Perkins County back to school on Aug. 16

Even though it seems summer just began, Perkins County School students will head back to school next week.

PCS is taking a different approach this year starting on a Friday. Superintendent Phillip Picquet said this will give teachers more time for professional development and to prepare their classrooms. It will also give teachers and students a full day to go through their schedules and be ready to kick off a full week that Monday. 

School for grades K-12 will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 16 with a 2:30 dismissal. 

A back-to-school night for seventh through 12 graders will be held in the new gym on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. This will include laptop checkout, the drug policy informational meeting and a parent info meeting.

Enrollment, medical and activity consent forms need to be completed online. 

An open house for elementary students and their parents will be held next week the day before school starts on Thursday, Aug. 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Regular school hours begin at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. K-6 grades dismiss at 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7-12 grades dismiss two minutes later. On Fridays, K-6 dismisses at 2:30 p.m. and 7-12 dismisses at 2:32 p.m. 

Staff changes

Several changes will be taking place with the addition of a new junior/senior high principal and five new teachers. 

• Ben Jones is the junior/senior high principal in place of Dean Friedel. 

• Sarah Loeffler is teaching first grade in place of Sheila Olsen. 

• Sheila Olson is filling an open special education position. 

• Madison Seamann is teaching second grade in place of Les Reinke.  

• Kristin Borman is teaching sixth-grade language arts in place of Erica Turner

• Erica Turner has replaced Lynda Forney as media specialist. 

• Whitney Soper is teaching seventh and eighth language arts in place of Paula Wurst and coaching junior high track in place of Lance Wurst. 

• Seth Burge is teaching 7-9 science in place of Renee Marquardt and coaching cross country in place of Paula Wurst. He will also be co-advisor of FFA with Doug Babbitt. 

• Tristan Stephenson is teaching 7-12 art in place of Lance Wurst. 

DeAnne Bishop will be taking over the HAL (high ability learner) program for Jasmine Lehl.

Borman is currently finishing her tenure in California and will not begin at PCS until the end of September. Turner will start the school year in sixth-grade language arts while Valerie Foster assists in media. 

Diana Tate will be substituting for Soper as she is on maternity leave until after Labor Day. 

“We are a very fortunate district to have a number of talented people in our community who can fill in and continue to give our students a quality education,” said Picquet. 

Transportation

Students needing bus service who did not ride last year are asked to contact Laurie Summers at 308-352-4313 or laurie.summers@perkinscountyschools.org.

The bus drivers will contact each family directly about specific pick-up times.

Breakfast will be served 7:30-8 a.m. Students not eating breakfast are asked not to be dropped off until 7:45 a.m. 

Picquet said the district is looking for bus route drivers and activity drivers. Those interested are asked to call him at the high school, 308-352-4735.