News3

by REX ZIMMERMAN
The community of Hardtner will again host one of the biggest celebrations of the summer in these parts, as it celebrates the 4th of July, and this year looks to be bigger and better than ever as it celebrates 50 years of entertaining area residents on our country’s birthday.
The Hardtner Chamber of Commerce has sponsored the event every year since 1958 and plans to celebrate with more fireworks and more fun than ever before.
Fun Starts Early
Activities in Hardtner get underway early - at 8:30 a.m. to be exact - with the 2-mile Fun Run. Sign-up starts at 8:00 a.m. Cost is $15.00 per person and includes a T-shirt. Profits from the Fun Run will go to help purchase new loungers for the Hardtner Swimming Pool. Runners under 18 years of age need to have their parent’s signature. To sign up early or for more information contact Candis McLemore at 620-213-0464.
The Little Firecracker Contest will begin at 9:30 a.m. To get your youngster entered, call Kim Gugelmeyer at 296-4458.
The annual 4th of July Parade will head down Main Street at 10:00 a.m. Call Syd Sterling at 296-4477 or 296-4553 to enter (all entries welcome!)
Entries should report to the south end of Main Street to line up.
The Medallion Hunt will be held again this year with the first clues to be announced during the parade.
Veterans Program
The annual salute to our veterans and also to those men and women presently serving in our armed forces will be held beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Hardtner United Methodist Church. Lunch will be available at the church following the program.
Activities At Achenbach Park
The fun moves to Achenbach Park in the afternoon with the beautiful Hardtner Swimming Pool open all afternoon. There will also be concessions all afternoon in the park.
The Bike Races for kids of all ages begin at 2:00 p.m across from the park, and the Turtle Races will start at 2:30 p.m.
Triathlon Races will be held in the park beginning at 3:00 p.m., and the Hole-in-One golf contests tee off at 3:30 p.m.
The Free BBQ Sandwiches the celebration is famous for begin serving at 4:00 p.m., and the White Elephant Auction gets underway at 5:00 p.m. There is always plenty to buy at the auction - and even a few great bargains - and it helps pay for the fireworks and other activities.
Fireworks At Night
The crowds will get bigger and bigger as the fireworks spectacular gets ready to blast off at around 10:00 p.m. It’s always one of the best displays around.
Bring your family and friends to Hardtner on July 4th and enjoy the best that small town America has to offer.

by REX ZIMMERMAN
The USD 255 Board of Education held two meetings last week to close out the 2007-08 school year and to start planning for the next school year, which begins August 13.
On June 19, the board met to pay year end bills and also to approve year end encumbrances for textbook purchases, payment of dues and insurances, athletic expenditures, accelerated reader materials, furniture and equipment, and other supplies needed for next school year.
The board also heard the year end report and comments from Superintendent Bob Hightree, who will be trimming back his duties as of July 1 while superintendent designate Brad Morris begins to take over his new duties.
Following are Mr. Hightree’s comments to the board:
“We should feel good about the year we have had. It has been a very busy year and another fast one. As I have said in the past, we have a very good group of staff members and building administrators. They are not afraid of work and do not hesitate to give their time and effort to the education of our students.
We have been able to keep our school system going in the right direction for another year. Our high school has made the Standard of Excellence for the third year in row. Our students experienced a very successful year filled with a multitude of activity and academic achievements.
The administrators want to thank the board members for all of your work and dedication this year and in past years. We know it is very difficult to be a board member and we appreciate your efforts. Thanks for all the hours at activities, programs, ballgames, board meetings, workshops, and KASB educational seminars you have attended. Again we recognize the fact that it takes a very knowledgeable board to see the changes that need to be made and to provide the leadership it takes to bring about those changes.
This year we achieved the new wireless communication technology we have between our buildings, we added the four-year old Pilot program, we saw our teachers and students implement the curriculum they learned from the math grant classes and the tech-rich classrooms, we put new video projectors and white-boards into use in the classrooms, the new marquees were erected, we saw new staff members blend into our school family, we had new programs added to our Family and Consumer Science, and Business Technology programs.
We recognize and cherish the accomplishments but we still need to remember we have a long and tough road ahead of us. Funding was an issue last year and is becoming an even bigger one each year. On Monday we heard Dale Dennis make the flat out statement that the state of Kansas is in serious financial trouble. He then showed us the figures. Cuts and a faltering economy plagued by high prices is taking effect in numerous situations. Our declining enrollment is squeezing us tighter and tighter every year.
Our students and teachers have been performing better every year and are continuing to do so. This past year has to have been a banner year when you consider the accomplishments in sports and academics and the personal achievements our students experienced. We had excellent teams and records, we won league championships, we had individual, state champions, we had a third place team championship in girls basketball, and a team championship in girls track.
We have continued to work on improving pay and benefits for our teachers and staff during a time of declining enrollment. We have made some improvements, although not enough, but with less revenue these improvements have squeezed things even tighter.
Hopefully we can work the increased funding in Special Education and at-risk into a little relief for our ever tightening budget.
We look forward to another year and the opportunity to meet the many challenges we will face. It will be an exciting year helping Brad Morris successfully slide into his new position. Working with the new staff members will be another great opportunity to give our students new experiences. Getting a budget put together that will address our needs will be a challenge but it is one we will meet.
We are ready for the fast a furious summer we face.”
ON JUNE 23, the board met to hold a discussion on district needs and a strategic plan, and also to accept the resignation of longtime elementary teacher Janet Elwood, who accepted the district’s offer of retirement with an extended health benefits offer.
Elwood said that is was “with great joy, and some pain” that she resigns after 35 years of teaching. She said she has enjoyed working with the students, staff and administration, and thanked the board for providing such a wonderful environment in which to work.
The board and took a look at district needs and gave priority to several items.
At the high school, priority items (with estimated costs in parentheses) were replacing the wood bleachers at the football field with aluminum ($40,000), track replacement ($350,000-$400,000), and ceiling fans in the classrooms ($5,000). Other items on the list were a new gym floor ($80,000), improved lighting in the gym and Industrial Arts building ($30,000), carpet replacement, parking lost resurfaced ($150,000), additional heating and air conditioning units replaced ($60.000), roof work ($50,000), a second gym and additional locker rooms, and remodeling existing locker rooms and showers.
At the K-8 building, priority items were replacement of the tread work on the stairways, which is a safety issue ($20,000), and ceiling fans in the classrooms ($8,000). Other items listed with estimated costs were replacement of more sidewalks ($20,000), window replacement, replacing air conditioning units ($15,000), replacing carpet in classrooms ($40,000), remodel existing restrooms, replace kitchen equipment ($80,000), replace the roof ($150,000), replace second boiler ($60,000) and air condition the gym ($60,000).
For the district as a whole, improvements suggested were for three new Suburbans ($150,000), new activity bus ($75,000), small handicapped lift bus ($35,000), and two new route busses, one 65-passenger and one 45-passenger ($140,000).