Fort Larned USD 495

Two big events are happening tonight for incoming students and families! Join us at Larned Middle School from 5:00–6:00 PM for 6th Grade Transition Night—tour the building, meet staff, ask questions, and grab a hot dog before you head out. Then head across the street to Larned High School at 6:30 PM for Freshman and New Student Orientation. You'll get to check out clubs, meet teachers, and get a feel for what life at LHS is all about. We can’t wait to see you! #larnedpride

📅 Here’s what’s going on this week at USD 495! Students return Tuesday, but we’re kicking things off Monday night with 6th Grade Transition Night and Freshman/New Student Orientation. Then on Tuesday, it’s Kindergarten Readiness Night at LES! We’ve got a full week ahead—be sure to check the calendar and come out to support when you can! #larnedpride 🧡🖤 https://secure.smore.com/n/pv26w

Monday, April 21 is an inservice day for staff, which means no school for students. We’ll be ready to see you back Tuesday! #larnedpride

🚒 Touch a Truck is back! 🚜 Join us Monday, May 5 from 6:00–7:30 PM at Larned Elementary School for this fun family event! It’s open to all PK–5th grade students and their families. We’ll have trucks to explore, food trucks, shaved ice, face painting by the LHS cheerleaders, and tons of summer resources for families! #larnedpride #lesfamily #bettertogether

Speaking of TGIF… 🎉 Congratulations to Jami Dryden, 3rd grade teacher at LES, on receiving a Teach, Grow, and Inspire the Future (TGIF) grant through Credit Union of America! She plans to use the funding to purchase classroom organization tools and supplies to support small group learning. Way to go, Jami! 🧡🖤 #larnedpride #lesfamily #bettertogether

📣 Mark your calendars—April 21 and 22 are big days for our families! 👟 6th Grade Transition Night 📅 Monday, April 21 | 🕔 5–6 PM | 📍 LMS Gym This night is just for current 5th grade students and their families! You’ll tour the building, meet the staff, ask questions, and grab a hot dog before you go. 🎓 Freshmen & New Student Orientation 📅 Monday, April 21 | 🕡 6:30 PM | 📍 LHS Gym Incoming 9th graders and new students at LHS are invited to tour the high school, explore clubs and activities, and get all your questions answered. 🍎 Kindergarten Informational Night 📅 Tuesday, April 22 | 🕠 5:30–6:30 PM | 📍 LES This is a great chance to meet our Kindergarten teachers and staff, take a tour, and get all the info you need before your little one starts school! We can’t wait to welcome your family to USD 495! #larnedpride

A big thank you to the Larned Police Department and Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office for being such a great part of last night’s field events. We’re so thankful for their continued partnership and the many ways they support our schools and students—on the field and beyond! #larnedpride #bettertogether

📞 Making a #goodnewscallhome is the best part of the day! #larnedpride #lesfamily

The local Kappa Psi sorority is hosting its annual Someone You Love Dance tomorrow, Friday, April 18 at Larned Elementary School. This special event is open to all school-aged girls, who are invited to bring a parent, grandparent, sibling, or friend for a memorable evening of fun and dancing.​ Tickets are $20 per couple, with an additional $5 for each extra child. You can purchase tickets online at Ticketleap or pay cash at the door.​ https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/larned-kappa-psi/someone-you-love-dance-2025-641167427 All proceeds benefit a Larned High School senior through the Kappa Psi Torch Award scholarship. #larnedpride #bettertogether

USD 495 families: If your household needs hygiene or personal care items, we’re able to help. The Together We Care Closet is supported by our district counselors and social workers, and it’s easy to access. Just visit www.usd495.com and click the heart icon labeled “Care Closet Request Form” on the floating menu—or find it in the main menu of the Ft. Larned mobile app. All requests are confidential and filled based on current inventory.

The Board Brief from the April 14 USD 495 Board of Education meeting is now available! Check it out here: https://5il.co/3dr83 🎉 Congratulations to Flora Morgan from LES, our District Staff Member of the Month! And a big thank you to Country Seasons Flower Shoppe for the beautiful bouquet to help us celebrate her! 👏 Thanks to the Kindergarteners from Mrs. Dicks and Miss Fairchild’s classes for leading the Pledge, and to Zoiey Garcia and Clara Shaver from the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council for introducing the LHS band—who brought home three “1” ratings from State! 💡 Jessie Pleasant presented this month’s Board Spotlight, sharing highlights from the Board’s experience at the National School Boards Association conference. ✅ Also in this month’s meeting: staff additions, new math curriculum adoption, and the Board’s approval to continue the SRO program. #larnedpride #bettertogether

The front entrance of the Tri-County office is currently unavailable. If you need assistance or need to access the office, please call us at (620) 285-3119, and a staff member will meet you outside. Employees and staff may use the back entrance to enter the building. Thank you for your patience and understanding. #larnedpride

Tonight’s more than just a track meet… It’s a chance to celebrate something special. The Larned High School football field has been named a Distinguished Single Field Facility by the American Sports Builders Association—a national award recognizing excellence in design and construction. But this honor belongs to more than just the builders. It belongs to all of you. To every family, alum, and business that gave so generously to make this facility a reality—thank you. Your names are etched across this space, in bricks, in signs, and in the memories being made here every day. You’ve helped create something lasting, something our students and community can be proud of for years to come. We’re especially grateful for our: Gold Sponsors: My Favorite Furnishings, Haynes Electric, Ward Feed Yard, H&H Roofing, Brad & Jeanine Haynes Silver Sponsors: Jim Vratil & Family, Frank & Althea Vratil, Clock Realty & Insurance, Country Living, Bill & Janet Fleske, Eakin Enterprises, Ike Shaver Plumbing, Golden Belt Telephone, Smith Dental, Farmers Bank & Trust, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Bronze Sponsors: Nearly 100 individuals, families, and classes whose engraved bricks line the walkway beneath our beloved Indian statue. And a special thank you is owed to our Athletic Facility Fundraising Committee: Carissa Shaver, Lindsey & Brady Keith, Jenny & Ben Ramsey, Catherine Seeman, Julie Smith, and Buddy Tabler for the time, heart, and effort they poured into this project. We are proud to call this home. Come out at 3:00 PM to cheer on our athletes and take in what you helped build. It’s going to be a great evening on the track and a great night for #larnedpride.

Just a reminder: There's no school tomorrow, Friday, April 18! Enjoy the long weekend and we’ll see you back Tuesday! #larnedpride

FHSU Art Day was a great one! Mrs. Pontius and our students took part in workshops, showed off their artwork, and jumped into the sidewalk chalk contest. They came home with several art awards and lots of laughs! A special shoutout to Leah Pinkston, who was awarded 1 of just 7 scholarships given out—out of 72 schools! #larnedpride

Are you an incoming freshman or new to LHS? Join us Monday, April 21 at 6:30 PM in the LHS gym! You’ll get to tour the building, explore clubs and extracurriculars, and ask any questions you have. We can’t wait to welcome you to LHS!

What a day for the future of officiating in Kansas! Kyle Leroy from LHS hosted the first-ever Kansas Rules & Officiating Student Conference—and we couldn’t be more proud of how it turned out. Students from nine high schools across the state came together for a full day of learning, connecting, and hearing from some of the best in the business. We kicked things off with Scott Goodheart, Director of Officials for KSHSAA, followed by a panel Q&A with commissioners: • Mark Goodheart (CKL & CPL) • Justin Seuser (KJCCC/KCAC – Men’s Basketball) • Gary Pauls (KJCCC – Women’s Basketball) • Craig Helser (KJCCC – Football) • Terry Savoy (WAC – All Athletics) Students had the chance to hear from full-time officials who are from Kansas themselves—proof that even if you're from a small town, you can do BIG things: • Stuart Schake (Big 12 Football – via Zoom) • Kaden Tichenor (MLB Minor League Baseball – via Zoom) • Quincy Smith (NBA G-League – in person!) Breakout sessions followed for various sports with Brad Schmitt, Jim Vopat, Terry Savoy, Mark Brack, Ron Haag, Fran Martin, and Jennifer Fitzpatrick. We also welcomed intramural coordinators from FHSU (Ron Haag), WSU (Trent Koehler), and KSU (Quincy Smith), and wrapped up with a Q&A from coaches Danton Hilton, Chad Erway, and Lonnie Paramore. Before lunch—graciously hosted by Jon Shaver’s referee crew (Jon Shaver, Ty Racette, Mike Myrick, Steve Webster, and Mike Marzolf)—Kyle Leroy shared tips for students interested in officiating after graduation, including writing to ADs, attending camps, and finding a mentor. His goal was simple: give students access to knowledge, real-life stories, and personal connections to help them take the next step in becoming an official. And by the end of the day—we think that goal was absolutely met. Special thanks to our sponsors: Al Wells – Advanced Pest Control, Curtis Mitchell – MBC Construction, Mark Goodheart, Clock Realty, Shane Stimatze Memorial, Precision Referee, ILS Farms, and Sonic of Larned. #larnedpride #bettertogether

Wow - our Book Blast is off to a great start! Congratulations to Ryelyn for winning our first drawing prize: the Epic Treasure Chest! Our quest to level up our readers has never been so much fun! We’re blasting through our adventure to earn as many books as possible for our students. Register now and invite 10+ contacts to be entered into the drawings for our remaining Treasure Chests! Reminder - this money goes towards students earning the books on the treasure maps that were sent home. Any additional money goes towards the classmates. #booksarefun #bookraiser #bookblastadventures #epictreasurechest #treasure @go.booksarefun

🎨 Calling all artists in Pawnee county ! Kans for Kids is hosting a T-Shirt Design Contest—entries are due by May 14! The winning design will be announced June 5. Submit your design and help raise awareness for childhood cancer. Full details on how to enter are in the image! #larnedpride #bettertogether

We’re proud to host 6th Grade Transition Night this year at LMS! 🗓️ Monday, April 21 from 5:00–6:00 PM 📍 LMS Gym Families of current 5th graders—come check out what middle school is all about! You’ll get to meet the teachers, take a tour, hear about electives and clubs, and ask questions. We’ll cover what’s new and different from LES... then wrap it all up with a hot dog meal! Families will be finished in time to attend Freshman Orientation across the street at LHS, if you’ve got an incoming 9th grader too. #larnedpride