We’ve celebrated the last day of school, graduation, alumni reunion ... and summer is officially here!
Congratulations are also in order for the student athletes who worked hard all spring and represented us well at home and on the road. Special shout-out to our golf team for competing at state. Our Girls track team became the Mid-Continent League champions for the third year in a row and then secured the 2025 1A Team State Champions! Congratulations to Avery Boydston, 1st place in the 1A 3200 M and 1600 M, 3rd in the 800 M dash and, Natalee North 1st place in 1A state shot put and Discus, Isabella Eck finished 4th in 1A High Jump, Aron Benzce 8th place finisher in the 1A Shot Put and Discus, Evelyn Merriman 4th place finisher in the 1A 100 M run and 6th in the 200 M run! Way to go Railers!
When summer break begins, we shift gears into the work of planning and preparing for the future. Our school board’s good work on our new strategic plan continues, including setting goals and priorities for the 2025-2026 school year. The board had a work session recently to learn the ins and outs of school financing and how to align the budgeting process to support the district’s plan. The four strategic focus areas in the new plan are:
Communication and engagement
Facilities and infrastructure
Student development and engagement
Staff and financial sustainability
I’ll continue to share more about our priorities and action steps in the coming months.
Late last month, I was honored to speak at the alumni banquet on May 24th. I used this opportunity to share that our district is entering an exciting season of forward-looking projects that will lay a foundation of success for the next 50 years.
The daycare facility that the district will own and operate is still very much in the works. We have secured more than $430,000 in grants and donations, including a $20,000 grant that came just a few weeks ago. With a few more large grant requests pending, it is possible this project could be fully funded by the end of this summer. We believe this facility will help meet a critical local need for childcare and create a much-needed resource for teachers and young families considering making their home in Ellis.
Another major initiative is a new track and field facility, which will not involve a bond. I want to thank the people who agreed to lead and serve on the committee to explore this project. I sincerely appreciate how many people believe in this vision for the future of our district.
Not only would this restore our ability to host home track meets right here in Ellis, it will become a point of pride for student athletics and activities. More information will be shared as the information is gathered and ideas transpire.
I’m also thrilled to share that a generous donor has helped us create a new endowed fund to help create sustainable support for our school district and encourage long-term planning. And finally, it's exciting to see the new housing development being built on the south hill near Ellis High. This kind of investment will help bring more families to town, supporting our schools, local businesses and the community as a whole.
As I told the Ellis alumni gathered a few short weeks ago: I am proud of where we’ve been, and I am excited about where we’re going. Once a Railroader, always a Railroader.
Janice Wilson
USD388 Superintendent