Ana Lopez arrived in Wichita from northern Mexico, knowing only a few English words. Unable to talk with classmates or understand her teachers, she started out at Curtis Middle School feeling shy, nervous and frightened. Then, Wichita Public Schools placed her in an intensive language class with only one other English learner. “My teacher,” Lopez […]
Marcus Clem
MARCUS CLEM is the former education reporter at The Beacon in Wichita. He is a veteran newspaper and television journalist. He is a two-year member of the Education Writers Association.
Posted inEducation
How a Wichita State program could help solve Kansas’ teacher shortage
Raising five children and working as a teacher’s aide in Newton left Emily Crawford with too little time to take college classes to become a teacher. So she became an apprentice — earning a teacher’s salary ahead of schedule. All those hours tied up in the classroom helped pave her path to a college degree, […]
Posted inEducation
Wichita students, universities are still figuring out financial aid as delays continue
Seven months of federal paperwork headaches have left Amy Stoltzfus frustrated. She’s an associate financial aid director at Friends University who helps students navigate the maze of forms and figure out how they will pay for college. An update meant to make it easier for college students to apply for financial aid ended up doing […]
Posted inWichita
What Wichita-area parents need to know about riding the school bus
Parents waiting for the first time with their kids to board the school bus is a time-honored tradition, but policies vary on who can ride the bus and what it costs. Here’s what you need to know about school transportation options. Who in Kansas gets a guaranteed school bus ride? Kansas state law provides free […]
Posted inWichita
How to make sure your kid is eating a healthy lunch at school
Making sure your child has a nutritious meal at school is important for their academic success and health. If you don’t have the time or money to pack a lunch, school lunches are a healthy alternative. School meals as a whole promote a better diet among participants. And eating breakfast at school reduces student absences and […]
Posted inState Government
What vaccine requirements you need to follow before school resumes in Kansas
Kansas requires students to be vaccinated against certain diseases before attending any public or private school. Parents can request exemptions to these vaccine requirements for documented medical conditions or religious objections. Caregivers will need to provide proof that students have all required vaccines before starting school. State law requires school districts to help spread the […]
Posted inWichita
A parent’s guide to enrolling kids in Wichita-area schools
Micah Vannover spent Tuesday afternoon with her children touring Earhart Environmental Magnet School with confidence. “I do feel like this is going to be a really good school for my kids, just for the opportunities that it has compared to the others,” Vannover said. “Education is what gets kids going far in life. You can […]
Posted inEducation
Where to get school supplies in Wichita
Above all else, Zinab Chahine said, remember to stock up on school supplies early. Chahine came with her first-grade daughter to Earhart Environmental Magnet School on Tuesday for in-person enrollment ahead of Wichita Public Schools’ first day of class, Aug. 14. “Last year we were late to buy them, and that really bit us in […]
Posted inEducation
How the Kansas open enrollment law is playing out in Wichita-area schools
Aaron McCarty sees houses going up everywhere around Maize and thinks of the families who will fill them — and the children who will fill up classrooms. So he believes the Maize school district’s decision to shut off the enrollment of students from other towns makes sense, he said. “Are we going to need more […]
Posted inEducation
Why finding enough substitute teachers is a daily challenge for Wichita schools
In the gig worker era of Uber and DoorDash, Wichita Public Schools seeks its own on-demand employees — substitute teachers. COVID-19 pandemic troubles, low wages and licensing hurdles have over the last five years tamped down the number of people signing up to substitute teach. “There’s assignments that don’t get filled almost every day,” recruiter […]