Ready to strike up the band and sing some fun songs this year is Stockton’s new band and vocal teacher, Laura Gayle Jameson. Laura went to school in Wichita until she was in fourth grade, then lived in a rural community west of Wichita before graduating in 1985 from Andale High School.

The number of Kansans applying for new concealed carry licenses increased in the recently ended 2021 fiscal year, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said August 5th. Between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, the attorney general’s Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received 7,717 new applications.

The Rooks County Commissioners met with Mark Lowry of Heritage Group Insurance on Tuesday, August 3rd to sign the special activity insurance policies for the upcoming Rooks County Free Fair. They also met with health nurse Lori Eichman, who noted that 40% of the County has received the COVID-19 vaccination. Eichman also presented the commissioners with Midcontinental Restoration for the exterior repairs to the health department building at a cost of $27,285.00, which excludes the cost of the steel repair portion. Eichman is getting quotes for that part of the project.

At the Stockton City Commission meeting held on Tuesday, August 3rd, the commissioners set the 2022 budget hearing for September 7th. They also approved the updated Resolution, which notes the time and place of the budget hearing. Also under Old Business, the commissioners approved the CCLIP project contract for the roadwork that has been approved as presented. The commissioners also approved the engineer contract with DMA Architects so the City can apply for CDBG grants for a new ambulance shed. Under New Business,

The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to begin work on a resurfacing project on 8 miles of U.S. 36 in Norton County on Aug.

The first day of breakfast and lunch will be Friday, August 20th. They are FREE to all Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 for the 2021-2022 school year.

The Rooks County Free Fair began Monday and there is plenty to see and do throughout the week! There is another evening of motorcycle races in the grandstand scheduled for Tuesday, August 10th. The Feature races will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Lindsay Cravens’ challenge as the new high school principal is to assure all of the teachers, parents, students and community that the school has a common goal—to produce well-rounded graduates by increasing rigor and the desire to learn. She also hopes to create more of an excitement for learning among the student body by generating enthusiasm for teaching among the staff, and by demonstrating to the students the reward for being academically active. Lindsay states that the school has the curriculum, they have the vision, and she knows how strong and talented her staff is. And so by putting this all in sync, they can accomplish this goal.

Janet Kuhlmann has worked for NCKSEC at Stockton High School for the past seventeen years, and will now take on a new role as the eighth-through twelfth-grade science teacher. Even though her role has changed at the school, she will continue to coach volleyball, track and sponsor STUCO.

With several new faces joining the Stockton school system this year, the Sentinel will be featuring the new teachers and administration in articles throughout the month of August to introduce them to the community. This week, we feature Janet Kuhlmann, the eighth- through twelfth-grade science teacher, and Lindsay Cravens, the new high school principal.