Manhattan Catholic Schools on the GMCF Community Hour Show Episode - 309

We talk with Melissa Solden and incoming principal Jared Taylor about what makes Manhattan Catholic Schools feel joyful, mission-driven, and deeply connected to the wider Manhattan community. We also run through the biggest events and simple next steps for families and supporters who want to tour, enroll, donate, or volunteer.
• Jared Taylor’s path from English teacher to incoming principal
• Discernment, faith, and choosing Catholic education after public schools
• Why Manhattan feels like a big small town
• The 38th annual golf tournament and what it funds
• The annual auction date and why it matters
• Second graders partnering with 4-H on a community garden
• Celebrating 10-year and 25-year staff milestones
• Pre-enrollment, school tours, and how enrollment works

Manhattan Catholicschools.org. Sign up, do whatever, learn, tour, engage, yes, support. 
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Transcript

Sponsor And Community Hour Context

0:00

Philanthropy Today is brought to you by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. In this episode, we feature a recently broadcast segment of the GMCF Community Hour, as heard on News Radio KMAN. We are back with the GMCF Community Hour here on News Radio KMAN. One of the great uh uh community aspects that we have here in our town is Manhattan Catholic Schools. She is no stranger to

Joyful Leadership At Manhattan Catholic

0:29

the program. Her name is Melissa Solden. She is the advancement director. Hello, my friend. Good morning. Welcome back. Thank you for having us today. How do you get so joyful? What is it that brings you so much joy every time I see you and every time everybody sees you? I think it's the opportunity to just wake up every morning. The sun is shining. It's always a great day, the zest of a new day.

Jared Taylor’s Path To Principal

1:00

We have also joining us for the first time on the program a new dude. A new dude. Yeah, our new dude. Jared Taylor, you are the new principal of Manhattan Catholic Schools. Yes, sir. So give us the uh 30, maybe 60 second elevator speech on Jared Taylor and how this all came about for you. Okay. Well, yeah, I've been uh an English teacher for 13 years. Obtained my administrative degree uh two or three years ago, and actually waiting and had waited for an opportunity like this within a Catholic school environment. I was. Uh-huh. Yes. I was an educator in public schools uh northeast Kansas around the Topeka area and uh south of Wamigo. And so, yeah, so this position came open and uh really excited about the opportunity. Um and this is this is kind of what I've wanted to do for several years, Dave. Really? Yes. You know, that's one of the things I think that there's a certain calling to be working, you know, giving your experience and being able to find an opportunity to utilize your experience and blend that with your faith. Absolutely. Um I've had some great experiences in the educational world and and building relationships with those students, uh, but have always felt kind of drawn to the Catholic education. Um I started, wow, in the late 90s, date myself there a little bit as uh in the Catholic school. You're you're a pup. In the in the Catholic school environment, and now I have the opportunity to finish my educational career there, and I am super excited about the opportunity uh to get to building relationships with those kids, the staff, and the Catholic community in in general. I I'm just I'm blessed. That's that's the way I would put it. I am extremely blessed to be here. What was this application process like for you?

Discernment And Family Life

3:01

So it w there was a little bit of discernment there. I'll be honest with you. I was very, very happy uh where I was at. And um the opportunity came. I kind of shrugged it off at first. I'll be honest with you, I did. And then um I I came back around to that. And I thought, you know what, I'm just gonna put in the application. You know, I I I'm gonna go for it. And uh here I am and and blessed to be here. Absolutely blessed to be here. But uh yeah, so that that that contentment, that happiness that I had in public education, uh, and it was a hard decision, you know. Really for me it was. I absolutely loved where I was at, but I look forward to making a difference over here in this community as well. Family? Yes. So uh actually today I've been married to my bride for 30 years. Congratulations. Wow. Yeah, yeah. What a way to celebrate. Talking about her on the radio. Yeah um yeah, I have four wonderful kids, um, two daughters, two sons. Our baby of the family just graduated high school. So my wife and I will be going through the proverbial empty nest, right? And so uh we're looking forward to doing some things like that together, you know. Um but no, they're doing great. I'm a grandpa, and uh that's new. Yeah, yeah. You're not old enough to be a grandpa. Oh, yes, sir, I am. And uh I got 20 plus years on you, and I'm not gonna be able to do that. It changes you though. It does. It changes you for the good. Keeping my fingers crossed. But uh no, just extremely happy to be a part of this community, Dave. Um I I I've kind of told some of my uh my administrator where I left that uh this I got to chase my dream job. And this has been it for me for several

Why Manhattan Feels Like Home

4:51

years. What about Manhattan and less specifically about Manhattan Catholic schools? But let's talk about Manhattan. What attracted you to come here? Okay, so my wife and I were actually we're both K-State grads. Uh met up here at K while attending Kansas State. Uh we were married going into our junior year, so we were married pretty young. So Michelle and I got to exper it's different to experience the community as a student. And then when the students are gone, you know, and you're still here and you're part of that community, you get to know the greater Manhattan community a little bit better. Um fell in love with Manhattan. Uh we always kind of half-jokingly said, Boy, if there's ever a way we could get back to where we met, we're gonna do it. And and and we're there, you know. And so the community of Manhattan, um, we love it. We absolutely love the community of Manhattan. It's uh it's a big small town for us, you know. And uh that that same vibe, for lack of a better word, of being when we were on campus, kind of a small community within a larger, I think that extends out outside of the campus as well. And uh we're just happy to be back. It's kind of come full circle for us. When did you start? So uh we were we started at Kansas State in 1993. I'm I'm I I'm sorry, let me when did you start with Manhattan Catholic School? Uh I actually start July 1, so I haven't officially yet. You're not even on the pavement. No, sir. No, sir. Are they at least taking you to breakfast after this? Oh, I hope so. Yeah. Okay. All right, Melissa, get out your expense card. Awesome. Well, congratulations on the job. Thanks. And uh we're looking forward to having you and you said Michelle. Yes. All right. It's part of the community and part of Manhattan Catholic Schools. Dave, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Yeah. Melissa, it sounds like you got a good one again. Yes. Yeah. At the school, yes, we we do. And we also, uh Mr. Hubka, who is uh current principal, he'll be staying on board as well as a teacher there. So we'll have a good there. So Okay.

Golf Tournament And Auction Fundraisers

7:03

Well, let's talk about some of the other things that are happening with Manhattan Catholic schools because you know you have fundraisers. Yes. You got one that's gonna be coming up and it involves golf clubs. Golf clubs. I would imagine your husband is probably gonna appreciate. I understand he has a set of clubs. He yeah, I think so. How many? Uh that's been kind of a funny uh during summertime. He'll get those out and actually non-Mahat Catholic school really actually Catholic school really, because we like to showcase our students there. Yeah. Um, and so if you follow along on our social media, there's some really cute videos about what would you put in your bag? Well, what would my son Bobby put in his bag? And it is a homemade golf club that ever made. So yeah, so we have our golf tournament. It's our 38th annual 38th. 38th coming up next Friday, June 12th. So we can take a few more teams. If there's somebody out there that says next Friday, June 12th, I am looking to play some golf, come join us out at Stag Hill Golf Course. Contact me, Melissa Solden. Um you can find it on our website, Manhattan Catholicschools.org. Um, but we'll be teeing off there. Uh, and that's yeah, that's been just a really rich tradition of a golf tournament. I was looking at the 10 day forecast, it's gonna be nice. It's gonna we'll get through. Yeah, and the grass is gonna be really good too. Yeah, yeah. With all this rain that we've been having, it's just gonna be the course looks good from what I saw when I drove by the other day. Chad does such a great job out there. Yeah, he does. Excited to work with him. Okay. So that's one of them. And then we also then in October um we'll be getting ready to announce the theme because every year that is such a delight of getting to share what that will be. Um, and so this year our annual auction will be October 16th. So right after the golf tournament, we'll put tickets on sale available for that to help support. And yeah, those two fundraisers along with our annual fund, um, we go on the school year calendar. So we're finishing up our annual fund for this year and at the end of June, and then we'll kick off right again at the beginning of July. So those two fundraisers really help to support a great finish into the summer with the golf tournament and the annual fund, and then a great start to the school year. Jared, just so that you are adequately prepared. Okay. I help out with the Catholic school's auction. Awesome. So I try to bring fun, joy, I em see it. I don't know how many years I've been doing it. But the Bash Champs booked me first. That's been a long time. I was gonna say it's been a long time. That's wow. And so I've been I I bet I've been doing at least 25 years. That's what I was gonna say. Wow. I think I've done every one of them since whenever it was. I I don't keep track that far back. It would be fun to see kind of like the like the person that's always at the bridesmaid, it'll be fun to see what your collection of costumes and theme apparel has looked like over the years, too, because you always help support us in that. Maybe that's what I should do. So so in I've lost some weight, and all these sequin coats that I have no longer fit. So maybe we should start putting those up for auction. There you go. Yeah, okay. I'll give you one. I have a red one. That would work well for you, wouldn't it? Perfect. Yeah. Okay.

Student Garden Partnership With 4-H

10:30

All right. Hey, let's talk about the school a little bit and um uh the second graders. Yeah. Doing some fun things with 4-H. Yeah, so we always have really great partnerships during um the school year, and so our 4-H partners help the second graders do a community garden. So it is uh in kind of the parking lot right across the school behind the middle school. Um, and so they grow their own vegetables, and then at the end of the year, they get to celebrate by all enjoying a salad. And so it's a lot of fun to see the kids' faces when they're eating new vegetables. Jared, how many times have you celebrated something special with a salad? Um one hand. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That sounds like fun. Yeah. So it's it's a lot of fun to watch the care that goes into it because they go out there and I think they have like a what like a couple kids that are like the watering kid of the day. So they go out there, they check on their um. My wife needs to know about this. Right. That's what? Yeah. I mean, our garden where we live is so oftentimes on display, and it does not look as good as this the kids' garden does. And yeah, it's just really cute to watch them too w experience new things from the gardening side of the ground. So the salads obviously are what they have brought up. So is it all are all the vegetables and everything that that you're planning, is it all based around this salad celebration? Yeah. For the second grade. Yes, salad. Celebration. I like that. I like that. Feel free to use it royalty-free. Thank you. Yeah, you're welcome. Yeah. Lettuce, radishes. Oh, you lost me at radishes. So anything you can put in a salad. It's there. How much fun is that? And I think one of the things is she really showcases the partnerships too. Have you been doing this for a while? I have been at the school since February. Okay. No, I'm talking about the event with the 4-H. Yes. All right. Great. Let's talk a bit about some of the other things that are going on with Manhattan Catholic

Honoring Longtime Teachers And Staff

12:39

Schools. You've got some great teachers, obviously. Jared, you just don't know what you're in store for yet. But you're going to love it. But you have some teachers, Melissa, that have um, you know, been there for quite a while and celebrating. So this year Or celebrating. Celebration. We should have them go out and get some salad. Yeah. Uh bring your own salad, B Y O S. We'll bring the dressing. Thanks for pouring it on these last few years. Okay, sorry. So yeah, thank you. Uh we had five staff members that celebrated 10 or more years with us this year, and three of them celebrated 25 years. Um and so I think that that showcases a real testament to the school and the culture that uh we have there. Uh we have Mr. Tyson Verbis, and uh we do have a teacher that celebrated 25 years that will be transitioning to another opportunity, but Mr. Aaron Brockman. So those two guys. I saw that he was making a change. So I've known him for quite a while. So they've led our middle school and just had just the sweetest outcomes of students and getting to celebrate stories from both students and uh families alike with them. Uh and then our kindergarten teacher, Miss Jennifer Kerr, celebrated 25 years. So we did have, we celebrated them at an all-school mass, but then we also had the opportunity to celebrate them in their classrooms with their students. And Mr. Verbiss and Mr. Brockman have a tradition at graduation where they do um, they like raz the kids, kind of uh roast of them and have this really cool story. I'm blinking on the exact word that they call it, so I'm sorry, but they do a stories of all the kids. So we did that in reverse to them. And then when we got to present to Mrs. Kerr, we have a teacher that was at Manhattan Schools. She's not a first-year teacher, but it was her first year at Manhattan Catholic Schools, and Miss Kerr was her kindergarten teacher. So we have this really cool full circle circle celebration there. How sweet is that? So really awesome. And then our tenure teachers. Don't scare them off, Jared. No, I won't. Our tenure staff members. So when you uh safety being super important, we have uh Mr. Lee Howerton who stands out in the afternoons and just such a great friendly guy that you'll see. He has been our crossing guard for 10 years. And then Miss Kristen Myron Gray has been leading our um helping in our kitchen for 10 years. And if anybody comes to experience food at Manhattan Catholic Schools, you can ask my own third almost fourth grader, Alvi Solden, that the bar is set very, very high on your dining experience during breakfast and lunch. That she oftentimes is requesting. Mom, can't you just go in there and ask what the recipe was for the day? So very, very great nutrition there.

Pre-Enrollment Steps And School Tours

15:41

Well, let's talk a bit about signups. Yeah. Because I know and and I don't know which one of you wants to take this, but uh you you can you can play rock, paper, scissors here and talk about this. But you know, you can you we have s we have what we call pre-enrollment currently going on. Um so that's where you can get on the website, you sign up to show your interest in wanting to attend school with us next year. Um, part of that is if you're looking to experience the school before you do signups, you can come visit us for tours of the school. Um, our pre-K through third grade is in one building, and then fourth through eighth is in our middle school building. So we can give tours of the whole campus, which um is really exciting to see. And then here in July, we'll switch over to what we call enrollment, and that's where you get fully enrolled for the school year. Gotcha, gotcha. So what's the first step of the process? First step is you get on to our website, Manhattan Catholicschools.org. And we always loved it. Right at the top, there's a cardinal that kind of waves to you, and right next to it has all the information, and it has there's two sets of information there. One of them is for our K through eight program, and then the other is for our pre-K program. So two different sets of information, but both leading you into your interest in the school. Jared, you got 30 days. Yes, sir. So what do you do now? I'm actually over here quite a bit and trying to help myself through that transition. A lot of meetings with with Melissa here, uh, with Mr. Hooka and uh Miss Julie. We've uh we've got a few things, you know, in the works that it's gonna be really exciting for this next school year. And and just trying to prepare myself. I feel like that time that I spent now, spend now prior to that July 1st day is just gonna help me transition all that all that much. Well, congratulations. Looking forward to having you in the community and glad to be here. And and uh, you know, I can tell with Melissa she's delighted to have you and and uh we're uh looking forward to great m more great things out of Manhattan Catholic Schools. Absolutely, thank you.

Key Dates And How To Support

17:56

October 16th, put that on the calendar. October 16th. June twelfth. June twelfth golf tournament. Manhattan Catholicschools.org. Sign up, do whatever, learn, tour, engage, yes, support. Support, all those things. Anything else? Pray. Pray. Pray, yeah. Awesome. Melissa Solden, thanks for joining us. Thank you for having us. Jared Taylor. Good to have you here. Appreciate you, sir. Thanks. This is the GMCF Community Hour, and it looks like Tyler's gonna be uh coming in here for the next segment. We're gonna be talking about uh a number of things that are happening in the community, including Juneteenth and all kinds of other things. We got a lot to talk about. This is the GMCF Community Hour. We do this every Monday morning in the nine o'clock hour on News Radio KMAN.