Thursday, August 20 2026
Action Items
| Schools/Departments | Description |
| All Administrators | |
| Principals and Building Administrators | |
| Middle School Principals | |
| Elementary School Principals |
Informational Items
| Schools/Departments | Description |
| All Administrators | |
| Principals and Building Administrators | |
| Middle and High School Principals | |
| Middle School Principals | |
| Elementary School Principals | |
| New Building Administrators, Instructional Coaches, SPED Coordinators |
Action Items
All Administrators
KCKPS Communication Audit 2026-27
Contact Person:Dr. Canise Salinas-Willich
Dear Admin: We Want to Hear From You!
Clear, timely, and effective communication is an important part of building strong relationships across our schools and community. As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen how we communicate, we are conducting a Communication Audit and would value your input.
We are using ThoughtExchange to gather feedback about your experiences with district and school communication—what is working well, where we can improve, and what you would like to see moving forward.
Please take a few minutes to participate in our Communication Audit here.
ThoughtExchange gives you the opportunity to share your own thoughts and consider and rate ideas shared by others. Your feedback will help us identify themes, priorities, and opportunities to make our communication more useful, accessible, and effective for everyone.
Your voice matters. The more participation we receive from staff and families, the better picture we will have of how our communication is being received and where we can make meaningful improvements.
Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective and for helping us continue to strengthen communication across our district.
We appreciate you!
Better EveryDay: Clarity. Culture. Results
KSDE Data Quality Certification Training (DQC) 2026-2027 August 27th 9:00 am-3:00 pm Central Office Training Center 131-133
Contact Person: Jonathan Wilson
Registration
- KSDE has published the updated 26-27 DQC course module here.
- Attendees are required to log into the KSDE training portal to complete the required pre-questionnaire and registration for the event at KCKPS on August 27th. Additional instructions are found here.
- Staff who have been signed up on the internal sign-up sheet (this part is optional, the KSDE training portal is required) will also receive an email from Jonathan.Wilson@kckps.org with more detailed instructions and a reminder about the event.
Required Attendees
This is a required training for staff in the following roles who are new or did not complete the DQC Certification last year:
- Buildings: Principals, Assistant Principals, Counselors, Registrars
- Diploma+ CCIP: district staff
- Executive Directors
- HR: LPR team
- SPED: district compliance staff
- SSFS: MES district staff and coaches, McKinney Vento, Alternative/Virtual Programs, Family and Community Engagement Department
Recertification Notice
- Staff who completed the training last year are encouraged to recertify online via the KSDE training portal later this school year.
For additional questions or information, contact Jonathan Wilson.
Principals and Building Administrators
Donors Choose Information for Principals and Staff
Contact Person: Juli O'Mealey Simmons
Notes for principals:
- Please look for Adobe Sign messages initiated by the Grant Coordinator in your UPDATES email inbox for DonorsChoose approvals. This system allows you to quickly approve electronically. Click to sign, and then don’t forget to click to submit for the approval to fully execute.
- Please share the message below with Teachers, Counselors, and social workers
Attn: KCKPS Staff Working Directly with Students
Donors Choose currently has some matching opportunities.
Some have specific parameters, so please check this page to take advantage:
Donors Choose Matching Opportunities
NOTE: District approval is required prior to posting a Donors Choose project.
For approval, submit this form: Intent to Request Donations (Donors Choose).
Approval of Push-in Schedules for ESL Minutes
Contact Person: Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez
Principals need to approve all ESL push-in schedules for ESL aides for all levels and ESL teachers for elementary by September 8th, 2026. This helps us stay committed to our goal of meeting compliance tasks with integrity and fidelity.
Please carefully review the schedules to ensure there are no gaps, overlaps, or missing student rosters. Elementary also needs to ensure that SPED, Reading Interventionist, or any other certified teacher who is ESOL endorsed and that provides push-in/pull out services inputs their schedule into Infinite Campus. For submission, you will need to obtain a PDF of the schedule for the month of September from your teachers for your approval and upload it to the Google Form. It is crucial to address any errors, as they can lead to significant issues with state reporting.
Steps for reviewing schedules are found in this video. Completing these tasks is essential, as they directly impact district funding. Any principal needing further support should contact Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez or Kara Moon.
KansaSTAR KSDE Required School Improvement Plan Updates 26-27
Contact Person: Lisa Walker
Although the School Improvement Planning process is a continuous cycle that is ongoing, there are points in the school year where specific actions are required to be taken in order to meet KSDE guidelines. Please see below for dates and reminders about the required actions that are due and when.
| Due Date | Principal Action Steps |
| 9/4/26 |
|
| Between 9/4/26 & 9/25/26 |
NOTE: There is a 26-27SY Continuing Schoolwide Program Form required to be submitted in KansaSTAR for elementary & middle schools. Lisa will use the above information from your plan to complete and submit this form for you!
|
| Between 9/4/26 & 9/25/26 |
|
|
By 9/29/26 Elementary & Middle School Only |
NOTE: These documents are required to be uploaded to KansaSTAR. Lisa will add some additional district required documents to EACH of your building folders and then she will link your building folder to KansaSTAR for you!
|
| By 9/29/26 |
|
| Between 9/30/26 & 10/14/26 |
|
Middle School Principals
Second Step for Middle School FA
Contact Person: Tracie Chauvin
We’re excited to kick off Tier 1 SEL with Second Step across our middle schools for 2026–27!
Second Step is our district’s EC–8 SEL curriculum, helping students build teamwork, emotional regulation, and digital well-being. It also provides staff training, implementation tools, intervention resources, classroom circles, and multilingual family materials.
First lessons begin August 24!
Our goal for the week: All FA teachers create their classes and complete Lesson 1.
Middle School Second Step Pacing Guide 26–27
The guide is also available in the KCKPS Principal’s Handbook.
Principals and counselors can add staff to their school’s Second Step account now.
2026–27 Goal: 100% of lessons completed!
Need support? Contact Tracie Chauvin.
Elementary School Principals
Elementary Staffing Spreadsheet
Contact Person: Alli Rice
As we prepare for upcoming elementary support and professional learning, the D+CCIP team needs an updated picture of staffing across each building.
Please complete the Elementary Staffing Spreadsheet for your building, including:
- All teachers currently assigned to each grade level
- Your building’s current master schedule linked in the designated space at the top of your building’s page
Please ensure the information reflects your current 2026–27 staffing and grade-level assignments.
Please complete the spreadsheet by Friday, August 28. Thank you for helping us ensure our support and professional learning are responsive to the needs of each building.
Information Items
All Administrators
KCKPS MOU & Contract Process - Updates to 2026-2027 Process
Contact Person: Lisa Walker
Contracts & MOUs for student assemblies, staff professional development sessions, or partnerships with community organizations to support student or staff learning must go through the district’s MOU & Contract Process, which in 2026-2027 includes submission to Cabinet for review and approval.
Please refer to this process prior to entering into an agreement or scheduling events to ensure you are following district and state guidelines for contracts and MOUs.
If you have questions, contact the Purchasing Department.
Employee of the Month and Administrator of the Month
Contact Person: Shaunteh Jones
Employee & Administrator of the Month is a great opportunity to recognize colleagues and leaders who go above and beyond.
Be sure to nominate an employee, your building administrator, or a district leader who makes a difference through their leadership, support, dedication, and commitment. Your nomination is a meaningful way to celebrate the people who help our district thrive!
Nomination submission is located on the district web page under the “Acedemics” Tab Student and Staff Recognition
Grant Opportunity Supports Classroom, Building, or Department-level Work
Contact Person: Juli O'Mealey
The TangerKids Grant Program invites teachers and education leaders to request funding to enhance programs and better serve students. In 2025, we awarded 176 grants totaling over $200K to schools and programs.
- Open to KCKPS Teachers, Counselors, Social Workers, Administrators, and educational professionals
- Classroom-level, building-level, and district department-level work is eligible
District Approval Required (BOE POLICY)
Submit this form for district approval: Grant Final Approval Form, and wait for the Grant Coordinator’s email giving the green light to apply for the grant.
TangerKids Grant Deadline: October 18, 2026
Deadline to submit KCKPS Grant Final Approval Form: October 12, 2026, at 5 PM CST.
NOTE: With the $200,000 total awarded across all 2025 grants, the average awarded was $1,136, so consider this when determining your request.
Direct any questions to Juli O’Mealey Simmons
Extension of Virtual Learning Registration
Contact Person: La'Derrick Collins
Fall 2026 Virtual Learning Registration has been extended to August 25, 2026, due to two days without school. All students must complete orientation to finalize their enrollment. Orientation sessions are scheduled for August 7- September 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Once registration is processed, a link will be sent to the guardian to schedule their orientation appointment. Please note that students who do not complete orientation will be referred back to in-person learning at their home school for the fall semester. For more information or assistance with registration, please contact our office.
Principals and Building Administrators
2026-27 Title I & Title I Replacement Budgets Finalized
Contact Person: Lisa Walker
The KSDE LCP (Local Consolidated Plan Title I System) opened up 8/14/26 and the FINAL Title I Allocations have been entered. Due to increases in KCK students attending nonpublic schools, the nonpublic allocations increased slightly and this resulted in slight decreases to all K-8 Title I building allocations and 9-12 Title I Replacement building allocations.
Budget spreadsheets will soon reflect these additional decreases which will likely be taken from out of district travel lines. Budgets will be updated in Business Plus over the next week to reflect these changes. Principals can move funding between lines by reaching out to Bridgette DeSmet, Lisa Walker, and their ED of Schools.
Bridgette DeSmet will be sending emails to each principal to confirm staffing or make any changes that might have occurred over the summer. Please respond promptly or connect with her so we can finalize all information and load into the LCP state system.
If you have questions, contact Lisa Walker.
Universal Screener Changes
Contact Person: Nathan Harris
Please ensure staff are aware of our Universal Screener changes as we begin testing next week:
FastBridge Reading: Monday, August 24th - Friday, September 11th for grades PreK-12.
- If a grade 9 student meets benchmark, no FB Reading screening is required for 10, 11, 12. See KSDE Dyslexia Screening Protocol for further guidance.
FastBridge Math: Monday, August 24 - Friday, September 11th for:
- PreK: earlyMath
- 8th Grade Algebra 1 Classes Only: FastTrack Math
- Grade 9 - 12: FastTrack Math
iReady Inform Math:
- Kindergarten: Tuesday, September 1st - Wednesday, September 16th
- Grades 1 - 8 (Non Algebra 1 Course):Monday, August 17th - Friday, September 4th
- DERA and Curriculum & Instruction encourage buildings to complete the assessment by the original August 28 deadline whenever possible.
Audio Enhancement Equipment
Contact Person: Michael Keener
To order new microphone sets or replacement components, contact Michael Keener. He will forward your request to Audio Enhancement, and they will issue the final invoice—including any bulk discounts and shipping fees.
For future reference, pricing details for individual components and complete boxes are available here.
District Benchmark Update
Contact Person: Dr. Angela Grant
As we prepare for our first year of participating in the KSDE assessment pilot, DERA will be sharing information here, at Principal’s Nuts and Bolts meetings, and via Building Testing Coordinator meetings. Here are some critical pieces of information for you to know now:
- Terminology
- The pilot has been approved by the federal Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA), so you may hear or read it labeled as the IADA pilot by KSDE or the media
- The benchmark assessments themselves are Through-Year (administered quarterly) Curriculum-Directed (based on our scope and sequence) Assessments, and so you may hear or read about them as Through-Year Curriculum-Directed Assessments by KSDE or the media
- Timeline
- This is a five-year pilot.
- Subjects
- The pilot is limited to ELA and Math.
- Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 will continue to take the KAP Science assessment via the KITE platform.
- Students
- Virtual students will continue to take the ELA and Math KAP assessment via the KITE platform.
- Grades 3-10 will participate in the pilot this year. Next year, grades 3-9 will be required to participate, with 10th grade optional. Specifically, 10th-grade students who are retaking a 9th-grade ELA or Math course will have the option to be reassessed in that subject.
- Platform
- Students will take the benchmark assessment in Campfire. Students will be rostered to Campfire via Classlink and will not need to enter a code when taking a test.
- Campfire will provide participation reports.
- Campfire has added a lockdown browser capability for this year to enhance test security.
Additional details will be forthcoming at the Principal Nuts and Bolts meeting, but if you have urgent questions before then, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Middle and High School Administrators
Heritage Spanish Screener: Updated Guidance
Contact Person: Delia Pérez-Solórzano
Updated Heritage Spanish Screener guidance is now available for high schools. The guidance outlines the screening process, student identification, placement, and building responsibilities. Specific screening dates will be maintained on the District Assessment Calendar.
Building Testing Coordinators will oversee the Heritage Spanish screening process at their buildings, working with counselors and Spanish teachers to support student identification, screening, and placement.
Administrator action: Please ensure your Building Testing Coordinator and relevant staff are aware of the updated process.
Resources: [Heritage Spanish Screener Guide] | [District Assessment Calendar]
Kansas Seal of Biliteracy: Updated Guidance
Contact Person: Delia Pérez-Solórzano
Updated Kansas Seal of Biliteracy guidance is now available for high schools. The guidance outlines the annual application and testing process. Specific application and testing dates will be maintained on the District Assessment Calendar.
Building Testing Coordinators or designated staff members will coordinate Seal of Biliteracy testing at their buildings. The fall opportunity is for seniors only, and the spring opportunity is for juniors and seniors.
Administrator actions: Please help ensure your Building Testing Coordinator is aware of the updated process and testing opportunities. As we prepare for this year’s rollout, we also ask that last year’s Seal of Biliteracy posters be removed and sent to Delia at Central Office. New marketing materials will be shared before the application window opens.
Resources: [Seal of Biliteracy Guide] | | [District Assessment Calendar]
Alternative to Suspension (A2SP)
Contact Person:La'Derrick Collins
The Alternative to Suspension Program (A2SP) is an alternative to out-of-school suspension (OSS) for Class I, II, and III infractions committed by secondary students. The school administration can direct the student(s) to spend up to five days at the Educational Options and Special Programs building at the North Central Office (NCO), 2212 N. 59th Street, Kansas City, Kansas. To maintain program effectiveness, space in the program is limited and may not be available when daily capacities exceed 15 students. The program starts at 9:00 am daily and is dismissed at 1:45 pm (Wednesday dismissal is at 11:45 am).
Before the student attends, the school administration should use the parent consent to inform the guardian(s) and student(s) of the reason(s) and expectations for participating in A2SP. The parent consent form will serve as a permission slip for program attendance.
Students must be added to the high school or middle school attendance sheet by 2:30 pm the day before the program starts. Please note that if the spreadsheet reaches its capacity of 15, no more students can attend the program that day.
While attending A2SP, students will engage in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons and continue coursework on Canvas.
It is imperative that students bring their district device and any hard copies of their work so that their time in the program is as beneficial as possible.
For General Education Students
Schools will:
- Add the student’s name to the shared Google Sheet by 2:30 pm, before the day the student starts.
- Ensure the Parent Consent form is submitted by 2:30 pm the day before the student starts the program.
- Ensure appropriate documentation is provided in Infinite Campus (behavior resolution(s) should indicate A2SP).
- Enter attendance in Infinite Campus before the student boards the bus for NCO.
- Conduct a re-entry conference with the student before returning to a regular schedule in the home school. (see the re-entry reflection form that the student will complete)
- If applicable, contact a Multilingual Education Lead with a copy of the ILP to coordinate language support services before the student begins the program.
For Special Education Students
Schools will:
- Send an email to the building SPED Coordinator and CC SPED DIRECTOR, including the student’s name and the number of days assigned to A2SP.
- Place the student in the school’s Recovery Room for one full day prior to starting A2SP to allow time for services to be determined during the A2SP placement.
- Add the student’s name to the shared Google Sheet by 2:30 pm, before the day the student starts.
- Ensure the Parent Consent form is submitted by 2:30 pm the day before the student starts the program.
- Ensure appropriate documentation is provided in Infinite Campus (behavior resolution(s) should indicate A2SP).
- Enter attendance in Infinite Campus before the student boards the bus for NCO.
- Conduct a re-entry conference with the student before returning to a regular schedule in the home school. (see the re-entry reflection form that the student will complete)
SPED Coordinator will:
- Review the student’s IEP and record the services the student will receive while attending the A2SP program in the shared Google Sheet by 8:30 a.m. on the day the student begins A2SP.
- Upload and link the student’s IEP at a Glance in the shared Google Sheet for the Alternative to Learning Department.
- Contact the A2SP SPED teacher, who will provide virtual services to the student during their A2SP placement.
Middle School Principals
Music Exploration Professional Development
Contact Person:Elizabeth Moyer
Music Exploration teachers will be receiving professional development this year to support the pilot process. An email will be sent to middle school principals with further information. If you have any questions, please contact Liz Moyer or Emily Rose.
Thank You for a Successful WIN Relaunch!
Contact Person: Dr. Kendra Holliday
Thank you for your leadership in helping make our WIN relaunch a success!
One of the greatest celebrations from this year's relaunch was seeing buildings intentionally differentiate professional learning to meet the unique needs of their teachers. That's exactly what our third full year of implementation is all about—not every teacher needs the same support. Your intentionality in meeting teachers where they are will continue to strengthen implementation and, ultimately, student outcomes.
As we continue refining and strengthening our literacy tiers of instruction, remember that you have several resources at your fingertips to support teachers throughout the year.
Available Resources
- Middle School Intervention Canvas Course: Access all WIN relaunch materials, G.U.L.P.S. resources, implementation guides, and "how-to" supports in one location.
- WIN Padlet: Explore implementation examples from across the district, including classroom ideas, celebrations, and practical implementation tips from KCKPS educators.
- NEW! Lexia Academy: Lexia Academy is Lexia's on-demand professional learning platform, offering short learning modules that teachers can access anytime to strengthen their understanding of Lexia PowerUp, instructional routines, and best practices.
- One Lexia Professional Learning (PL) Session: Each middle school receives one 90min Lexia professional learning session this year. Your building chooses when to use the session and which topic(s) best meets your teachers' needs.
- Linked is the WIN Implementation Survey designed for teachers to reflect on. The survey results can help determine how to best utilize your building's Lexia professional learning session, to best meet teachers' needs throughout the year.
- Work with Dr. Holliday to get your PL session scheduled.
Thank you again for your continued leadership and partnership. I'm excited to continue supporting your buildings as we strengthen literacy tiers of instruction together!
Elementary School Principals
It’s time for another year of Work-Based Learning with The Connector!
Contact Person: Chris Hamman
We’ve worked hard to create sessions that not only build Career Awareness in our K-5 students, but also serve as culminating experiences connected to ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies!
This year, we’re also adding sessions that support Second Step lessons, along with chats focused on community partners, KCKPS alumni, and CTE Pathways.
Our district goal is for every elementary classroom teacher and counselor to participate in at least one interactive Connector session with their students. However, teachers are encouraged to attend multiple sessions! Each session gives students the opportunity to hear from a professional in a field connected to something they have just learned—and, most importantly, to ask questions and make connections between their learning and the world of work.
GVC-Aligned Connector Sessions+ Document
Please share our list of sessions with the teachers in your building and encourage them to sign up!
Thank you for supporting Work-Based Learning in KCKPS and helping our students see the connections between what they learn in the classroom and the world beyond it!
New Building Administrators, Instructional Coaches, SPED Coordinators
KCKPS School Improvement Planning Training for New District/Building Administrators, Instructional Coaches, and SPED Coordinators
Contact Person:Lisa Walker
Annually, KCKPS conducts training for new district/building administrators, instructional coaches, and SPED Coordinators on the KCKPS School Improvement Planning Framework.
The district’s framework is evidence-based and this annual training ensures the School Improvement Planning process is consistent and calibrated across all campuses.
New staff members, as well as any returning staff who want a refresh, should plan to attend these virtual training sessions.
- Tuesday 9/10/26 - 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. - Phases 1 & 2: Precise Problems; Root Causes Analysis
- Tuesday, 10/29/26 - 9:00-11:00 a.m. - Phases 3 & 4: Linking Causation to Intervention; Exemplar Plans in KansaSTAR
Calendar invitations will be sent to new leaders. Please accept when received!