Month: February 2022

KCK schools name two new district officials

A new associate superintendent of human resources and a new chief operations officer have been hired at the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools.

According to an announcement from the district, Samrie Devin will be the new associate superintendent of human resources, starting March 14. Steve Lilly, currently the superintendent of the McLouth Public Schools, will be the new chief operations officer, started in July for the 2022-2023 school year.

Samrie Devin

Devin currently is the executive director of human resources for Lawrence Public Schools, and also has experience as a teacher and principal. She will oversee all human resources systems.

According to a spokesman, in her current role, Devin created efficiencies in staffing, designed and engaged an onboarding process for all employee groups, organized highly attended recruitment fairs and facilitated problem-solving work groups to meet district goals.

“I am extremely honored, humbled, and excited to have been selected to serve the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools community as associate superintendent of human resources. I look forward to meeting the KCKPS community, emphasizing retention and recruitment, and providing exemplary customer service while focusing on student success,” Devin said in a statement.

She holds a Master of Science degree in educational leadership from Kansas State University, a Master of Arts in elementary education from MidAmerica Nazarene University, and a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education.

In her current role, she created efficiencies in staffing, designed and engaged an onboarding process for all employee groups, organized highly attended recruitment fairs, and facilitated problem-solving work groups to meet district goals.

“I am extremely honored, humbled, and excited to have been selected to serve the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools community as Associate Superintendent of Human Resources. I look forward to meeting the KCKPS community, emphasizing retention and recruitment, and providing exemplary customer service while focusing on student success,” said Devin.

She holds a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership from Kansas State University, a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from MidAmerica Nazarene University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education.

Steve Lilly

Lilly, the superintendent for the McLouth school district, has served for the past eight years. Prior to his role as superintendent, he gained valuable experience as a principal, assistant principal, teacher and coach. In addition, he worked in the KCKPS district previously.

According to a spokesman, Lilly brings a passion for continuous learning and shared that many of his fondest professional memories have taken place in KCKPS.

“I am excited and eagerly anticipating the opportunity to be a part of the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools system. I am thrilled to get back to the district where both my father and myself were fortunate enough to start our educational careers, it certainly feels like I am coming home. I am looking forward to reaching out to staff and community members,” Lilly said in a statement.

He holds certifications in district level leadership from Wichita State University, building level leadership from Newman University, a Master of Science from Pittsburgh University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Kansas State University.

“I am pleased to have Samrie Devin and Steve Lilly join our executive team. Their combined experience and leadership will be a valuable asset to operations and creating a culture that improves employee engagement and productivity, which supports our overall goal towards student achievement,” Dr. Anna Stubblefield, superintendent, said in the news release.

  • Information from Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools

Kansas House completes override of Gov. Kelly’s veto of congressional redistricting map

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — The Kansas House ratified action of their brethren in the Kansas Senate to complete Wednesday an override of Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the congressional redistricting map designed by the Republican legislators to undercut viability of Democratic candidates.

The GOP-controlled House cobbled together by 85-37 margin for a two-thirds majority necessary to thwart the governor’s veto of the map known as Ad Astra 2.

The Senate initiated the override process Monday, but fell short of votes. On reconsideration Tuesday, Senate leadership produced a 27-11 margin to deflect Kelly’s objections to a map splitting the 3rd District held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids.

It would move Wyandotte County Democrats into the 2nd District and transfer the moderate stronghold of Lawrence from the 2nd District to the 1st District.

The fundamental idea is to weaken Davids sufficiently for a GOP nominee to prevail, but not alter the balance of power in the two nearby districts enough to matter.

“Ad Astra 2 is a good map,” said Rep. Chris Croft, an Overland Park Republican and chair of the House’s redistricting committee.

Initially, the GOP struggled to deliver the minimum 83 votes required by the constitution. There was a “call of the House,” in which the doors were locked and nine absent representatives were summoned to the floor. The missing included six Republicans and three Democrats.

Rep. Tom Burroughs, D-Kansas City, Kansas, said the congressional map placing Wyandotte County north of Interstate 70 into the 2nd District held by Republican U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner shattered a majority minority community.

By one count, the move would deposit half the Hispanic population and one-third of Black residents in Wyandotte County into the agrarian 1st District stretching beyond the Capitol in Topeka, the Flint Hills of central Kansas to the feedlots of Garden City about 380 miles away. The heavily Republican Big First is represented by GOP U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann.

“When you divide communities of color, you take away a voice,” Burroughs said. “The subliminal message is your voices don’t matter. Your very existence and contribution to the community and to the state process don’t matter.”

He also said it was his hope the judicial branch eventually finds the state’s congressional map unconstitutional.

The Legislature also is responsible for crafting new maps for the 125-member House and 40-member Senate as well as boundaries of the 10 Kansas State Board of Education districts.

In 2012, conflict over the maps in the Legislature led to drawing of the boundaries by a three-judge panel in U.S. District Court.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
See more at https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/09/kansas-house-completes-override-of-gov-kellys-veto-of-congressional-redistricting-map/

Valentines for Veterans program continues here

Rep. Sharice Davids delivered Valentines in 2019, the first year of her Valentines for Vets program. (Submitted photo)

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., is continuing her Valentines for Vets program this week in the 3rd District.

Her office is collecting and distributing Valentine’s Day cards to veterans and caregivers in the 3rd District, for the fourth annual event.

Residents may mail Valentine’s cards to Rep. Davids’ office in Kansas City or may email a card message to [email protected] through Saturday, Feb. 12.

Rep. Davids then will deliver the submitted cards to Kansas veterans and caregivers.

“For the past four years, the Valentines for Vets program has offered a way for us to show our appreciation for those who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe. I hope many of our neighbors here in Kansas will choose to participate again this year, as I know our office looks forward to delivering these handwritten messages of gratitude to veterans and their families in the Kansas Third,” Rep. Davids said.

In previous years, Kansans have crafted hundreds of handwritten messages for local veterans as part of Davids’ Valentines for Vets program.

Cards may be mailed to:

Office of Representative Sharice Davids
753 State Ave.
Suite 460
Kansas City, KS 66101

Or email a card message to: [email protected]

For additional information on the Valentines for Veterans program, call Davids’ office at 913- 766-3993.  

Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., delivered Valentines in 2021 to the Kansas City VA. (Submitted photo)