OUR EYE ON EDUCATION – BILL FROESE, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS – USD 418

By Staff

        If you spend any time around USD 418, you quickly learn the heartbeat of a school district is not only found in the classrooms – it is found in the people who make those classrooms possible. For McPherson USD 418, one of those steady, essential leaders is Bill Froese, Director of Operations, a role he has held for going on five years, though he has been with the district for going on thirty-five years.

        Froese oversees the four major operational pillars in USD 418: Food Service, Transportation, Custodial, and Maintenance. They are the teams who keep students fed, buildings clean, buses running, and facilities functioning.

        Putting it plainly, Froese explains, “There are a multitude of things that go on within these areas, and I have excellent staff members that oversee and work in these areas to facilitate the functions that take place.”

        As an individual who sees his work as service, Froese’s approach to leadership begins with gratitude. He often says that everything entrusted to him is ‘by the grace of God’, and that perspective shapes how he leads, how he treats people, and how he views the purpose of his work.

        Since stepping into the Director of Operations (DOO) position, he has focused on ‘unifying operations’, bringing four district departments into one coordinated collaborative team. That unification is one of the accomplishments he is most proud of, along with implementing a preventative maintenance program that streamlines repairs and keeps the district running more efficiently.

        Highlighting something simple but powerful, Froese added, “We have built a team of dedicated people that work hard to meet the needs of the district.”

        When asked about any frustrations or challenges, Froese pointed out how, “People can make your day, and people can make your day difficult. I follow with the mission of ‘my job is to help all of them succeed in what they do.’”

        He does mention that hiring is one of the toughest hurdles as the district is desperate for school bus drivers – needing at least five positions filled while competing industries make staffing difficult across all operational areas. Increasing the pay for these essential roles is one of his highest goals.

        One of the most remarkable achievements under his leadership has been the scale of the district’s feeding programs. This past summer alone, USD 418 served 138,000 meals to the community, a number Froese sees not as a statistic, but as an investment in the well-being and future of children. He hopes to expand that reach even further, continuing to feed students year-round and increasing the number of families served.

        In the future, Froese has six goals which are clear and practical:

Ø   Streamline response times for maintenance and repairs district-wide.

Ø   Integrate new equipment into updated software systems.

Ø   Raise Cleanliness Standards across all buildings.

Ø   Grow the feeding programs to reach more families.

Ø   Fill critical transportation positions while maintaining safety.

Ø   Increase pay for operations staff to remain competitive.

Each of these goals tie back to one central mission: creating an environment where education can thrive.

Froese grew up in Inman, Kansas, earned a degree in home economics with an emphasis in food service and a minor in business. He is also looking to complete his master’s in biblical counseling in May of 2027.

Having proudly served McPherson for 35 years, his background blends food service and business. Froese has decades of statewide training experience as a cadre trainer for the Kansas State Department of Education for 30 years, teaching schools across Kansas in areas ranging from safety and sanitation to interpersonal skills.

Froese concluded our question-and-answer time by summing up his philosophy with scripture from 1^st Corinthians 10:31 – ‘When what you do is for Him, everyone benefits.’

        A fitting reflection for a man whose work touches every student, every building, every meal, every bus route, and every corner of McPherson USD 418.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)