAY MUELLER&nbsp;from Pittsburg; K-State baseball player and thirteen year Major League Baseball veteran&nbsp;TED POWER&nbsp;from Abilene; seventeen-time professional soccer All-Star selection from the Wichita Wings,&nbsp;KIM RØENTVED; 1984 honorable mention All-American basketball selection and two-time all-conference selection RICKY ROSS from Wichita; two-time Missouri Valley Conference volleyball player of the year and 2007 All-American selection&nbsp;SARA LUNGREN WALKUP&nbsp;from Caldwell.

The induction ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at the Kansas Star Casino, located at 777 Casino Drive, Mulvane, KS, 67110. The twelve-member class raises the total number of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame inductees to 329. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame has operated for 62 years and is located at the Wichita Boathouse.

The 2023 Induction weekend will continue the following day as the KSHOF Golf Classic tees off on Monday, October 2, 2023, at Terradyne Country Club in Andover. Teams and sponsors interested in participating in the event can contact Jordan Poland for more information.

Online sales for 2023 Induction Ceremony tickets go live Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at www.kshof.org. For ticket packages and sponsorship opportunities, please call 316-262-2038.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686594790098.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Sports Hall of FameWICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame (KSHOF) has announced the members of the class of 2023 who will be inducted on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at the Kansas Star Casino.The KSHOF is also proud to announce the Kansas Star Casino as the host and title sponsor for the 2023 KSHOF Induction Ceremony on October 1. This is the fifth year the Kansas Star Casino has been the title sponsor and is the fourth year of hosting the event.Doug Lang, Vice President and General Manager of the Kansas Star Casino said, “We are pleased to once again help honor the outstanding achievements by Kansas athletes and coaches in this year’s class, both in the world of sports and here in the local community. We’re very excited to host this prestigious banquet at the Kansas Star Casino and can’t wait to celebrate all of the inductees. We look forward to the continued success of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, in preserving the unique and rich history of our state’s greatest sport’s icons.”Jordan Poland, President and CEO of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame said, “We’re excited to be planning for this year’s induction to honor the legacies of this amazing group of athletes, coaches, and contributors. This group of inductees represents the wide array of skills and talents produced by the Sunflower State and we’re looking forward to a special evening celebrating their accomplishments.”The KSHOF Class of 2023 consists of twelve members. Those inductees include: Wichita native and All-American softball player at the University of Kansas,&nbsp;JILL LARSON BRADNEY; All-American decathlete and three-time Division II track and field Coach of the Year at Pittsburg State University,&nbsp;RUSS JEWETT&nbsp;from Olathe; three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference basketball selection and honorable mention All-American from Wichita State University,&nbsp;LYNBERT “CHEESE” JOHNSON; Negro Leagues Baseball triple crown hitter&nbsp;OSCAR “HEAVY” JOHNSON&nbsp;from Atchison; long-time Wichita State baseball assistant coach and athletic department official,&nbsp;BRENT KEMNITZ; eight-time All-American selection in cross country and track at Pittsburg State,&nbsp;CHRISTIE ALLEN LOGUE&nbsp;from Altamont; professional golfer and two-time member of the United States Ryder Cup team,&nbsp;HAROLD “JUG” MCSPADDEN&nbsp;from Monticello; fourteen year Major League Baseball player&nbsp;RAY MUELLER&nbsp;from Pittsburg; K-State baseball player and thirteen year Major League Baseball veteran&nbsp;TED POWER&nbsp;from Abilene; seventeen-time professional soccer All-Star selection from the Wichita Wings,&nbsp;KIM RØENTVED; 1984 honorable mention All-American basketball selection and two-time all-conference selection RICKY ROSS from Wichita; two-time Missouri Valley Conference volleyball player of the year and 2007 All-American selection&nbsp;SARA LUNGREN WALKUP&nbsp;from Caldwell.The induction ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at the Kansas Star Casino, located at 777 Casino Drive, Mulvane, KS, 67110. The twelve-member class raises the total number of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame inductees to 329. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame has operated for 62 years and is located at the Wichita Boathouse.The 2023 Induction weekend will continue the following day as the KSHOF Golf Classic tees off on Monday, October 2, 2023, at Terradyne Country Club in Andover. Teams and sponsors interested in participating in the event can contact Jordan Poland for more information.Online sales for 2023 Induction Ceremony tickets go live Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at www.kshof.org. For ticket packages and sponsorship opportunities, please call 316-262-2038.

KSHOF will enshrine 12 in 2023 class presented in October

COLUMBUS, Kan. (AP) — Students spread out in their rural Kansas classroom, answering questions with a partner about invaders atop elephants attempting to sack Rome more than 2,000 years ago.

“Do you want to read?” one of the third graders, Parker, asked his partner after the lesson on the Punic Wars. “Because I’m not really good.”

Bekah Noel told her students to jot down answers for their partners if they needed extra help writing or spelling. Halfway through the school year, with some of her students reading nearly 200 words per minute and others struggling to sound out around 10, she has had to make a lot of tweaks like this.

Exiting from the pandemic, the assumption might be that Noel’s students should be among the least scathed. The tiny, 900-student school system in Columbus pivoted to remote learning briefly in March 2020 before going back in person that fall, initially without masks. While some U.S. students spent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-covid-46cb725e08110f8ad3c1b303ec9eefad">a year or more learning online</a>, pandemic school in rural Kansas was as normal as it got.

But the upheaval still took a toll. Students and teachers got sick, social distancing made it hard to teach kids in small groups, and the pace of teaching ground to a crawl. Three years later, Noel has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-reading-test-science-1fc4a95538b6b5c72b447a2935ee0f87">more third graders than ever</a>&nbsp;who are reading below grade level. That’s the true elephant in the room.

“I have kids,” Noel said midway through the year, “that legitimately cannot read.”

Noel is used to adapting to students’ needs, and she has been pulling out all the strategies in her toolkit. She pairs strong and struggling students, reads questions aloud and jots down dictated answers for students to rewrite in their own handwriting.

As the pandemic was raging, the district also adopted a new strategy: a reading curriculum that is heavy on phonics — a stressful gamble that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/phonics-science-reading-c715dea43f338f163715b01b83bb1066">the science-backed curriculum</a>&nbsp;might help kids catch up.

There are signs the changes are helping, particularly for older students. Educators from other schools have been coming to observe the changes. But this is third grade, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-third-grade-phonics-d0f7143c1a09bff3cf9a89a15d00ca09">last year students are typically taught to read</a>.

AS VIRUS SPREAD, ‘EVERYBODY WAS STRESSED OUT'

During a group session in October, third grader Emmett Mayfield and a classmate dismantled the word “athletic” with paraprofessional Jessica Seitz. Columbus used federal pandemic relief money to double the number of paraprofessionals assigned to help its small groups of struggling students.

“How many syllables do we have?” she asked. Emmett answered: “Three.”

It was part of a lesson on closed syllables, a term that refers to a vowel being followed by a consonant. This matters because it creates a short vowel sound, meaning the letter “A” in the word is pronounced as “ah.” If it was a long vowel, it would sound more like the name of the letter.

“Make a fist,” Seitz instructed. “We are closing that door. The consonant is stopping that vowel from saying its name.”

This type of lesson is a common one now that the district emphasizes the so-called science of reading that is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-scores-phonics-mississippi-alabama-louisiana-5bdd5d6ff719b23faa37db2fb95d5004">gaining momentum nationwide</a>. Schools piloted two new reading curriculums for a few weeks in November and December of 2020, as COVID-19 case levels soared.

Spared initially, small towns in rural Kansas were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-c924f4f1ecc5f561e9b4fd6e6bdd0e33">so overwhelmed</a>&nbsp;that hospitals had to fly patients hundreds of miles away for treatment. Parker’s mom, Chelsea Brinson, a medical assistant, was testing droves of COVID samples at a clinic. “Everybody was stressed out,” said Brinson, who now works as a nurse’s assistant in the district.

Students started masking. But that meant mask breaks were added to the already disrupted schedule.

Reading specialist Kelly Walters asked the overwhelmed teachers whether they wanted to put the reading pilot on hold.

“One hundred percent of our staff said, ‘No, we want to move forward,’” recalled Walters, who struggled so much to learn to read herself that she suspects an undiagnosed case of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-adhd-dyslexia-learning-disability-8636d7537cb25b8df1faf135301f9d92">dyslexia</a>&nbsp;was to blame.

The program they picked weaves phonics and other reading changes throughout the curriculum. No longer are those elements mostly isolated to worksheets. Staff praised it, which was encouraging to Walters, who tested the materials on her youngest child, just 3 at the time, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-adhd-dyslexia-learning-disability-8636d7537cb25b8df1faf135301f9d92">stuck at home early in the pandemic</a>.

“As a mom, who was a struggling reader, to give that gift —” she said, and then stopped and corrected herself. “I shouldn’t have said it was a gift, because it’s not a gift. It’s a right.”

THIRD GRADERS WERE READING LIKE FIRST GRADERS

In late November, Noel taught a science lesson on the skeletal system. Like the rest of the curriculum, it also incorporated reading instruction, with “structure” among the vocabulary words she highlighted.

“Have you ever seen a house being built before?” Noel asked. The students blurted out examples before she continued: “And they’ll have the wood up first, and it will be like beams.”

She then asked whether the word “structure” was a noun, verb, adjective or adverb. Why, she then asked, was it one of the vocabulary words in a lesson on the skeletal system?

Parker shared his answer: “Because our spine holds up the rest of our body.” Noel rewarded him with a fist bump.

Parker started the year reading at the level of a first grader. He was, Noel, said, “embarrassed.” Midway through the year he seemed stuck, learning new skills and then seeming to forget it all. Staff were worried. He was flagged for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/special-education-disability-depression-adhd-82c09d1d97b05c63cff195077d0c4fb9">special education assessment</a>.

When the pandemic first closed schools in 2020, Parker was a kindergartener. His mom recalled “freaking out,” trying to figure out what to do with him. To get him to do schoolwork, his grandmother or someone else had to sit beside him at all times. Otherwise, Parker said, he would “squirrel off.”

Columbus and many other rural school systems reopened that fall. With strong opposition to masks locally, the district instead added “sneeze guards” to desks. But in-person school was far from normal. The pandemic had hobbled one of teachers’ most effective tools: small groups.

Typically, they would pull kids from different classes to create groups targeting specific skills, Noel said. But with COVID, they were trying to keep each of the classes separated to limit the spread of disease. And then there was COVID itself. Between illnesses and quarantines, students and staff were missing two weeks or more of school multiple times throughout the year.

“It was taking us two days to do something that would have taken us one,” Noel said.

Noel was infected twice, forced to miss school again just this past fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-flu-rsv-child-care-guidelines-4ca836af42cf3bbee4ac6e101c467a71">because of a COVID-sickened child</a>. Parker caught COVID in first grade, missing two weeks of school.

Across the country, federal data show, the disruptions wrought by the pandemic were accompanied by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-covid-education-39e01a570b560c685b5340078c8dcdee">widespread learning setbacks</a>, even in states that saw students return quickly to in-person learning. Among those showing the largest learning losses are this year’s crop of third graders, who were in kindergarten when the pandemic hit, a foundational year for learning to read.

Now Noel’s students and other third graders are under pressure to master reading ahead of later grades, where literacy is key to learning everything else.

By late January, it was time to show off at “Books and Breakfast,” with parents, grandparents, preschool-age siblings and friends visiting Highland School to see what the children were learning. The students sprawled around the school building, eating doughnuts and reading books to their special guests.

As Emmett read aloud from “Grumpy Monkey,” he got some help with the word “discovery” and plowed ahead, reading clearly how the bananas were “too sweet.”

“I used to didn’t like to read,” said Emmett, who started the year reading more like an early second grader, “but I just started reading.”

At home, though, he is still resisting reading, said his mother, Jessica Mayfield, a 39-year-old hospital lab technician. She blames it in part on those “awful” days of virtual learning. There were meltdowns, and she fretted even then that he would fall behind, with those early years of school so “crucial.”

Mayfield, herself an avid reader, doesn’t know what more the district could have done. “I think,” she said, “it’s just to be expected.”

Assessments showed 13 of Noel’s 24 students are reading below grade level. Many of them are kids who moved to the district in the middle of this school year. Nine have been getting the most intensive so-called tier-three level of support. Some of her students scored so highly they were evaluated for the gifted program. In a rarity, none fell in the middle tier group of kids needing just a little extra help.

It’s a trend seen elsewhere around the country as the pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-reading-test-science-1fc4a95538b6b5c72b447a2935ee0f87">widened the gap between higher- and lower-performing students</a>.

Noel is working harder than ever to keep her advanced students from getting bored, assigning them special projects. Grace Epler, an advanced reader who is prone to finishing assignments early, sometimes spends her free time making up math problems, helping her classmates or playing educational games on her iPad.

State tests are looming, and it weighs heavily on Grace.

“They compare this school to all the other elementary schools in Kansas, and it scares me,” she said at lunchtime, her wrist in a pink splint after a swing mishap. “I might get, like, five wrong.”

This even though she reads nearly anything put in front of her. She is particularly partial to a book the kids wrote and illustrated themselves that documented what they will miss most about their soon-to-close school, a building filled with quirks like a toilet in an old shower stall.

Many kids in Noel’s class are progressing, but not as much as she would like.

“Those highs grew even more,” Noel said. “And the lows, they grew, but they’re still quite a bit lower.”

One day in April, Emmett and Parker were taking a turn in the small group getting extra reading help. After talk of the basketball and softball seasons, the small group took turns reading a book called “A Prince Among Donkeys,” with lots of words and spelling patterns they’ve seen before.

Parker rested his hand on his forehead, reading: “To Adam’s surprise, Emma smelled.” Then, a quick correction: “smelled” to “smiled.”

Imperfect though it was, something had happened over these months of phonics drills and small-group work. When the special education testing came back, not only did it show he didn’t qualify, but he also made so much progress he was close to reading at the level of a beginning third grader.

“I actually do like reading now,” Parker explained. He described evenings spent on the couch with his mother, practicing. He and Emmett are now obsessed with the same book series about a superhero cat. “It’s just fun to do.”

When Parker finished his turn reading, he had the choice of picking who would go next. But he didn’t choose Emmett or any of the other kids.

“Can I pick myself?” he asked. And he kept reading.

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTHCOLUMBUS, Kan. (AP) — Students spread out in their rural Kansas classroom, answering questions with a partner about invaders atop elephants attempting to sack Rome more than 2,000 years ago.“Do you want to read?” one of the third graders, Parker, asked his partner after the lesson on the Punic Wars. “Because I’m not really good.”Bekah Noel told her students to jot down answers for their partners if they needed extra help writing or spelling. Halfway through the school year, with some of her students reading nearly 200 words per minute and others struggling to sound out around 10, she has had to make a lot of tweaks like this.Exiting from the pandemic, the assumption might be that Noel’s students should be among the least scathed. The tiny, 900-student school system in Columbus pivoted to remote learning briefly in March 2020 before going back in person that fall, initially without masks. While some U.S. students spent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-covid-46cb725e08110f8ad3c1b303ec9eefad">a year or more learning online</a>, pandemic school in rural Kansas was as normal as it got.But the upheaval still took a toll. Students and teachers got sick, social distancing made it hard to teach kids in small groups, and the pace of teaching ground to a crawl. Three years later, Noel has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-reading-test-science-1fc4a95538b6b5c72b447a2935ee0f87">more third graders than ever</a>&nbsp;who are reading below grade level. That’s the true elephant in the room.“I have kids,” Noel said midway through the year, “that legitimately cannot read.”Noel is used to adapting to students’ needs, and she has been pulling out all the strategies in her toolkit. She pairs strong and struggling students, reads questions aloud and jots down dictated answers for students to rewrite in their own handwriting.As the pandemic was raging, the district also adopted a new strategy: a reading curriculum that is heavy on phonics — a stressful gamble that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/phonics-science-reading-c715dea43f338f163715b01b83bb1066">the science-backed curriculum</a>&nbsp;might help kids catch up.There are signs the changes are helping, particularly for older students. Educators from other schools have been coming to observe the changes. But this is third grade, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-third-grade-phonics-d0f7143c1a09bff3cf9a89a15d00ca09">last year students are typically taught to read</a>.And time is running out.___AS VIRUS SPREAD, ‘EVERYBODY WAS STRESSED OUT' During a group session in October, third grader Emmett Mayfield and a classmate dismantled the word “athletic” with paraprofessional Jessica Seitz. Columbus used federal pandemic relief money to double the number of paraprofessionals assigned to help its small groups of struggling students.“How many syllables do we have?” she asked. Emmett answered: “Three.”It was part of a lesson on closed syllables, a term that refers to a vowel being followed by a consonant. This matters because it creates a short vowel sound, meaning the letter “A” in the word is pronounced as “ah.” If it was a long vowel, it would sound more like the name of the letter.“Make a fist,” Seitz instructed. “We are closing that door. The consonant is stopping that vowel from saying its name.”This type of lesson is a common one now that the district emphasizes the so-called science of reading that is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-scores-phonics-mississippi-alabama-louisiana-5bdd5d6ff719b23faa37db2fb95d5004">gaining momentum nationwide</a>. Schools piloted two new reading curriculums for a few weeks in November and December of 2020, as COVID-19 case levels soared.Spared initially, small towns in rural Kansas were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-c924f4f1ecc5f561e9b4fd6e6bdd0e33">so overwhelmed</a>&nbsp;that hospitals had to fly patients hundreds of miles away for treatment. Parker’s mom, Chelsea Brinson, a medical assistant, was testing droves of COVID samples at a clinic. “Everybody was stressed out,” said Brinson, who now works as a nurse’s assistant in the district.Students started masking. But that meant mask breaks were added to the already disrupted schedule.Reading specialist Kelly Walters asked the overwhelmed teachers whether they wanted to put the reading pilot on hold.“One hundred percent of our staff said, ‘No, we want to move forward,’” recalled Walters, who struggled so much to learn to read herself that she suspects an undiagnosed case of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-adhd-dyslexia-learning-disability-8636d7537cb25b8df1faf135301f9d92">dyslexia</a>&nbsp;was to blame.The program they picked weaves phonics and other reading changes throughout the curriculum. No longer are those elements mostly isolated to worksheets. Staff praised it, which was encouraging to Walters, who tested the materials on her youngest child, just 3 at the time, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-adhd-dyslexia-learning-disability-8636d7537cb25b8df1faf135301f9d92">stuck at home early in the pandemic</a>.“As a mom, who was a struggling reader, to give that gift —” she said, and then stopped and corrected herself. “I shouldn’t have said it was a gift, because it’s not a gift. It’s a right.”___THIRD GRADERS WERE READING LIKE FIRST GRADERS In late November, Noel taught a science lesson on the skeletal system. Like the rest of the curriculum, it also incorporated reading instruction, with “structure” among the vocabulary words she highlighted.“Have you ever seen a house being built before?” Noel asked. The students blurted out examples before she continued: “And they’ll have the wood up first, and it will be like beams.”She then asked whether the word “structure” was a noun, verb, adjective or adverb. Why, she then asked, was it one of the vocabulary words in a lesson on the skeletal system?Parker shared his answer: “Because our spine holds up the rest of our body.” Noel rewarded him with a fist bump.Parker started the year reading at the level of a first grader. He was, Noel, said, “embarrassed.” Midway through the year he seemed stuck, learning new skills and then seeming to forget it all. Staff were worried. He was flagged for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/special-education-disability-depression-adhd-82c09d1d97b05c63cff195077d0c4fb9">special education assessment</a>.When the pandemic first closed schools in 2020, Parker was a kindergartener. His mom recalled “freaking out,” trying to figure out what to do with him. To get him to do schoolwork, his grandmother or someone else had to sit beside him at all times. Otherwise, Parker said, he would “squirrel off.”Columbus and many other rural school systems reopened that fall. With strong opposition to masks locally, the district instead added “sneeze guards” to desks. But in-person school was far from normal. The pandemic had hobbled one of teachers’ most effective tools: small groups.Typically, they would pull kids from different classes to create groups targeting specific skills, Noel said. But with COVID, they were trying to keep each of the classes separated to limit the spread of disease. And then there was COVID itself. Between illnesses and quarantines, students and staff were missing two weeks or more of school multiple times throughout the year.“It was taking us two days to do something that would have taken us one,” Noel said.Noel was infected twice, forced to miss school again just this past fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-flu-rsv-child-care-guidelines-4ca836af42cf3bbee4ac6e101c467a71">because of a COVID-sickened child</a>. Parker caught COVID in first grade, missing two weeks of school.Across the country, federal data show, the disruptions wrought by the pandemic were accompanied by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-covid-education-39e01a570b560c685b5340078c8dcdee">widespread learning setbacks</a>, even in states that saw students return quickly to in-person learning. Among those showing the largest learning losses are this year’s crop of third graders, who were in kindergarten when the pandemic hit, a foundational year for learning to read.Now Noel’s students and other third graders are under pressure to master reading ahead of later grades, where literacy is key to learning everything else.___KIDS START CATCHING UP, BUT SLOWLY By late January, it was time to show off at “Books and Breakfast,” with parents, grandparents, preschool-age siblings and friends visiting Highland School to see what the children were learning. The students sprawled around the school building, eating doughnuts and reading books to their special guests.As Emmett read aloud from “Grumpy Monkey,” he got some help with the word “discovery” and plowed ahead, reading clearly how the bananas were “too sweet.”“I used to didn’t like to read,” said Emmett, who started the year reading more like an early second grader, “but I just started reading.”At home, though, he is still resisting reading, said his mother, Jessica Mayfield, a 39-year-old hospital lab technician. She blames it in part on those “awful” days of virtual learning. There were meltdowns, and she fretted even then that he would fall behind, with those early years of school so “crucial.”Mayfield, herself an avid reader, doesn’t know what more the district could have done. “I think,” she said, “it’s just to be expected.”Assessments showed 13 of Noel’s 24 students are reading below grade level. Many of them are kids who moved to the district in the middle of this school year. Nine have been getting the most intensive so-called tier-three level of support. Some of her students scored so highly they were evaluated for the gifted program. In a rarity, none fell in the middle tier group of kids needing just a little extra help.It’s a trend seen elsewhere around the country as the pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-reading-test-science-1fc4a95538b6b5c72b447a2935ee0f87">widened the gap between higher- and lower-performing students</a>.Noel is working harder than ever to keep her advanced students from getting bored, assigning them special projects. Grace Epler, an advanced reader who is prone to finishing assignments early, sometimes spends her free time making up math problems, helping her classmates or playing educational games on her iPad.State tests are looming, and it weighs heavily on Grace.“They compare this school to all the other elementary schools in Kansas, and it scares me,” she said at lunchtime, her wrist in a pink splint after a swing mishap. “I might get, like, five wrong.”This even though she reads nearly anything put in front of her. She is particularly partial to a book the kids wrote and illustrated themselves that documented what they will miss most about their soon-to-close school, a building filled with quirks like a toilet in an old shower stall.Many kids in Noel’s class are progressing, but not as much as she would like.“Those highs grew even more,” Noel said. “And the lows, they grew, but they’re still quite a bit lower.”___READING ‘ACTUALLY’ BECOMES FUN One day in April, Emmett and Parker were taking a turn in the small group getting extra reading help. After talk of the basketball and softball seasons, the small group took turns reading a book called “A Prince Among Donkeys,” with lots of words and spelling patterns they’ve seen before.Parker rested his hand on his forehead, reading: “To Adam’s surprise, Emma smelled.” Then, a quick correction: “smelled” to “smiled.”Imperfect though it was, something had happened over these months of phonics drills and small-group work. When the special education testing came back, not only did it show he didn’t qualify, but he also made so much progress he was close to reading at the level of a beginning third grader.“I actually do like reading now,” Parker explained. He described evenings spent on the couch with his mother, practicing. He and Emmett are now obsessed with the same book series about a superhero cat. “It’s just fun to do.”When Parker finished his turn reading, he had the choice of picking who would go next. But he didn’t choose Emmett or any of the other kids.“Can I pick myself?” he asked. And he kept reading.___

This Kan. school reopened quickly after COVID. Kids' reading was still behind

<a href="https://www.plumeroverlease.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=28026940">https://www.plumeroverlease.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=28026940</a>

Betty Jo (Taylor) Sells passed away on Friday, May 26, 2023, in the Lyons Regional Hospital in Lyons, Kansas at the age 94. She was born on October 1, 1928, to George V. and Ora Grace (Engelbert) Taylor in Chase, Kansas.

Betty worked for Farmland Industry at the Lyons Cooperative starting as a bookkeeper and finally becoming the manager. She was very proud to be the first woman manager for Farmland Industry. 

After retiring, Denver and Betty enjoyed camping and fishing at Wilson Lake. They also enjoyed taking care of their honeybee hive and selling Watkins products. She was an avid gambler and was always at a casino whenever she could be.

She was preceded in death by her husband Denver C. Sells; and daughter Sylvia Ann Whitis.

She is survived by her sons Dennis R. Sells (Maryann) of Moore, Oklahoma and E. David Sells (Becky) of Wilson; sister Maxine Sappenfield; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.

Memorials are suggested to the Immanuel Lutheran Church - Wilson and may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, P.O. Box 533, Wilson, Kansas 67490.

Betty’s celebration will be announced, and online condolences may be left for the family at www.plumeroverlease.com.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Betty, please visit our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tree.tributestore.com/?oId=28026940">Tree Store</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://tree-tc.tributestore.com/?oId=28026940&amp;tag=&amp;tn=FreeTreeTestFC&amp;otv=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.2.1115152002.1681661103:GS1.1.1685455954.37.0.1685456497.60.0.0&amp;mtph=1" target="_blank">plant a tree</a>.

<h2>Betty Jo Sells</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685537901763.jpeg" alt="Betty Jo Sells" />
 <figcaption>Betty Jo Sells</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.plumeroverlease.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=28026940">https://www.plumeroverlease.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=28026940</a>October 1, 1928 - May 26, 2023Betty Jo (Taylor) Sells passed away on Friday, May 26, 2023, in the Lyons Regional Hospital in Lyons, Kansas at the age 94. She was born on October 1, 1928, to George V. and Ora Grace (Engelbert) Taylor in Chase, Kansas.Betty worked for Farmland Industry at the Lyons Cooperative starting as a bookkeeper and finally becoming the manager. She was very proud to be the first woman manager for Farmland Industry. After retiring, Denver and Betty enjoyed camping and fishing at Wilson Lake. They also enjoyed taking care of their honeybee hive and selling Watkins products. She was an avid gambler and was always at a casino whenever she could be.She was preceded in death by her husband Denver C. Sells; and daughter Sylvia Ann Whitis.She is survived by her sons Dennis R. Sells (Maryann) of Moore, Oklahoma and E. David Sells (Becky) of Wilson; sister Maxine Sappenfield; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686577707997.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Memorials are suggested to the Immanuel Lutheran Church - Wilson and may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, P.O. Box 533, Wilson, Kansas 67490.Betty’s celebration will be announced, and online condolences may be left for the family at www.plumeroverlease.com.To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Betty, please visit our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tree.tributestore.com/?oId=28026940">Tree Store</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://tree-tc.tributestore.com/?oId=28026940&amp;tag=&amp;tn=FreeTreeTestFC&amp;otv=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.2.1115152002.1681661103:GS1.1.1685455954.37.0.1685456497.60.0.0&amp;mtph=1" target="_blank">plant a tree</a>.

Betty Jo Sells

KANSAS CITY– An employee of the Jackson County Detention Center, along with three associates of an inmate detained at the center, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to smuggle papers laced with K2 to jail inmates, according to the United State's Attorney.

Aaron D. Copes, 42, of Grandview, Mo., Deanna K. Clark, also known as “Nina,” 32, and Stephanie McDaniel, 31, both of Kansas City, Mo., and James A. Booker, Jr., 37, of Raytown, Mo., were charged in a single-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on May 31, 2023. That indictment has been unsealed and made public following the arrests of Copes, Clark, and Booker this week.

Copes was employed as a case manager at the Jackson County Detention Center. His duties included interviewing inmates daily, providing counseling and mediation for inmates, and providing training to correctional officers. Clark and Booker were close associates of an inmate at the Jackson County Detention Center, who is identified in court documents as unindicted co-conspirator CC1. McDaniel was the girlfriend of CC1. The indictment also refers to another inmate, identified as unindicted co-conspirator CC2.

Copes, Clark, Booker, and McDaniel are charged with participating in a conspiracy from March 2020 to October 2021 to smuggle contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center.

Copes allegedly took bribe money and sexual favors in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center and delivering it to inmates, including CC1 and CC2. Conspirators allegedly smuggled in K2, a controlled substance, which was soaked onto sheets of paper that were smoked by inmates.

KANSAS CITY– An employee of the Jackson County Detention Center, along with three associates of an inmate detained at the center, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to smuggle papers laced with K2 to jail inmates, according to the United State's Attorney.Aaron D. Copes, 42, of Grandview, Mo., Deanna K. Clark, also known as “Nina,” 32, and Stephanie McDaniel, 31, both of Kansas City, Mo., and James A. Booker, Jr., 37, of Raytown, Mo., were charged in a single-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on May 31, 2023. That indictment has been unsealed and made public following the arrests of Copes, Clark, and Booker this week.Copes was employed as a case manager at the Jackson County Detention Center. His duties included interviewing inmates daily, providing counseling and mediation for inmates, and providing training to correctional officers. Clark and Booker were close associates of an inmate at the Jackson County Detention Center, who is identified in court documents as unindicted co-conspirator CC1. McDaniel was the girlfriend of CC1. The indictment also refers to another inmate, identified as unindicted co-conspirator CC2.Copes, Clark, Booker, and McDaniel are charged with participating in a conspiracy from March 2020 to October 2021 to smuggle contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center.Copes allegedly took bribe money and sexual favors in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center and delivering it to inmates, including CC1 and CC2. Conspirators allegedly smuggled in K2, a controlled substance, which was soaked onto sheets of paper that were smoked by inmates.

KC jail employee accused of smuggling K2-laced papers to inmates

<a href="https://www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com/obituary/roy-thornburg?fh_id=12067">https://www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com/obituary/roy-thornburg?fh_id=12067</a>

Roy F. Thornburg, 86, of Utica, KS passed away June 7, 2023, at his farm north of Utica. &nbsp;Roy was born April 7, 1937, in the old rock house at the family farm north of Utica. &nbsp;He was the son of Francis and Bertha (Daniels) Thornburg. &nbsp;Except for the five years he was off at college, Roy lived on the family homestead all his life. &nbsp;

Roy attended Smoky Vale School, was a 1955 graduate of Utica High School, and a 1960 graduate of Fort Hays State University (FHSU) majoring in agriculture. &nbsp;During college Roy worked at the college farm and delivered fresh milk to the FHSU residence halls in the early morning hours after milking cows. &nbsp;

On June 7th, 1959, Roy married Ailene O’Toole at the Arnold United Methodist Church, making their home on the family homestead in rural Ness County. &nbsp;From this union, three sons were born, Lance, Marlon, and Rodd. &nbsp;Following Ailene’s passing in 1994, Roy married Roxie (McNinch) Fore at the Arnold United Methodist Church on October 26, 2002.

In 1960 Roy started a dirt construction business, Thornburg Construction, building terraces, pits, dams, waterways, and lease roads in addition to operating his dozer in the oil field. &nbsp;He continued to operate the business for more than 60 years in Ness, Gove, Lane and Trego counties.

Roy is survived by his wife, Roxie (McNinch) Thornburg, of the home, his sons Lance (Susan), Great Bend, Marlon (Darla), Coffeyville, and Rodd (Tara), Quinter; grandchildren Payden (Kaitlyn), MacKenzie, Tieraney, Tate, Taya (Broc), and Jesse (Casey); great-grandson Branch; brother Wallie (Coralee); and sister-in-law Janice O’Toole, Utica; nieces Darla (Roger) Windholz, Shelly (Bill) Popplereiter; nephews Allen (Julia), and Darcy (Michelle). &nbsp;He is also survived by Roxie’s children Rachelle, Randall, and Ryan (Crystal); grandchildren Aric, Audrey, Jace, Brittany, Hannah, Ethan, and Jillian; and two great-grandchildren.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents; wife Ailene; brother-in-law Patrick O’Toole; Roxie’s son Russell Fore, and daughter-in-law Debbie Fore. &nbsp;

Funeral service will be held at the Arnold United Methodist Church in Arnold, KS on Monday, June 12th, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., with burial to follow in the Utica Cemetery, Utica, KS. &nbsp;Viewing will be Sunday, June 11th from noon to 8:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home in Ness City, KS. &nbsp;

Memorials are suggested for the Arnold Methodist Church in care of Fitzgerald Funeral Home.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of&nbsp;Roy Francis Thornburg, please&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com/obituary/roy-thornburg/gifts?campaign=obituaryThemed-gifts-textLink-obitText">click here to visit our Sympathy Store</a>.

<h2>Roy Francis Thornburg, Utica</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686433405523.jpeg" alt="Roy Francis Thornburg." />
 <figcaption>Roy Francis Thornburg.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com/obituary/roy-thornburg?fh_id=12067">https://www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com/obituary/roy-thornburg?fh_id=12067</a>April 7, 1937 - June 7, 2023Roy F. Thornburg, 86, of Utica, KS passed away June 7, 2023, at his farm north of Utica. &nbsp;Roy was born April 7, 1937, in the old rock house at the family farm north of Utica. &nbsp;He was the son of Francis and Bertha (Daniels) Thornburg. &nbsp;Except for the five years he was off at college, Roy lived on the family homestead all his life. &nbsp;Roy attended Smoky Vale School, was a 1955 graduate of Utica High School, and a 1960 graduate of Fort Hays State University (FHSU) majoring in agriculture. &nbsp;During college Roy worked at the college farm and delivered fresh milk to the FHSU residence halls in the early morning hours after milking cows. &nbsp;On June 7th, 1959, Roy married Ailene O’Toole at the Arnold United Methodist Church, making their home on the family homestead in rural Ness County. &nbsp;From this union, three sons were born, Lance, Marlon, and Rodd. &nbsp;Following Ailene’s passing in 1994, Roy married Roxie (McNinch) Fore at the Arnold United Methodist Church on October 26, 2002.In 1960 Roy started a dirt construction business, Thornburg Construction, building terraces, pits, dams, waterways, and lease roads in addition to operating his dozer in the oil field. &nbsp;He continued to operate the business for more than 60 years in Ness, Gove, Lane and Trego counties.Roy is survived by his wife, Roxie (McNinch) Thornburg, of the home, his sons Lance (Susan), Great Bend, Marlon (Darla), Coffeyville, and Rodd (Tara), Quinter; grandchildren Payden (Kaitlyn), MacKenzie, Tieraney, Tate, Taya (Broc), and Jesse (Casey); great-grandson Branch; brother Wallie (Coralee); and sister-in-law Janice O’Toole, Utica; nieces Darla (Roger) Windholz, Shelly (Bill) Popplereiter; nephews Allen (Julia), and Darcy (Michelle). &nbsp;He is also survived by Roxie’s children Rachelle, Randall, and Ryan (Crystal); grandchildren Aric, Audrey, Jace, Brittany, Hannah, Ethan, and Jillian; and two great-grandchildren.Roy was preceded in death by his parents; wife Ailene; brother-in-law Patrick O’Toole; Roxie’s son Russell Fore, and daughter-in-law Debbie Fore. &nbsp;Funeral service will be held at the Arnold United Methodist Church in Arnold, KS on Monday, June 12th, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., with burial to follow in the Utica Cemetery, Utica, KS. &nbsp;Viewing will be Sunday, June 11th from noon to 8:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home in Ness City, KS. &nbsp;Memorials are suggested for the Arnold Methodist Church in care of Fitzgerald Funeral Home.To plant Memorial Trees in memory of&nbsp;Roy Francis Thornburg, please&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com/obituary/roy-thornburg/gifts?campaign=obituaryThemed-gifts-textLink-obitText">click here to visit our Sympathy Store</a>.

Roy Francis Thornburg

By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Emporia State University has asked a district court judge to review and reverse the reinstatement of five professors fired last year as part of a university-wide restructuring.

The Office of Administrative Hearings ordered the reversal of the terminations of Amanda Miracle, Robert Catlett, Michael Behrens, Lynette Sievert and Dan Colson because the university failed to provide a specific reason for firing them.&nbsp;ESU responded with petitions in Lyon County District Court seeking to reverse the OAH orders and rule in favor of the university.

“It was kind of a short-lived victory, I guess, in that we then have to go to district court,” said Sievert, a professor of biological sciences. “They’re appealing the fact that we won.”

In October 2022, ESU and the OAH signed an interagency agreement outlining the appeals assignments and service agreements. Kansas Reflector obtained a copy of the contract, which shows ESU agreed to pay a service bill of $115 per hour for OAH services.

Gwen Larson, spokeswoman for ESU, said the university has not yet received any billing statements from the OAH so she does not know the cost of the hearings. OAH didn’t immediately respond to a Kansas Open Records Act request for related documents.

Four additional professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for decisions on their cases, and two other professors’ terminations were affirmed by OAH.

The university informed some of the professors they were being placed on administrative leave and told them to clear out their offices at the end of the school year.

ESU president Ken Hush went before the Kansas Board of Regents in September 2022 to adopt the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/esubulletin.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/52/75242d50-2f8e-11ed-940c-dbfa9ec4e384/631a1046d2625.pdf.pdf">Framework for Workforce Management</a>, a document allowing the termination of professors on campus regardless of their tenure status. The next day, the university fired 33 faculty members, effective May 16.

“Honestly, I did not think what they did could be done,” Sievert said. “It was such a shock, because I thought tenure actually meant something, not that people could come along and just say, well, we’re going to ignore it for a little while.”

A spokesman for KBOR did not respond to a request for an interview.

As outlined in the framework, the fired faculty members had 30 days to file an appeal to OAH. Once the administrative officer assigned to a professor’s case decided on the appeal, the ruling would be final and neither KBOR nor the university could appeal the case. However, state law allows the university or employee to seek judicial review of the administrative officer’s legal reasoning.

“An appeal under this policy will not stay the effective date of the suspension, dismissal, or termination,” read the last section of the framework. “An employee who wins their appeal will be entitled to reinstatement, back pay and restoration of other lost benefits.”

Larson objected to Kansas Reflector’s use of the word “reinstated” to describe faculty members who won their appeal. Larson said the final decision regarding the status of the professors has not been made, despite the terminations being “reversed” through the appeals decisions.

“We’re not really using the term reinstatement,” Larson said. “I know that that is the easiest description for what it looks like happened with some of those wage decisions, but essentially, what some of those decisions said is that the administrative judge ruled that we did not follow our procedure to terminate these appointments. That does not necessarily give a person their position back.”

If a Lyon County District Court judge upholds the decision made by OAH, the university may file additional legal action. If the judge disagrees with the decision to reverse the termination, the case may be sent back to OAH for reconsideration.

Jess Mack, legal assistant for OAH, said the university filing the petition is standard and all decisions made by the office are subject to appeal.

Four professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for rulings from OAH, months after the appeals began.

Three of the appealing professors decided to drop their appeals and retire. Factors that may have contributed to their decisions include unused sick leave that is not available after being fired, the possibility of teaching as an adjunct professor, eligibility for emeritus status, and financial strain through the continual appeals process.

The OAH officers affirmed the decisions to terminate two professors, Christopher Lovett and Sheryl Lidzy, because the university provided explanations for their dismissals, as required by the framework policy adopted by KBOR. Lovett and Lidzy have been removed from the university directory.

The American Association of University Professors found KBOR members and ESU administrators “<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/01/emporia-state-university-kansas-board-of-regents-members-unfit-to-lead-investigation-finds/">unfit to lead</a>” following a monthslong investigation into the university’s restructuring and firing of tenured professors.

ESU is the only Kansas institution to be&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aaup.org/our-programs/academic-freedom/censure-list">censured by the AAUP</a>&nbsp;and is one of three U.S. institutions censured in 2023.

The investigative report was released May 1, just days after ESU announced its plan to restructure the university into large schools, eliminating departments and department chairs.

Michael Smith, a political science professor and former chairman of the department of social sciences, sociology and criminology, said he was notified via email at 1 p.m. the day grades were due for the spring semester that his duties as chairman of the department would conclude at 5 p.m. that afternoon.

When asked if Smith was the only department chair asked to step down before the end of the fiscal year, Larson said ESU does not comment on personnel-related matters.

Smith said that while he is grateful he is still getting paid as a department chairman through the end of the fiscal year, he doesn’t understand the university’s rush. One of his duties as chairman was to file the assessment report on the previous year that reviews the learning outcomes of the program and uses assessment data in order to determine how well those outcomes were achieved. Based on the findings, recommendations for the following year are offered.

Larson said the reports will still be completed through the restructuring.

The assessment report is critical for the Higher Learning Commission accreditation, Smith said.

Accreditation “validates the quality” of an institution’s academic programs and instruction at all degree levels, according to the HLC&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/accreditation-overview.html">website</a>. A degree from an unaccredited institution is not transferable to other institutions.

ESU is scheduled for its 10-year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/comprehensive-evaluation.html">comprehensive evaluation</a>&nbsp;to reaffirm accreditation by HLC in 2024-25, said Laura Janota, HLC spokeswoman. The university will host a visit from reviewers in fall 2024.

The AAUP finding ESU administration unfit to lead will be a consideration in the HLC evaluation, said Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, a Kansas AAUP committee officer.

“If the institution loses accreditation, then essentially the degree from ESU would become worthless,” Barrett-Gonzalez said. “So right now, in many ways, the AAUP censure is the canary in the coal mine, and the canary has basically died.”

What has happened at ESU was “brutal to teachers,” Barrett-Gonzalez said.

ESU was listed as one of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thefire.org/news/10-worst-colleges-free-speech-2023?utm_source=FIRE_Update&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Update&amp;fb_subscribed=true">10 worst colleges for free speech</a>&nbsp;in February by The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

Smith said he has entered the job market and is hoping to find an institution that is not censured by AAUP and values free speech where he can continue working in academia.

“I love being chair and would have been happy to continue doing that, or I’d like to be maybe a different kind of administrator,” Smith said. “The glitch there is since I’m strongly opposed to ESU’s new direction, I don’t see any role for me there, and so it becomes a question of looking to do that role at another school.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686254914902.png" alt=" Emporia State University is asking a Lyon County District Court judge to review and reverse decisions by state appeals officers to reinstate professors who were fired last fall. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Emporia State University is asking a Lyon County District Court judge to review and reverse decisions by state appeals officers to reinstate professors who were fired last fall. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Emporia State University has asked a district court judge to review and reverse the reinstatement of five professors fired last year as part of a university-wide restructuring.The Office of Administrative Hearings ordered the reversal of the terminations of Amanda Miracle, Robert Catlett, Michael Behrens, Lynette Sievert and Dan Colson because the university failed to provide a specific reason for firing them.&nbsp;ESU responded with petitions in Lyon County District Court seeking to reverse the OAH orders and rule in favor of the university.“It was kind of a short-lived victory, I guess, in that we then have to go to district court,” said Sievert, a professor of biological sciences. “They’re appealing the fact that we won.”In October 2022, ESU and the OAH signed an interagency agreement outlining the appeals assignments and service agreements. Kansas Reflector obtained a copy of the contract, which shows ESU agreed to pay a service bill of $115 per hour for OAH services.Gwen Larson, spokeswoman for ESU, said the university has not yet received any billing statements from the OAH so she does not know the cost of the hearings. OAH didn’t immediately respond to a Kansas Open Records Act request for related documents.Four additional professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for decisions on their cases, and two other professors’ terminations were affirmed by OAH.The university informed some of the professors they were being placed on administrative leave and told them to clear out their offices at the end of the school year.<h2>Appealing termination</h2>ESU president Ken Hush went before the Kansas Board of Regents in September 2022 to adopt the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/esubulletin.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/52/75242d50-2f8e-11ed-940c-dbfa9ec4e384/631a1046d2625.pdf.pdf">Framework for Workforce Management</a>, a document allowing the termination of professors on campus regardless of their tenure status. The next day, the university fired 33 faculty members, effective May 16.“Honestly, I did not think what they did could be done,” Sievert said. “It was such a shock, because I thought tenure actually meant something, not that people could come along and just say, well, we’re going to ignore it for a little while.”A spokesman for KBOR did not respond to a request for an interview.As outlined in the framework, the fired faculty members had 30 days to file an appeal to OAH. Once the administrative officer assigned to a professor’s case decided on the appeal, the ruling would be final and neither KBOR nor the university could appeal the case. However, state law allows the university or employee to seek judicial review of the administrative officer’s legal reasoning.“An appeal under this policy will not stay the effective date of the suspension, dismissal, or termination,” read the last section of the framework. “An employee who wins their appeal will be entitled to reinstatement, back pay and restoration of other lost benefits.”Larson objected to Kansas Reflector’s use of the word “reinstated” to describe faculty members who won their appeal. Larson said the final decision regarding the status of the professors has not been made, despite the terminations being “reversed” through the appeals decisions.“We’re not really using the term reinstatement,” Larson said. “I know that that is the easiest description for what it looks like happened with some of those wage decisions, but essentially, what some of those decisions said is that the administrative judge ruled that we did not follow our procedure to terminate these appointments. That does not necessarily give a person their position back.”If a Lyon County District Court judge upholds the decision made by OAH, the university may file additional legal action. If the judge disagrees with the decision to reverse the termination, the case may be sent back to OAH for reconsideration.Jess Mack, legal assistant for OAH, said the university filing the petition is standard and all decisions made by the office are subject to appeal.Four professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for rulings from OAH, months after the appeals began.Three of the appealing professors decided to drop their appeals and retire. Factors that may have contributed to their decisions include unused sick leave that is not available after being fired, the possibility of teaching as an adjunct professor, eligibility for emeritus status, and financial strain through the continual appeals process.The OAH officers affirmed the decisions to terminate two professors, Christopher Lovett and Sheryl Lidzy, because the university provided explanations for their dismissals, as required by the framework policy adopted by KBOR. Lovett and Lidzy have been removed from the university directory.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686254820369.png" alt="Fired history professor Chris Lovett appears at an April 18, 2023, meeting of the faculty senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Fired history professor Chris Lovett appears at an April 18, 2023, meeting of the faculty senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Unfit to lead’</h2>The American Association of University Professors found KBOR members and ESU administrators “<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/01/emporia-state-university-kansas-board-of-regents-members-unfit-to-lead-investigation-finds/">unfit to lead</a>” following a monthslong investigation into the university’s restructuring and firing of tenured professors.ESU is the only Kansas institution to be&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aaup.org/our-programs/academic-freedom/censure-list">censured by the AAUP</a>&nbsp;and is one of three U.S. institutions censured in 2023.The investigative report was released May 1, just days after ESU announced its plan to restructure the university into large schools, eliminating departments and department chairs.Michael Smith, a political science professor and former chairman of the department of social sciences, sociology and criminology, said he was notified via email at 1 p.m. the day grades were due for the spring semester that his duties as chairman of the department would conclude at 5 p.m. that afternoon.When asked if Smith was the only department chair asked to step down before the end of the fiscal year, Larson said ESU does not comment on personnel-related matters.Smith said that while he is grateful he is still getting paid as a department chairman through the end of the fiscal year, he doesn’t understand the university’s rush. One of his duties as chairman was to file the assessment report on the previous year that reviews the learning outcomes of the program and uses assessment data in order to determine how well those outcomes were achieved. Based on the findings, recommendations for the following year are offered.Larson said the reports will still be completed through the restructuring.The assessment report is critical for the Higher Learning Commission accreditation, Smith said.Accreditation “validates the quality” of an institution’s academic programs and instruction at all degree levels, according to the HLC&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/accreditation-overview.html">website</a>. A degree from an unaccredited institution is not transferable to other institutions.ESU is scheduled for its 10-year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/comprehensive-evaluation.html">comprehensive evaluation</a>&nbsp;to reaffirm accreditation by HLC in 2024-25, said Laura Janota, HLC spokeswoman. The university will host a visit from reviewers in fall 2024.The AAUP finding ESU administration unfit to lead will be a consideration in the HLC evaluation, said Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, a Kansas AAUP committee officer.“If the institution loses accreditation, then essentially the degree from ESU would become worthless,” Barrett-Gonzalez said. “So right now, in many ways, the AAUP censure is the canary in the coal mine, and the canary has basically died.”What has happened at ESU was “brutal to teachers,” Barrett-Gonzalez said.ESU was listed as one of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thefire.org/news/10-worst-colleges-free-speech-2023?utm_source=FIRE_Update&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Update&amp;fb_subscribed=true">10 worst colleges for free speech</a>&nbsp;in February by The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.Smith said he has entered the job market and is hoping to find an institution that is not censured by AAUP and values free speech where he can continue working in academia.“I love being chair and would have been happy to continue doing that, or I’d like to be maybe a different kind of administrator,” Smith said. “The glitch there is since I’m strongly opposed to ESU’s new direction, I don’t see any role for me there, and so it becomes a question of looking to do that role at another school.”

‘Short-lived victory:’ Emporia State takes reinstated professors to court

<a href="https://www.schmittfuneral.com/obituary/marcella-moore">https://www.schmittfuneral.com/obituary/marcella-moore</a>

Marcella Weigel Zerr Moore, age 88, of Grainfield, KS, passed away Sunday, June 4, 2023, at Gove County Medical Center, Quinter, KS. She was born on September 19, 1934 to Albert and Barbara Weigel in Quinter, KS.&nbsp;

She attended Gove Grade School. She graduated from Gove High School in 1952 with high honors and as the class valedictorian. She then attended the Parks School of Business in Denver, CO. 

On October 6, 1953, she was united in marriage to Pius Zerr in Grainfield, KS. To this union were born two children, Pam and Janice. Pius proceeded her in death on September 12, 1983. On September 19, 1986, she married Carl A. Moore of Goodland, KS.

Marcella worked as deputy Register of Deeds in the early 1950s and was later employed by Beougher’s Law office in Grinnell, KS until 1961. &nbsp;From 1961 to 1975 she worked for Charles Stewart, attorney. In 1975, she took the Kansas Abstractor’s exam and went into her own business for many years. &nbsp;She was very active in the Grainfield community as she served on the meal site council, recreation committee, city council, Christian Mothers, St. Agnes Parish Council and as a member of the Grinnell VFW Auxiliary.&nbsp;

She also helped numerous times serving funeral dinners and made many salads and desserts for grieving family members. &nbsp;She was always happy when she could help someone else out and give her time and kindness to others. &nbsp;

When Marcella wasn’t serving on a committee, you could either find her watching a KU basketball game or being one of the grandkids' biggest fans as they participated in basketball, cross country, volleyball, concerts, or any 4-H activity. You could say that anywhere her grandchildren were, you would see Marcella supporting them.

<h2>Marcella Weigel Zerr Moore, Grainfield</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686237701038.jpeg" alt="Marcella Weigel Zerr Moore" />
 <figcaption>Marcella Weigel Zerr Moore</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.schmittfuneral.com/obituary/marcella-moore">https://www.schmittfuneral.com/obituary/marcella-moore</a>September 19, 1934 - June 4, 2023Marcella Weigel Zerr Moore, age 88, of Grainfield, KS, passed away Sunday, June 4, 2023, at Gove County Medical Center, Quinter, KS. She was born on September 19, 1934 to Albert and Barbara Weigel in Quinter, KS.&nbsp;She attended Gove Grade School. She graduated from Gove High School in 1952 with high honors and as the class valedictorian. She then attended the Parks School of Business in Denver, CO. On October 6, 1953, she was united in marriage to Pius Zerr in Grainfield, KS. To this union were born two children, Pam and Janice. Pius proceeded her in death on September 12, 1983. On September 19, 1986, she married Carl A. Moore of Goodland, KS.Marcella worked as deputy Register of Deeds in the early 1950s and was later employed by Beougher’s Law office in Grinnell, KS until 1961. &nbsp;From 1961 to 1975 she worked for Charles Stewart, attorney. In 1975, she took the Kansas Abstractor’s exam and went into her own business for many years. &nbsp;She was very active in the Grainfield community as she served on the meal site council, recreation committee, city council, Christian Mothers, St. Agnes Parish Council and as a member of the Grinnell VFW Auxiliary.&nbsp;She also helped numerous times serving funeral dinners and made many salads and desserts for grieving family members. &nbsp;She was always happy when she could help someone else out and give her time and kindness to others. &nbsp;When Marcella wasn’t serving on a committee, you could either find her watching a KU basketball game or being one of the grandkids' biggest fans as they participated in basketball, cross country, volleyball, concerts, or any 4-H activity. You could say that anywhere her grandchildren were, you would see Marcella supporting them.She leaves behind her husband, Carl Moore of Grainfield, daughters Pam Morel (Larry), Oakley, KS, and Janice Braun (Rick), Victoria, KS; six grandchildren, Lindy Morel, Landon Morel, Logan Morel, Lori Martin, Jenna Dempewolf (Andrew) and Lane Braun (Arrica). Her blessings grew as she had three great-grandchildren, Bellami Martin, Gentry and Braxton Dempewolf and baby Braun girl to be born in July! &nbsp;She has one brother, Pat Weigel, Hays, KS, along with his daughters Patty Goolsby and Staci Lucero. It was always a joy for Marcella to hear how Patty and Staci would call to ask if they could come “home” to stay with her as they were a very important part of her family.The family has chosen cremation with a private service to be held at a later date. Family will welcome visitors on Friday, June 23 from 6-8 p.m. at S. Agnes Parish Hall, Grainfield, KS.&nbsp;Condolences or cards can be sent to Pam Morel, 109 Maple, Oakley, KS 67748 or Janice Braun, 576 350th Ave., Victoria, KS, 67671.To plant Memorial Trees in memory of&nbsp;Marcella Katherine Moore, please&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.schmittfuneral.com/obituary/marcella-moore/gifts?campaign=obituaryThemed-gifts-textLink-obitText">click here to visit our Sympathy Store</a>.