New Maize superintendent launches ‘OneMa1ze’ campaign

The new superintendent for Maize schools has launched a campaign – complete with its own Twitter hashtag – focused on unity within the district.

Chad Higgins, who began his post July 1, said he based his “OneMa1ze” vision on feedback and guidance from administrative staff members. District officials, employees, students and families recently started using the #OneMa1ze hashtag on social media to share first-day-of-school photos, classroom activities and more.

“It isn’t specific to any particular issue or problem with Maize,” Higgins said. “It’s just more like the constant reminder that in this business, in education, to get anything done productively, to make big strides, you have to work together.”

Higgins revealed his OneMa1ze theme – with the numeral 1 replacing the “i” in Maize – at an all-district staff convocation earlier this month. In a statement posted on the district website, he said: “It’s not about who among us is best. It’s about all of us being our best together.”

“Any school district with two high schools has some level of competition or divisiveness,” Higgins said Friday. “I want OneMa1ze to just kind of remind us what we’re about and what we’re doing, that we’re united as a family of educators.”

Higgins was hired in May to replace Doug Powers, who had led the Maize district since 2009. Powers moved to the Turner school district in Kansas City, Kan., where he serves as assistant superintendent for business and public relations.

Maize, a district of about 7,000 students, includes much of west Wichita. In recent years the district has grappled with several controversial issues, including whether to establish attendance boundaries or a feeder system for assigning students to schools.

In June, Maize voters approved a $70.7 million bond issue for school improvements but rejected a proposal to build a $12.8 million swimming pool complex.

Higgins said he plans to establish an advisory group made up of students from all three high schools – Maize High, Maize South High and Maize Complete – that will meet regularly to discuss issues and offer feedback. He also wants to start a group aimed at promoting and advocating for public education.

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 11:19 AM with the headline "New Maize superintendent launches ‘OneMa1ze’ campaign."