We are incredibly proud to announce that USD204 has two outstanding teachers nominated for the Kansas Teacher of the Year Award! Congratulations to:
Heather Campbell - Math Teacher at Bonner Springs High School
Patty Pope - Special Education Teacher at Bonner Springs Elementary
The Kansas Teacher of the Year Award recognizes educators who demonstrate excellence in teaching, inspire their students, and make a lasting impact on their school communities. These nominations are a testament to the extraordinary commitment, innovation, and care that both Heather and Patty bring to their classrooms each and every day. Thank you for your dedication to our students and for exemplifying the very best of what it means to be an educator in USD204!
At this month’s Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon, the Chamber continued its partnership with USD 204 to sponsor the Teacher of the Month program — recognizing outstanding educators who go above and beyond for their students, schools, and community.
Mrs. Stos teaches four-year-old prekindergarten students, and anyone who has spent time with that age group knows it requires extraordinary patience, creativity, and energy. Her impact extends well beyond her own students. Mrs. Stos serves as a member of her Building Leadership Team and was also part of the District Teacher Leadership Academy. Her colleagues describe her as someone with an infectious positive attitude and a true team player—the kind of educator who makes everyone around her better. Teachers like Mrs. Stos are the foundation of our community. She's preparing our youngest learners not just for kindergarten, but for a lifetime of learning. She's leading her colleagues toward better practices. And she's doing it all with a smile and a spirit of collaboration. Congratulations, Mrs. Stos!
🚨 Weather Alert! Due to inclement weather and potentially hazardous road conditions, there will be no school tomorrow, December 2nd. Stay safe and warm, BRAVES!
✨ Nominations are NOW OPEN for the USD 204 Wall of Honor! ✨ Help us celebrate the individuals who have made a lasting impact on the Bonner Springs/Edwardsville School District. We proudly recognized our 2025 honorees earlier this year: Jim Mitchell and Paul Barrett, and celebrate them along with past honorees such as Chris Wood, Clausie Smith, Kim Mitchel, Jill Holder, Linda Orangkhadivi, Dr. Jerry Abbott, and Connie “Grandma” Hadley. Now it’s your turn—who deserves a place on the Wall of Honor next? Nominations are reviewed annually by a district committee. Submit your nomination today! 🔗https://forms.gle/ubwajFt6f8LdECRd7
🍂 Thanksgiving Break Starts Monday! 🍂 There will be no school for all students November 24th–28th. All students will return on Monday, December 1st, as we kick off the final stretch of the second quarter. Looking ahead, Winter Break begins December 19th! Make sure you have a copy of the full academic calendar HERE: https://5il.co/32zde Wishing everyone a restful and happy Thanksgiving Break! 🧡🦃
🎓 Bonner Springs High School is celebrating some incredible scholarship opportunities for students! VU Scholarships is a program designed to match high school students with provisional scholarship offers from partner colleges and universities before they even apply—similar to early athletic scholarship offers, but for academic achievement. Students still complete each school’s application and admission process, but this early insight helps them see their potential and plan their futures with confidence. Thanks to a partnership between VU Scholarships, BSHS, and the generous support of the Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Education Foundation, our Juniors and Seniors were able to participate in this impactful opportunity and were collectively offered an incredible $342,832,658 in potential scholarships! 🎉 We are so proud of our students for their hard work and excited for the doors this will open for their futures. Keep striving, Braves—great things are ahead!
We’re thrilled to share that Nurse Kim Bolewski has been nominated as a CASA Advocate Volunteer of the Year! 🧡 CASA is a network of trained volunteers who speak up for the best interests of children in foster care. These advocates ensure every child has the support, stability, and resources they deserve. Nurse Kim fiercely advocates for kids, making sure their voices are heard and their needs are met. She’s a true difference maker in children’s lives, and we couldn’t be more proud to call her a BRAVE! 🌟
We are so proud of our Bonner Springs Elementary Girls on the Run team! 🎉💖 BSE just wrapped up its 3rd season with Girls on the Run, an incredible nationwide program designed to help girls build confidence, develop healthy habits, and discover their inner strength. Through a fun, uplifting curriculum, participants learn about teamwork, goal-setting, communication, managing emotions, and celebrating what makes them unique — all while training for a 5K! ✨ This past weekend, the team celebrated the end of the season with a 5K event, and our girls absolutely crushed it! 🏃♀️💨 Their dedication, positivity, and growth throughout the season truly shined on race day. Huge congratulations to all of our runners — your hard work and determination inspire us all! 🌟👏
A big, BRAVE thank-you to Meteorologist Stevie Stephenson from KCTV5 News for visiting our Career and Life Planning students at Clark Middle School! 🌦️ Students got an inside look at the world of broadcast meteorology—learning how science powers weather forecasting and hearing about the career path that led Stevie to where she is today. We’re so grateful for the time, energy, and inspiration she shared with our students! 💫
🎵🧡🖤 More BRAVE Music Excellence! 🧡🖤🎵 Following in the footsteps of our outstanding Bonner Springs High School BRAVES, the Clark Middle School Tiblow Singers are hitting all the right notes!
The CMS Choir Department is celebrating six outstanding students selected for the NEKMEA Middle Level District Honor Choir: Rayne Alfaro (Alto), Abigayle Creed (Soprano), Aiden Payne (Baritone), Clayton Rhodes (Baritone), Anna Sunderman (Soprano), and Summer Talley (Alto).
And we’re thrilled to share that three of our students — a new CMS record! — have been selected for the KSMEA Middle Level State Honor Choir, performing this February:
🌟 Layla Holton (Alto)
🌟 Clayton Rhodes (Tenor)
🌟 Sebastian Strickland (Tenor)
These talented young musicians earned their spots through a rigorous and highly competitive audition process, standing out among middle school singers from across the state. Congratulations to all our CMS musicians for continuing the BRAVE tradition of musical excellence! 🎵👏
At this month’s Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon, the Chamber continued its partnership with USD 204 to sponsor the Teacher of the Month program — recognizing outstanding educators who go above and beyond for their students, schools, and community. 🍎 We are proud to join the Chamber in celebrating Kyle Razak, Math Teacher at Clark Middle School and Head Track & Field Coach at Bonner Springs High School, as the November Teacher of the Month! 🎉 Mr. Razak has been with USD 204 for 24 years and is known for his dedication to helping students build confidence both in and out of the classroom. Whether he’s teaching complex math concepts or leading student-athletes on the track, Mr. Razak consistently demonstrates passion, leadership, and a commitment to student success. 👏 Congratulations, Mr. Razak, on this well-deserved honor — and thank you for making such a positive impact on our students and our district! 🧡
🧡🖤🎵 Huge congratulations to our 14 incredible Bonner Springs High School BRAVES selected for the NEKMEA District Honor Band & Choir! 🎶 Out of 45 Kansas high schools and hundreds of talented musicians, our students stood out — and we couldn’t be more proud! BSHS brought 28 amazing musicians to auditions in Eudora over the weekend, and now we’re ready to cheer them on as they perform in Topeka on December 6. We cannot wait to hear their performance alongside their peers from Northeast Kansas. It’s a Great Day to be Brave! 🧡🖤🎵
🌟 National Parents as Teachers Day 🌟 Saturday, November 8th is National PAT Day, and we’re celebrating by shining a spotlight on our amazing Parent Educator, Melissa Lewis! 💙 Melissa goes above and beyond to support families, empowering parents as their child’s first—and most important—teacher. Through her dedication, compassion, and expertise, she helps strengthen families and build brighter futures every day. We’re proud to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon Affiliate PAT district, a distinction that reflects our commitment to the highest standards of quality in the PAT program and early childhood education. Join us in celebrating Melissa and all Parent Educators who make a difference in the lives of children and families! 👏
