USD 343
Perry-Lecompton
As the academic year draws to a close, USD 343 announces the retirement of veteran elementary educator Todd Gish. Wrapping up an exemplary 33-year teaching career, Mr. Gish concludes his service leaving behind a lasting legacy of warmth, exceptional dedication, and humor within our community.
Mr. Gish’s journey in public education began in 1994. He has spent the vast majority of his career as a first-grade teacher, shaping the foundational learning years of hundreds of children. Before joining the USD 343 family five years ago, he served for 28 years at USD 338 Valley Falls, establishing deep roots and a stellar reputation in neighboring communities.
Reflecting on the evolution of education since his first year in the classroom, Mr. Gish noted that the physical and social landscape has changed significantly. In 1994, classroom technology centered around Apple IIc computers utilizing floppy discs, and school calendars regularly featured full-scale assemblies with storytellers, magicians, and cultural performers—experiences that have since faded due to widespread funding constraints. Furthermore, while the joyful, energetic nature of children remains a constant, Mr. Gish highlighted a heartbreaking rise in students experiencing complex social-emotional needs over the course of his 33 years in the classroom.
Despite these shifting tides, Mr. Gish maintained an unwavering love for his craft, characterized by his notoriously high classroom cleanliness standards and an unforgettable sense of humor. He fondly recalls a classic playground hazard from Valley Falls involving wood chips being tracked into the room, which once led to a memorable instance where a particularly deceptive "wood chip" turned out to be a small piece of disguised waste—a story shared with good humor that highlights the unpredictable and lively reality of first-grade teaching.
Five years ago, feeling somewhat worn out and apprehensive about pulling up stakes after nearly three decades in one district, Mr. Gish made the transition to USD 343. It proved to be a decision that completely re-ignited his passion for teaching. He credits Mr. Lamb for providing seamless support during the transition, alongside his exceptional team teachers, Annie Wade (his mentor) and Grace O’Trimble, upon whom he leaned heavily and to whom he extends his profound gratitude.
In a farewell message to his colleagues and the Perry-Lecompton community, Mr. Gish shared:
"I've been 'Mr. Gish!' for well over 30 years to hundreds and hundreds of children and not having that a part of my day will be a huge change... I truly want to thank all of you for re-igniting my love for teaching. Again, thank you all for your acceptance and welcoming nature. I've added many new friends and memories here and I look forward to catching up with you all in the future."
While Mr. Gish admits he will deeply miss the daily banter and funny stories shared with his colleagues before and after school, he plans to occasionally substitute teach to maintain his routine connection with classroom life.
Retirement will bring a welcome change of pace for Mr. Gish, who plans to maximize his time outdoors. An avid outdoorsman, his immediate plans include backpacking, hunting, and fly fishing during the week when environmental conditions are most favorable, rather than waiting for weekends. He also looks forward to practicing the guitar, playing music with friends, and tackling a vast collection of books waiting on his shelves.
Beyond his personal hobbies, Mr. Gish is eager to travel, reconnect with old friends and relatives, and spend precious time supporting his two daughters, mirroring the parental guidance he received in his youth. He will also keep busy with home improvement projects, doing updating work on his own residence in Valley Falls as well as his wife Anja's home in Lawrence.
Mr. Gish shares this milestone with his beloved family: Wife & Best Friend: Anja Woolverton; Daughters: Sydney and Addison Gish; Step-children: George, Josh, Abigail, Anne, and Francesca Woolverton; Extended Family: Kelly Bonner (Sister), Jeremy Gish (Brother), Dan Gish (Father), Elaine Huscher (Mother), David Huscher (Step-father), and Jeannie Gish (Step-mother).
USD 343 extends its deepest gratitude to Todd Gish for his exceptional service, his inspiring collegiality, and the profound impact he has made on our students. We wish him a long, healthy, and adventure-filled retirement!
Mr. Gish’s journey in public education began in 1994. He has spent the vast majority of his career as a first-grade teacher, shaping the foundational learning years of hundreds of children. Before joining the USD 343 family five years ago, he served for 28 years at USD 338 Valley Falls, establishing deep roots and a stellar reputation in neighboring communities.
Reflecting on the evolution of education since his first year in the classroom, Mr. Gish noted that the physical and social landscape has changed significantly. In 1994, classroom technology centered around Apple IIc computers utilizing floppy discs, and school calendars regularly featured full-scale assemblies with storytellers, magicians, and cultural performers—experiences that have since faded due to widespread funding constraints. Furthermore, while the joyful, energetic nature of children remains a constant, Mr. Gish highlighted a heartbreaking rise in students experiencing complex social-emotional needs over the course of his 33 years in the classroom.
Despite these shifting tides, Mr. Gish maintained an unwavering love for his craft, characterized by his notoriously high classroom cleanliness standards and an unforgettable sense of humor. He fondly recalls a classic playground hazard from Valley Falls involving wood chips being tracked into the room, which once led to a memorable instance where a particularly deceptive "wood chip" turned out to be a small piece of disguised waste—a story shared with good humor that highlights the unpredictable and lively reality of first-grade teaching.
Five years ago, feeling somewhat worn out and apprehensive about pulling up stakes after nearly three decades in one district, Mr. Gish made the transition to USD 343. It proved to be a decision that completely re-ignited his passion for teaching. He credits Mr. Lamb for providing seamless support during the transition, alongside his exceptional team teachers, Annie Wade (his mentor) and Grace O’Trimble, upon whom he leaned heavily and to whom he extends his profound gratitude.
In a farewell message to his colleagues and the Perry-Lecompton community, Mr. Gish shared:
"I've been 'Mr. Gish!' for well over 30 years to hundreds and hundreds of children and not having that a part of my day will be a huge change... I truly want to thank all of you for re-igniting my love for teaching. Again, thank you all for your acceptance and welcoming nature. I've added many new friends and memories here and I look forward to catching up with you all in the future."
While Mr. Gish admits he will deeply miss the daily banter and funny stories shared with his colleagues before and after school, he plans to occasionally substitute teach to maintain his routine connection with classroom life.
Retirement will bring a welcome change of pace for Mr. Gish, who plans to maximize his time outdoors. An avid outdoorsman, his immediate plans include backpacking, hunting, and fly fishing during the week when environmental conditions are most favorable, rather than waiting for weekends. He also looks forward to practicing the guitar, playing music with friends, and tackling a vast collection of books waiting on his shelves.
Beyond his personal hobbies, Mr. Gish is eager to travel, reconnect with old friends and relatives, and spend precious time supporting his two daughters, mirroring the parental guidance he received in his youth. He will also keep busy with home improvement projects, doing updating work on his own residence in Valley Falls as well as his wife Anja's home in Lawrence.
Mr. Gish shares this milestone with his beloved family: Wife & Best Friend: Anja Woolverton; Daughters: Sydney and Addison Gish; Step-children: George, Josh, Abigail, Anne, and Francesca Woolverton; Extended Family: Kelly Bonner (Sister), Jeremy Gish (Brother), Dan Gish (Father), Elaine Huscher (Mother), David Huscher (Step-father), and Jeannie Gish (Step-mother).
USD 343 extends its deepest gratitude to Todd Gish for his exceptional service, his inspiring collegiality, and the profound impact he has made on our students. We wish him a long, healthy, and adventure-filled retirement!
Congratulations to our fourth and final Washburn Tech Apprentice, Kadyn Hoffman. Kadyn has served at the ECC for the past two years.
The Pre-K 4 classes are ready for kindergarten after today! The kids did a great job singing songs and then getting their end of the year awards. We are very proud of them! 🎓💙
After today the Pre-K 4 class is ready for Kindergarten! At graduation the kids sang songs and then received their end of the year awards. We are very proud of them! 💙
Today at the ECC we celebrated Ms. Penny (speech para), Ms. Andrea (speech pathologist), and Ms. Jody (PK3 para). We are sad they are leaving us, but excited for this next phase of their lives-RETIREMENT! Thank you for your dedication to our students! We will miss you!! 💙
Congratulations to our Washburn Tech Apprentices! Carsyn Perkins, Claire Koster and Kaydence Long are a tremendous help to our program at the ECC!
Mrs. Jewell (PK4) and Ms. Sarina (PK3) learned a lot at the HighScope conference! We’d like to thank district leadership for valuing Early Childhood education, Ms. Lisa for encouraging us to go, and our co-workers for taking care of things while we were gone! 💙
Our School District will be celebrating Kansas Fitness day this week!! We will have a field day for 5/6 grade and all LES students!
USD 343 and the ALICE Training® Institute have teamed up to bring ALICE Instructor Certification Training to Perry-Lecompton. The course will be held at PLHS on July 30 and 31st.
This two-day instructor course teaches proactive response option survival strategies for violent critical incidents
ensuring a trauma-informed approach to civilian active threat response training. The age and ability appropriate training and robust resources make it the best training in the market to bring to our community. The goal of the ALICE program is to empower individuals to participate in their own survival in the gap between when a violent situation begins and when law enforcement arrives.
ALICE Training is a solution of Navigate360 and is a valuable course for everyone: law enforcement, schools, universities, hospitals, businesses, and places of worship. Completing the ALICE Instructor Certification course provides individuals with certification in ALICE proactive options-based responses, preparing them to take those same strategies back to their organization and community. Additionally, registrants will gain access to exclusive ALICE resources and ongoing support. The price of the training is $749, and registration can be completed online at: https://web.cvent.com/event/b184b3d2-90d0-4fad-a223-aab3c396ca74/summary?RefId=social
ALICE is aligned with recommendations from the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Education, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and many State government agencies.
About ALICE Training
ALICE Training is the original proactive options-based response program that prepares civilians with life skills to increase survivability in the face of violence. ALICE addresses the fallacies of a one-size-fits-all response plan by explaining the truths and realities of Violent Critical Incidents. The reality is that extremely tragic outcomes in these events can be mitigated and are very much survivable. Through training and empowerment, citizens can apply the ALICE proactive response options and improve their chances of survival in any environment where they are confronted by an active shooter or violent intruder. ALICE strategies are taught with a trauma-informed approach and recommended by many Federal and State official guidelines. For More Information about ALICE Training Institute, Contact us at press@alicetraining.com.
This two-day instructor course teaches proactive response option survival strategies for violent critical incidents
ensuring a trauma-informed approach to civilian active threat response training. The age and ability appropriate training and robust resources make it the best training in the market to bring to our community. The goal of the ALICE program is to empower individuals to participate in their own survival in the gap between when a violent situation begins and when law enforcement arrives.
ALICE Training is a solution of Navigate360 and is a valuable course for everyone: law enforcement, schools, universities, hospitals, businesses, and places of worship. Completing the ALICE Instructor Certification course provides individuals with certification in ALICE proactive options-based responses, preparing them to take those same strategies back to their organization and community. Additionally, registrants will gain access to exclusive ALICE resources and ongoing support. The price of the training is $749, and registration can be completed online at: https://web.cvent.com/event/b184b3d2-90d0-4fad-a223-aab3c396ca74/summary?RefId=social
ALICE is aligned with recommendations from the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Education, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and many State government agencies.
About ALICE Training
ALICE Training is the original proactive options-based response program that prepares civilians with life skills to increase survivability in the face of violence. ALICE addresses the fallacies of a one-size-fits-all response plan by explaining the truths and realities of Violent Critical Incidents. The reality is that extremely tragic outcomes in these events can be mitigated and are very much survivable. Through training and empowerment, citizens can apply the ALICE proactive response options and improve their chances of survival in any environment where they are confronted by an active shooter or violent intruder. ALICE strategies are taught with a trauma-informed approach and recommended by many Federal and State official guidelines. For More Information about ALICE Training Institute, Contact us at press@alicetraining.com.
Thank you Ms. Lisa for all you do for your staff and the students at the Early Childhood Center! We love you! Happy Principals Day!!
For students having physicals on May 1st or May 15th after school hours:
Leaving and returning? Enter through the Middle School doors.
Staying after school? Wait by the Middle School office.
Arrival: Please arrive 10–15 minutes early for paperwork and vitals
Location: Physicals will be held in the wrestling building. I will get students there.
I can't believe it, but May is almost here. The end of the year is flying by. It has been a pleasure taking care of all your children this school year. This summer, I will do my best to check my work phone and email, but may not be every day. So, if you reach out it may take a few days to get back to you, but I will! -Nurse Jacki
As we close out Every Kid Healthy Week, tonight is a night for Family engagement!
Every Kid Healthy Week continues. Today’s focus is vital: Vaping and Nicotine Prevention. Take a moment to educate your children and offer a safe space for them to ask for help if they're struggling to quit
We love our Ms. Ronda! Happy administrative assistant day! Thank you for all you do! 💙
It's Physical Activity day of Every Kid Healthy Week: Get out there and do something fun!
Midwest Muscle and Joint continues to be a proud supporter of USD 343! They are offering free physicals again this year for incoming 7-12th graders participating in KSHSAA activities, but with a new, more convenient setup. To help families avoid the summer scramble and transportation hurdles, physicals will be held during school hours (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM) on May 1st and May 15th.
Please sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AAFAF29A7FFC52-63669617-physicals
It's Tasty Tuesday of Every Kid Healthy Week!
Thank you to all who came to support our surrounding hospitals during our blood drive on 4/16/26! We have met our goal for the year which was 50. We collected 66 units this year. Special Thanks to my Seniors Josie Boyden and Tilly Johnson for all your assistance this year.
It is Mindfulness Monday in our Every Kid Healthy Week!
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Take a look at the you tube video to find out what Mindfulness truly is and a way to practice it.
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Take a look at the you tube video to find out what Mindfulness truly is and a way to practice it.
