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Students, teachers and university partners highlighted in Wichita Board meeting; Coleman project shows AI-classroom integration
Summary
Student board officers described leadership work and outreach plans; district and Wichita State were recognized for a national school–university partnership award, magnet schools won merit awards, and a Coleman Middle School project used a $25,000 grant to integrate AI with hydroponic 'grow towers'.
The March 9 Wichita Board of Education meeting featured student board presentations, district awards and a classroom-level demonstration of AI integrated with environmental magnet instruction.
Student board president Landon Hausch and other student officers summarized the student board’s three committees (community outreach, drug/mental-health prevention, and policy), a student-led winter leadership conference for about 250 students, and planned school visits and a river cleanup partnership with the mayor’s youth council. Landon told trustees the student board “represents 45,000 students” and described efforts to bring student voice into district policy and finance committees.
District recognitions: Holly Ingram and Wichita State representatives announced Wichita Public Schools and Wichita State University College of Education received the 2026 National Association of School University Partnerships Exemplary Partnership Award. Stacey Chestnut of East High School was named a national Exemplary Mentor Teacher; district magnet programs (Earhart Environmental, Mayberry Cultural Fine Arts, and Riverside Leadership) also earned national merit awards.
Classroom innovation: Caitlin Shonifer, the district AI specialist, presented a Coleman Middle School project funded by a $25,000 grant (Education 1st and AI by Coherents) using grow towers (hydroponics and artificial lighting). Shonifer described how teachers use a custom Copilot agent to align standards and lesson planning to the grow towers and how students collect plant data for curriculum connections.
Trustees and staff praised student presentations and the partnerships highlighted at the meeting; the board and superintendent thanked students and partners for their contributions to district programs.
