Andover Public Schools

09/29/2026

The competition was fierce, yet friendly, at the Andover KS Senior Center this morning as fourth-graders from Sunflower Elementary Andover challenged Senior Center members to math-related games. After the games, students stayed to have lunch and chat with the seniors.

Thanks to the Kansas Health Foundation for a grant that funds transportation and meals for these intergenerational gatherings. Stay tuned throughout the year as the students and seniors make memories together!

09/28/2026

Spread the word! We're looking for custodians and lead custodians to join our team. Learn more: www.usd385.org/jobs.

09/24/2026

Each fall, we celebrate staff members who have reached milestone years of service with Andover Public Schools. Here are the staff members who celebrated 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service. Thank you for your dedication to our students, your colleagues and our community!

(We'll post staff with 5 and 10 years of service soon.)

09/23/2026

Two outstanding educators, Beth Defebaugh and Tony Ryff, have been named Andover’s nominees to compete to become 2028 Kansas Teacher of the Year.

District and school administrators surprised them with the news this morning.

Mrs. Defebaugh, our elementary nominee, teaches fifth grade at Cottonwood Elementary. She has worked in the district since 2006.

"Beth is the consummate teacher,” says Dr. Michelle Adler, principal at Cottonwood. “She pours her time and talents into creating a learning environment that's ideal for fifth-graders. Her planning includes attention to detail, rigor and high engagement; kids flourish as a result. And they love being in her class. Every year students come back and thank her for the attention she gave them when they were in her class. She's also a committed team member, supporting new colleagues and making sure connections are strong across the building. She's a gift to her students and Cottonwood, and we couldn't be more proud of her.”

Dr. Ryff, our secondary nominee, teaches special education at Andover Central High School. He’s been in the district since 2022.

“Tony is not only a remarkable educator but also an outstanding team player,” says Steen Danielsen, principal at ACHS. “His ability to remain calm, cool and collected in challenging situations is admirable and sets a positive tone for everyone around him. He consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that every decision is made with the best interests of students in mind. His kindness and professionalism have made him a critical member of our team. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated and inspiring staff member. Tony truly embodies the spirit of excellence in education within Andover.”

Mrs. Defebaugh and Dr. Ryff will now compete with other nominees to see who will become regional finalists for Kansas Teacher of the Year.

Other school nominees were Rachael Willmott, Meadowlark Elementary; Brylee Elmore, eCademy; Isabella White, Prairie Creek Elementary; Emily Son, Wheatland Elementary; and Rachael Neibling, Andover High School.

09/22/2026

Some eerily cute monsters are lurking the halls of Sunflower Elementary!

Kindergarteners recently drew pictures of monsters. Students in Jennifer Morris' Family and Consumer Sciences classes at Andover Central Middle School, who are learning to sew by hand, turned the drawings into felt pillows. There were a lot of smiles when the seventh- and eighth-graders delivered the 3D creations!

"All students involved loved the collaborative experience and the process behind learning to sew by hand," Morris said.

09/16/2026

We want to say a huge "thank you" to our hard-working maintenance crew for delivering water to schools today, and to our kitchen staff for boiling water for our students and staff. The Wichita water boil advisory made the day a little more challenging, but we have the best staff to help us overcome adversity!

09/15/2026

Lunch is looking a little different this year at our high schools.

With no cell phones in the cafeterias, students are spending more time talking with friends and playing games when they're done eating. We've noticed more smiles and connections!

09/11/2026

Students at USD 385 - Andover Middle were among those learning about the 9/11 attacks on the 25th anniversary today. Students:

• Researched 9/11 victims and created a paper chain with their names.
• Learned about Flight 93 and discussed what makes a hero.
• Watched news clips from the day.
• Learned about the role dogs played in finding victims.

09/11/2026

Such a cool opportunity for this former Andover Central High School Jaguars tennis player!

Wichita native Jaxon Post won a $15,000 national scholarship — then traded the U.S. Open nosebleeds for a suite with Billie Jean King.

09/11/2026

It was our time to shine tonight with Andover Public Schools Night at the Wichita Wind Surge, sponsored by Credit Union of America. A combined choir of Andover Central High School and Andover High School singers performed the national anthem.

And Kennedy Geyer, senior at AHS, threw out the first pitch. Kennedy is founder of She Flourishes - Andover, a mentoring program that pairs AHS girls with girls from USD 385 - Andover Middle. For her efforts, she received the district's Character Champion award last year. Thanks to everyone who made it out to the ballpark tonight!