The official first day of school for USD 253 Emporia is Wednesday.
As we’re sure you are aware, it takes a lot of preparation to get the school year off to a great start and not just for administrators. The Emporia community has also continued to step up and support students through several localized efforts, including the annual school supply drive organized by First United Methodist Church.
USD 253 Superintendent Dr. David McGehee, on KVOE’s regular USD 253 Showcase program Tuesday, praised the church and other organizations for their efforts in recent weeks, saying he hasn’t “Been anywhere” where he has seen anything like it.
McGehee’s comments came during the #EmporiaProud segment, during which time he also highlighted the RecXtra program overseen by the Emporia Recreation Commission, which made its return to the district last year. McGehee says the program will return to all of the district’s elementary schools again and he is very excited after the tone they set last year, jumping back into operations on extremely short notice following the premature end to the district’s partnership with the Boys and Girls Club.
According to a recent update from Emporia Rec Director Amanda Gutierrez, RecXtra was a rousing success in its first-year return, bringing in roughly $60,000 with just over $48,000 in total expenses. Gutierrez did note that expenses will likely go up in the coming year, noting the Boys and Girls Club did leave a lot of supplies with the district when it left, meaning less money had to be spent on certain items.
However, given the natural wear and tear of most things, Gutierrez says they will likely need to replace more equipment and materials this year, although she does not anticipate it will lead to an extreme financial hit.
Again, classes officially begin districtwide Wednesday. If you have questions or need any information, contact the district by visiting USD253.org or by calling 620-341-2200.
