Goddard Education Foundation -

It takes a village... and our village is the best.

Behind every great student is a dedicated team of teachers, drivers, custodians, and support staff. They are more than just employees; they are the heart of the #265Family.

Is there someone who has made a difference in your life or your child’s life this year? Whether they provide a safe ride to school or a word of encouragement in the hallway, we want to hear about it!

Nominate them for the #265Family Award today. A few minutes of your time could lead to a $100 surprise for a well-deserving staff member!

Let’s celebrate them! Nominate your hero for the #265Family Award. It’s a quick way to say "thank you" and gives them a chance to win a $100 cash prize!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsMNl3z277aZNiN859FaFgJAPZq79zwU47Oi1uH8pqqESvPg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=112499309207359684117

Who is your #265Family Hero?

Our staff members are the heartbeat of our district. From the classroom to the cafeteria, and from the bus loop to the front office, they make the magic happen every single day!

Do you know a staff member who:

• ✨ Sparks a passion for learning?

• 🤝 Offers a helping hand when it's needed most?

• 💛 Makes every student feel seen and valued?

• 🚀 Goes the extra mile (and then some)?
  
  Don’t wait—nominations close April 3rd! Click below to nominate a #265Family hero!
  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsMNl3z277aZNiN859FaFgJAPZq79zwU47Oi1uH8pqqESvPg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=112499309207359684117
  

With six years of specialized experience and the unique perspective of a parent navigating the world of disabilities, Shanda Miller, an Oak Street Elementary Special Education Teacher, brings a rare blend of professional expertise and personal heart to Goddard Public Schools. Through an Innovative Teacher Grant, the Goddard Education Foundation is partnering with Ms. Miller to transform the school’s approach to inclusion.

This grant not only provides new and improved sensory tools for Oak Street's Sensory Room but a sensory support system that includes sensory pouches that every teacher can access right in their classrooms. “This approach enhances inclusivity by making sensory regulation tools accessible in both dedicated spaces and everyday classrooms,” Ms. Miller explains.

By empowering teachers with immediate-response tools, Ms. Miller’s mission to help support all students’ sensory needs is just the beginning. She hopes this project helps improve students’ self-regulation, attention, and engagement and will in turn reduce behavioral disruptions while increasing on-task learning. “Empowering teachers with portable tools fosters timely intervention, leading to a more inclusive learning environment that benefits academic performance and social-emotional growth for all students,” shares Ms. Miller.

Through this grant, Ms. Miller is ensuring that at Oak Street, inclusion isn’t just a word; it’s a tangible portable reality for every learner. “This is just the beginning,” Ms. Miller promises.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the GEF for their generous funding and to Ms. Miller for her dedication to creating a truly inclusive environment. This grant is a game-changer for our students, and we can’t wait to see the success it brings to every classroom.

The Final Click: Bridging the Gap from Classroom to Career

At Eisenhower High School, the Graphic Design lab is more than just a classroom, it’s a professional production shop. Led by Kristin Salazar, a 2022 Kansas Teacher of the Year Finalist and dedicated Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher, the CTE Program thrives on providing real-world application. Mrs. Salazar received a Goddard Education Foundation Innovative Teacher Grant, providing her students another “tool” in their portfolios. Students are now able to see their vinyl projects, including banners, posters, signs, and door clings, through to the very end. With the addition of a grommet machine and finishing supplies, students are gaining the rare experience of professionally mounting, securing, and displaying their own works of art.

The impact of this grant is best seen through the work of senior Abi Carman. Tasked with creating a perforated door graphic for the USD 265 Tech Department, Abi didn’t just create the design; she stepped into the role of professional consultant to oversee the installation. From researching “tech” themes to navigating the back-and-forth communication with the USD 265 Tech department, Abi oversaw the project from the sketch board to final installation.

“This project helped me gain communication skills and taught me how to work with professionals to reach a final product,” Abi shares.

By bringing the finishing process in-house, students like Abi now experience the full lifecycle of their work, seeing their designs live permanently on USD 265 grounds rather than just on a computer screen.

The project also unlocked a unique mentorship opportunity with Officer Pulver, a USD 265 district police officer who brought his “pre-police” expertise from years of working in a professional sign shop into the classroom. Pulver has been a welcome mentor in Mrs. Salazar’s classroom, helping bridge the gap between classroom design and industry operations.

“Working with Mrs. Salazar's class has been incredible! Being a school resource officer is all about connections and problem solving, “says Officer Pulver. “Not only am I making connections and building rapport, I'm also able to train the students with transferable job skills.”

The results of this Innovative Grant are already empowering USD 265 students. By eliminating the need to outsource finishing work, students are able to practice a level of professionalism as they produce industry standard products for EHS sports, events, and USD 265 grounds. Ultimately, this grant ensures that as Mrs. Salazar’s program grows, every student walks away with the confidence that their work isn’t just to complete a school grade, it is providing a real-life industry experience.

“There’s nothing like seeing a student start a job timidly and finish brimming with well-earned confidence,” says Officer Pulver. “I particularly enjoy when students step back and have their ‘I made that’ moment.”

Thank you to the generous benefactors who GIVE to the GEF and help provide opportunities for students just like those in Mrs. Salazar’s class. Your support and belief in the power of hands-on innovation empowers students to dream big creatively and graduate with real-world skills. Thank you for helping us turn “classroom projects” into professional achievements.

Finding Their Calm, Roaring with Confidence
The Lion’s Toolbox at Clark Davidson Elementary

At Clark Davidson Elementary, students are learning that big feelings are not something to fear, they are something to understand.

Thanks to a Goddard Education Foundation Teacher Grant, school social worker Corrina Crabb has transformed a simple idea into a powerful resource for students. What began as an idea to create a regulation station, has become something much more. Today, it is known by students and staff as The Lion’s Toolbox, a welcoming de-escalation space where students can “find their calm and roar with confidence.”

Walk into the room and you immediately feel the intention behind it. Soft seating. Sensory tiles that glow with movement under small feet. A carefully organized wall of tools, from body socks and weighted lap pads to fidget boxes and desk pedals. A friendly lion greets students from the wall, reminding them that strength is not about volume, it is about control.

But the power of the Lion’s Toolbox is not just in the tools. It is in the process.

When students enter the room, they begin by identifying their current emotional zone. Are they feeling overwhelmed? Frustrated? Sleepy? Restless? Naming the feeling is the first step toward managing it.

From there, students choose a tool designed specifically for what they need in that moment. A student who feels hyper may choose a calming sensory activity. A student who feels sluggish may choose a more active regulation strategy. An eight minute timer gives them structured time to reset. When the timer ends, students reflect on how the tool helped and complete a brief evaluation sheet before returning to class.

If a particular strategy proves especially effective, Corrina can help replicate it in the classroom. Small tools that support regulation can travel with students, reinforcing independence and self awareness beyond the Lion’s Toolbox walls.

Corrina knew that creating a space like this required thoughtful planning. After receiving the grant, she collaborated with Martha Mann, occupational therapist for Goddard Public Schools, and Tori Elliott, speech pathologist. Together, they developed a structured system to maximize impact and ensure consistency for both students and staff.

Research supports what they are already seeing in practice. Sensory based interventions and structured regulation spaces reduce classroom disruptions, increase on task behavior, and strengthen emotional control. The Regulation Station proposal highlights that up to one in four elementary students experience difficulty regulating emotions that impact learning. Providing proactive support helps prevent behaviors before they escalate.

For Clark Davidson Elementary, this means fewer reactive moments and more intentional support.

It also means greater staff confidence. In the past, when a student became dysregulated, options were limited. With limited space, oftentimes a staff member’s office served as the only alternative space for intervention. Now, any trained staff member can guide a student to the Lion’s Toolbox and follow a consistent, schoolwide process. The space was built intentionally to support teachers, paraprofessionals, and ultimately every student in the building.

The impact extends even further. Students who demonstrate growth in self regulation can earn time in the room as an incentive. Staff training videos are being developed so that the Lion’s Toolbox model remains purposeful, specific, and sustainable at Clark Davidson Elementary. Data will be reviewed to measure success, evaluate student growth, and guide future investments in the space.

At its heart, this is about more than calming down. It is about teaching students how to recognize emotions, practice coping strategies, and return to learning with confidence. It is about building lifelong skills that strengthen academic engagement, peer relationships, and emotional well being.

Because when students learn how to regulate, they do not just manage the moment, they ROAR!

Save the Date: A Night in Oz with the GEF!

Mark your calendars for March 28, 2026!

The GEF is bringing the Land of Oz to Goddard, and you’re invited to be part of the magic. We are embarking on a journey to support our #265Family, and we need your "heart, brains, and courage" to make it a success.

Impact: Supporting 6,400 Goddard students.
Availability: Only 300 total tickets are being sold.
Options: Individual tickets or Table Sponsorships (10 seats).
How you can help: We are currently seeking community partners and in-kind donations for our event Live Auction and Game Prizes. If your business would like to sponsor a specific portion of the evening or if you wish to make a direct charitable donation to the GEF, please reach out. Every contribution directly fuels the dreams of our Goddard students. Please contact Dane Baxa at danebaxa@goddardusd.com with questions or donation opportunities.

There’s no place like our community, and with your support, every student can feel the warmth and encouragement they deserve.

Click Below to Purchase Tickets & Tables
https://secure.qgiv.com/event/oz2026/

THANK YOU, Goddard Public Schools Maintenance Team!

While most of the community was staying warm inside, this incredible maintenance team was outside doing the hard work that makes a safe return to school possible.

On Sunday, January 25th, and again early Monday morning, January 26th, the USD 265 Facilities, Maintenance & Operations staff were out across the district clearing snow from parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, and entrances, ensuring school buildings are safe and accessible for students, staff, and families.

These moments from Clark Davidson Elementary School, Discovery Intermediate School, and Challenger Intermediate School are a snapshot of the pride, grit, and dedication behind the scenes. Snow storms do not stop this team from showing up, problem solving, and taking care of our schools.

Their work may happen before sunrise and behind the scenes, but its impact is felt by every student and staff member who walks through our doors. Thank you for going above and beyond for our #265Family!