Please use this link to complete the survey. https://tejoin.com/scroll/544703481. The previous link was incorrect. Thank you for your patience. The Kansas Association of School Boards in coordination with the Ellis School district is conducting an online survey to seek input on desired characteristics of the new superintendent. The survey will take approximately five minutes to complete and can be accessed at the following link https://tejoin.com/scroll/544703481
Final Week of October Match Month – Let’s Finish Strong!
Dear Weight Room Patrons, Staff, and Community Members,
October Match Month ends this Friday, and we need your help to reach our goal! Thanks to the Patterson Family Foundation, every dollar donated will be matched up to $5,000—doubling your impact.
We’re aiming to raise $10,000 to bring new cardio and strength equipment to the Ellis High School weight room used by students and the community. Donations have been light, so a strong final push is essential.
Please see the attached forms and item list to learn how you can support this effort. Thank you for helping us build a stronger community!
Use these links to view the flyers!
https://aptg.co/3jqsmq
https://aptg.co/zRz3sG
Janice Wilson
Ellis Superintendent
Great day for Cross Country regionals!! Thank you also to Boosters Club for supporting all athletes!
2025 KSHSAA Regional Cross Country is in Ellis tomorrow! See the schedule for details. Go RAILERS!
Hi Everyone,
As we approach the November 4th election, I wanted to share a helpful voters guide for those planning to vote in the Board of Education election. This guide includes the names of candidates and key information to support your decision-making.
Click this link to visit the guide: https://5il.co/3refp
Please remember that you are allowed to bring a paper guide with you into the voting booth — this can be especially helpful for spelling names correctly and ensuring your selections are accurate.
Feel free to share this guide with others in your network who may find it useful. Thank you for staying engaged and informed!
Janice Wilson, Superintendent
As we approach the November 4th election, I wanted to share a helpful voters guide for those planning to vote in the Board of Education election. This guide includes the names of candidates and key information to support your decision-making.
Click this link to visit the guide: https://5il.co/3refp
Please remember that you are allowed to bring a paper guide with you into the voting booth — this can be especially helpful for spelling names correctly and ensuring your selections are accurate.
Feel free to share this guide with others in your network who may find it useful. Thank you for staying engaged and informed!
Janice Wilson, Superintendent
Video premiere today on the USD388 YouTube Channel at 5pm! EHS Volleyball regular season matches premiere today, with more video premieres in the coming days. Visit http://youtube.com/c/USD388 to watch
Dental hygienists from First Care Clinic will be at our schools on Thursday, October 9th, 2025, for dental screenings on PreK-12 students. Fluoride applications will be available at no charge for those who have a signed consent by a parent. The consent form can be found online: https://5il.co/27f1m. Forms are also available in the school offices. Please turn in consent forms to the office by Friday, October 3rd, 2025. Fluoride supports healthy tooth enamel, builds strong teeth, and helps prevent cavities.
If you would like to have your child screened, with no fluoride, you do not need to do anything; all students are automatically screened, unless opted out.
If you would like to opt your student out of the screenings, please complete the opt-out form which can be found online: https://5il.co/27f1l and return it to school on Friday, October 3rd, 2025. Forms are also available in the school offices.
If you have any questions, please contact Jaymi Gabel, MSN, RN, School Nurse, jgabel@usd388.com, 785-726-3136.
If you would like to have your child screened, with no fluoride, you do not need to do anything; all students are automatically screened, unless opted out.
If you would like to opt your student out of the screenings, please complete the opt-out form which can be found online: https://5il.co/27f1l and return it to school on Friday, October 3rd, 2025. Forms are also available in the school offices.
If you have any questions, please contact Jaymi Gabel, MSN, RN, School Nurse, jgabel@usd388.com, 785-726-3136.
📣 USD 388 Board of Education – Write-In Candidates
There are 4 open write-in positions for the USD 388 Board of Education this November:
✅ 3 – 4-year terms
✅ 1 – 2-year unexpired term
If you are running as a write-in candidate, please make sure to designate which position you are seeking. We kindly ask that you contact the district office so we can include you in a community-wide candidate highlight.
📧 Email: jwilson@usd388.com
📞 Call: 785-726-4281
Our goal is to create one document that introduces all candidates to the community. Thank you for your interest in serving our schools!
#USD388 #BoardOfEducation #CommunityLeadership #EllisKS #SchoolBoardElection
There are 4 open write-in positions for the USD 388 Board of Education this November:
✅ 3 – 4-year terms
✅ 1 – 2-year unexpired term
If you are running as a write-in candidate, please make sure to designate which position you are seeking. We kindly ask that you contact the district office so we can include you in a community-wide candidate highlight.
📧 Email: jwilson@usd388.com
📞 Call: 785-726-4281
Our goal is to create one document that introduces all candidates to the community. Thank you for your interest in serving our schools!
#USD388 #BoardOfEducation #CommunityLeadership #EllisKS #SchoolBoardElection
While we weren’t selected for the Top 25 in the T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights competition, we are incredibly proud of the momentum we built together. The outpouring of community support and school pride made a powerful statement about the heart of our district.
Your votes, shares, and encouragement helped shine a spotlight on the real needs of our schools—and that visibility is a win in itself. Thank you for standing with us and showing the nation what makes our community so special.
We’re not done yet. Let’s keep pushing forward—together.
#CommunityStrong #ProudDistrict #FridayNightLights #ThankYou @tmobile @ellisrailers
Janice Wilson, Superintendent
Dear Weight Room Patrons, Staff and Community Members,
We’re excited to share a special opportunity to support Community members and the USD 388 weight room this October!
Thanks to the generosity of the Patterson Family Foundation, every dollar raised during October Match Month will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000.
That means our community only needs to raise half of our $10,000 goal to bring new cardio and strength equipment to the weight room and classrooms at Ellis High School.
Together, we can make this happen—your support will go twice as far! We have a beautiful facility, but the request for more equipment has been noted.
Please see the fliers of patron requested items and how you can help. Thank you in advance for your support!!
Janice Wilson
Ellis Superintendent
We’re excited to share a special opportunity to support Community members and the USD 388 weight room this October!
Thanks to the generosity of the Patterson Family Foundation, every dollar raised during October Match Month will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000.
That means our community only needs to raise half of our $10,000 goal to bring new cardio and strength equipment to the weight room and classrooms at Ellis High School.
Together, we can make this happen—your support will go twice as far! We have a beautiful facility, but the request for more equipment has been noted.
Please see the fliers of patron requested items and how you can help. Thank you in advance for your support!!
Janice Wilson
Ellis Superintendent
Ellis USD 388 is accepting applications for the following coaching positions for the 2025-2026 school year.
Head Baseball Coach
Assistant HS/JH Track and Field Coach
Head JH Wrestling Coach
Head Softball Coach
Interested applicants can contact USD 388 Athletic Director, Derek Schoenthaler, at dschoenthaler@usd388.com or apply at https://www.usd388.com/page/job-opportunities.
Ellis is also looking for a bus driver for the 2025-26 school year. We will pay to get your CDL. We are in need of route and activity drivers. Why not drive your child to the games and get paid! Apply at https://www.usd388.com/page/job-opportunities.
Head Baseball Coach
Assistant HS/JH Track and Field Coach
Head JH Wrestling Coach
Head Softball Coach
Interested applicants can contact USD 388 Athletic Director, Derek Schoenthaler, at dschoenthaler@usd388.com or apply at https://www.usd388.com/page/job-opportunities.
Ellis is also looking for a bus driver for the 2025-26 school year. We will pay to get your CDL. We are in need of route and activity drivers. Why not drive your child to the games and get paid! Apply at https://www.usd388.com/page/job-opportunities.
Did you miss the Fall Pep Assembly? You can check it out at the video linked below. #FN5GL #Sweepstakes @tmobile @ellisrailers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkBfqbZKSM4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkBfqbZKSM4
Please come help move mulch at the new playground this morning! We need helpers! 😁
What a great time to be a Railer! The school year is officially underway… kids are filling up our halls and classrooms, teachers are building relationships and introducing new learning, buses are rolling and kitchens are cooking. And with the fall sports season now officially underway, there’s a lot of excitement ahead.
If you haven’t heard, Ellis has entered the T-Mobile’s Friday Night Lights contest. Special thanks to Brandon Comer for his leadership bringing this opportunity to town and helping students and staff in every school make the most of it — and have fun in the process.
If we come together and work hard, T-Mobile could award Ellis some major upgrades, including money towards a new track, for the school and community. Here’s how you can help:
• Follow and share content from @ellisrailers on Instagram and X and invite others to do the same. Our HS media class has been working hard at sharing “Our Story”.
• Post and share the videos or make your own video why Ellis matters to you on Instagram or X. Be sure to use #FN5GL #Sweepstakes @tmobile @ellisrailers each time you share. Encourage your friends and family to share, too.
• Show up for the home football game on Sept. 12. Cheer on the Railers and enjoy giveaways.
This chance to work together and show our spirit goes beyond sports. It’s about pride, unity and creating a space that shows the real spirit of Ellis on a national stage.
As the school year gets started, I can’t say enough good things about our teachers, staff and families. The elementary school has welcomed Mr. Flinn as the new principal, who is bringing his knowledge and experience back to Ellis where he grew up. It seems everyone is enjoying his calm, friendly energy and clear expectations that are sure to lead to a great year ahead.
Our elementary teachers have also been working hard to learn more about the science of reading and earn the Seal of Literacy. LETRS training, or Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, is a big commitment. and I’m very proud that all of our staff who have completed or are in the process of completing this training. Many have already earned the Seal of Literacy, and several are working towards it. Across the district, our focus is on literacy, and all staff are engaged in efforts to enhance literacy instruction in every content area. The impact of this work will be evident as our students continue to grow in their literacy skills-a growth that will only accelerate as more teachers implement effective literacy strategies.
I must also recognize our awesome custodial and maintenance staff. Over the summer they completed projects that will instill greater pride in our facilities, including giving the high school locker rooms a much-needed refresh.
As this new school year gets busy and student participation grows — especially at the junior high! — we need your help to give our young people a memorable high school and junior high experience. Please help us spread the word about these paid positions we need to fill as soon as possible:
• Activity bus and route drivers (district will pay for CDL training)
• Football score/clock operator
• Football spotter
• Football chains
• Volleyball score/clock operator
• Volleyball bookkeeper
• Volleyball line judge
Please reach out to dschoenthaler@usd388.com or call 785-726-9422 if you are able to support.
Last, but not least, our school board continues to do important work aligning the district’s budget, resources and decisions to the strategic plan that was finalized last spring. This wouldn’t be possible without the input that came from community members, teachers, staff and others about what matters most evidenced by our strategic plan. This plays a big role in the budget that the board is finalizing, as well as the Revenue Neutral Rate hearing on Sept 8th. We are happy to answer questions and share more about this work.
It would be impossible to share all the good things happening in Ellis School District in one newspaper column. Times like this, it’s wonderful to see people coming together to make good things happen. This is the Ellis I loved growing up here, and it’s a reminder that the best things about this community are still going strong.
Janice Wilson, Superintendent
If you haven’t heard, Ellis has entered the T-Mobile’s Friday Night Lights contest. Special thanks to Brandon Comer for his leadership bringing this opportunity to town and helping students and staff in every school make the most of it — and have fun in the process.
If we come together and work hard, T-Mobile could award Ellis some major upgrades, including money towards a new track, for the school and community. Here’s how you can help:
• Follow and share content from @ellisrailers on Instagram and X and invite others to do the same. Our HS media class has been working hard at sharing “Our Story”.
• Post and share the videos or make your own video why Ellis matters to you on Instagram or X. Be sure to use #FN5GL #Sweepstakes @tmobile @ellisrailers each time you share. Encourage your friends and family to share, too.
• Show up for the home football game on Sept. 12. Cheer on the Railers and enjoy giveaways.
This chance to work together and show our spirit goes beyond sports. It’s about pride, unity and creating a space that shows the real spirit of Ellis on a national stage.
As the school year gets started, I can’t say enough good things about our teachers, staff and families. The elementary school has welcomed Mr. Flinn as the new principal, who is bringing his knowledge and experience back to Ellis where he grew up. It seems everyone is enjoying his calm, friendly energy and clear expectations that are sure to lead to a great year ahead.
Our elementary teachers have also been working hard to learn more about the science of reading and earn the Seal of Literacy. LETRS training, or Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, is a big commitment. and I’m very proud that all of our staff who have completed or are in the process of completing this training. Many have already earned the Seal of Literacy, and several are working towards it. Across the district, our focus is on literacy, and all staff are engaged in efforts to enhance literacy instruction in every content area. The impact of this work will be evident as our students continue to grow in their literacy skills-a growth that will only accelerate as more teachers implement effective literacy strategies.
I must also recognize our awesome custodial and maintenance staff. Over the summer they completed projects that will instill greater pride in our facilities, including giving the high school locker rooms a much-needed refresh.
As this new school year gets busy and student participation grows — especially at the junior high! — we need your help to give our young people a memorable high school and junior high experience. Please help us spread the word about these paid positions we need to fill as soon as possible:
• Activity bus and route drivers (district will pay for CDL training)
• Football score/clock operator
• Football spotter
• Football chains
• Volleyball score/clock operator
• Volleyball bookkeeper
• Volleyball line judge
Please reach out to dschoenthaler@usd388.com or call 785-726-9422 if you are able to support.
Last, but not least, our school board continues to do important work aligning the district’s budget, resources and decisions to the strategic plan that was finalized last spring. This wouldn’t be possible without the input that came from community members, teachers, staff and others about what matters most evidenced by our strategic plan. This plays a big role in the budget that the board is finalizing, as well as the Revenue Neutral Rate hearing on Sept 8th. We are happy to answer questions and share more about this work.
It would be impossible to share all the good things happening in Ellis School District in one newspaper column. Times like this, it’s wonderful to see people coming together to make good things happen. This is the Ellis I loved growing up here, and it’s a reminder that the best things about this community are still going strong.
Janice Wilson, Superintendent
The media crew met up with HS Principal, Jesse Vincent, and Athletic Director, Derek Schoenthaler, to discuss what it would mean to get a new football field and track facility located near the high school. Our school is participating in the @tmobile Friday Night Lights contest as we aim to be selected as one of the 25 finalists. Support us by liking and sharing our posts and looking out for more information on ways to become involved!
#FN5GL #Sweepstakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnwlEn65alY
#FN5GL #Sweepstakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnwlEn65alY
The hallways were full of smiles for "Back to School Night" at WGS! Thank you to the Ellis Alumni Association for the sweet treats!
Washington Grade School is thrilled to welcome new fourth grade teacher, Brooklyn Pfeifer! Brooklyn is a native of Cimarron, KS, and a 2021 graduate from FHSU. She has lived in Ellis since 2023, but spent the past four years teaching at Victoria Elementary. Brooklyn is excited to live and teach in the same community, and can't wait to see some familiar faces around town!
Thanks to PTO and their fundraising efforts, the grade school playground will be ready for the start of the year. A huge thank you to John Befort and volunteers for making a dream become a reality!
Welcome back, Railroaders! We are thrilled for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year! Important information and resources for everything related to BACK TO SCHOOL can be found online at https://www.usd388.com/o/usd388/page/back-to-school. Online enrollment (the link is located on the BACK TO SCHOOL page) should be completed by August 15, 2025. Enrollment fees should be paid in person on the following dates at each building--Monday, August 11 (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM), Tuesday, August 12 (8:00 AM to 6:00 PM), or Wednesday, August 13 (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM). All payments must be made by check or cash only. We are looking forward to a fantastic year and can't wait to see everyone. Maria Mick (785-726-3151 EHS/EJH, mmick@usd388.com) and Theresa Thomas (785-726-3136 WGS, tthomas@usd388.com).
USD388 online enrollment opens Monday, July 28th, at 8am. Visit https://www.usd388.com/o/usd388/page/back-to-school for information on school supply lists, breakfast/lunch prices, and student fees, as well as links to the online enrollment forms, handbooks, and other documents.
