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Kenyon-WanamingoIndependent School District 2172
kenyonminnesota.com507-789-7001
The Kenyon-Wanamingo high school and middle school entrance at 400 6th Street in Kenyon, Minnesota, with the flagpole and visitor parking in front
Public schools · Kenyon, Minnesota

Kenyon-Wanamingo Schools

One PreK–12 campus at 400 6th Street, Kenyon, about 651 students and 77 staff. This page is the practical one — who to call, what it costs, when it happens. The teams and activities, the photographs, the numbers and the history each have their own.

Quick links

Start here

The pages families actually open, on the district's own systems.

What is for lunchEvery breakfast and lunch by day, with allergens and pricesThe parent portalGrades, attendance, the lunch balance and the closing alertActivities calendarEvery fixture and meet, with resultsDaily announcementsWhat the office reads to the school each morningCommunity EducationKnights Kids, Little Knights, classes, the castleForms and documentsEnrollment, health, employment and policy, in one listPublic noticesThe audit, the annual notices, the testing calendarJobsApplitrack, and why substitutes go somewhere else
Offices

Who to call

Direct lines, not a switchboard.

District office507-789-7001Fax 507-789-7032
Elementary, PreK–4507-789-7004Cyndi Sturgis · fax 507-789-7033
Middle and high school507-789-6186Shannon Johnson · fax 507-789-6188
Community Education507-789-7015Shanna Westlund
Health office507-789-7011Sarah Christensen, school nurse
Food service507-789-7007Melissa Jandro

Source: district staff directory and district contact information page, kw.k12.mn.us, read October 1, 2026.

For families

Before September

Prices, phone numbers and rules, from the district's own pages.

Preschool

Little Knights

A four-star Parent Aware program in the early childhood wing — enter door 5. Children must be fully potty trained and must turn three, or four for the four-year-old class, by September 1. No registration fee.

Three-year-olds
$110 a month
Mixed three and four
$155 a month
Four-year-olds
$200 a month

2026–27 rates. Registration: 507-789-7015. Teacher Terra Haugen, 507-789-7016.

Childcare

Knights Kids

Ages 33 months through grade 5: before school, after school, on non-school days, on inclement weather days and all summer, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The summer program swims at the municipal pool twice a week.

Programming also runs for children 33 months to six years who are not yet in kindergarten, alongside the preschool curriculum.

Kay Benzick, coordinator, 507-789-7010.

Meals

One free breakfast, one free lunch

Every student, every day. Extra meals, milk and à la carte go on the student's account. Taher runs the kitchen.

Elementary lunch, K–4
$3.00
Lunch, grades 5–12
$3.15
Breakfast
$2.00
Milk
$0.80
Extra entrée
$2.25
Adult lunch
$5.05

2025–26 prices. Melissa Jandro, food service director, 507-789-7007.

The bus

KW Transportation

The district contracts transportation to KW Transportation, 621 2nd Street in Kenyon. Bus arrangements are part of enrollment for new students. Nonresident families should call the superintendent about options.

Shawn Evans, 507-789-6151.

Enrolling

Kindergarten and beyond

Round-up runs mini-kindergarten day sessions in the spring; registration goes through the elementary office. Every child needs a free Early Childhood Screening before kindergarten. Forms are available in Spanish.

Statewide enrollment options forms, homeschool letters of intent and accreditation forms and the PSEO packet are on the district's public notices page.

Cyndi Sturgis, 507-789-7004. Screening: Terra Haugen, 507-789-7016.

Snow

The closure rule, in writing

Air temperature below −25°F, wind chill below −40°F, moderate to heavy snowfall or icy roads typically change the day. National Weather Service forecasts and first-hand observation decide it.

Notices go out through Infinite Campus by 8 p.m. the night before where possible, no earlier than 6 a.m. the morning of, and by 1 p.m. for after-school activities. Knights Kids opens at 7 a.m. on a late start and closes at 5 p.m. on an early dismissal.

The last call, the district adds, is the parent's.

Driver education runs in the building: thirty hours of classroom instruction with Adam Rueger of Cannon River Driving School, $125 for the classroom portion and $300 behind the wheel, paid to the instructor, registration at 612-578-8977. Community Education mails a brochure to district families three times a year, in August, December and May, and rents the indoor castle for children's birthday parties — three hours on a weekend, $125, booked three weeks ahead. The K-W Education Foundation, started in 1998, is the separate nonprofit that buys what the budget cannot.

Activities

The Knights

Black, red and silver since 1990; Gopher Conference, MSHSL Class A.

Nineteen teams and activities, each with its own page: the schedule and results, the roster, who coaches it, the photographs and everything the local papers have written.

All teams and activitiesPhotographsLive calendar
How to be heard

The school board

Seven citizens, elected at large to four-year overlapping terms.

Terms begin the first Monday in January; a mid-term vacancy is filled by appointment under state law until the next election. The board elects its officers at an organizational meeting every January, and the superintendent sits on it ex officio.

NameRoleTerm expiresPhoneEmail
Tonya CraigChairJanuary 2027507-330-5243tocraig@kw.k12.mn.us
Erica AronsonVice-chair and treasurerJanuary 2029507-581-1622earonson@kw.k12.mn.us
Debb PaquinClerkJanuary 2027507-838-2632dpaquin@kw.k12.mn.us
James JarvisDirectorJanuary 2027952-212-2959jjarvis@kw.k12.mn.us
AJ LindellDirectorJanuary 2029651-336-8413ajlindell@kw.k12.mn.us
Madilynn LurkenDirectorJanuary 2029507-210-6735malurken@kw.k12.mn.us
Marilyn SyversonDirectorJanuary 2027507-269-9286msyverson@kw.k12.mn.us

Source: kw.k12.mn.us school board members page, read October 1, 2026.

Meetings

Regular meetings are the fourth Monday of the month at 6 p.m. in the K-W media center in Kenyon, with two exceptions: December meets the second Monday and May the third. Work sessions are the second Monday as needed, with none in January, May or December. Every meeting carries a standing Zoom line, meeting ID 248 602 2919, password 2172.

Jan 5Organiz.Jan 26RegularFeb 9WorkFeb 23RegularMar 9WorkMar 23RegularApr 13WorkApr 27RegularMay 18RegularJun 8WorkJun 22RegularJul 13WorkJul 27RegularAug 10WorkAug 24RegularSep 14WorkSep 28RegularOct 12WorkOct 26RegularNov 9WorkNov 23RegularDec 14Regular

Source: kw.k12.mn.us school board meetings page. Work sessions are subject to cancellation; call 507-789-7001 to confirm. Every meeting since 2009 — agendas, attachments and 104 recordings — is on the board page.

Everyone

Staff directory

77 people, with direct lines and email.

NameTitleBuildingPhoneEmail
Christina AlexanderSpecial Education TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4253calexander@kw.k12.mn.us
Carrie AndersonPrincipal Prek-4/Social WorkerElementary507-789-7017canderson@kw.k12.mn.us
Val AshlandGrade 3 TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2254vashland@kw.k12.mn.us
Elyse BakerMental Health Specialist507-789-6186 x3278ebaker@kw.k12.mn.us
Lynda BarrettParaprofessionallbarrett@kw.k12.mn.us
Anna BauerSpanish Teacher/MS ELAHigh School507-789-6186 x4262anbauer@kw.k12.mn.us
Tricia BauerHuman Resources507-789-7001trbauer@kw.k12.mn.us
Katie BenbrooksGrade 1 TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2238kbenbrooks@kw.k12.mn.us
Pam BennewitzMultilingual Learner Teacher507-789-6186 x3404pbennewitz@gced.k12.mn.us
Kay BenzickKnights Kids Coordinator507-789-7010kbenzick@kw.k12.mn.us
Dawn BerquamParaprofessionaldberquam@kw.k12.mn.us
Sandra BohatyGrade 3 TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2239sbohaty@kw.k12.mn.us
Nicole BoyumScience/ELA TeacherMiddle School507-789-6186 x3284nboyum@kw.k12.mn.us
Robin BreimhurstParaprofessional507-789-6186 x4215robreimhurst@kw.k12.mn.us
Heather BreyerParaprofessionalhbreyer@kw.k12.mn.us
Amy BuchalAssistant Special Ed Director507-789-7026abuchal@kw.k12.mn.us
Peggy BurowParaprofessionalpburow@kw.k12.mn.us
Sarah ChristensenLicensed School Nurse507-789-7011schristensen@kw.k12.mn.us
Paul ClausonBuildings, Grounds & Technology Director507-789-7023pclauson@kw.k12.mn.us
Rachel ClineMath TeacherMiddle School507-789-6186 x3287rcline@kw.k12.mn.us
Cheryl DahlKindergarten Teacher/District Assessment Coordinator507-789-7008cdahl@kw.k12.mn.us
Owen DaileyBand TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4228odailey@kw.k12.mn.us
Tony DonkersGrade 1 TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2246tdonkers@kw.k12.mn.us
Alec DriesleinMath TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4256adrieslein@kw.k12.mn.us
Hannah EckbladEnglish TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4258heckblad@kw.k12.mn.us
Nicole EggertTitle I ParaprofessionalElementaryneggert@kw.k12.mn.us
Mackenzie EhlersFACS TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4254mehlers@kw.k12.mn.us
Tate ErlandsonParaprofessionaltaerlandson@kw.k12.mn.us
Tracy ErlandsonPhysical Education TeacherElementary/High School507-789-6186 x2230terlandson@kw.k12.mn.us
Terra HaugenPreschool Teacher507-789-7016thaugen@kw.k12.mn.us
Patrick HeiderscheitSuperintendent507-789-7000pheiderscheit@kw.k12.mn.us
Debra HinrichsGrade 2 TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2250dhinrichs@kw.k12.mn.us
Demian JackmanArt TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4255djackman@kw.k12.mn.us
Natalie JacobsonParaprofessionalnjacobson@kw.k12.mn.us
Bernis JohnsonParaprofessionalbjohnson@kw.k12.mn.us
Meredith JohnsonSpecial Education TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2247mjohnson@kw.k12.mn.us
Shannon JohnsonSecretary Grades 7-12Middle/High School507-789-7007sjohnson@kw.k12.mn.us
Rebecca KellerEarly Childhood Special Ed TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2225rkeller@kw.k12.mn.us
Annette KraftParaprofessionalakraft@kw.k12.mn.us
Brandi KylloTitle I ParaprofessionalElementarybkyllo@kw.k12.mn.us
Amanda Kyllo-LundeKindergarten TeacherMiddle School507-789-6186 x3282mkyllo@kw.k12.mn.us
Margaret LerfaldTechnology Asst.507-789-7021mlerfald@kw.k12.mn.us
Brent LurkenPE/Health TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x3250blurken@kw.k12.mn.us
Samantha MachoParaprofessionalsmacho@kw.k12.mn.us
Stacy MakiSpecial Education TeacherElem/Middle School507-789-6186 x2223smaki@kw.k12.mn.us
Laura McAnallyGrade 4 TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x4248lmcanally@kw.k12.mn.us
William MillerEnglish TeacherHigh School507-789-6186 x4206wmiller@kw.k12.mn.us
Sarah OhmSocial Studies TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x3260sohm@kw.k12.mn.us
Heather OlsonCounselorHigh School507-789-7009holson@kw.k12.mn.us
Megan OlsonSpeech Therapist507-789-6186 x4412meolson@kw.k12.mn.us
Zackery OsendorfScience TeacherHigh School507-789-6186 x4241zosendorf@kw.k12.mn.us
Stacy PetersonParaprofessionalspeterson@kw.k12.mn.us
Siri QuamSpecial Education TeacherMiddle School507-789-6186 x3272siquam@kw.k12.mn.us
Stacy QuamCounselorMiddle School507-789-7014stquam@kw.k12.mn.us
Dan RechtzigelSocial Studies TeacherHigh School507-789-6186 x4249drechtzigel@kw.k12.mn.us
Ashley RohwerSpecial Education TeacherHigh School507-789-6186 x3279arohwer@kw.k12.mn.us
Freddie RolstadParaprofessionalfrolstad@kw.k12.mn.us
Matt RyanPrincipal Grades 5-12Middle/High School507-789-7006mattryan@kw.k12.mn.us
Dawn SandbulteBusiness Manager507-789-7002dsandbulte@schoolmanagementservices.org
Casi SasChoir TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4227csas@kw.k12.mn.us
Cristina SaucedoMath TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186csaucedo@kw.k12.mn.us
Madeline SchultzAg TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4237mschultz@kw.k12.mn.us
Tanya ShortGrade 2 TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2235tshort@kw.k12.mn.us
Diana SmithParaprofessionaldismith@kw.k12.mn.us
Yvette StevensonParaprofessionalystevenson@kw.k12.mn.us
Jan StrandMusic TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x 2256jstrand@kw.k12.mn.us
Cyndi SturgisSecretary Grades Pre K-6Elementary507-789-7004csturgis@kw.k12.mn.us
Rhonda ThesingGrade 4 TeacherElementary507-789-6186 x2243rthesing@kw.k12.mn.us
Doug ThompsonIndustrial Technology TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4235dthompson@kw.k12.mn.us
Robyn ViethsCustodialrvieths@kw.k12.mn.us
Rebecca VulkelichParaprofessionalrvukelich@kw.k12.mn.us
Darin WallingScience TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x4243dwalling@kw.k12.mn.us
Cole WaltersSocial Studies TeacherHigh School507-789-6186 x4274cwalters@kw.k12.mn.us
Marla WaltersParaprofessionalmwalters@kw.k12.mn.us
Shanna WestlundCommunity Ed Coordinator507-789-7005swestlund@kw.k12.mn.us
Jake WiemeActivities Director/PE/ELA TeacherMiddle/High School507-789-6186 x2258jwieme@kw.k12.mn.us
Ricky ZapataLead Custodianrzapata@kw.k12.mn.us

Source: kw.k12.mn.us staff directory, read October 1, 2026. A blank building means the directory gives none.

Asked and answered

Questions

Where do Kenyon children go to school?

Kenyon-Wanamingo Public Schools, Independent School District 2172. Since fall 2025 every grade from preschool through twelve is in one building at 400 6th Street in Kenyon. The district office is 507-789-7001, the elementary office 507-789-7004 and the middle and high school office 507-789-6186.

Is the Wanamingo school closed?

Yes. The board voted on January 27, 2025 to close the Wanamingo elementary building, and the district reported in its 2025 audit that it is in the process of selling it. Every grade is now in Kenyon.

Who do I call about enrolling a child?

The elementary office at 507-789-7004 for PreK–4 and the middle and high school office at 507-789-6186 for grades 5–12. Nonresident families and open enrollment questions go to the superintendent at 507-789-7000.

Does Kenyon-Wanamingo have preschool and childcare?

Both, in the same building. Little Knights preschool is a four-star Parent Aware program for three- and four-year-olds, $110 to $200 a month depending on the schedule. Knights Kids covers ages 33 months through grade 5 before school, after school, on non-school days and through the summer, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

What does school lunch cost?

Every student gets one free breakfast and one free lunch. Beyond that, elementary lunch is $3.00, middle and high school lunch $3.15, breakfast $2.00, milk $0.80. Adult lunch is $5.05. Taher runs the kitchen.

What is the snow day rule?

Air temperature below −25°F, wind chill below −40°F, moderate to heavy snow or icy roads typically change the day. Notices go out through Infinite Campus by 8 p.m. the night before when possible, no earlier than 6 a.m. the day of, and by 1 p.m. for after-school activities.

How do I ride the bus?

The district contracts transportation to KW Transportation, 621 2nd Street in Kenyon. Bus arrangements are part of the enrollment process for new students. Shawn Evans, 507-789-6151.

When does the school board meet?

Regular meetings are the fourth Monday of the month at 6 p.m. in Kenyon, except December (second Monday) and May (third Monday). Work sessions are the second Monday as needed, with none in January, May or December. Meetings carry a standing Zoom line, meeting ID 248 602 2919, password 2172.

What are the school colors and mascot?

The Knights, in black, red and silver, since the 1990 pairing of Kenyon and Wanamingo. The district has competed in the Gopher Conference since 2021–22, in MSHSL Class A.

Where do I find the lunch menu and the activities calendar?

The menu is published by Taher and the activities calendar by Bound; both are linked at the top of this page. Daily announcements are on the district's own site.

NextThe numbersEnrollment, spending per student, the levy, the bonds, and what the district reports about its own results. AlsoHistoryA first school in 1857, two districts until 1994, one building since 2025. AlsoActivitiesNineteen teams and activities, each with coaches, season and venue.
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