Administration, Superintendent/District

Emporia Public Schools to Continue Cost Containment Discussions

Emporia, KS - Emporia Public Schools hosted the second meeting of its Cost Containment
Team on Tuesday evening, continuing discussions focused on district operations, enrollment,
staffing, and financial planning. The meeting was opened by Dr. David McGehee,
Superintendent, who welcomed committee members and provided an overview of the agenda.

During the meeting, the team reviewed updates from the first meeting in three key areas. Mr.
Josh Swartz, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Business/Operations, presented an overview
of the district’s revenue sources and compared revenue trends to overall expenses. Dr. Ryan
Karjala, Director of Assessments & Accountability, and Ms. Sheryl Leeds, Interim Assistant
Superintendent of Teaching, Learning, and Student Services discussed student enrollment
data, including the number of students gained and lost, current class size standards, and
PreK–12 class sizes and section counts. Dr. Erica Mickelson, Director of Human Resources,
provided a review of staffing levels by classification over the past five years.

After the large-group presentations, team members broke into smaller subteams to further
explore cost containment strategies. Each subteam focused on three key outcomes: developing
a shared understanding of key hopes and concerns, identifying data-based patterns and
resulting questions, and determining areas for further exploration to achieve potential cost
savings. “The Gap”, the distance between the team member’s concerns and their aspirations
related to budget challenges and operational efficiencies, was discussed. Participants reflected
on questions such as: What concerns you most about the future? What makes it easy or hard to
close the gap between concerns and aspirations? What are your greatest aspirations for the
district?

The small groups then conducted a Data Review and Discussion using current data, including
staffing ratios, class size data, enrollment trends, and budget and resource information. During
the discussion, participants considered the following questions:

● I Confirm? - Does this appear efficient and effective?
● I Question? - Do I need more information to understand this?
● Causes Concern? - Are there possible inefficiencies, duplications, or misalignments?                                ● I have a cost-saving idea. - What ideas do you have that the Administrative team can
explore to save resources?

Finally, each subteam reported out their findings and recommendations, recording their
suggestions on chart paper. These included areas the committee recommends exploring further
as potential opportunities to save money while maintaining efficiency and effectiveness across
the district.

The Cost Containment Team will meet again on Wednesday, November 19, at 5:00 p.m. to
continue work that will help determine potential cost containment strategies for Emporia Public
Schools.

Emporia Public Schools Hosts First Cost Containment Team Meeting

Emporia, Kansas, Emporia Public Schools held the first meeting of its Cost Containment Team on
Tuesday evening to begin reviewing district data and exploring strategies to maximize resources while
maintaining high-quality educational experiences for all students.

Dr. David McGehee, Superintendent, opened the meeting with an overview of the team’s purpose and
structure. The Cost Containment Team will meet regularly over the coming months to examine key district
trends, discuss opportunities for efficiencies, and develop recommendations to share with district
leadership and the Board of Education.

During the first meeting, Ms. Sheryl Leeds, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning and
Student Services, presented a detailed review of enrollment trends over time, highlighting major
community events that have influenced enrollment as well as declining birth rates in both Kansas and
Emporia. The presentation also noted that the September 20th headcount has gradually declined in
recent years, reflecting changes in student enrollment patterns across the district.

Dr. Erica Mickelson, Director of Human Resources, shared information about how enrollment compares to
district staffing levels, providing a breakdown by academic level and by building. Her presentation helped
the team better understand how staffing aligns with current enrollment and where adjustments might be
needed in the future.

Mr. Lyndel Landgren, Director of Communication and Marketing, provided a review of the 2019 Bond
Issue, outlining past investments in district facilities and learning environments. Mr. Josh Swartz, Interim
Assistant Superintendent of Business/Operations, followed with an overview of district funding as it
relates to enrollment, explaining how revenue and expenses align and providing a breakdown of costs by
category to illustrate the district’s overall financial picture.

Throughout the meeting, team members reflected on the information presented and shared insights about
how these trends and data points connect to the district’s long-term planning. The USD 253
Administration Team will address any questions or additional information needed between meetings.

The meeting concluded with remarks from Dr. McGehee, who thanked the group for their participation and
emphasized the importance of collaborative problem-solving as the Cost Containment Team continues its
work in the months ahead.

Trust As A Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

Emporia Public Schools Staff,

When we think of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in our profession, what typically comes to mind?  Of course, your thoughts quickly go to things like Graduation Rates, State Assessment Levels, Safety Records, Social and Emotional Measures, Parent Involvement, and Student Behavior.  But what if we began to also consider TRUST as a KPI and gave it the same focus we do these other, more common, measures?  

We know that trust is something that is built over time, incrementally, decision after decision, and action after action.  I truly believe trust is fostered through the act of “doing what you say”.  Your actions and behaviors must match what is coming from your mouth…so to speak.  There is a saying that an ounce of mistrust is worth an ocean full of trust.  What is meant by this saying is that it only takes one instance of violating one’s trust to undo years of earning it.  

And trust in an organization can have such an amazingly positive impact on the work we do and the success we achieve.  When we tell the “whole truth and nothing but the truth,” people learn that they can trust what you are telling them; they grow to trust you with their truth in return.  This is the only way we can ever have the open two-way communication that is necessary for us to create a culture of continuous improvement.  To continuously improve, we have to expose it all, the good and the bad.  No one expects us to be perfect, but what they should be able to expect is to know our successes and our failures; our strengths and our challenges.  Only then will they be there when we need them to help us overcome whatever we are facing.  

There is a lot of talk about the work of the Cost Containment Team these days.  What I want you to trust about this team’s work is that it is transparent and open.  Each of the 80 members will have an equal opportunity to help shape the course of action that will lead to financial sustainability for our school district.  I could have sat in my office at MHEC and come up with ways to save money, things to eliminate, opportunities for greater efficiency, but THAT would not have been a process focused on trust, or one that ensures the best solutions.  

Instead, we are involving representatives of those impacted by the decisions, like I said I would on that first day at our Convocation.  When I ultimately make recommendations to the Board of Education about how to reduce our anticipated expenditures by more than $2M, I want that to be the result of a process that built trust, a process that resulted from a variety of opinions, and for it to be a list of recommendations that have been prioritized by a diverse set of district stakeholders.  

Our declining enrollment and its impact on our state revenues is something that cannot be ignored.  Of course, not all of the recommendations that come out of the process will be popular with everyone.  But, I do hope that the process we use and the way we go about the implementation of any recommendations coming from the team will result incrementally in developing the trusting culture that will be necessary for USD 253 to be the very best district it can be.  Everything we do should have this Key Performance Indicator of trust at the forefront. 

Below is a link that opens the file related to the Cost Containment Team’s work.  Here you can see everything the members of the team are seeing during their meetings.  I encourage you to spend some time perusing the data, looking at the meeting slides, and staying familiar with the process as it moves toward recommendations in early 2026.  Thank you for all that you do for the students of USD 253. You can trust that your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated!

Dr. David McGehee

Superintendent, Emporia Public Schools

Use this link to access the Public Cost Containment Team Meeting Folder

Welcome Back Staff

Emporia Public Schools Staff,

The first day of a new school year is almost here!  What an opportunity it presents, as we welcome back our students and come together with our colleagues to make it a rewarding experience for everyone.  Whether you are a teacher, custodian, counselor, bus driver, administrator, or work in nutrition services, or any of the multitude of other roles in the district, you are part of something special.  To take part in preparing and shaping young minds, ensuring they have all the knowledge and skills needed to be successful at whatever they choose; THAT is a privilege we all share and a responsibility we can never take lightly.

The good news is that we have each other to depend upon for support and collaboration while taking on this commitment to our students and community.  Although new to the district this year, I have already witnessed the quality of our team of educators and support staff.  Together, we can accomplish so much this year, tackle any challenge, and do it with the confidence of knowing that we have a family of caring individuals by our side that we can rely on when things get tough.  There is one thing about which I am sure: I can’t do my job without the help of each of you.  

Our work is hard, but it is also very rewarding.  You are making a difference, and that does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.  As we begin to engage with one another and our students, I encourage you to think about the power of choosing a positive attitude every day.  Positivity is contagious, and the more we exhibit it, the more we receive in return.  I too, have to remind myself on those inevitably tough days, to smile and remember why we do what we do.  I hope that you will do the same, and if you catch me forgetting, don’t be afraid to say, “Smile, it’s going to be ok”. 

People often ask me, “Are you ready for school to start?”.  My response is always something along the lines of ready or not, here they come.  I know each of you has been hard at work making sure we are ready.  So while I still feel like I have so much to learn about Emporia Public Schools before I am ready, I know WE are ready because you have my back and I have yours.  Let’s make this the best year of school our students have ever had.  Whether it is their first year of Kindergarten, their senior year, or any year in between, they only get one chance.  It is up to us to make it count.  Thank you for the privilege of working alongside you in our mission to Engage, Empower, and Inspire!  I look forward to seeing you tomorrow at Convocation.  Have a great school year!

Sincerely,

Dr. David McGehee

Superintendent, Emporia Public Schools