ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The USD 480 Central Office will see a new yet familiar face when it comes to dealing with federal programs.
Kendra Haskell was recently appointed as the new Director of Federal Programs for the district after having worked in multiple buildings throughout her time with USD 480.
“I grew up in Liberal for most of my childhood and graduated from Liberal High School in 1997. When my family was given the opportunity to return and work for the school district, I knew it would be a great place to teach, lead, and watch my own children grow,” Haskell said. “I first began my career in USD 480 as an instructional coach at McKinley Elementary School in 2011. Then, I moved to Garfield Elementary School, where I served as principal for four years. When Prairie View Elementary School was built, I had the privilege of moving to the new building as principal in 2016, which is where I’ve been since.”
Haskell said it was earlier this year when her interest was piqued in being in such a position.
“When the federal programs position was first opened and posted for the school district, I was very grateful to see this position return since it has been a need in USD 480 for the past several years,” Haskell said. “With the high number of students who are English language learners, we needed someone to lead the program district-wide, ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, monitor funding, and provide cohesive instruction to our PreK-12 students. I am thankful the Board of Education recognized the need for a leader in this area, and they were willing to take the steps to open the position for the Director of Federal Programs. Then, in the spring semester, when the position for the federal programs position opened, I took the opportunity to look into the qualifications and job responsibilities of the new district role. With my knowledge, experience, certification and background with ESOL and the Dual Language program in our district, I thought the federal programs role might be a new opportunity to continue growing as a leader and to have a greater impact in our schools and community. I am passionate about our community, parents, students, and educators. I applied for the job knowing that I absolutely loved my school and my current position as principal at Prairie View Elementary School, but if the new federal programs position was the next step for me, God would open the right doors in my career path. After interviewing for the position, I was offered the job, and I accepted without hesitation.”
Haskell added it was the excitement from new Superintendent Dane Richardson that finalized her interest in the role.
“The final catalyst for taking this position was meeting the new superintendent, Mr. Richardson. He took time to attend a meeting with the principals where he shared his vision and leadership style,” Haskell said. “When he quoted Colossians 3:23, and shared that he believed in servant leadership, I knew immediately he would be a leader I could easily follow and work alongside. His wisdom, experience, knowledge, and educational leadership was visible and outstanding from the first administration meeting he attended in the spring. Knowing Mr. Richardson would be leading our district and overseeing the new position, made the decision to apply for and accept the new position very easy for me.”
Haskell said her new role will certainly keep her busy.
“I will be working closely with our ESOL department this year to ensure we are in compliance with all state and federal regulations. We will work together to strengthen our ESOL instruction and programs throughout the district,” Haskell said. “I will also be overseeing the staff at the Newcomers Center as they help with most of the mandatory documentation and assist the families new to Liberal. I will also be working very closely with our business office to complete and monitor all of our federal funding applications and programs including the Migrant, Homeless, Title funds, and grants.”
And some of that busyness has already started, Haskell said.
“I have been working with consultants who are helping me learn the new documents, reports, and requirements for ESOL and federal compliance. There are many new things I have learned in just the past three weeks,” Haskell said. “In addition to organizing and leading USD 480 enrollment this year, I have also been working with Kansas colleges to create a path for our certified teachers to become ESOL endorsed this year. I am excited to offer this option of additional certification to our staff. I have also been working with our Business Department to learn more about the funding codes, requirements, and reports I will be responsible for this year. With the current changes and delays in federal funding, I have attended several Zoom meetings with KSDE and I am working diligently to keep up with information and changes as they are shared.”
And, Haskell added, that will not be all.
“I have several long term goals to accomplish in this position. First, I would like to strengthen the ESOL program by creating a systematic PreK-12 process for teachers and students in Liberal,” Haskell said. “I would love to see our number of teachers with an ESOL endorsement increase and our students to become more proficient in reading, writing, speaking and listening according to their KELPA scores. I am also looking forward to working with our Dual Language program in the district so it can grow and have continued success. In working with Maria Martinez, our program Coordinator, we also have new ideas and future goals for the migrant program in our district. I am looking forward to working with our district leaders, business office, building administrators, and staff to maximize our funding, strengthen ESOL instruction, and overall serve our students and community. With the current changes at the federal level, I anticipate there will be a need for constant learning, researching, and updating this year. Communicating any changes and updates with district leaders, staff, and the community will be important.”
And while she is excited for her new role, Haskell said there is also a little sadness leaving Prairie View Elementary School.
“I am going to miss my Prairie View family of staff and students. The school staff at Prairie View is such a strong team. During the past nine years of building and growing our school, we became like family members. We helped each other through the best days and the really challenging times,” Haskell said. “In building our school together and creating a positive school culture, we knew each other well and functioned together as a strong community. While I will still get to visit and see the staff on occasion, I will miss working with my Prairie View staff daily. I will also miss the students – greeting them each morning in the main hallway as they entered the day was my favorite part of the day, and it was a great way to connect with the students while starting their day with a smile, high five, hug, encouraging words and some upbeat music. Being a part of their instructional day, the fun school activities, and getting to know each student and their story has been a blessing. I will most definitely miss seeing the students and making those connections on a daily basis. With my new job, I am excited that I can have a greater impact in a new and different way beyond my building, but what I will miss most is seeing the staff and students daily who have been such a big piece of my heart the past nine years.”
Overall, Haskell said, she is excited to get to work.
“I am excited about the opportunity to work with the district leaders in USD 480. Mr. Richardson is an outstanding leader with passion, vision, and extensive educational knowledge, and he has built a strong district leadership team,” Haskell said. “I am looking forward to learning more each day and growing as a leader myself this year. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the district cabinet to serve our school district and community this school year.”
