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Parents and teachers raise concerns about Okay Elementary and student readiness during public comments
Summary
Public comments at the Wichita Board of Education meeting urged the board to remove Okay Elementary from closure lists and to reconsider the district facility master plan; teachers also told the board that incoming kindergarten students are often not potty trained and arrive with limited language and self‑help skills.
Several public commentators used the board’s public comment period Wednesday to press elected members on school facility decisions and on student readiness and classroom supports.
Okay Elementary preservation request - Dave Fish and his wife, identified as lifelong supporters and neighborhood parents, asked the board to reopen discussions on the district’s facility master plan and urged taking Okay Elementary off any closure list. They cited the school’s 150‑year history, recent building investments recorded in district records and the school’s large site acreage per the Sedgwick County appraiser. - Fish told the board that public language around “rightsizing” and possible school closures is driving families away, which in turn can depress enrollment.
Teacher concerns about student readiness - Several teachers spoke in public comment about classroom realities. Savannah Goodpaster, a first‑grade teacher at Gammon Elementary, said many students arrive with limited language, are not toilet‑trained and require foundational life‑skills instruction that competes with time for core academics. She asked for more support and “a little bit more grace” for teachers doing this work. - United Teachers of Wichita representatives and other teacher speakers also raised preparation time challenges for a new elementary math series and recommended more mentoring and supports for newer and special education teachers.
How the board responded - Board members acknowledged the comments and district staff said they have been addressing class size and staffing questions; the board invited continued engagement and local visits to schools.
Ending: Public commenters asked for renewed attention to neighborhood schools and more supports for teachers facing significant nonacademic student needs; board members asked staff to keep engaging with communities and staff.
