Blue Valley Schools is celebrating two of its own educators who have earned statewide recognition. Hadley Schafer, a kindergarten teacher at Leawood Elementary, and Kate Gabel, a math teacher at Blue Valley Northwest, have been named the district’s nominees for the 2027 Kansas Horizon Award.
What the Kansas Horizon Award Honors
The Kansas State Department of Education created the Horizon Award to highlight teachers who, in their first year of classroom instruction, demonstrate exceptional skill, innovation, and dedication. Each year the program selects up to four elementary and four secondary educators from each of the state’s regions, potentially honoring as many as 32 teachers statewide.
Nominee Profiles
Hadley Schafer began her teaching career with Blue Valley Schools in 2025. She teaches kindergarten at Leawood Elementary, where she relies on student‑driven data and small‑group instruction to meet individual learning needs. Schafer said, “Through hands‑on, experiential learning, collaboration, modeling and reflective conversations, I create a classroom where students are actively engaged and developing the skills needed to become lifelong learners while feeling respected, supported and capable of succeeding.”
Kate Gabel also started with Blue Valley Schools in 2025, teaching mathematics at Blue Valley Northwest. Gabel emphasizes a collaborative environment that encourages students to take risks, learn from mistakes, and persevere. She explained, “I do not need every student to leave my classroom loving math. I want them to leave knowing they are capable of doing it. My hope is that the student who enters saying, ‘I am not a math person,’ leaves believing, ‘I am a math person.’”
Why This Matters for Johnson County
Both educators embody the values that families in Johnson County hold dear: a focus on character development, personal responsibility, and academic excellence rooted in a supportive community. Their nominations reflect the district’s commitment to nurturing teachers who prioritize student ownership of learning and who model the respect and faith‑based principles many parents cherish.
The four regional selection committees will review all state nominees and choose up to four elementary and four secondary educators per region. If Schafer and Gabel are selected, they will join a distinguished group of Kansas teachers recognized for setting a high bar during their inaugural year.
Looking Ahead
Blue Valley Schools encourages community members to celebrate these educators and to continue supporting teachers who strive to develop well‑rounded, confident learners. The district will announce the final awardees later in the year, and the community looks forward to cheering on any Blue Valley teachers who earn the honor.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
