Board Highlights

In just their second season, the Piper Boys Tennis team made major strides—securing their first-ever Regional Championship and sending all qualifying players to the KSHSAA State Tournament in Salina. Blake Taylor had an incredible late-season surge to win the Regional Singles Championship, while teammate Chri Htoo battled through a sprained ankle to earn a 4th-place finish and a trip to state.

Doubles duo Johnny Vogel and Baird Greenamyre made a statement by winning both the UKC Doubles Championship and the Regional title, earning First Team All-UKC honors. At state, the juniors finished an impressive 7th, becoming the first boys to medal in Piper Tennis history and ending their season with a stellar 33-5 record.

Congratulations to Head Coach Bryan Shelley—named Regional Coach of the Year—and Assistant Coach Matt Storer for guiding the program to a breakout season.

The Piper Girls Swim team, led by Head Coach Amy Bartlow and Assistant Coach Courtney Johnson, delivered another remarkable season—repeating as WyCo Champions and finishing 2nd at the UKC Championships.

At the KSHSAA 1A–5A State Championships, three relay teams reached the finals. The 200 Medley Relay (Savannah Carstensen, Ella Heininger, Megan Kindle, Alice Allen) and the 200 Free Relay (Carstensen, Kindle, Emerson Jeffries, Allen) both placed 13th. The 400 Free Relay (Kindle, Jeffries, Heininger, Allen) placed 18th. Individually, Savannah Carstensen placed 18th in the 100 backstroke and 17th in the 500 freestyle.

Alternates Leah Heininger, Chloe Wyrick, Ava Boyd, and Kate Lockamy (who was also competing in the regional track meet) rounded out a strong team effort. Special recognition goes to Coach Amy Bartlow for being named UKC Coach of the Year.

We’re excited to share some outstanding news from the field of school communications. The National School Public Relations Association—NSPRA—has announced the recipients of the 2025 Golden Achievement Awards, and Piper Unified School District is among the honorees!”

NSPRA’s Golden Achievement Award recognizes outstanding, strategic work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing, and engagement. Judged by experienced, award-winning professionals from across the country, this award honors initiatives that exemplify impactful, innovative work shaping the future of school communication.

This year, Piper’s Communications Department is being recognized for its work on the Secure the Ship campaign—an ambitious and highly collaborative effort to raise $2 million in business and community support for equipping Piper’s new Wall-to-Wall Academy High School.

Secure the Ship was built on strategy, storytelling, and stakeholder engagement. Through targeted communications, media outreach, student and educator voices, and community partnerships, the campaign has successfully raised nearly $500,000 to date. Funds have directly supported hands-on learning through cutting-edge tools and equipment—like the Anatomage Table in the Academy of Health and Life Sciences—ensuring students are prepared with real-world skills in healthcare, engineering, business, media, and more.

By prioritizing transparency, collaboration, and creative outreach—through events like the campaign’s launch at Children’s Mercy Park and initiatives like the Giving Wall—Piper is positioning the district as a leader in innovative education and workforce preparation.

Piper’s Director of Communications, Katelyn Kaminski, will travel to Washington D.C. this July to accept the Golden Achievement Award at NSPRA’s National Seminar—representing Piper on the national stage and celebrating this incredible accomplishment.

Please join us in congratulating Katelyn and the entire school district on this well-deserved national recognition.

Dr. Jessica Dain, Superintendent of Schools, gave the State of the District, click here for the full report.

Quarter 4 Parent Survey Results

Building Action Plans: PEC, PPE, PCE, PMS

District Director Department Goals: Business Department, Communications Department, Human Resources Department, Maintenance & Facilities Department, Student Services Department, Teaching & Learning Department, Technology Department

Superintendent Goals