About Andersen Elementary School

Think Globally. Learn Boldly. Grow Together

Andersen Elementary is a vibrant K–5 community dedicated to inspiring the next generation of global thinkers. We believe that school should be an adventure—a safe, joyful place where students and staff are encouraged to take risks, ask big questions, and discover the joy of lifelong learning.

Quick Facts & Our Approach

Our Mission: We are here to empower all students to become global thinkers through collaboration, and inquiry.
Engaging Academics: We design learning experiences that are relevant, meaningful, and—above all—fun.
Expert Educators: Our highly qualified teachers constantly pursue professional development to bring the best modern educational practices to the classroom.
Inclusive & Tailored: We meet the unique learning and emotional needs of every individual student so they can succeed both now and in the future.

Important Contacts

All school numbers begin with (480)812-XXXX

Name (with email)	Title	Ext.
Kristin Kinghorn	Principal	6000
Amanda Mumme	Dean of Students	6018
Yvette Santana	504 Coordinator	6016
Stacy Schraufnagel	Attendance Technician	6000
Christen Morton	IB Coordinator	6009
Larkin Maertins	Social Worker	6011
Darbi Maki	Math Coach	6060
Karen Declaro	Reading Specialist	6061

Department	Ext.
Cafeteria	6004
Health Office	6002
Attendance Line	6003
Library	6021

1350 N. Pennington
Chandler, AZ 85224

Phone: (480) 812-6000
Fax: (480) 224-9425

ContactAndersen@cusd80.com

School Hours

8:30 am - School Begins
3:00 pm - School Dismissed

Early Release

11:30 am

Office Hours

7:30 am - 4:00 pm

Important Links

Drop Off and Pick Up Information

The traffic pattern at Andersen Elementary is designed as separate areas to ensure student safety and consistent parent accessibility. For the safety of your child, please follow all traffic procedures. Assisting our traffic flow is our staff. Look for them in their safety vests! Please be considerate of others when following our traffic rules. Every child at Andersen Elementary is deserving of all the care, time and extra effort it takes to provide a safe walking or riding environment.

Neighborhood carpooling is encouraged whenever possible to reduce the number of vehicles traveling in and out of school. If parents choose to walk their child, we ask that you please model safe procedures for all students (especially those un-escorted) by only using the designated crosswalks at Highland/Ironwood or the supervised crosswalk at Manor Street. Thank you for your respectful adherence of our established traffic patterns so that our staff can safely monitor and protect every child.

1. Traffic entering and exiting is one way only off Pennington.

2. STUDENT DROP-OFF is at the right side curb of the east sidewalk (Pick up A) or north sidewalk near our MPR entrance (Car Pick Up B). All kindergarten students must be picked up at Car Pick Up Area B . Note -- Pulling ahead of another vehicle creates an unsafe hazard. Come to a complete stop before letting your child exit or enter the vehicle. Cars must not be left unattended. Children will only be allowed to enter/exit from the passenger side of the vehicle from the sidewalk. At no time should children be in the street. Carefully check for oncoming vehicles before pulling out into the exit lane that returns to Pennington.

3. The STUDENT BUS drop-off and pick-up area is at the northeast circular turnaround. Parent vehicles are restricted from this area and must yield the right-a-way to buses. (Arizona School Bus Standards 17-09-104)

4. Parents who need to park their vehicles and enter the building for official school business will proceed from Pennington in the right lane to the north front Office Visitor Parking Lot. This is not designated as a pick-up area or for curb-side parking.

5. The west parking lot is for staff vehicles and is not available for student drop-off. The playground is adjacent from the parking lot and must be a protected environment

6. WALKERS and STUDENT ON BICYCLES use the bike path (north sidewalk) off Pennington to proceed to the playground or exit from school.

Overhead image of a map with directions for Parent Morning Drop Off

Overhead image of a map with directions for Parent Afternoon Pick Up

Namesake

The Andersen Family

The Andersen family is one of few that can trace its history back across five generations in Chandler.

Johannes Marinus Andersen, 18, emigrated to Tempe from Denmark in 1898 and was hired by A.J. Petersen, an established farmer also of Danish origin.

In Denmark Andersen had worked on his family's dairy farm and soon gleaned Arizona farming techniques as well. He received $1 a day for his labor and learned English from Mrs. Petersen.

Andersen obtained United States citizenship in 1906, Americanized his name to John, and returned to Denmark a year later to marry his sweetheart Karen Christine, who also had the surname Andersen. The newlyweds initially resided in Tempe but chose to homestead land north of Chandler because the less alkaline soil there had better drainage.

By 1912 the wood-framed Andersen home stood at what is now the northeast corner of Dobson Road and Galveston Street and remained ranch headquarters 73 years. The second generation Andersen's were reared there.

In 1913 a Chandler Arizonan newspaper article headline boasted: "JOHN ANDERSEN NETS $55 AN ACRE OFF 200 ACRES OF ALFALFA; RESULT OF CAREFUL MANAGING." Listing his season profit at $11,000, the article described Andersen as "one of the finest farmers in the Chandler district."

Over the years Andersen raised cattle, hogs, and horses, in addition to crops, and acquired several ranches in Arizona, peaking at 2,500 acres with 14,000 head of cattle.

His business ventures branched out to include the position of vice president of the Bank of Chandler when it formed in 1914 and, in 1917, vice president of the South Verde Consolidated Copper Company with mines 50 miles north of Chandler.

The same year Andersen was elected trustee for School district No. 57, a position he held for 12 years. While on the Chandler school board he made a trip to Redlands, California, to obtain plans for Chandler High School, completed in 1922 and still in use today.

After his father's death in 1941 John Andersen, Jr., 36 decided to phase out the livestock and concentrate on farming during the post-depression era. The quality of the alfalfa he grew soon gained him a reputation for having the best hay to be found and enabled him to contract with buyers prior to harvest.

In 1942 Andersen, Jr. married Zola Follet who was born in the tiny settlement of Pima, located between Globe and Safford. During the Depression Mrs. Andersen's family moved to the Valley where her father secured work as a carpenter and eventually helped build Willams Air Force Base.

After Mr. Andersen died in 1979, Mrs. Andersen ran the farm for six more years with the help of her son and Jack Henry, a ranch foreman for 50 years. Since 1985 Andersen farmland in Chandler has given rise to Andersen Springs planned community. Two schools have been built on the land, one bearing John M. Andersen 's name, the other a junior high memorializing his son.