It's Family Ties Tuesday! A passion for education runs strong in the Schmidt-Ast family. Parker Ast teaches Special Education at THS, coaches Girls Wrestling & Boys Soccer, and sponsors Unified Sports. His wife, Jenna Ast (Schmidt), teaches first grade at TES, and Jenna's father David supports students as a paraeducator at TMS. Proud to have this dedicated family in our schools! ❤️🤍 #tongienation #usd464
Attending school daily has effects that extend well beyond elementary, middle, and high school. Let's finish the fourth quarter strong! #attendancematters #tongienation #usd464
Today the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north. On this day, the Northern Hemisphere & Southern Hemisphere receive roughly equal amounts of sunlight; neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the Sun than the other. #tongienation #usd464
August 23, 2024: The Tonganoxie High School Marching Band runs through their program for the Tongie Tailgate that evening. #ThrowbackThursday #yeahband #tongienation #usd464
It's time for another Family Ties Tuesday! Today we are featuring sisters-in-law Carley and Jodie Smith. Carley teaches fifth grade at Tonganoxie Elementary School and serves as the head coach for the seventh grade volleyball team at Tonganoxie Middle School. Jodie is in her tenth year at Tonganoxie High School; she taught business for six years before becoming the post-secondary/CTE coordinator, and she's coached XC for nine years. Carley and Jodie are pictured with Carley's father/Jodie's father-in-law Brent Smith, who served as an assistant principal at THS for 19 years until he retired in 2020. Thank you to these wonderful educators! ❤️🤍 #tongienation #usd464
The monthly USD 464 Board of Education meeting will be held on Monday, March 10 at 6 pm in the BOE room at the District Administrative Center. Please enter through the west doors closest to the open field. #tongienation #usd464
Fall 1987: Tonganoxie High School Homecoming Parade! #ThrowbackThursday #tongienation #usd464
In order to properly assess current conditions and maximize safety, USD 464 will have a two hour delay on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Per our inclement weather policy, all morning activities and practices are canceled, as well as the morning session of preschool. School breakfast will not be served; school lunch will be served.
All bus pick ups and district building opening times will be delayed by two hours, and classes at all schools will begin two hours later than normal. Students will be dismissed at their regular dismissal times.
Family Ties Tuesday: Twin Edition! Sisters Kim Robinson & Kelly Griffiths have hometown roots in Tongie; both are graduates of Tonganoxie High School! Today, Kim is an administrative secretary at Tonganoxie Elementary, and Kelly is an accounts payable clerk and receptionist at our administrative center! We are proud to have them on our team! ❤️🤍 #tongienation #usd464
Friday, March 14 is a Professional Development Day for all district staff and Spring Break is March 17-21. Classes resume Monday, March 24, 2025. #usd464 #tongienation Design credit: Sawyer Frese '25
National School Breakfast Week is coming! Help us celebrate by being one of the more than 12 million students across America who eat school breakfast every day. Daily prize drawings will take place next week for students who eat school breakfast, with grand prize drawings on Friday-every morning that students eat breakfast, they will be entered to win the grand prize at their school! #NSBW25 #tongienation #usd464
November 8, 2024: Tonganoxie High School hosts our annual Veterans Day Ceremony. Follow the Google Drive link to see over 100 photos from the event. Have more photos we can add? Send them to socials@tong464.org! #tongienation #usd464
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sZerT_LNWZke5tjCgHOPuCwU6V4LpQQ4?usp=sharing
We are looking for a couple more transportation professionals to add to our rock star team! No experience necessary, just enthusiasm and a desire to learn! Paid training provided. Apply online now at tong464.org! 🚌🚌🚌 #tongienation #usd464
It's Family Ties Tuesday and today we are featuring the dynamic duo that is Charles and Kristan Van Middlesworth! Charles is our Director of Bands for grades 5-12, and Kristan teaches math, physics, and computer science at Tonganoxie High School! We are grateful for their passion and dedication! ❤️🤍 #tongienation #usd464
We are proud to highlight outstanding alumni like Brenden Brower, a 2011 graduate of Tonganoxie High School. During his time at THS, Brenden was an active member of the debate, forensics, football, and track teams. His debate skills earned him the 2009 4A two-speaker debate championship, with THS teams sweeping the top spots after an impressive semi-final performance, and he consistently earned medals at state and regional competitions. It was also at THS that he met his future wife, Taylor Brower (Clark, Class of 2012), with whom he shares one child. Despite being diagnosed with leukemia during his senior year, Brenden demonstrated continued resilience and determination in his academic and extracurricular pursuits. After taking a year for chemotherapy, he began his college journey at Johnson County Community College in 2012, where he was an active member of the Student Senate and served as parliamentarian. He then transferred to Missouri State University in Springfield on a debate scholarship, where he achieved remarkable success, including becoming a Cross-Examination Debate Association Academic All-American in 2017 and qualifying twice for the NDT National Championship. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Socio-Political Communication in 2017 and continued at MSU for his Master’s in Communication Studies while coaching debate and teaching public speaking. He celebrated being cancer-free in 2014 and married Taylor in 2016. After graduating with his master’s from MSU in 2018, Brenden moved to the NYC Metro area to pursue a law degree at Seton Hall Law School. There, he served as Articles Editor for the Seton Hall Legislative Journal and participated as a Non-Governmental Organizational Observer at JTF Guantanamo in Cuba during the 9/11 trials in Spring 2019. He graduated in 2021 and began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Stewart A. Minkowitz in the Superior Court of New Jersey. Currently, Brenden serves as an assistant prosecutor at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he prosecutes serious and violent crimes including arson, non-fatal shootings, aggravated assaults, robberies, carjackings, and home invasions. Additionally, he leads the Hudson County Regional Animal Cruelty Task Force. Brenden credits THS debate coach Steve Harrell with setting him on the path that led to his legal career. “Steve Harrell was a great coach who helped foster my interest in debate,” Brenden says. “Along with assistants Ken Church and Drew Thomas, his coaching and guidance helped build my confidence and skill to the point that I decided I wanted to ‘go pro.’ At that point, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer!” Further reflecting on Mr. Harrell’s impact on his academic and professional journey, Brenden remarked, “Debate and Forensics…have you spending a LOT of time with your coaches and teammates. I know that without Mr. Harrell helping to guide and mold me through those four years, I would not be anywhere close to where I am today. He deserves tremendous credit and gratitude for building an excellent program that is an immense resource to the students and school.” Congratulations Brenden, and best wishes for continued success—you make us proud! Help us recognize other awesome alumni like Brenden by sending an email to socials@tong464.org!
We were honored to present Mr. Jim Bothwell with a plaque commemorating his years of dedicated service on our school board from 2018 to 2024, many of them as board president. His leadership, passion, and commitment have made a lasting impact on our community’s education. Thank you Jim—your contributions will be felt for years to come! #tongienation #usd464
May 26, 2017: Lee Roi Johnson '18 is the high school State Track Discus Champion! #ThrowbackThursday #tongienation #usd464
Not exactly the three-peat we were hoping for, but here we are: Due to dangerously low temperatures, USD 464 will have a SNOW DAY on Thursday, February 20, 2025. All district buildings will be closed. 🥶🥶🥶 #tongienation #usd464
Due to hazardous road conditions and dangerously low temperatures, USD 464 will have a SNOW DAY on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. All district buildings and offices will be closed. ❄️❄️❄️ #tongienation #usd464
Today’s Family Ties spotlight: cousins Amanda Albert & Amy Lawson! Amanda was a kindergarten teacher at TES for 11 years before becoming a TES instructional coach; Amy has taught art for 18 years, including the last 5 at TES. We’re grateful for all they do! #tongienation #usd464
