District Info

Wheatland Elementary School Principal Elton Armbrister met with district employees at a reception at the District Office.

Armbrister named Wheatland Elementary School Principal

March 01, 2008

Elton W. Armbrister has been named principal of Wheatland Elementary School, which will open in August.

"We are very pleased to have another experienced, high quality administrator added to our staff," Superintendent of Schools Mark A. Evans said. "Elton will be a great leader for our students and district."

Armbrister has served as the preK-8 principal and junior high activities director in Stockton, Kan., for four years. While there his achievements have included implementing laptop carts, computer lab upgrades and wireless connectivity access, creating a preschool program, expanding to all day kindergarten, implementation of a school-based Big Brothers Big Sisters Program, and significantly raising reading and math achievement scores on state assessments. Prior to living in Stockton, Armbrister was an elementary principal in Natoma, Kan., for three years. He began his teaching career as an instrumental music teacher in western Kansas, and enjoys talking with former students who now teach. Armbrister received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and a Master of Science Degree in Educational Administration from Fort Hays State University.

Armbrister and his wife, Karla, are native Kansans and have been married for 15 years. The couple has a five-year-old son, Miles, and a three-year-old son, Simon. Armbrister’s hobbies include golfing, racquetball, reading, fishing and playing trumpet. He is active in the Stockton United Methodist Church, where he started the SUMC Praise Ensemble in 2007, and serves on various committees. He is currently serving as the Stockton Lions Club President.

The Armbrister family is excited to move to Andover and has already visited several times.

“I am humbled to have been given this opportunity,” Armbrister said of being named Wheatland Elementary School principal. “Andover has a reputation for academic excellence, as well as providing exceptional fine arts and athletic opportunities. I plan to continue that tradition of excellence at Wheatland alongside parents and a quality teaching and support staff.

“To say that I am excited to get started would be an enormous understatement. The greatest challenge is to be involved while living three and a half hours away and still performing my duties in Stockton. The district office staff and elementary principals have been invaluable in their efforts to help me be involved as much as I can as we move closer to the opening of Wheatland. While there will undoubtedly be challenges and obstacles to overcome, it is a privilege to be involved in such an exciting time in the history of Andover Public Schools.”