Who Are We?
Mission
An exceptional educational experience for ALL
We mean it and do everything we can to live up to it. From students to parents to visiting teams to our neighbors across the street. We want every experience to be exceptional.
Vision
Developing generations of positive world changers
When our students leave our buildings we hope they change the world for the better wherever they end up. Whether that's the board room, grocery store, college lecture hall, wherever. We want our students to change the world!
Core Expectations
Champions for ALL Kids
We believe in all kids and we will fight for them. Each student is unique! Our teachers and staff will meet them where they are and champion for their success
Committed to Excellence
We avoid the fall to average at every turn. Good enough is the enemy of great so we strive for excellence in all we do.
Better Together
We can't do it alone and still believe it takes a village. Our staff and administration collaborate constantly with each other and with families and we are better for it.
Directors of Hope
Hope is what drives us. We desire to see students hope for the future in a way that fuels their drive to learn and create a better world wherever they are.
Our Community
The Buhler school district is 137.7 square miles in size and encompasses the town of Buhler and parts of the North and East of the city of Hutchinson. We have three elementary schools (Pre-K through 5), one middle school (6-8) and one high school (9-12). We educate approximately 2,300 students.
Our Schools
Union Valley Elementary
Founded in 1875 with an enrollment of 30 students, Union Valley Elementary School has grown into a PreK-5th campus with 450 students and over 70 certified and classified staff. We have three sessions of half day preschool that are complemented by in-school daycare. We have three classes per grade level Kindergarten-5th Grade with class size averaging 22 students per class. We also have four different special education classes, two of which serve students countywide. We are committed to serving ALL students through standards-based curriculum, innovative best practices, and a commitment to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. Our parents, staff, and students take a tremendous amount of pride in our school. We have a powerhouse Parent-Teacher Organization and outstanding rapport with the local community. Ensuring students "are loved, feel safe, learn a ton, and have fun" is the effort through which we bring our district mission--ensuring an exceptional educational experience--to life!
Plum Creek Elementary
Plum Creek opened its doors in August of 2014. It houses students in grades PreK-5. We have three sections of half day preschool and offer in-school daycare the other half of the day. Each grade level K-5 has three sections, generally averaging between 22-24 students per class. One unique thing we offer at Plum Creek is a weekly coding rotation for all students, in addition to time the classroom teacher devotes to computer science concepts.
Buhler Grade School
Buhler Grade School is located just down the main road in Buhler from the high school. We serve students in grades PreK-5 with two sections of each. At Buhler Grade you get the quintessential small elementary school feel with small class sizes, daily music and physical education, and teachers who love on students unconditionally. Our rigorous and personalized Multi Tiered System of Supports structure allows students to learn at the just-right level and pace for them.
Prairie Hills Middle School
Our school enrollment is approximately 560 students divided between grades six, seven and eight.
We have four core academic teams (English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and Math, and a related-arts team which consists of specialists who teach Art, Music, Physical Education, Health, Computer Applications, Industrial Technology and STEAM. Our faculty teams meet daily for collaborative planning and also have a daily independent planning period built into their schedule. Currently we offer soccer, tennis, track, football, cross country, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, and cheerleading. Getting students involved is a high priority so we also offer intramurals and clubs including archery, roller skating, drama club, and bee club which offers students the opportunity to care, maintain, and learn from active bee hives.
All students have TA advisory groups with fifteen or sixteen of their teammates. The advisory program is a nice way for students to get to know each other and one adult in a more informal, intimate manner. In TA students also view a student-produced school news broadcast called Crusader News. Our schedule allows for some flexible scheduling during the day, should the teams decide to do so. The master schedule also allows for daily band and chorus rehearsals, with badges classes available for students not in band. In addition to band and chorus, our students participate in a variety of athletic activities. Prairie Hills Middle School offers an academic and social bridge in a student's journey from child to adolescent.
Buhler High School
Our vision is for Buhler High School to be the best high school in the State of Kansas. Buhler Rural High School opened its doors to students in 1915. The first graduating class (three students) graduated in 1918. Today Buhler High School averages 150 graduates per year. We believe firmly in the 3A’s, Academics, Arts, and Activities. We feel that by getting students involved it gets them engaged and better prepares them for life after Buhler High School.
Students are provided opportunities to enroll in 10 Honors or Advanced Placement academic courses. They also have the opportunity to select from one of 38 dual or concurrent college courses. We have an excellent relationship with Hutchinson Community College to provide these services. On average about 80 percent of our students will attend higher learning at a two year or four year college/university. Students are also able to continue the rich tradition of our community by being involved in the largest vocational agriculture program in the state of Kansas.
Buhler is a 4A sized high school with approximately 650 students, 65 teachers and three administrators. BHS is a member of the Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail League in Division 3. We participate in 23 Varsity and sub varsity sports and 5 activities. We have won 52 state championships in our storied history at Buhler. We have a very strong music program with one of the best Bands in the state of Kansas. We are fortunate to have outstanding students, parents, and staff. This helps us to mold our students into positive world changers!
Ad Astra Virtual Academy
Mission:
We will provide an exceptional, innovative, technology-based education that prepares
our students for colleges, careers, and the global community.
Vision:
Students will experience a rigorous program with real-world problem solving that
will prepare them for future academic, career, leadership, and service pursuits.
Staff will embrace the diversity of our student population and foster a culture of
safety, respect, curiosity, and possibilities.
Accreditation/School Improvement
USD #313 is part of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation model (KESA) through the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). The first year of the five-year cycle began during the 2020-2021 school year. Each year of the cycle, an Outside Validation Team (OVT) visits the district to complete the following tasks:
Validate the process and results
Identify areas for improvement
Confer on challenges
Provide visit summaries to KSDE
Recommend accreditation rating to KSDE and the State BOE
The process involves results around the 5 State Board Outcomes:
Kindergarten readiness
Graduation rates
Post high school completion
Individual plans of study
Social / Emotional factors
Our school improvement model is based on Rick DuFour's Professional Learning Community (PLC). Leading our school improvement efforts is the District Leadership Team, comprised of teachers and administrators from each building.
Special Education
Special education needs are met through Buhler USD 313’s participation in Reno County Education Cooperative (RCEC). RCEC provides special education services to five of the six school districts in Reno County.