🎉We have great news in the music department!!! We have 4 high school band and 4 choir students who have been selected to participate in the
NEKMEA 1234A Band 🎶🎺🪈
Jedd Casey, euphonium
Ava Garoutte, flute
Hailey Peterson, clarinet
Leah Weinmann, tenor saxophone
and the NEKMEA Mixed Choir 🎼🎵
Altos - Jacy Bond and Adriana Delgado
Tenor - Kar Koenegstein
Bass - Josh Stone
We also had one Middle School student selected for the KMEA All State Middle Level Honor Choir - Jordan Smith
Congratulations and good luck to all of you!! #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud ❤️💛
Each month, the USD 409 Board of Education proudly recognizes outstanding students and staff from across our schools. These individuals demonstrate dedication, hard work, and the true spirit of what it means to be part of the #WeAre409 family. This month the board recognized Ronda McDaniel, AMS Counselor, for all the amazing work she does with students on IPS and Career Exploration! congratulations! #PhoenixProud
🍁 Gratitude Season at USD 409 🍁
As we head toward Thanksgiving, we want to pause and celebrate one of the most powerful things we have—gratitude.
Over the next week, we invite staff, parents, students, and community members to share a special thank-you message for someone in our Phoenix family. It can be a quick note, a heartfelt letter, or a simple message of appreciation. 💛
📬 Each message will be printed and hand-delivered before Thanksgiving break—a small way to spread big kindness throughout our district.
✨ Deadline to submit your gratitude notes is Friday, November 21. Please help us fill our halls and schools with appreciation and joy!
Thank you for helping us continue to make USD 409 a place where every person is seen, valued, and celebrated.
❤️💛 #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud #SeasonOfGratitude
https://forms.gle/NRPtwSXKi6rGzTnXA
As we head toward Thanksgiving, we want to pause and celebrate one of the most powerful things we have—gratitude.
Over the next week, we invite staff, parents, students, and community members to share a special thank-you message for someone in our Phoenix family. It can be a quick note, a heartfelt letter, or a simple message of appreciation. 💛
📬 Each message will be printed and hand-delivered before Thanksgiving break—a small way to spread big kindness throughout our district.
✨ Deadline to submit your gratitude notes is Friday, November 21. Please help us fill our halls and schools with appreciation and joy!
Thank you for helping us continue to make USD 409 a place where every person is seen, valued, and celebrated.
❤️💛 #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud #SeasonOfGratitude
https://forms.gle/NRPtwSXKi6rGzTnXA
🌟 October Phoenix of the Month 🌟
We’re thrilled to celebrate three incredible staff members who truly embody what it means to RISE as a Phoenix — showing heart, dedication, and positivity in all they do. 💛❤️
🔥 Cherrie
Cherrie has been a bright light at Central — stepping in wherever she’s needed, often taking on roles outside her own with grace and humor. She’s built strong connections with both staff and students, helping our school feel more like family. Her positivity and willingness to go above and beyond don’t go unnoticed. We are so thankful for everything you do, Ms. Cherrie!
🔥 Ellen
Ellen has done an amazing job since joining Atchison High School! Her kindness, flexibility, and initiative shine through in every task she takes on. Ellen has a gift for creating a welcoming, inclusive environment where everyone feels supported. Her dedication and creativity have made a huge impact on her team and the students she serves. We’re so proud of you, Ellen!
🔥 Bre
Bre is a calm, steady presence and an absolute rock at AES. She builds trusting relationships with students and models patience, empathy, and strength. Her ability to de-escalate tough situations and guide students toward success is truly a gift. Bre brings kindness, courage, and heart to everything she does — and our school is better because of her!
💫 Join us in congratulating Cherrie, Ellen, and Bre — our October Phoenix of the Month honorees!
Thank you for going above and beyond and for showing every day what it means to lead with love, laughter, and resilience. #PhoenixPride #WeAre409
🎓💛 A Central School Tradition That Touches the Heart ♥️ 🎓
At Central, each senior chooses one special person — a staff or community member — to receive an Honorary Central School Diploma. This cherished tradition honors the people who helped them reach their finish line… and gave them the strength to believe in what’s beyond it.
These are the mentors, cheerleaders, and quiet heroes who showed up, lifted spirits, and never stopped believing in our students. 💫
Each diploma is more than paper — it’s a thank you from the heart. Once a Phoenix, always a Phoenix. ❤️💛
#CentralSchool #PhoenixPride #HonoraryDiploma #WeAre409 a
🌟 Happy School Psychology Week! 🌟
This week we celebrate our incredible school psychologists and student support specialists, who helps students shine by supporting their learning, behavior, and emotional well-being every single day. 💛 Thank you for all you do to help our students rise, grow, and thrive! #WeAre409 #PhoenixPride
Don't miss the Fall Musical! #weAre409
Stay in the Loop with the Central School Scoop! Don't forget to RSVP for our Central Family Thanksgiving Luncheon! Invite is in the newsletter! https://secure.smore.com/n/7rzq1
#WeAre409
#WeAre409
On Friday October 31, we'll be serving homemade apple cider during lunch for all of our students to enjoy. This delicious cider is sourced from Jirak Family Farms and made from their fresh, locally grown apples.
We're proud to celebrate the season while supporting our local farmers and bringing a taste of fall to our school community!
#WeAre409
🎃👻 Spooky Parfaits for Breakfast! 👻🎃
Our students kicked off the morning with a frightfully fun and delicious treat — spooky breakfast parfaits! Layers of yogurt, fruit, granola, and a little Halloween spirit made for a boo-tiful start to the day. 🧡🖤
A big thank-you to everyone who helped make breakfast extra festive today — because who says Halloween fun can’t happen before 8 AM? ☕✨ #WeAre409
This week's AES Phoenix Feather winner is Adalynn White from Mrs. Funk's 3rd grade class. Congratulations Adalynn! #WeAre409 #PhoenixProud
🌟 Reality U: Bringing Financial Literacy to Life! 💰
Our 8th and 10th graders had the chance to experience Reality U, a hands-on financial literacy simulation that helps students see what “real life” budgeting looks like on Monday. Students were assigned careers, family scenarios, and monthly incomes — then visited stations to make choices about housing, transportation, childcare, food, and more!
From paying bills to learning the value of savings, this interactive event opened eyes and sparked great conversations about making smart financial decisions. 🏠🚗👶
A huge thank you to FBLA for helping coordinate and lead this event, and to our amazing volunteers and community partners who made it possible! 💼👏
#RealityU #FinancialLiteracy #FBLA #WeAre409 #PhoenixPride
Our 8th and 10th graders had the chance to experience Reality U, a hands-on financial literacy simulation that helps students see what “real life” budgeting looks like on Monday. Students were assigned careers, family scenarios, and monthly incomes — then visited stations to make choices about housing, transportation, childcare, food, and more!
From paying bills to learning the value of savings, this interactive event opened eyes and sparked great conversations about making smart financial decisions. 🏠🚗👶
A huge thank you to FBLA for helping coordinate and lead this event, and to our amazing volunteers and community partners who made it possible! 💼👏
#RealityU #FinancialLiteracy #FBLA #WeAre409 #PhoenixPride
Tomorrow, October 22, is Early Release.
#WeAre409
💪 9th & 10th Grade Day of Service 💪
Our 9th and 10th graders spent the last couple of days giving back to the community through acts of service! They they show us what it means to lead with heart and make a difference. We’re so proud of their hard work and generosity! ❤️🔥 #PhoenixPride #DayOfService #WeAre409
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
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
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
#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
