Dear USD 388 parents and guardians,
As you are aware, the current surge in the omicron variant is creating immense pressure on our schools and staff members as we work to keep classrooms staffed and in-person learning possible.
To help alleviate some of the pressure on our schools, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), and the Ellis County Health Department support schools implementing a 30-day temporary suspension on all contact tracing activities.
What does this mean for you as parents and guardians? Beginning Monday, January 24, 2022, our district will no longer notify families whose child may have been in contact, through classroom or extracurricular settings, with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.
If you believe your child has been exposed to a positive case either at school or elsewhere, please consider keeping your child home for five days after the exposure. After that, your child may resume normal activities but should wear a well-fitting mask around others indoors and outdoors for an additional five days. Have your child tested five days after the exposure or immediately if they become symptomatic. Continue to monitor your child for symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days after the exposure.
If your child is symptomatic, have him or her tested with a diagnostic test if available. Do not send your child to school if they are sick or if they test positive. Any student who tests positive for COVID-19 should stay home for at least five days and be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication before leaving home. After that, your child may resume normal activities but should wear a well-fitting mask around others indoors and outdoors for an additional five days. Please notify your school if your child tests positive.
The district will continue to follow our recently released mitigation plan as it relates to wearing masks in school and at school activities. If we reach the threshold of 12 positive cases within the district, we will move to requiring masks in school and at school activities for two weeks. After this two-week period, if positive cases fall below 12, masks will become optional again.
As of today, Friday, January 21st our district has 19 active COVID-19 cases and multiple cases pending. Due to the elevated number of cases and exceeding our set criteria of 12 positive cases, ALL USD 388 staff, students, and visitors will need to wear a mask in our school facilities starting Monday, January 24, 2022 and concluding Sunday, February 6, 2022. We will reevaluate our cases at that time.
COVID infections continue to be on the rise and it is becoming more difficult to find substitute teachers and staff to keep school running. The purpose of this step is to help curtail the spread of COVID throughout the buildings with the intention of keeping in-person school in place.
We truly appreciate your patience and support as we weather this current surge in our community by temporarily requiring face coverings.
If you have any questions regarding this change to school contact tracing protocols, please contact Jaymi Gabel, by calling either Washington Grade School at (785) 726-3136 or Ellis Jr/Sr High School at (785) 726-3151.
Thank you for your continued support as we navigate this challenging time for our schools and communities. We will continue to keep you informed as guidance changes are announced.
Sincerely,
Corey Burton
USD 388 Superintendent
Railers fall in a close one to the Cardinals 50-56 and will play in the 7th place game on Saturday in Plainville.
Railers trail the Cardinals 23-31 at the half.
Lady Railers defeat Hoxie 60-54 in 2OT!! Ellis will play in the 5th Place game on Saturday in Plainville. Way to go Lady Railers!!
Let’s play 4 more minutes...Lady Railers 50 Hoxie Indians 50 after first overtime period. Let’s go Lady Railers!!
Lady Railers and Lady Indians are tied at 46 after regulation. We will play 4 more minutes.
Ellis Junior High Wrestling individual and team pictures will be taken on Monday, January 24, 2022 after school in the WGS gym. All orders will be placed on-line. Go to https://www.LeannsPhotos.com to submit your order! Orders will be accepted through January 27th.
Reminder that the EHS Basketball Teams will compete today in the MCL Tourney Consolation Semifinals. The Girls play Hoxie at 3:00 and the Boys play Plainville at 4:30pm. Games are being hosted in Stockton and can be streamed at https://youtube.com/c/USD388. Good luck Railers!!
The EHS Girls and some of the EHS Boys Wrestling Teams will be competing at Nickerson on Friday with action set to begin at 2:00pm. This tournament will not be streamed. Good luck Railers!!
Some of our EHS Wrestling Team will be competing in the Bob Kuhn Prairie Classic at Hays HS on Friday and Saturday. Please note that masks are required for all participants, coaches, and spectators. Matches begin Friday at 2:30pm and Saturday at 9:00am. Streaming will be very limited. Open Spaces will be broadcasting a few of the matches and if personnel can be found, the Hays Tribe YouTube channel could potentially broadcast. At this time, we are told that is pretty unlikely. Good luck Railers!!
Students in Mr. Longbine’s class are creating fantasy chia pets. After their projects dry and are fired in the kiln, students will plant chia seeds in them.
Good luck to the EJH Wrestling Team as they begin their season today in Oakley. Wrestling begins at 4:00pm at Oakley High School.
Congratulations to the 8th grade scholars bowl team, going 7-2 at the TMP meet yesterday, placing 2nd!
Want an easy way to access EHS/EJH, WGS, and USD388 events, menus, news, and more? Install the USD388 app. The app provides quick access to info on what is going on in USD388. Available for both iPhone and Android.
The EHS Basketball teams will play Thursday in the Consolation Semifinals of the MCL Tournament. Games will be held in Stockton (HS Gym). The Girls will play Hoxie at 3:00pm. That game will be followed by the Boys who face Plainville at approximately 4:30pm. Games will be streamed on the USD 388 YouTube channel https://youtube.com/c/USD388. Good luck Railers!
The Railers fall just short tonight against the Panthers 43-45.
The Railers take a 23-17 lead into the half in MCL Quarterfinal action in Phillipsburg.
Lady Railers fell to Smith Center last night and will play Thursday at 3:00 at Stockton’s high school gym. MCL tournament bracket available here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Wzo2kXV0lPYdIelN1wG2QR9y9cTzvBHcvgLZ8srqzCI/htmlview
After an opening round victory over Hill City Saturday, the Lady Railers will travel to Smith Center to take on the Lady Red this evening in the MCL Quarterfinals. Game time is 6:00pm. Don't forget the game can be streamed on https://youtube.com/c/USD388. Good luck Lady Railers!
The JV Boys earned a 49-35 victory over TMP this evening. The JV Girls lost a hard-fought game to the Lady Monarchs, 39-40.