While there have been some obstacles along the way, USD 257’s esports program is up and running. Ben Prasko, the district’s technology director, and esports club sponsor Chris Belknap discussed the program at Tuesday evening’s…

A strong start lifted Iola Middle School’s eighth-graders to victory Thursday. The Mustangs roared ahead to a 14-3 after one quarter and didn’t look back in a 44-29 victory over Santa Fe Trail. The IMS…

Iola Middle School’s eighth-grade boys have taken their lumps on the hardwood the last two seasons. Heck, this year alone, they lost on last-second buzzer-beaters, and had other close matchups that went to the opposition.…

Iola Middle School has announced its honor rolls for the second quarter. Principal’s Honor Roll (4.0 GPA) Eighth grade Kyndal Bartlett, Autumn Carr, Kashyn Curry, Haidyn Desmarteau, Eliana Higginbotham, Piper Jordan, Tayven Kress, Robert McLaughlin,…

Iola middle and high school orchestra students presented their winter concert Wednesday evening at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. The orchestra is directed by Kaylin Klubek. The high school advanced orchestra, above, played a medley…

Iola Middle and High school band students achieved regional honors.  High school students were selected for the Southeast Kansas Music Educators Association Honor Band Clinic and performance Nov. 20 at Pittsburg State University. Students were…

Tim Blankenship, the 8th grade science teacher at Iola Middle School, went to Wyoming to hunt for fossils in 2003, with minimal success. A couple of weeks later, he returned to his farm in Chetopa,…

Iola’s middle and high school Career and Technical Education programs keep growing, with community-wide efforts to include businesses and organizations. Dana Daugharthy, CTE coordinator for USD 257, gave board members an update on the program…

Iola Middle School has announced its honor rolls for the first quarter. Principal’s Honor Roll (4.0 GPA) Eighth grade Autumn Carr, Kashyn Curry, Haidyn Desmarteau, Blayke Folk, Kinzley Fountain, Eliana Higginbotham, Jayna Ivy, Piper Jordan,…

Now, they call it a “media center.” It still looks like a library, but the large, open room in a centralized location at Iola Middle School bears little resemblance to the library where students checked…