Historical Society to explore early Kansas settlement

The McPherson County Historical Society will meet at 2 p.m. on Nov. 3 to learn about Etzanoa-the great settlement on the Kansas plains.

Located in southern Kansas lies the ancient settlement of Etzanoa, once home to the ancestral Wichita Native American people. The Spanish Conquistador Juan de Oñate led a party there in 1601 where he discovered a city that held 20,000 people making it one of the largest Native American cities in North America. Over time, the city was abandoned and its location became a mystery. In 2015, Wichita State University archaeologist Don Blakeslee began a field study in central and southern Kansas with the goal to re-discover the long-lost city. His efforts paid off and he found the location of Etzanoa near the present-day town of Arkansas City.

The McPherson County Historical Society will host Dr. Blakeslee as he tells of his research to find Etzanoa, what led him to the location to begin his excavations, what they have found so far, and what they hope to find in the future. As an added bonus Dr. Blakeslee encourages guests to bring any Native American artifacts they may have for identification.

All Historical Society programs are open to the public and are free of charge. The program will take place at the McPherson Museum & Arts Foundation. 

Police searching for shooting suspect

On Friday, October 12, 2018, at 6:44 pm, McPherson Police Department Officers responded to a residence in the 400 Block of Lynn’s Lane in McPherson, in reference to a report of a 23-year-old female having been shot with a firearm. When Officers arrived, the female told them she had been out walking and had been shot with a firearm, by an unknown male, at an undetermined location. McPherson Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded and provided medical assistance. EMS transported the female to Wichita, to receive further treatment for her injury, which was determined not to be life threatening. McPherson Police Department Officers and McPherson County Sheriff’s Deputies searched the area for the suspect, but did not locate a suspect. Further investigation continues by the McPherson Police Department’s Investigations Section.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the McPherson Police Department at (620) 245-1266 or McPherson County Crime Stoppers at (620) 241-1122. 

McPherson PD announces Prescription Drug Take Back event

On Saturday, October 27th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the McPherson Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 16th opportunity in 7 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to the McPherson Joint Law Enforcement Center at 1177 W. Woodside Street. (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last April Americans turned in 475 tons (949,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,842 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,600 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 15 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than 9.5 million pounds—more than 4,900 tons—of pills.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 27 Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website, or contact Captain Mark Brinck at the McPherson Police Department, by phone at (620) 245-1200. 

Railroad repairs close city streets

Union Pacific Railroad has announced the following road closures beginning next week in order to complete railroad crossing repairs in the City of McPherson. Repairs are expected to take 2 days per crossing. As always, the length of time is dependent on weather:

South Main Street will close on Monday, October 15th, to allow Union Pacific Railroad to complete repairs along the railroad tracks located south of Central Christian College. 

Following the Main Street completion, East Avenue A will close to allow Union Pacific Railroad to complete repairs along the railroad tracks located south of Wall Park. 

Following the Avenue A completion, South Maxwell St. will close to allow Union Pacific Railroad to complete repairs along the railroad tracks located east of Wall Park. 

Motorists are advised to drive cautiously, seek alternate routes and follow detours.   For more information, contact the Public Works - Engineering Department at 620.245.2545. 

McPherson College addresses teacher shortage

McPherson College is taking on the challenge of teacher shortages across the state by encouraging high school students to explore teaching as a profession and offering an incentive with a new program that reaches out to the best and brightest high school students.

McPherson College’s newest academic program offers a fast track to a master’s degree in education beginning this fall. The accelerated program for students interested in obtaining a Bachelors of Elementary Education and Masters of Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction can be completed in just four years. 

The accelerated education program includes all of the curriculum required for licensure in K-6 Elementary Education plus added endorsements of either ESOL or Special Education and advanced degree requirements for curriculum and instruction. The prescribed course schedule will allow students to finish in four years what in a traditional program would take five or more years to complete.

“The future of education in Kansas is focal to McPherson College,” President Michael Schneider said. “Students are being bombarded with reasons why not to teach. We wanted to provide a solution that encourages youth to pursue a career in education. There are many programs already that encourage non-traditional students to teach, we wanted to put our resources toward a program that encourages students to become the next generation of teachers.”

The accelerated program, not only allows graduates to enter the work force sooner and at a higher pay level, it also comes with significant cost savings. Students who complete the prescribed program in four years can expect an average savings of at least id="mce_marker"0,000 and could enter the profession at a four-step higher entry wage than teachers entering the profession with only a bachelor’s degree.

Details of the plan were announced to a group of 80 students from across the state who participated in a one-day workshop on campus called “EdChat.” The students participated in sessions led by teaching professionals that explored methods and latest trends in education.

“I love the idea of a day like this,” Jeff Hayes, assistant director of special education at the Central Kansas Cooperative in Education, said. “We have current teacher openings right now that we can’t fill and we need to be talking to high school students to reverse the trend of dropping enrollment in teacher programs.”

Hayes, who was a presenter at the workshop, said events like EdChat and programs like the accelerated master’s degree program should help get more students interested in teaching.

“What these students might not understand now is that teachers’ salaries are based on a schedule and having a master’s degree will put them several steps ahead of their colleagues from the start,” he said.

The accelerated program was created in part as a response to the teacher shortage in Kansas. Last year, the Kansas State Board of Education said the state’s teacher shortage needed to be more effectively addressed. This year, more than 450 teachers left the profession and more than 1,000 retired. The need for special education teachers is even more critical. This academic year nearly 575 licensure waivers were granted for positions that normally require teachers with certification in special education.

“We think a program, which allows students to graduate with an advanced degree in four years will appeal to number of students that might not have considered a career in the education field,” Dr. Shane Kirchner, associate professor and chair of the Education Department, said. “Bright, creative and qualified new teachers are crucial for the future of education in our state. We are excited to be educating the next generation of those teachers.”

Also concerning is the decreasing number of students enrolling in teacher education programs nationwide. A survey conducted by the National Education Association stated the number of students in teacher education programs is at an all-time low of 4.2 percent compared to nearly 10 percent in 2005.

Remi Beard, a senior from Rural Washburn in Topeka, is in a teacher program in high school and attended the EdChat workshop. “The accelerated program appealed to me,” she said. “I am intrigued; tt seems like a new approach for students interested in teaching. I was really excited about the EdChat day at McPherson College. It was so interesting to hear from teaching professionals. I filled a notebook with ideas to take back to my class.”

To learn more about the accelerated teacher-education program, contact the McPherson College Admissions Office at [email protected] or call (800) 365-7402.