News

WPS demonstrated what community truly means during the 2025 OpenDoor Turkey Drive, collecting 663 turkeys, 63,799 side items, and $36,808 to help support families in need. 

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Southeast principal Connie Redic officially pardoned Pearl, one of the turkeys raised by students in the school’s agriculture program.

For more than a decade, St. Mark Church of God in Christ has partnered with Adams Elementary to inspire and empower fifth-grade students through the Ladies and Gentlemen’s Club and their annual holiday luncheon.

Spaght Magnet Elementary is leading the way as Kansas’ first Code to the Future school. Students are learning the foundations in coding and computer science while using creativity, logic, and problem-solving to bring their ideas to life. .

Dr. Loren Hatfield, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools, was selected to participate in the Council of the Great City Schools’ Michael Casserly Urban Executive Leadership Institute for Superintendents. Dr. Hatfield is among ten other urban school district administrators from across the country who will participate in the program.

Thanks to the work of the WPS Musical Instrument Repair Shop, each year more than 2,000 students are able to step onto stages of possibility with well-cared for instruments the department maintains.

McLean Science and Technology Magnet Elementary has been honored as a 2025 National Blue Ribbon School, one of just three elementary schools in Kansas to receive this prestigious distinction.

Mayor Lily Wu’s journey is a powerful testament to the transformative impact of Wichita Public Schools. Arriving in the United States at age 8 without speaking English, she found in WPS a world of opportunity, support, and inspiration. Her story reflects the limitless possibilities that arise when every student is empowered to dream big and achieve beyond expectations.

WPS held a ribbon cutting at Hamilton Middle School for the new Verizon Innovative Learning Lab. WPS now has 4 VILs labs including Coleman, Curtis and Marshall Middle Schools that offer a space where students will explore robotics, design thinking, coding, virtual reality and much more.

WPS held its monthly news where Superintendent Bielefeld shared insights from the district’s Community Engagement Survey; introduced Corinthian Kelly, our new Director of Partnerships and Belonging; and gave an overview of the Community Schools program.

Each day, the Wichita Public Schools Transportation Department makes it possible for 17,500 students to arrive at school ready to learn and return home safely. Learn how WPS partners with First Student, EverDriven, and Wichita Transit to deliver on this commitment.