FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tavis Desormiers Superintendent of Schools
tdesormiers@usd115.org
Carol Kuckelman, Clerk of the Board
ckuckelman@usd115.org
Nemaha Central Schools
318 Main
Seneca, Kansas 66538-1924
785/336-6101 (business telephone)
785/336-2268 (business fax)
Nemaha Central Elementary and Middle School
110 North 11th
Seneca, Kansas 66538-1736
785/336-2173 (business phone)
785/336-2174 (business fax)
Nemaha Central High School
214 North 11th
Seneca, Kansas 66538-1798
785/336-3557 (business phone)
785/336-3672 (business fax)
Marshall-Nemaha County Special Education Cooperative
316 Main
Seneca, Kansas 66538-1924
785/336-2181 (business phone)
785/336-2181 (business fax)
DISTRICT OVERVIEW
THE DISTRICT
The Nemaha Central School District makes up 225 square miles in Nemaha County. Please see the home page for links to each of the individual buildings’ web pages. The other communities that are served by USD #115 Nemaha Central include Baileyville, Kelly, Seneca, St. Benedict, and Oneida. The total student population is around 600 between the two buildings and including our Pre-School Program.
Seneca, with almost 2,500 people, is located in northeast Kansas on highway 36, a little over one hour north of Topeka by car. Seneca has a healthy business, professional, and financial community along with the county courthouse, a new community hospital, a newly renovated public library, and several state and federal governmental offices. A beautiful 18 hole golf course and an aquatic center. Numerous farming operations and dairies are found in the area as well as light manufacturing and construction trades.
Nemaha Central Elementary and Middle School is home to a Pre-K-5 facility and a 6-8 addition, housing over 380 students. The new building was occupied in the fall of 2009 to make the building educationally modern. The building has been named a National School Of Character. Nemaha Central High School was built in the early 1970's and houses over 200 students, making it a 3A classification high school for grades 9-12. The building has a graduation rate that is over 95% most years and currently has a 70% Effective Rate from KSDE for the last five years.
Athletically, NCMS and NCHS both are members of the Big Seven League.
THE PEOPLE
One distinguishing characteristic of the Nemaha Central School District is the enthusiastic support for young people and education. It is a common site to see the schools filled to capacity with patrons for an evening activity.
A dedicated staff of over 150 persons strives daily to meet the needs of the students. This staff number includes special education teachers and paraprofessionals located in one other districts as U.S.D. 115 is the sponsor for the Marshall Nemaha Special Services Cooperative.
The communities and staff support of children are evidenced by low absenteeism and dropout rates. Acts of violence are rare between students and almost unheard of in connection with staff. Persons come and go from early morning to late evening in the school buildings without the worry of personal safety. Suspension remains an infrequent exception as discipline problems do not disrupt the learning of the students.
The graduation rate is well above the state average and some years is 100% of the senior class. Over the years, somewhere between 75% to 85% of the graduates have gone on to further education or training. The majority of the students furthering their education have done so at four-year colleges with the remainder pursuing more skilled, technical training at community and technical schools.
This desire to achieve educationally is reflected at all grade levels as Nemaha Central students annually score above the state and national averages on standardized tests. The district was fully accreditated by KSDE in 2019.
THE PROGRAMS
The following programs demonstrate that the Nemaha Central Schools believe in providing educational opportunities for all students:
Reading Recovery
Title I reading and math
Full-time special education services, including early childhood
Summer school
After school tutoring
Full time elementary and secondary counselors
School nursing services
Social Worker
Approved vocational programs
Access to the Internet
1:1 technology with K-8 students having iPads and HS students having MacBook Air laptops
All buildings have access to fiber-optic internet access
Active school improvement and curriculum development plan
Strong activities and athletic programs with numerous state qualifying teams and champions