December 9, 2024
Board honors Mario Galang and Amanda Schwabauer
The Board honored Mario Galang, lead custodian at Prairie Star Elementary School, with the Distinguished Service Award. Galang has been in the district for 14 years. The Board also honored Amanda Schwabauer, a library media specialist at Cedar Hills Elementary School, with the Excellence in Education Award. Schwabauer has been in the district for 8 years.
Board honors Logan Parks
The Board honored Logan Parks, a senior at Blue Valley North, who was named the 2024 Evelyn Gates Award recipient. The award honors a female high school varsity volleyball student-athlete who exhibits top-tier skills, spirit and sportsmanship in the Kansas City metro. Parks has also been named a Kansas Gatorade player of the year, a four-time Kansas all-state selection and is on the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s All-American watch list for the nation’s top player of the year.
Board honors Jill Bergee and Casey Engel
The Board honored Jill Bergee and Casey Engel for being selected as the district’s nominees for the 2025 Kansas Master Teacher. Bergee, an instructional design coach at Valley Park Elementary, and Engel, an English language arts teacher at Blue Valley High are nominees for the award program established by Emporia State University in 1954.
Board honors Kim Vail and Alex Muninger
The Board honored Kim Vail and Alex Muninger for being selected as the district’s nominees for the 2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year. Vail, a 6th grade teacher at Aubry Bend Middle, started her career in Blue Valley in 2008 and Muninger, a 4th grade teacher at Cottonwood Point Elementary, began his career in Blue Valley in 2014.
Board honors Kathleen Cigich
The Board honored Kathleen Cigich for being named a recipient of the Kansas School Counselor Association’s Principal Advocate Award. This award is given to principals who support the work of school counselors, embrace school counseling initiatives and demonstrate actions toward a safe and positive school climate.
Board honors Communications department
The Board honored the district’s Communications department for receiving nine publication awards from the Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA). The team, comprised of eight staff members, received seven Awards of Excellence, one Award of Merit and one Honorable Mention.
Board hears district updates from Superintendent
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The Board heard district updates from Superintendent Dr. Tonya Merrigan. The updates include recent district athletics and activities achievements and staff awards. You can view all of this month’s updates in Dr. Merrigan’s presentation.
Board earns highest opinion in annual audit report
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The Board heard from an officer of Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C., who completed Blue Valley’s 2023-2024 audit. The district received an unmodified opinion on the audit, which is the highest and best opinion a school district can receive. For more information on Blue Valley’s budget and financial documents, please visit the District’s finance page.