The husband of a fired elementary principal went before the USD 383 school board Wednesday and demanded an investigation into the district’s treatment of alleged violations at other schools. Dan Henke, who is married to former Marlatt Elementary principal Sheila Henke, spoke during public comment at the board meeting. The district terminated Sheila Henke in July, and board members unanimously upheld the action after a hearing last week. Officials didn’t give details about the circumstances leading to the firing because of privacy laws, but they said the reason was violation of board policy GAAF, which governs “emergency safety interventions,” including…
Author: Megan Moser
Ahead of the recent primary election, Kansas House of Representatives hopeful Stacy Kohlmeier, a Republican running for the 67th district, raised the most money with $45,537. Kohlmeier beat her opponent, Kaleb James, who reported just $120 for the period, which ended July 23. James gave the $120 to his own campaign. The Democratic candidate for that office, Brenda Bandy, raised $31,546. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden school board on Thursday voted to uphold the firing of Marlatt Elementary School principal Sheila Henke. The board in July had begun the process of terminating Henke’s contracts, citing violations of board policy and failure to perform contractual duties. District officials did not give additional details about the violations because it is a personnel matter. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Not many country folks want to become city folks. At least, that’s what Pottawatomie County leaders learned in 2019 when they asked residents of the Green Valley area whether they wanted to incorporate and create an independent town. At that time, 70% of residents said they didn’t want to form a new city, and 70% said they didn’t want Manhattan to annex Green Valley, either. But the area directly east of Manhattan, roughly the southern part of Blue Township, continues to grow. The population of Blue Township has risen from 4,926 in 2020 to an estimated 5,541 in 2026, an…
The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden school board approved the purchase of six new school buses totaling $811,497 during its meeting Wednesday at Robinson Education Center. The board voted 5-0 to purchase three new 71-passenger school buses from Midwest Transit at an estimated cost of $159,400 each, or $478,200 total. The buses will be funded through the district’s capital outlay fund. Board members also unanimously approved the purchase of three new Type A buses for special education through the state purchasing program from Midwest Transit at an estimated cost of $111,099 each, or $333,297 total. The primary funding source for those buses…
The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden school board voted Wednesday to notify Riley County that it intends to exceed the revenue-neutral property tax rate for the 2027 fiscal year budget while also approving nearly $1 million in funding to keep after-school programs affordable following the loss of a federal grant. The board unanimously approved certifying its intent to exceed the revenue-neutral rate, a required procedural step before adopting a budget that would generate more property tax revenue than the previous year. District officials stressed that rising operating costs and statutory funding requirements make the revenue-neutral rate impractical for school districts. Board members…
The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to begin proceedings to terminate the employment contract of Marlatt Elementary School principal Sheila Henke. The board cited alleged violations of board policy and failure to perform contractual duties. Following an executive session, the board approved a resolution declaring its intent to terminate Henke’s contract. The motion passed 7-0. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Riley County commissioners on Thursday signaled preliminary support for a proposal to relocate the Riley County Fairgrounds from CiCo Park to county-owned property west of Manhattan. They did not yet give any official approval for the plan but expressed support for seeking more public feedback. Dave Lewis and Lance Sharp, speaking on behalf of a volunteer task force, presented a conceptual $20.5 million proposal for a new Flint Hills Event Complex on about 39 acres of land near the county shops along Tuttle Creek Boulevard/U.S. Highway 24. The proposal would replace aging fairgrounds facilities at CiCo Park with a larger,…
USD 383 is in the final stages of budget development for the next fiscal year while preparing to cover an estimated $938,000 shortfall in its special education fund, officials told the school board Wednesday. Director of business operations Development Andy Hutchinson said district staff members are moving from preliminary revenue projections to detailed expenditure planning for 2026-27 ahead of budget adoption later this summer. One issue facing the district is a deficit in the special education fund that the district must address before the close of the current fiscal year. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
USD 383 school board member Katie Allen is seeking more than $6 million in compensation in her lawsuit against Kansas Department of Education officials, according to new court documents. Allen filed a federal lawsuit against her former boss, Randy Watson, commissioner of education, for “demanding” she resign after she made a Facebook post in September. She said it was a violation of her First Amendment right to free speech. She has named Watson in his individual capacity and added Jake Steele, the new education commissioner, in his official capacity. The department itself is no longer listed as a defendant. According…