Our great staff was back at work today developing our new USD 388 Continuous Learning Plan. This week, teachers are developing lessons and working collaboratively to get our kids back to learning. We will be starting student lessons on Monday, April 6th.
We are working on a schedule for students/parents to pick up materials/equipment later this week. Your building principal will be sending you information on this process.
As a district, we are trying to do as much of our instruction online as possible. If you do NOT have internet access at home, please let Mr. Burton know. He can be contacted at: cburton@usd388.com or 785-726-4281.
I want to thank our kitchen staff and other staff/volunteers who helped with today’s first grab-and-go lunch/breakfast program. Please remember that these lunch pickups are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. On Monday and Wednesday, we are handing out two lunches and two breakfasts. On Friday, there will be one lunch and one breakfast. Today, over 200 students were served over 800 meals. If you need additional information on this, please email me at: cburton@usd388.com.
Corey Burton
Superintendent
USD 388MONITORING CORONAVIRUS – UPDATE 3-28-20
Today, Governor Kelly signed a state-wide stay-at-home order for the State of Kansas. This order does not change much of what we were already planning to do. Schools and school lunch/breakfast programs are considered essential functions under this order. Click here to see that order.
As a staff, we will be putting together our continuous learning program starting Monday, March 30th. We will start our grab-and-go lunch/breakfast program that day as well. Again, please email me if you wish to take part in this program.
We have taken a few phone calls in the last couple of days about our plans as we move forward. Please understand that different districts are at different points in the process. Last week the governor shut down all schools for the week. This allowed schools to socially distance students and staff and allowed for a deep cleaning of the buildings. Many schools in the state were already scheduled to be on spring break last week. Therefore, those schools started formally with staff yesterday developing their continuous learning plan. With our district having spring break this week, we will be a week behind these other districts developing and starting our plans. This is true for many of our local schools, as we typically plan our spring break to match that of FHSU.
As a staff, a couple of weeks ago we started informal conversations about how teachers might deliver their content via some form of distance learning. Many of our teachers have already spent time working on their individual classes and some of our grade level teachers have had informal meetings. Our district will formally start the process of developing and rolling out our continuous learning plan when staff returns on March 30. We will use that week to develop our plan, get specific class/grade level information out to students and parents, get laptops/I-Pads handed out, and make arrangements for students to pick up needed materials and supplies that are currently at school.
As I have said all along, we have a great staff. As our plans start to come together next week, we will communicate these via email and other online services we have.
I would like to also remind everyone that we will start a free grab-and-go meal program on Monday March 30. This program is for kids ages 1-18. If you would like to take part in this program, please email me at cburton@usd388.com. I can get additional information to you and it will assist us in ensuring we have enough meals prepared for everyone.
Corey Burton
USD 388 Superintendent
MONITORING CORONAVIRUS – UPDATE 3-23-20
We have not had big educational changes today in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to remind everyone that USD 388 Ellis is excited to announce that we have been granted a waiver to run a FREE grab-and-go lunch and breakfast program starting Monday, March 30.
If you would like to learn more about this program please email me at: cburton@usd388.com
I hope everyone can relax and enjoy your spring break time. Again, our staff will be back next week working on our continuous learning plan. As this plan comes together, we will get additional information out to our students and families.
Corey Burton
USD 388 Superintendent
USD 388 - Grab-and-Go Meal Program
USD 388 Ellis is excited to announce that we have been granted a waiver to run a FREE grab-and-go lunch and breakfast program starting Monday, March 30. All students age 1-18 are eligible to receive these meals. Meals will be handed out of the Washington Grade School circle drive from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Meals will be distributed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday until May 13. Based on federal guidelines, the student receiving the meal must be present. We cannot send it home with a parent or another family member.
Monday and Wednesday meal pick up will include 4 meals: lunch for that day, breakfast for the following morning, lunch for the following day, and breakfast for the second day. Friday meal pick up will include two meals: lunch for that day and breakfast for the following morning. We will have these meals packed and placed in sacks for easy transportation. Instructions on how to maintain and/or prepare the food will also be sent home. Please do not come into the building; the meals will be delivered to you in the circle drive.
I want to stress that these meals are open to ALL children ages 1-18. This would include students who attend St. Mary’s, homeschool students, and children over the age of 1 who are not yet enrolled in school.
All parents of USD 388 and St. Mary’s students should have received an email about this program. If you have a student that qualifies for this program, and you did not receive this email, please contact me for additional information. My email is cburton@usd388.com.
For those students who CANNOT get to the grade school to pick up meals, we will be offering home delivery.
We hope this is a benefit for our students, families, and community during this time.
Corey Burton
MONITORING CORONAVIRUS – UPDATE 3-20-20
As spring break begins, please be aware that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued new mandates for quarantine and isolation of travelers, close contacts, and those being tested. Click here for the new guidelines.
KDHE is constantly updating its resources around the COVID-19 pandemic. Please click here to access that site. There is updated information for families, childcare, cleaning, and many other resources.
As outlined yesterday the district is working on a school grab-and-go meal program that we will kick off after spring break. Please be looking for an email in the next couple of days from me to gather information on who would like to receive these meals.
I want to stress that we have a great staff. The direction we are heading to complete the year will be new to all of us. We will continue to work hard to meet our student’s needs.
Unless something changes drastically over the weekend, my next update will be on Monday, March 23.
Corey Burton
USD 388 Superintendent
MONITORING CORONAVIRUS – UPDATE 3-19-20
We have had students and parents ask how they will be able to pick up things that are currently at school. Our buildings will be shut down until the end of spring break, March 30, to allow our staff to do a deep cleaning of all facilities. At that time, we as a staff will be working diligently to roll out our continuous learning plan.
Part of this process will be getting textbooks and computers/I-pads out to students. We will need to develop a plan where students/parents come in shifts to pick up these items. We will get more information out after March 30.
If there are things at school that you NEED prior to that, please contact the building principal. They can help make arrangements to pick up what is needed.
To help our local families, we are working on a school grab-and-go meal program that we will kick off after spring break. Please be watching your email for details.
Corey Burton
USD 388 Superintendent
KSHSAA Update - 4:15 pm
March 18, 2020
The KSHSAA is committed to the safety of our student-participants and the health of our school communities. Accordingly, in response to Governor Kelly’s Executive Order regarding the closure and cessation of in-person instruction in all Kansas schools through May 29, 2020, the KSHSAA is cancelling all spring championships, competitions, and festivals for the remainder of this school year. The KSHSAA recognizes the value of school activities for all students and school communities, but the current situation does not permit the opportunity for school activities to take place in a manner that is consistent with the very reason school activities exist.
As a commitment to the health of Kansas students and communities, the best decision and only reasonable response is to cancel the regular season and post-season spring activity season. We all have an important responsibility to minimize community transmission as we embrace suggested precautions regarding COVID-19. As educators, the primary focus for our students and families is the health and well-being of each student. This action by the KSHSAA supports that effort across Kansas.
The KSHSAA strongly discourages non-school activity participation at this time in an effort to mitigate the community transmission of the coronavirus. All CDC, KDHE and KSDE recommendations for preventing disease transmission should be followed at this time for any non-school activity in which a student participates. The following links provide access to those resources:
I think there has been some confusion around the state on the status of school as we move forward. We will be providing for the education of our students, but it will be in a much different manner.
The KSDE Continuous Learning Task Force has been working diligently since Monday to help provide school direction on how best to continue serving kids. We will receive this information later today. This information will be shared with staff once it is received.
Tomorrow, we are holding a Zoom (video conferencing) meeting with staff to discuss the direction we are heading. Please understand that this will take time. We have a great staff, one that will be working very hard to meet the educational needs of our kids.
We will observe our regular scheduled spring break the week of March 23-27. Our staff will return to work on the 30th to set our plans moving forward.
We are also working to receive a waiver where we can offer students a grab and go breakfast and lunch. This will NOT start until after our scheduled spring break. We will get more details out as this comes together.
I know that there are tons of questions that you might have. We still have questions of our own. Just know that we will be working hard to do what is best for our kids.
Corey Burton
USD 388 Superintendent
MESSAGE TO FAMILIES - 3-17-20
Today, March 17, 2020 Governor Laura Kelly announced all school facilities will be closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. This will place tremendous hardship on our families and staff, and impact the social and emotional well-being of our students.
We have been working on contingency plans since mid-March, including how we can meet the ongoing learning needs of our students and provide breakfast and lunch for our students.
Our staff and board of education are also working on other critical issues, such as what this means for our seniors, how this will affect next school year and what impact this will have on our employees. We will provide updates on these issues as soon as the information is available.
We are committed to working together as a community to support one another throughout these unprecedented times, and communication will remain a top priority. Please check your email and our USD 388 website for updates each afternoon around 3:30 pm.
As a reminder, this school closure is in response to the current public health crisis. The focus should remain on preventing the spread the coronavirus, or COVID-19 as it is also referred to.
Please be mindful of the following:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing (cough/sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue).
Please keep sick children at home.
Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
Each day I will try to update our students, parents, staff and community on the district response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have daily online meetings with the Kansas State Department of Education and today we had an Ellis County Emergency Management meeting.
We are asking parents to please expect your kids to socially distance themselves from others at this point in time. We want to emphasize that this is NOT a normal spring break. We urge students and your families to practice social distancing and stay away from crowds. This is the best way to limit exposure.
We also ask parents and students to be aware of the recommendations from KDHE in regards to travel. The most up-to-date information can be found on the KDHE website by clicking here. There are certain countries and areas within the United States, that upon return, folks are being asked to self-quarantine themselves. Please see site for details.
As of our 2:00 pm meeting today with Ellis County Emergency Management, Ellis county has no confirmed cases of COVID-19. Ellis USD 388 continues to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and stay in communication with the Ellis County Health Department and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to ensure we are taking the appropriate steps to keep students and staff safe. As you know, things are constantly changing with this topic on a daily and hourly basis.
We want to continue to remind everyone to follow these basic habits to help everyone stay healthy:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Stay home when you are sick except to get medical care. Adults and children who are ill should remain home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of medication.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Click here to review proper handwashing guidelines.
Hays Medical Center does have a web link to assist those with questions about COVID-19. Click here to access that link. They have also opened a Hays Medical Center COVID-19 Hotline. The number is 877-261-7140.
Corey Burton
USD 388 Superintendent
March 15, 2020
Ellis USD 388 prioritizes the safety and health of our student, faculty, staff and public. Due to concerns with the possible risk associated with COVID-19, Ellis USD 388 will be shutting down tomorrow, Monday, March 16, through March 29. This will result in a two-week school closure.
It is the recommendation of Governor Kelly and the Kansas State Department of Education that all schools close during the same period of time in Kansas to provide officials the time needed to finalize a comprehensive plan for how to address COVID-19. This information was released by KSDE at approximately 4:30 pm today, and we called an emergency USD 388 board meeting at 6:00 pm.
The Ellis School District will be closed from Monday, March 16, through Sunday, March 29. We will be closing ALL district buildings and facilities and cancelling ALL practices and other planned school activities/events. This does include the Ellis weight room facility.
Based on the guidelines we are receiving, we strongly discourage students and staff from gathering or socializing anywhere. This includes places like a friend’s house, a favorite restaurant, or the local shopping mall.
I know that this is short notice and will cause a hardship on many families. This decision was not made lightly and was made for the safety of our students, staff, and community. As we receive additional information, I will share it with you via email and our other online systems. Please check your email and our USD 388 website for updates each afternoon around 3:30 pm.
If you have any questions, please call the district office at 785-726-4281.
Corey Burton
USD 388 Superintendent
Bond Survey Report
This survey was sent out to all registered voters on October 29, 2019. We want to thank everyone who took their time to complete and return the survey. More . . .
Corey Burton
1/22
USD388 News Week 24
Click here to watch the latest edition of the USD388 News.
Isaac Rogers
3/12
Clara Crawford Awarded Rudd Scholarship
Congratulations to EHS Senior Clara Crawford on being awarded a full ride Fort Hays State Scholarship from the Rudd Foundation!
More. . .
Isaac Rogers
3/11
2nd Quarter Support Staff Awarded
Congratulations to Karla Schuster who received the 2nd quarter support staff award at Washington Grade School. More . . .
Abigail Mattheyer
3/10
EHS Boys Basketball Ends Season
On Friday, March 6th, the EHS Boys basketball team ended their season with a sub-state loss to Plainville. More. . .
On Friday and Saturday, at Gross Coliseum in Hays KS. More . . .
Bryson Luea
3/4
EHS Boys Basketball Win First Game of Sub-State
EHS defended their home court last night against Smith Center. The Ellis boys outscored Smith Center 12 to 9 in the first quarter. More . . .
Jace Milbourne
3/4
Lady Railers Get Redemption in First Round of Sub-State
The Lady Railers traveled to Hoxie on Monday, March 2nd, for the first round of sub-state. More. . .
Haley Schmidt
3/4
Ellis High School Dinner Theater
The Ellis High School Choir presents Country Classics Dinner Theater on Tuesday, March 10, 2020! Please see the attached flyer for more details. More. . .
Maria Mick
3/3
USD388 News Week 22
Click here to watch the latest episode of the USD388 News.
Isaac Rogers
2/27
Mrs. Edmonds Awarded WGS Teacher of the Month
Congratulations to Mrs. Edmonds for winning the January Grade School Teacher of the Month Award. More . . .
Abigail Mattheyer
2/27
Lady Railers Travel to Norton
The Ellis basketball team traveled to Norton on February 20, 2020. The JV girls won their game to start off the night. More . . .
Lakyn Fischer
2/24
USD388 News Week 20
Click here to watch the latest episode of the USD388 News
EJH/EHS Parents & Students, Student Led Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for next week. More . . .
Maria Mick
2/19
Railers Play Smith Center on Senior Night
Ellis hosted their last home game against the Smith Center Redmen on February 14, 2020. More . . .
Lakyn Fischer
2/18
Railer Basketball Handles Smith Center
On Friday, February 14th the Railer boys Basketball team hosted the Smith Center Redmen. More. . .
Isaac Rogers
2/18
Ellis High School Annual KAY Snowball Dance
Ellis High School Kays hosted their annual Snowball Dance February 15, 2020. Snowball Royalty class winners are as follows. More . . .
Maria Mick
2/18
Snoball Pictures
EHS Parents and Students. Pictures for Snowball are ready! More . . .
Maria Mick
2/18
USD388 News Week 20
Click here to watch the latest edition of the USD388 News.
Isaac Rogers
2/13
2020 Basketball/ Cheer Senior Night
Ellis High School Basketball/Cheer senior night will be on Friday, February 14, between the varsity basketball games. More . . .
Abigail Mattheyer
2/13
Snowball Breakfast
Community and Safety First-After Snowball Breakfast will be held on Saturday, February 15More . . .
Bryson Luea
2/13
Lady Railers Win Against Eagles
The Railers hosted a home game against the Ness City Eagles on Febuary 11, 2020. With the Railers looking to pick up the third win in a row, they came out with intensity and aggression. More . . .
Lakyn Fischer
2/12
EHS Boys Basketball Take on the Ness City Eagles at Home
The Ellis boys basketball team took on the Ness City Eagles at home on Tuesday, February 11. More . . .
Bryson Luea
2/11
EJH Wrestlers Travel to Russell Last Friday
Ellis placed second as a team scoring a total of 210.5 points. Talen Roland (6-3) placed 2nd and scored 11.0 team points. More . . .
Jace Milbourne
2/11
Lady Railers Dominate Stockton Tigers
Ellis basketball traveled to Stockton on February 7, 2020. The Railers started Grace Eck, Makenna Kohl, Rylee Werth, Abigail Mattheyer, and Karista Pugh. More . . .
EHS December Teacher of the Month
Grade School Teacher of the Month
Grace Eck Hits 1,000 Career Points Against Trego
Ellis High School Kays hosted their annual Snowball Dance February 15, 2020. Snowball Royalty class winners are as follows. 
