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In the spring of 2025, Kansas students in grades 3–8 and 10 completed the required state
assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, while grades 5, 8, and 11 also tested in
Science. These assessments were redesigned this year, replacing the previous version first
introduced in 2015.
Because of the updates, statewide results could not be finalized until fall, as educators met this
summer to establish new “cut scores”—the benchmarks that define performance levels and
determine how student achievement is categorized. The Kansas State Board of Education also
had to approve scores prior to being set.
The assessments, which are taken primarily online, include 40–50 questions per subject and are
typically completed in two 45-minute sessions. Test items are designed to measure a range of
knowledge and skills, offering a clearer picture of student learning. Results include both
individual scores and performance levels.
The redesigned test addressed concerns that the prior test was misaligned with student success
after high school. According to the Kansas State Board of Education, only about 25% of Kansas
students previously scored at the top two levels, despite more than half going on to succeed in
college or careers. The earlier cut scores also failed to align with national measures such as the
ACT.
Locally, students performed well compared to state averages.
ELA: Eighth- and 10th-grade students scored 15 and 8 points higher, respectively, than
the state average. All but two grade levels improved over last year’s results.
Math: Grades 6, 8, and 10 scored above the state average, with fifth grade showing
growth compared to the previous class.
Science: Eighth grade outperformed the state average by 20 points. Fifth grade saw a
slight decline. Although all juniors participated in science testing, the assessment did not
show enough variation to be considered valid, so no 11th-grade results were reported.
50% of last year's 10th, 7th, and 5th graders scored in the top two levels for at least one
of their tested subjects. 58% of our 6th graders had at least one score of 3 or 4, while a
whopping 61% of our 8th graders met this achievement.
Individual student score reports will be distributed during Parent-Teacher Conferences on
October 20. Families are encouraged to attend, review results, and discuss progress with
teachers.
The district congratulates all students who earned performance levels 3 or 4 on the state
assessments, with special recognition to SammiJo Wiegers and Garrett Zimbelman, who each
achieved a perfect score of 700 on the Math test.
Why Do We Have Teacher In-Service and Professional Development Days?
We know parents often wonder: What happens on those days when students don’t have school?
Great question! These days are not days off for teachers—they are valuable times for learning,
planning, and working together so we can better support our students. With several new teachers
in our district, it is imperative that we offer them guidance and support. Not only do we have a
local mentor who helps support our new teachers, we also have hired an instructional coach to
help our new teachers get a solid footing in their careers.
On Professional Development days, the district invites an “expert” to work with staff on a
specific topic. For example, in August we partnered with the Southwest Plains Educational
Service Center to focus on curriculum and standards alignment—an area identified by our
District Leadership Team as part of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA)
process, the state’s K-12 accreditation model. Teachers spent time reviewing state standards in
their subject areas and ensuring our curriculum aligns with what students are expected to learn.
This is a complex, time-intensive task that cannot be accomplished in just one day, so PD days
allow us the time needed to move this work forward.
In-service days focus more on collaboration within our own staff. On September 8, all K-12
teachers worked together to align curriculum vertically (K-4 and 5-12), making sure there were
no gaps in instruction from one grade level to the next. Including 5th grade teachers with grades
6–12 was intentional, as it helps identify what skills need strengthening at the elementary level to
prepare students for middle and high school.
That afternoon, teachers reviewed fall testing results. This helped us see where students are
doing well and where they may need extra help. From there, we made plans on how we were
going to support all learners.
Why It Matters
Both professional development and in-service days are critical to teaching and learning. While
some may think these are “days off,” the reality is quite the opposite. These days provide
valuable time for educators to collaborate, review progress, and strengthen instruction.
Looking ahead, on October 13 our staff will travel to Colby with other NWKL schools. This
regional collaboration allows our teachers to connect with colleagues at the same grade levels
and subject areas, share strategies, and build a network with teachers who can offer them
support. Our staff is eager for this opportunity to learn from others and bring new ideas back to our classrooms.
One of the most important ways we can support our students is by working together, and parent-
teacher conferences give us a chance to do just that. These meetings are more than just scheduled
appointments—they are opportunities to connect, share, and partner in helping our children
succeed.
When parents and teachers sit down together, it creates a team around each student. We talk
about academic progress, strengths, and areas where extra support may be needed. But
conferences also go deeper than grades—they give us the chance to understand each child’s
learning style, social development, and the unique qualities that make them who they are.
Why Conferences Matter
For students, these conversations often lead to better grades, improved attitudes, and a stronger
love of learning. For parents, conferences provide valuable insights and practical advice they can
use at home. For teachers, they help us build stronger relationships and tailor instruction to meet
each child’s needs.
Our Goals
Every conference has three main goals:
Share important information about a child’s progress.
Strengthen the partnership between school and home.
Work together on strategies to support student learning both in the classroom and at
home.
At the heart of it all, parent-teacher conferences are about community. They remind us that when
schools and families work together, students feel supported, valued, and ready to grow. I
encourage you to come to your child’s conference with questions, ideas, and hopes you have for
your child for the year. Together, we can make a real difference in your child’s success.
What's the game plan?
During the JV match against Northern Valley, from left to right, Henzley Matthies (FR), Naomi Straub-Marquez (SR), Reagan Milne (JR), Elsa Foreman (FR), and Madisyn Hays (SO) came together after completing a play. Photo by: Yearbook staff Madison Siegfried (SR)
SEASON OPENER AT HOME
The Lady Indians Volleyball teams split their games when hosting Northern Valley and Cheylin on Friday, August 29th, 2025. Both teams beat Northern Valley and then lost both matches with Cheylin.
In action against Northern Valley, JV won 25-17 and 25-16, while Varsity won 25-9 and 26-24. With county rival, Cheylin, JV lost 11-25 and 13-25, and Varsity lost 19-25 and 20-25.
FFA had its annual banquet on April 28, 2025. Many awards and recognitions were given to high school students this year. The FFA announced its new officers for the coming year 2025-2026. The seniors also gave a “Thank you speech” regarding Mrs. Dietz as their FFA adviser.
During the 2024-2025 academic year, E-Communities (and other Kansas communities) have the opportunity to host local-level entrepreneurship competitions and submit their event to be part of the “Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Series”. Local entrepreneurship competitions must meet certain guidelines in order to qualify as part of the Series. The YEC series gives Kansas students hands-on experience thinking entrepreneurial. To learn more, watch this short video about YEC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUjsSbMt75k
At this years YEC hosted by SFCHS we had great success having many of our own be recognized.
Henzley Matthies and Hayden Hignst - $50 "Emerging Business"
Cristian Silvia - $100 "Perfect Pitch"
Kira Sichler - $100 "Farm to Table Excellence"
Kike Yanez - $150 "Innovating Marketing"
Cristian Slivia - $500 "2nd Place Overall"
These students put in countless hours into preparation and some of them will get a chance to compete at State as well.
2024 Northwest Kansas All League Volleyball Team
First Team
Avery Jensen
Second Team
Matilynn Smull
Delaney Myers
KVA All-State 2024 - Class 1A Division 1
Second Team
Avery Jensen OH/MH
2024 State All Tournament Team - Class 1A Division 1
Avery Jensen OH
November 25- 2024 - Congratulations to the St. Francis Indians football team ending the season with a winning record of 5-4. Special congratulations to the following players on making "All League Football" for the NWKL this year;
1st Team
Split End/TE Dayton Fromholtz
2nd Team
Quarterback Lucas Raile
Linebacker Ethan Graham
Defensive Back Layn Todd
Honorable Mentions
Running Back Layn Todd
Split End/TE Wyatt Klinzmann
Offensive Line Joel Gilliland
Linebacker Joel Gilliland
Defensive Back Wyatt Klinzmann