One of Atchison’s strengths is its variety of educational opportunities. Public and private schools, a technical college and a four-year liberal arts college offer a wide diversity of educational choices for all ages in the Atchison area.

Public Education
Atchison Unified School District 409 serves the City of Atchison and has an average enrollment of over 1,700 students in the K-12 program. Facilities include a consolidated elementary school completed in 1997, middle school, high school and a state-affiliated technical college.

Atchison County Community Schools / Unified School District 377 serves families in the western portion of Atchison County. It has an enrollment of over 800 students in the K-12 program. Elementary schools are in Lancaster, Cummings and Effingham. Atchison County Community Middle School (grades 5-8) and Atchison County Community High School (grades 9-12) are in Effingham.

Private Schools
Atchison Catholic Elementary Schools (ACES) is a consolidated kindergarten through 8th grade school system serving three Catholic parishes: St. Benedict’s, St. Joseph’s and Sacred Heart. Total enrollment is about 329 students.

Trinity Lutheran School is affiliated with Trinity Lutheran Church at 8th and Laramie streets and has been providing youth with a Christ-centered education since 1869. It has an enrollment of about 170 students in pre-school through the eighth grade.

Maur Hill-Mount Academy is a Catholic, college preparatory school educating young men and women in the Benedictine tradition of prayer, work and love of learning. This school was established in 2003 by the merging of two long-standing educational institutions – Mount St. Scholastica Academy and Maur Hill Prep School. The combined school has an enrollment of 200 students from around the country and a significant amount of international students who make Atchison their home for nine months of the year. A wide range of college preparatory classes is offered, along with 30 hours of college or university credit. A super-intensive English program for international students is offered. The school boasts 100% college placement for its graduating classes, a strong scholarship record, and above-average ACT and SAT scores. Graduates attend such schools as Notre Dame, MIT, Benedictine College and the University of Kansas.

Northeast Kansas Technical Center of highland comm college Northeast Kansas Technical Center of Highland Community College is fully-accredited by the Kansas Board of Regents and the Kansas State Board of Nursing. It provides training in a wide range of fields with both full- and part-time classes, evening adult education and specialized training. Programs of study include computer technology, auto technology, food and beverage management and practical nursing. It offers an Associate of Applied Science degree awarded in nine programs. After two years at NEKTC, job placement ranks above 93% overall.

Benedictine College
Benedictine College (B.C.) is a four-year, liberal arts, Catholic, co-educational college with roots dating back to the founding of St. Benedict’s College in 1858. It was established in 1971 with the merging of St. Benedict’s College and Mount St. Scholastica College. It has an enrollment of over 1,350 students from 30 states and 13 foreign countries; over 1,000 of these are full-time undergraduates. In addition to 34 majors and eleven pre-professional programs, Benedictine offers a master’s in Educational Administration, an Executive Master’s of Business Administration and a traditional MBA. The college recently completed renovation of Ferrell Hall, a 110-year-old former abbey building, to create a state-of-the-art residence hall. The Raven Roost, a handsomely-appointed student and alumni gathering spot, opened in fall 2003 as part of the Haverty Center.

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