Andrew Addington prepares to join the Northwest community for the 2019-20 school year.

Currently working as the assistant principal at Pleasant Ridge Middle School, Addington said his decision to transfer to the high school level to become the activities director was influenced by his desire to get involved with student organizations and helping further students’ futures. As a former social studies teacher at Blue Valley West, Addington was heavily involved in sponsoring clubs and coaching football, he said, which opened his eyes to more opportunities.

“High school students have so much capacity to already make positive change in their community and in the personal relationships they have and in the future they hope to attain,” Addington said. “I really think that’s an exciting time to work with young people.”

When the Blue Valley district announced the opening of an administrator position, the job was offered on both a regional and national scale, the district executive director for human resources Eric Punswick said. Punswick said in the midst of many applicants, Addington’s ability to build valuable relationships and vast involvement with students was unmatched.

“He’s helped tremendously in the school, supporting students with social and emotional growth, as well as professional development,” Punswick said. “All of those pieces have prepared him to be at the high school.”

To Addington, the assurance he felt with the prospect of adding value to BVNW ensured him he was making the right decision, he said. In addition, Addington said he was already familiar working with some of the staff at BVNW regarding the football program, social studies department and the performing arts program, which furthered his enthusiasm to join the BVNW community.

“It’s funny because interviews, applications and those kind of things often bring about nerves, but in this one I felt very comfortable because I felt like I could be a really strong asset to the team and the whole community,” Addington said.

Addington won the Kansas Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association award for Middle School Athletic Director of the Year in 2017. The award is presented to one middle school athletic director in the state. As an assistant principal, Addington said his position encompasses various responsibilities, including being activities director.

BVNW Principal Amy Pressly agreed with his capabilities and said his former teaching job at the high school working actively with the district makes him familiar with executing the role as an administrator.

“He’s a pretty sharp individual, and I think he’ll do just great jumping in,” she said.

Phoebe Lewis, the principal at Pleasant Ridge middle school, said Addington’s enthusiasm and determination to involve himself in student’s emotional, social and academic growth was very prominent at the middle school. Particularly in high school, Lewis said students seek comfort in authentic individuals like Addington who understand the diversity and who is accepting. The undivided attention he offers to each of his students, she said, will allow him to further their futures.

“His first love was high school and he was a high school teacher, so understands high schoolers’ wants and needs,” she said.

As for the upcoming year, Pressly and Addington both agree and said any changes he may bring to the table are yet to be determined until the start of his term. However, Pressly said the student body may undergo some adjustments. Although current activities director Nacole Boan has taken on the role as the junior class administrator for the past two years, plans to make associate principal Tyler Alexander the new administrator for the seniors in the upcoming year are being discussed, she said. This adjustment would allow Addington to become the new freshman administrator for next year.

Although setting in motion Addington’s transfer to BVNW will not officially start until this summer, Addington said as a father of two kids, his excitement mostly lies in the activities aspect of working at the high school.

“Everyone says that their school is kind of like a family and you want to get into that family aspect of the school,” Addington said. “But, being someone who does have a young family, the prospect of fully integrating and adding two Huskies into your family is kind of exciting.”

As the year comes to an end, Pressly said she invited Addington to accompany the BVNW students on Class Day and other end of the year events in order to begin the transferring process. In the meantime, Addington said he is looking forward to forming relationships with the students and allowing them to voice their opinions not only on activities and events, but also the academic and professional aspects of the school.

“I want to be a person who they feel comfortable opening up to and sharing their perspectives on what is four really formative years of their lives,” Addington said.