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Schools in Kansas Celebrating Kansas schools, students, educators and communities through positive storytelling.

12/10/2026

From record-breaking athlete and multiple-time state champion to teacher, athletic director, principal, throwing coach and now superintendent, Casey Seyfert’s journey has come full circle in Beloit.

Casey is in his first year as superintendent of USD 273. Before that, he spent 11 years as principal at Beloit Junior-Senior High School. He had also served as athletic director and spent five years teaching in the district. Through every role, he’s stayed connected to the students and community that have always felt like home.

One of the things that stood out in our conversation was how much Casey cares about making students feel supported. He talked about kids stopping by the office because they know they’ll find people who care about them, encourage them and hold them accountable.

He also shared how the Beloit community has come together to improve its schools, from updating aging facilities to building partnerships that give students opportunities beyond the classroom. The district has offered service learning for more than 25 years, requires it for graduation and connects students with local organizations through internships and other community partnerships.

Casey said teaching, being an athletic director and serving as principal were each the greatest job he’d ever had. Now, as superintendent, he gets to keep working with great students, staff and a community he loves. He’s also back doing what he enjoys as a track and field throwing coach.

Casey is a great leader, and we’ve enjoyed working with him and USD 273 over the years through our Think Before You Post program. Beloit is a special school district in Kansas.

12/10/2026

Derby North Middle School Principal Jeff Smith has spent approximately 12 years helping lead a school of more than 800 students, with a focus on relationships, student growth and creating a positive school environment.

Derby North and Derby Middle School both feed into Derby High School, the second-largest high school in Kansas with 2,099 students.

Smith credits the success of Derby North to its outstanding staff, strong community support and the relationships built with students every day.

One of his favorite parts of being a principal is watching students grow during their three years in middle school, from nervous sixth graders worried about making friends and finding their classrooms to confident eighth graders ready for high school.

Smith also believes there are countless great things happening in public education that people don’t always get to see. He encourages families and community members to visit schools, get involved and experience the positive impact educators make every day.

We enjoyed the opportunity to work with both Derby North Middle School and Derby Middle School through our Think Before You Post – The Power of Social Media program, reaching more than 2,000 students and staff across four assemblies.

Special thanks to Jeff Smith and the entire Derby school community for the work they do for Kansas students!

12/10/2026

One of the great stories in Kansas education is happening in the small communities of Hanover, Linn and Barnes. Meet Lee Schmidt, superintendent of the Barnes-Hanover-Linn school district.

Schmidt is a 1990 graduate of Hanover High School who returned to lead the schools in his home community. After high school, he played college football at the junior college level and then went on to finish his undergraduate work at the University of Kansas. He later earned a graduate degree from Washburn University and an Education Specialist degree (Ed.S.) from Friends University.

Schmidt oversees two schools with tremendous traditions in academics and athletics. Hanover and Linn have both enjoyed remarkable success, including meeting in state championship games in girls volleyball and basketball in consecutive years.

One of Schmidt’s favorite examples of the work ethic in these communities came after Hanover’s boys won a state championship on a Saturday. By Monday morning, those same athletes were back in the weight room at 6 a.m. preparing for the next season!

That commitment carries into the classroom. Schmidt says the district consistently performs well on state assessments, with graduation rates around 98–100%. Enrollment has also grown over the past nine years, a positive sign for these small Kansas communities.

The district continues to emphasize career and technical education, including industrial arts, woodworking and metals, helping prepare students for opportunities beyond high school.

What stands out most to Schmidt is the family atmosphere at both schools, where students, staff and community members genuinely care for one another.

We have been fortunate to work with Lee and the schools in his district through our Think Before You Post program. Great leadership and a great example of the impact small-town Kansas schools continue to make!

12/10/2026

One of the many great people making a difference in Kansas schools! Meet Angela Gardner, School Resource Officer at Crest USD 479 in Colony, Kansas, who also serves as the City Marshal and Chief of Police.

A graduate of Garnett High School, Gardner attended Pittsburg State University, where she also played softball. She later served 21 years as a Naval officer and continued her education, earning master’s degrees from Troy State University and East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

After more than two decades of military service, Gardner returned home to southeast Kansas, where she has spent nearly five years working with students at Crest.

Gardner believes being a school resource officer is about much more than enforcing rules or discipline. It’s about building relationships, earning trust and being someone students feel comfortable approaching with questions, concerns or challenges in their lives.

One of the most rewarding parts of her job is watching students grow from children into young adults while having the opportunity to be a positive influence in their lives.

Gardner also shares some great perspective on social media, technology and how much communication has changed over the years. While technology provides tremendous opportunities, especially for students in small communities, she also recognizes the challenges it creates with face-to-face communication and relationships. She has enjoyed seeing students communicate more with one another under the new school phone restrictions.

We’ve been fortunate to work with Angela on two different occasions through our Think Before You Post – The Power of Social Media program. She’s incredible to work with and truly cares about the students, school and community she serves!

Special thanks to Angela and all the school resource officers across Kansas who work every day to support, protect and build positive relationships with our students. Their impact goes far beyond school safety!

30/09/2026

Kindness Is a Theme at Derby Middle School

At Derby Middle School, students are encouraged to be the best versions of themselves every day. Principal Clint Shipley, now in his 15th year at the school, says this year’s focus is kindness, with the message “Kindness is magic” woven into the school’s Green Fridays.

Shipley said the school works closely with sixth graders as they adjust to middle school, helping them find their footing, get involved and grow in confidence. By eighth grade, students are also preparing for the next step: the transition to Derby High School, the second largest high school in Kansas.

That culture of involvement carries into the school’s civic groups, including NJHS, StuCo, Key Club and Student to Student.

Derby Middle School recently received a civic engagement award from the Kansas State Department of Education, recognizing the positive work students are doing in their school and community. Derby Middle School Derby Public Schools

28/09/2026

At Thomas More Prep-Marian in Hays, support for the Monarchs shows up across the school year. Drew Labertew says packed stands at football, basketball, volleyball and other events reflect the community behind the students.

Labertew is in his third year as TMP-Marian’s activities director. Originally from McPherson, he attended McPherson College, earned his master’s degree at Kansas State and worked in football operations there.

His own path was shaped by Shane Backhus, McPherson High School’s longtime activities director. Labertew said Backhus was a mentor during his high school years and helped him see a future working in athletics.

Now, Labertew enjoys working with students from junior high through high school and being part of the many activities TMP offers. He describes the community as having “a small-town feel in a big city” and says the students and community helped ignite his passion for the work.

28/09/2026

From Hanover Graduate to St. John’s Catholic School Principal

Amanda Cook’s career brought her back home. A 1995 Hanover High School graduate, Cook attended Benedictine College before returning to St. John’s Catholic School to begin her teaching career.

She taught third and fourth grade for 20 years and has served as an administrator for the past eight. Today, as principal, she values the close relationship between St. John’s and the public school, and the community support that helps both schools succeed.

Cook says one of the best parts of her work is seeing the dedication of students, families and community members who show up for their schools.

“Our community has a lot of heart in our schools.”

22/09/2026

Osage City is home for school counselor Darcy Keeffe.

Keeffe graduated from Osage City High School in 2005 before earning both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Emporia State University. She returned home and is now in her 15th year with the school district.

Although she had opportunities to work in other districts, Keeffe knew Osage City was where she wanted to raise her family. She enjoys seeing her students at the grocery store, throughout the community, in the classroom and participating in activities.

Her own experiences helped lead her into school counseling. Keeffe faced difficult situations as a student, but people within the school served as guiding lights and helped her through those times. She wanted the opportunity to provide that same support for someone else.

For Keeffe, one of the most rewarding parts of the job is seeing every side of a student, from being themselves in class to competing under the lights on Friday night.

She also values the relationship between Osage City students and the community. While the community consistently supports its students, the students give back through programs such as Service Sundays and other opportunities to help local businesses and organizations.

Nice work by Darcy Keeffe and the many school counselors across Kansas who serve as a source of support, guidance and encouragement for their students.

Celebrating Kansas Schools.

21/09/2026

One of the smallest school districts in Kansas requires everyone to wear several hats, and that is exactly what makes Cheylin special.

Adam Wiginton serves as Cheylin’s grades 7–12 principal and athletic director. Now in his fourth year at Cheylin and his 24th year in education, the Ulysses native attended Garden City Community College and Emporia State before beginning his teaching career at Stanton County. He later returned home and spent more than 20 years teaching and coaching football at Ulysses.

At Cheylin, teachers may handle as many as seven different class preparations, students participate in nearly every activity to help fill teams and administrators are never above helping change lights or completing whatever job needs to be done.

That same commitment extends throughout Bird City. Dave and Sylvia Hubbert have helped with basketball books and the scorer’s table for nearly 40 years, while also driving buses for the district.

Wiginton says Cheylin’s smaller classrooms, often with just five to 15 students, allow educators to build meaningful relationships. He has watched students grow from young freshmen beginning varsity sports into seniors breaking school records.

Cheylin may be one of Kansas’ smallest districts, but its connection between the school, students and community is difficult to match.

“It’s just like a family,” Wiginton said. “It’s a blessing to be up here in Bird City.”

Celebrating Kansas Schools.

21/09/2026

“Our school is our community, and our community is our school.”

Bill Biermann is in his 16th year as superintendent of Goodland USD 352, where he continues working to improve opportunities for students.

One of the district’s biggest projects is a new career and technical education building that will house several programs. The facility is expected to be completed near the end of the year and ready for students next school year.

Biermann says the most rewarding part of education has been the relationships he has formed with staff members, students and families. He credits Goodland’s success to the quality people around him and the strong support the schools receive from the community.

Biermann also returned to coaching in recent years and led the Goodland girls basketball program to back to back state championships, earning Sports in Kansas Coach of the Year honors twice along the way. Having his daughters be part of that experience made it even more special.

Great schools, great kids and a community that supports both.

Celebrating Kansas Schools.

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