Andover Airwaves

The start of kindergarten can be an exciting yet nervous time, for students and parents alike. In this episode, kindergarten teachers Heather Rainey (Wheatland Elementary) and Kayla Nelson (Prairie Creek Elementary), and principal Shari Rooks (Cottonwood Elementary) talk about how to talk with your student about the start of kindergarten, how to prepare during the months leading up to the first day of school, and what the process for beginning kindergarten is like at Andover Public Schools.

When the Andover Central High School took fourth place at the National Cheerleaders Association competition, it was the culmination of years of work for those on the squad. Hear seniors Cheyenne Brannan and Kailey Zwiener, and coach Desirae Moreno, talk about the competition and how they work to keep the crowds entertained and pumped up at sporting events.

Now that we've kicked off the second semester of the school year, how do your assess your child's progress so far through the school year? How do you celebrate successes and set goals for the rest of the year? Alysia Rich, family engagement consultant for Andover Public Schools, joins us with tips for how to have these conversations with your child.

Juniors and seniors at the Andover Center for Advanced Professional Studies are given the tools, resources and connections to explore their career interests. Along the way, many of them either discover an interest, confirm and interest or, just as importantly, decide a particular career field is not for them. In this episode, Brian Gregoire, director of Andover CAPS, discusses what students were up to this fall semester. Then, you'll hear 11 students talk about the connections they made and the experiences they had the past few months through CAPS.

Beth Smith's favorite parts of being an administrative assistant at Sunflower Elementary were interacting with students -- so much so that she decided to become a teacher.

After a year of pandemic limitations, full-fledged musicals are hitting the stage once again at Andover High School and Andover Central High School. AHS performs "Seussical," while ACHS performs "The Little Mermaid." In this episode, theater teachers, performers and tech crew members describe the shows and their feelings about performing once again in front of a live audience.

Andover Public Schools Horizon Award nominees Kari Schmidt and Madison Schmoll discuss beginning their careers in a pandemic, why they chose to be educators and their life experiences that prepared them for success in the classroom. Ms. Schmidt teaches first grade at Meadowlark Elementary and Mrs. Schmoll teaches band at Andover High School, Andover Middle School, Robert Martin Elementary, Cottonwood Elementary, and Wheatland Elementary.