Tuesday and Wednesday ( August 2-3 ) are enrollment days for elementary schools in Geary USD 475.

According to a schedule released by the District, the enrollment hours for the elementary schools are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

For the middle schools the hours are the same, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

For Junction City High School there will be walk-in enrollment on Thursday and Friday ( August 3-4 ). The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday.

The first day of classes for most students in the district will be Monday, August 15th, although returning 7th and 8th graders at the middle schools do not report for class until Tuesday, Aug. 16. All 6th grade and new 7th and 8th grade students report for class at the middle schools on August 15.

Monday August 15th there will be a half day of classes for elementary school students and a full day for high school students.

GEARY COUNTY – One person was injured in an accident just after 6 p.m. on Monday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Caurnest J. Herbert, 24, Mesquite, TX., was attempting to turn East onto Old U.S. 77 northbound in Junction City.

The driver lost control of the Jeep. It slid northeast across the westbound lanes of Old U.S. 77 road, struck the guardrail on the north side of the road.

The Jeep glanced off the guardrail to the southeast and struck the passenger side of a 2007 Chevy Tahoe driven by Stephanie Hawkins, 36, Camilla, GA., which was traveling westbound on Old U.S. 77 Road. 

Hawkins was transported to Geary Community Hospital.

Herbert was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Important dates for Geary USD 475:

• August 2nd:  New Teacher’s Breakfast at 7:00 am at the Convention Center by Marriott — 135 new teachers
• August 8th:  Teachers begin work
• August 12th:  Staff General Session; Years of Service Luncheon
• August 15th:  First Day of School
• August 18th:  Kindergarten First Day of School
• August 22nd:  Early Childhood First Day of School

All important dates for students and staff can be accessed on the District Calendars page:  USD 475 Calendar.

A discussion on a new high school was slated for the September Board of Education meeting, but it still managed to generate buzz at the August 1st meeting.

There are currently two different architects submitting proposals to the District for consideration toward building a new high school.

As it stands, Mr. Brungrandt, Board memeber, noted that the high school needs well over $13 million in improvements – to which William Clark, Director of Business Operations, agreed.

On August 18th, Clark will be touring Wichita Southeast’s new high school which was built at the cost of $65 million and designed by one of the architects offering prospects to USD 475.

Clark will also tour a school in Olathe designed by the other architect some time this month.

The schools toured range in construction price from $65 to $85 million.

Some board members expressed concern that the newly renovated Freshman Success Academy would go to waste – what would the building be used for if the proposed new high school encompassed grades 9 though 12?

Dr. Anwar Khoury, asked Dr. Witt and Clark to consider whether or not it would behoove the community and students to combine grades 9 through 12 under one building or to keep 9th grade separate?

The proposed new high school for USD 475 will be on the September Board meeting agenda.

Improvements to Eisenhower Elementary were proposed at today’s Geary USD 475 Board of Education meeting on Monday, August 1st.

Wiliam Clark, Director of Business Operations for USD 475, offered the Board three options for approval at the September Board meeting.

1. Build a gym with a stage and a FEMA shelter at the cost of $3 million
2. Build a cafeteria and a FEMA shelter at the cost of $2 million
3. Build a new cafeteria with a stage and FEMA shelter at the cost of $2.6 million

Clark said they are looking at “putting a new addition – a cafeteria or potentially a gym – right now, Eisenhower is using their current gym for a cafeteria, gym and auditorium. A future plan would call to add a structure like that and then to reinforce it as a FEMA shelter, because there is currently no FEMA shelter over at Eisenhower [elementary school].”

The first day of school in Geary USD 475 is Monday, August 15th.

Unlike previous years at Junction City High School where only new students and freshman attended class on the first day – this year, everyone will start school together.

Hugh Davis, Director of Communications for USD 475 explained how the first day of school would run.

“The first day of school for high-schoolers -9 through 12- will be from 8:30 am to 3:35 pm, in preparation for our 1 to 1; we have a lot of things we need to do for that [1 to 1] so we will have a full day on the 15th for all of our high-schoolers,” said Davis.

Elementary school students will attend school for a half day on August 15th.

In the middle schools, 6th graders and new student 7th and 8th graders will attend school for a half day on August 15th, and all middle school students will begin class for a full day on Tuesday, August 16th.

Summer improvements are underway at Junction City High School’s athletic facilities.

William Clark, Director of Business Operations for USD 475 said that some cosmetic improvements are happening at Al Simpler Stadium.

“We sand-blasted off the old paint and we’re expanding and putting new paint there, and we’re redoing some concrete work over there to make it more safe for patrons,” said Clark.

Shenk Gym, inside JCHS is also getting a facelift.

“We actually stripped the main floor all the way down and replaced some boards, got a brand new paint job,” said Clark.

The improvements at Shenk Gym have completed and the gym reopened for use on Monday, August 1st.

All of the facilities at Junction City High School will be ready for use before the start of this school year.

The fall sports meeting for JCHS students, parents and guardians is 6:00 pm at Junction City High School.

RILEY COUNTY – A Manhattan man was injured in an accident just after 10:30a.m. on Monday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Ford F 150 driven by Gilberto Rodriguez-Martinez, 33, Manhattan, was westbound on Kansas 18 seven miles northeast of Interstate 70.

A box of nails fell out of the truck.

Rodriguez-Martinez made a U-turn through the median and double backed to pickup the box of nails.

He parked the vehicle on inside shoulder of eastbound K18, exited the vehicle, crossed the median and proceeded to pick up nails which were thrown across the inside lane of westbound K18.

A 2003 Ford F150 driven by Jacob Worcester, 23, Manhattan, was westbound on K18. He did not realize Rodriguez-Martinez was in the roadway.

The driver side mirror of the pickup struck the Rodriguez-Martinez. And pulled off on the north shoulder of the road.

Rodriguez-Martinez was transported to Via Christi in Manhattan.

Worcester was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

DICKINSON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Dickinson County are investigating a child’s death in a car on Sunday evening.

Just after 6:15 p.m. deputies were notified of a child found not breathing in a vehicle at a rural residence in the 2800 Block of Lark Road, according to Dickinson County Sheriff Gareth Hoffman.

After an investigation, the child was identified as 18-month-old Olivia Ann Engstrom.

“The child and her siblings were playing outside and the parents were inside the home,” said Hoffman. “At some point the toddler got into the vehicle and the doors were shut.”

The National Weather Service indicated temperatures at that time on Sunday were in the upper 90s.

The child was not transported to a hospital.

Deputies conducted numerous interviews on Sunday evening.

“We are working on being extremely compassionate to the family,” said Hoffman.

“The siblings are very young.”

An autopsy will be conducted.

“Unless there is something we missed, the death will be considered a tragic accident,” said Hoffman.