It is with tremendous pride we recognize the recipients of this year’s Auburn-Washburn Distinguished Staff Awards. Each honoree was nominated by colleagues and selected by a 20-member district committee for their dedication to excellence, collaboration, and commitment to student success.

These exceptional staff members will be recognized at a public reception on Monday, April 27, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Washburn Rural High School Innovation Center. Family, friends, and community members are invited to join us in celebrating the following honorees:

Jill Seitz
Elementary Teacher of the Year
Farley Elementary School

Haley Schmitz
Secondary Teacher of the Year
Washburn Rural High School

Jennifer Hayden
Master Teacher
Farley Elementary School
Pauline Central Primary School
Pauline South Intermediate School
Wanamaker Elementary School

Stacy Greenwood
Distinguished Certified Support Staff
Indian Hills Elementary School

Kristin Wong
Distinguished Classified Support Staff
Washburn Rural North Middle School

Amy Nipper
Distinguished Operations Support Staff
Washburn Rural High School

The Distinguished Staff Awards are presented annually to team members who exemplify Auburn-Washburn’s mission of delivering exemplary, world-class education for all students, instilling in them the academic knowledge, skills for success, and character required to be happy, responsible, productive citizens.

📰Big news out of Washburn Rural Middle School and Washburn Rural North Middle School!

Fourteen students placed first or second at the Kansas History Day competition this past weekend and have earned a spot at National History Day this summer at the University of Maryland! Students advancing to nationals include:

Arjun Mukkamala, Jordan Ebenesar, Chance Perry, and Ashwin Mukkamala
🥇1st Place | Group Exhibit Board

John Gregory and Anik Patel
🥈2nd Place | Group Exhibit Board

Graham Figuerres
🥈2nd Place | Individual Documentary

Michael Cuper, Rishik (Luv) Sinha, and Quaid Karr
🥈2nd Place | Group Documentary

Jack Rosenbaum
🥈2nd Place | Individual Exhibit Board

Easton Schmidtlein
🥈2nd Place | Historical Paper

Lily Gross and Maya Cabrilo
🥈2nd Place | Group Performance

We are incredibly proud of your hard work and can’t wait to cheer you on at nationals!

Come support your Lady Blues and all the students participating at tonight's Girls Soccer game vs. Topeka High! Varsity game starts around 6:15 PM at the WRHS McElroy Field and will be live streamed at http://wrhs.net/live.

There are advantages to having an outdoor campus in your literal backyard. Washburn Rural High School students spent the afternoon conducting water quality testing at three different sites as part of their environmental studies class. They measured temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate and phosphate levels, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), and average flow rates, proving once again that some of the best learning happens beyond the walls of a traditional classroom.

UPDATE: Due to expected weather conditions, there will be one varsity baseball game vs. Seaman at 7:00 PM. Live stream available at http://wrhs.net/live.

UPDATE: Due to expected weather conditions, tonight's girls' soccer games vs. Topeka High have been cancelled.

Come support your Lady Blues and all the students participating at tonight's Girls Soccer game vs. Hayden! Varsity game starts around 6:15 PM at the WRHS McElroy Field and will be live streamed at http://wrhs.net/live.

First-grade students across the district have been taking turns visiting our Outdoor Environmental Lab for their “One in the Sun” field trip. During this day-long experience, students rotate through a series of hands-on learning stations focused on:

💫 Exploring patterns in the sky – Students learned about constellations and the role of the sun as an energy source. Using light meters, they investigated how light travels and extended their learning about UV light by creating UV bead bracelets to see how sunlight impacts our daily lives.

🦎 Animal growth and change – Through live animal experiences, students observed how animals grow and change through their lifespan. The program emphasized conservation, respect for wildlife, and understanding how animals interact with their environments.

🦉 Animal adaptations – Students investigated physical traits that help animals survive. Hands-on activities such as bird beak exploration and a blubber experiment helped demonstrate how structure and function support survival in living organisms.

🪿 Animal communication – Students explored how sound travels through vibrations and applied their learning by creating and testing their own goose calls.

🌿 Survival strategies – During their hike, students searched for real-world examples of plant and animal defenses. A survival-themed scavenger hunt helped students connect classroom concepts to the natural environment.

Experiences like this bring science standards to life by giving students meaningful, real-world opportunities to explore, question, and discover!

Reminder: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, is an early release day. All schools will dismiss 90 minutes early.

Come support your Lady Blues and all the students participating at tonight's softball double header vs. Hayden! First game starts at 4:00 PM at the 58th St Softball Complex and will be live streamed at http://wrhs.net/live.