Atchison Public Schools

Central is in year three of their Senior Photo Shoots Tradition! This has been one of the most fun things they do with their seniors. The seniors get to choose where they go and Miss Maddie, a staff member at the school, takes their pics. This year every senior chose a different place that really showed off their personalities! Here's a few behind the scenes photos! These don't even compare to how amazing they turned out!! #WeAre409 #ClassOf2026

🚀 Exciting things are happening in our Middle School IPS (Individual Plan of Study) program!

Each month, students will explore a different career pathway through hands-on learning and real-world experiences. Based on their interests and progress in Naviance, selected students will have the opportunity to attend field trips and Lunch & Learn sessions with professionals from a variety of industries. 🎓🚌🍕

This is a great way for our students to start discovering their passions, planning for their futures, and connecting what they learn in school to careers in the real world. We’re so proud of their engagement and curiosity!

Stay tuned each month as we highlight new pathways and share all the exciting learning happening along the way!

#WeAre409 #PhoenixProud #FutureReady #CareerExploration #MiddleSchoolMomentum

This past week, our Culinary Arts and BioTech classes came together for an exciting and educational collaboration! 🧀🍓 Under the guidance of Chef (Mrs. Shump) and Mrs. Tschauder, students explored the science behind enzymes and cultures by making cheese and jello from scratch.

The hands-on experience was a hit, and we’re already planning our next collaborative project — Margherita pizzas! 🍕 We'll be using the homemade cheese from BioTech, fresh basil grown in Mrs. Tschauder's hydroponic station, and dough and sauce from Culinary. Students even saved the leftover whey to make ricotta for future recipes.

This partnership between classes has been such a fun and meaningful way to blend science and culinary arts — and the results are both educational and delicious! 🌿🔬👩‍🍳

#WeAre409 #PhoenixProud #HandsOnLearning #CulinaryMeetsScience

A Quick Reminder: There is No School on Friday, October 3! Enjoy your three-day weekend!
#WeAre409

Congratulations to this week's AES Phoenix Feather winner, Quinn Boldridge from Mrs. McKelvy-Patterson's 2nd-grade class!! #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud

Each Week at AHS, staff draw student names from each class (Freshmen-Seniors) for Attendance Winners. These students have an attendance rate of 95% or higher for the week. They will receive a shout-out and a prize! Thank you for being so neat and for being in a seat at school every day! This week's winners are pictured below! #WeAre409 #Phoenix Proud

🌟 Para of the Month Spotlight! 🌟

We are thrilled to celebrate three incredible staff members who have gone above and beyond for our students, staff, and families — Debbie Turner, Shawna Norris, and La Shell Jones-Herring— our September Para of the Month Award winners! 🎉 Please join us in congratulating these three outstanding people! Their dedication, compassion, and hard work make a tremendous difference every single day. We are so proud and grateful to have them on our team! ❤️🔥 #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud

🎨 Our AMS art students are hard at work bringing their creativity to life! Their talent and imagination are shining through. 🌟 #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud #FutureArtists

Congratulations to these AMS SOAR Winners for August! Keep up the great work!! #WeAre409

Parent/Teacher Conferences are coming up next week on Tuesday, September 30 and Thursday, October 2. Both days are from 3:30-7:00 pm. #WeAre409

Our AES Kindergarteners took a field trip to Medical Lodge last week! I'm sure everyone had a blast!! #WeAre409

The AES Book Fair is coming up! Don't miss it! #WeAre409

Congratulations to these Central students for earning credits through Edgenuity or their afternoon Electives!! They have been working hard and staying focused!! #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud

AES Phoenix Feather Winner! Students at AES have the opportunity to earn recognition for positive behavior during the week. When staff members see students showcase one of our 5 learner dispositions, students are rewarded with a Phoenix Feather. Every Friday, the names of every student who earned a Phoenix Feather are read during the morning opening. All student slips are entered into a drawing, and one student is randomly chosen to receive donuts for his or her class. 🎉❤️This week's Phoenix Feather winner is Conner Kempin from Mrs. Gray's 5th grade class.🥳💛 #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud

🌟 Happy IT Appreciation Day! 🌟

Today we celebrate and recognize our incredible IT team—the backbone of our district’s technology, Donna Noll, Katie Martin, Jenni Dryden, and Jen Dean!

From keeping our networks running smoothly, to answering endless questions with patience, to making sure every student and staff member has the tools they need to succeed—our four amazing IT staff members go above and beyond every single day. 💻✨

We are so grateful for their hard work, problem-solving skills, and dedication to keeping us connected and supported.

👏 Please join us in giving a huge THANK YOU to our IT team—you make the impossible possible, and we couldn’t do this without you!

#ITAppreciationDay #BehindTheScenesHeroes #WeAre409

We have another #PhoenixFace for you, Rosetta Rawls! She has transitioned to a new role as the districts, Student Support Specialist! Check out what she is excited about most in this new adventure! #WeAre409

We are excited to introduce our Homecoming Queen and King Candidates!! Laikyn White, Avonte Housh-Battle, Kaiya Downing, Brody Barnes, Bella Boyce, Leighton Boldridge, Lily Adams, Kolten Bonnel, Kirrah Duncan, and Yogi Purdy! #HOCO25 #WeAre409

🌟 Phoenix of the Week 🌟 We are so excited to announce our very first Phoenix of the Week — Erin McKelvy-Patterson! Erin's impact has been described as nothing short of extraordinary: 💬 “Mrs. McKelvy-Patterson was an absolute godsend to my two daughters. Both had her as their second-grade teacher, and I saw monumental progress in their IEPs during their time in her classroom. She is kind, loves children, and is sunshine in human form. She’s dedicated in a way most teachers are not. She is irreplaceable.” – Laura Randall 💬 “She is a teacher that takes her time with students to learn how they learn best, truly has a heart of gold, and makes her students and their family feel valued.” – Amber Skeen Erin, your kindness, dedication, and heart for students make you a shining example of what it means to be a Phoenix. Thank you for all you do! ❤️🔥 #PhoenixOfTheWeek #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud

🌟 Phoenix of the Week 🌟
Each week we’ll honor a staff member who goes above and beyond! Students, parents, staff & community can nominate. Check out the Atchison Answers Video for more information!
https://youtu.be/W8UdN6bDpmQ
To nominate a staff member click here: https://shorturl.at/btV71
#WeAre409 #PhoenixPride

Laura Walters is our next new #PhoenixFace, we are excited to welcome! She is one of our new Preschool Teachers! Welcome, Laura, to the USD 409 Family! #WeAre409