Site Council gives parents an opportunity to know more about what is happening in the school and takes place every month on Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Their first meeting was Sept. 5.

The council consists of 35 people, including parents, Principal Martin Straub and senior StuCo President Peyton Thorell and senior Vice President Shyann Schumacher.

“I’ve been an administrator, now, 28 years,” Straub said. “It’s required by state law that Site Councils exist. Site Council is a way to hear about academics, athletics and fine arts. We added Student Council.”

Straub said this is the third year with students on the council, and they give parents a students perspective.

At the meeting, Straub gave a technology update, explained the summer improvements, talked about the fundraiser taking place on Nov. 3, the enrollment count and other topics from the beginning of school.

The fundraiser will be to raise money for new security systems at the school.

“It’s $75 a ticket,” Straub said. “You can sponsor a table for $500 with guests of yours. We’re trying to get secure entrances at all of our schools,

which would mean basically being able to buzz people in and out with an audio communication as well.”

Thorell and Schumacher updated parents on the Dillons rewards card program they are working to sign people up for, StuCo camp from July and the upcoming regional conference.

Other topics discussed include the Fort Hays Enrollment, which is down in out-of-state students, but up in in-state-students, the Athletic and Academic Booster Club and upcoming music events.

“It’s our way of being the eyes and ears of Marty,” Site Council member Joey Linn said. “Things we hear in the community, he needs to know about. On the opposite side of that, it’s important for us to go be good PR people for the high school, so we can tell people if we hear things that aren’t quite true, what the real story is and how our students are doing. I’ve enjoyed it every year I’ve been on it.”