Ellis High School/Junior High

On Tuesday, March 25th, Mason Rohleder traveled to Phillipsburg to compete in a forensics tournament. He represented Ellis well placing second in impromptu! Mason also punched his ticket to state! Way to go, Mason!

The HS/JH Track Store deadline has been extended until tomorrow at noon! https://ellistrack2025.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

Ellis Jr./Sr. High School is proud to recognize an outstanding educator: Mr. Jeff Kohl! As a veteran teacher at Ellis, we are thrilled to have his knowledge and expertise within our school community. Mr. Kohl has a busy schedule, teaching World History, U.S. History, and Government. He brings enthusiasm, extensive knowledge, and excitement to his classes each day. Many projects and group activities are challenging, and he expects a higher level of engagement from his students, which helps prepare them for the next stage of their learning. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Kohl serves as the senior class sponsor. From managing caps and gowns to overseeing the graduation ceremony, he ensures that the best interests of the class are always a priority. Mr. Kohl is also an avid sports fan and is a dedicated supporter of the Railroaders, especially his daughters. He can often be seen running the clock and keeping score at home basketball games. We appreciate his commitment both inside and outside the classroom. A graduate of EHS himself and a lifelong farmer, he runs cattle and crops and is dedicated to the Ellis community and his family farming operation. Another fun fact about Mr. Kohl is that he is a fan of Jelly Roll. We can't help but wonder if he and the artist share any matching tattoos! We are truly fortunate to have a teacher like Mr. Kohl. He is valued in our community and at our school, and we are honored to celebrate his contributions as part of our Railroader family. Thank you, Mr. Kohl!

All EHS students are invited to join the Fifth Quarter celebration this Friday, March 28! They are excited to celebrate spring sports with all Ellis High School freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The event will take place at the Ellis United Methodist Church from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM, featuring fun, games, and great food. They will be serving pizza, with options that include meat and a Lent-friendly cheese. Additionally, there will be door prize drawings, including the chance to win a 32-inch TV! Come and enjoy the final Fifth Quarter of the year!

Ellis Jr./Sr. High School is proud to recognize an outstanding educator over spring break: Mr. David Wildeman! As a veteran teacher at Ellis, we are thrilled to have his knowledge and expertise in our school community. Mr. Wildeman has a busy schedule, teaching Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science, and Anatomy & Physiology. He runs an efficient classroom that includes hands-on labs and numerous field trips. We love witnessing the excitement of the students when they return from these experiences. From bird watching to tree identification, Mr. Wildeman always shares his extensive knowledge in the field of science. He takes his Anatomy & Physiology students to health fairs and the FHSU Cadaver Lab. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Wildeman has been a dedicated baseball coach for many years, and his program has experienced growth and success. He also coaches summer baseball and takes an active role in developing our youth programs. We appreciate his active involvement, as his knowledge and skills greatly enhance our school community. He consistently makes a meaningful impact both inside and outside the classroom. One thing we often hear from his students is that his "dad jokes" and “science puns” leave much to be desired; perhaps he needs to step up his joke game! Another fun fact about Mr. Wildeman is that he is a fan of '90s rock music, but he often finds himself listening to Zach Bryan because of his wife. Come on, Tara, let the man rock! We are truly fortunate to have a teacher like Mr. Wildeman. He is valued in our community and school, and we are honored to celebrate his contributions as part of our Railroader family. Thank you, Mr. Wildeman!

The seniors did an excellent job rewriting the poem, "Jabberwocky" and performing a dramatic reading of their interpretation of the poem in English class.

Today is Pi Day!! Mr. Davenport and Mr. Dreiling's math classes celebrated with pie and other various activities! Fun math classes to send us into spring break!!

The 2025-26 Ellis High School Cheerleaders are announced! Congratulations to all!

The 2025-26 Ellis High School Journalism Staff is announced! Congratulations to all!

The Ellis FFA invites you to our annual Labor Auction on Monday, March 31st. We will serve a meal at 6:30 PM, and the auction will begin shortly afterward. This event will take place in the commons and auditorium of Ellis Jr/Sr High School. Proceeds from this event will go towards senior scholarships and future FFA activities. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Dani Schmidt at daschmidt@usd388.com or 785-726-3151. Thank you for your support!

Attention Ellis High School Seniors and Senior Parents: Graduation cap and gown packages were distributed today (Wednesday, March 12, 2025) to all seniors. Please ensure that these packages make it home! Graduation is scheduled for Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., and will take place in the Ellis Jr./Sr. High School Gymnasium. If you have any questions, please contact Maria in the office at 785-726-3151. We can’t believe how quickly this school year is flying by—graduation is almost here!

Attention EHS Students: The Ellis Alumni Association is seeking volunteers for spring break. They are offering community service hours for those who can help organize the Ellis High School Alumni Museum. If you are interested, please contact Sylvia Deutscher at 785-656-1955 or visit the Ellis Alumni Museum downtown at 911 Washington.

Congratulations to Ellis Junior High Wrestling Coach Brandon Armbruster on being named the Kansas Wrestling Coach’s Association 321A Junior High Coach of the Year. The following is an excerpt taken from one of the nominations that accurately shows the success and dedication of Coach Armbruster to the sport of wrestling. Coach Brandon Armbruster has been the example of a model junior high coach all of his career. He is the type of coach that others appreciate in the corner as he is always a very professional coach. He is always very respectful of all the individuals doing their job, whether it be the other coach, towel tapper, administrator, or official.    Coach Armbruster returned to his hometown of Ellis to give back to his community where, as an athlete, he was a two-time state qualifier and, his senior year, a State Champion. Brandon’s coaching career started in 1992 as an assistant in Ellis.  In 1993-1995, his career took him to Atwood as an assistant high school coach until 1995-1996 when he became the head coach until 2005.  During this time, he saw much success for his student-athletes. 95-96  5 Qualifiers and 3 state placers 96-97  1 Qualifier 97-98  3 Qualifiers and 3 state placers 98-99  6 Qualifiers and 5 state placers 00-00  5 Qualifiers and 4 state placers 00-01  7 Qualifiers and 3 state placers   In 2005, Coach Armbruster moved his family back to his hometown of Ellis. He served as assistant high school coach from 2015-2017. Additionally, Coach Armbruster served as head junior high coach from 2005 to 2025. During this time, he touched hundreds of lives. Yes, he taught them wrestling skills that served them well throughout their junior high, high school, and even some college careers.  More importantly, he taught them about winning and losing in an appropriate manner with dignity and pride. He taught how to be kind to each other while competing against each other.  Coach Armbruster taught about discipline, commitment, and responsibility. Outside the wrestling room, Coach Armbruster taught wrestling in his junior high PE class as an introduction unit to the sport. Coach Armbruster coaches his athletes in a very positive manner, teaching them that excellence is a journey and not just a quick destination. In Ellis alone, he has touched wrestlers’ lives for over 30 years, and many kids have been served well through the tireless efforts of Coach Armbruster. The sport of wrestling and our student-athletes need more Coach Armbrusters. (Picture 1: Coach Armbruster coaches an Ellis Junior High wrestler from the corner. Picture 2: Coach Armbruster was recognized at the Ellis Alumni Banquet in 2023 for the 30th anniversary of his state championship.)

Ellis High School is looking for interested individuals to help with the baseball and softball games this spring. Available positions are pitch count (baseball), announcer (softball), and a group or organization to operate concessions (baseball/softball). These are paid positions. Games start at 4:00pm. Dates for the home games are... (Softball: March 25; April 4, 7, 8, 29; May 2, 9) (Baseball: March 25; April 8, 11, 17, 29; May 2, 9, 12) Please reach out to EHS Activities Director at dschoenthaler@usd388.com if interested. Thank you.

Ellis Jr./Sr. High School is proud to recognize an outstanding educator this week: Miss Katie Crawford! As a first-year teacher at Ellis, we are thrilled to welcome her to our school community. Miss Crawford has a busy schedule, teaching English to all junior high students, as well as freshmen and some juniors. While being a first-year teacher comes with its challenges, Miss Crawford has approached her role with eagerness and positivity. She arrives prepared each day and brings enthusiasm to her classroom. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Miss Crawford is also sponsoring two activities: Junior High KAY (Kansas Association for Youth) and the Junior Class, which means she is the Prom sponsor. We appreciate her active involvement, as her knowledge and talents greatly enhance our school. She is making a meaningful impact both inside and outside the classroom. One thing we consistently hear from her students is how much she cares and how excited she is about teaching. How wonderful is that! A fun fact about Miss Crawford is that she is a dedicated Swiftie (Taylor Swift fan) and recently got engaged, with her wedding planned for May 2026. It has been wonderful to hear about her wedding planning and to admire her beautiful ring! We are truly fortunate to have a teacher like Miss Crawford. She is valued in our community and school, and we are honored to celebrate her contributions as part of our Railroader family. Thank you, Miss Crawford!

Boys basketball recognition awards night. Congrats to our letter and award winners for this season! Way to #EarnIt

On Monday, March 10th, the Ellis High School forensics team traveled to Smith Center to compete in our league tournament. As we all know, we are part of an insanely talented and competitive league. This holds true for forensics as well. Placers were as follows: Mason Rohleder - 6th in impromptu Kenzie Sunley - 5th in prose Elie Brull - 3rd in poetry Emma Downing - 6th in poetry Emma Downing - 3rd in oration As a team, we missed 4th place by just a few points. Our small but mighty team was able to hold their own thanks to each and every one of our competitors. These kids rocked it today!

Video premiere! This morning's BOE meeting premieres today at 6pm on the USD388 YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@USD388 Visit https://go.boarddocs.com/ks/usd388/Board.nsf/Public to view the meeting's agenda

Reminder!!! Cheer Tryouts start tomorrow evening at 6:30pm @ EHS gym! **Parent Information Meeting @ 6:00pm Monday in EHS Gym**

On Saturday, March 8th, the Ellis High School forensics team traveled to Norton for the Northwestern Kansas Winter Jam. As a team, Ellis placed 4th! Placings: IDA: Maggie Fitzgerald & Madison - 2nd (qualifying them for state!) Oration: Emma Downing - 6th Humorous Solo: Journey Swaggerty - 4th Poetry: Elie Brull - 3rd Way to go, Railers!