USD 490 eNews

USD 490 announced the 2024-2025 District Teachers of the Year on September 26, 2024. The elementary awardee is Jamie Ball and the secondary awardee is Anna Arpin.

Visit our website to read more about these phenomenal teachers: https://www.usd490.org/article/1781797

Did you know that the online calendar includes a filter that pulls all of the dates for specific teams or event types. You can also sign up to receive change notifications or sync it to your personal calendar! https://www.usd490.org/page/district-calendars

USD 490 schools celebrated the vital role grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren on Sept. 6 and 9, 2024. Click the school name below to see photos from each school's event.

EHS Extend Campus
El Dorado Middle School
Blackmore Elementary
Grandview Elementary
Skelly Elementary

The EHS 2024 Fall Homecoming royalty candidates visited Flinthills Services on Sept. 23, 2024, to play games and sing karaoke with the residents.

Visit the high school's Facebook page to view photos.

The EHS 2024 Fall Homecoming royalty candidates visited Skelly Elementary to spend time with PreK and Kindergarten students on Sept. 24, 2024.

Visit the EHS Facebook page to view photos.

One of the annual homecoming royalty traditions is visiting Homestead Assisted Living to play games and visit with the residents.

The high school golf team received new range finders thanks to the generous support of the El Dorado Sports Foundation on Sept. 11, 2024.

EHS and Extend seniors visited a Career Fair at Circle High School on Sept. 26, 2024, to learn more about local employment opportunities and career paths. USD 490 Superintendent Jenifer Davis set up a district booth that included cornhole and BOE member Haley Remsberg was there with the City of El Dorado. It is great that our community is so invested in the future of each of our students in #PartOfThePride!

To view photos, please visit the EHS Facebook page.

Eighth grade students at El Dorado Middle School learned CPR from Butler County EMS employee Stuart Funk on Aug. 30, 2024. Hands-on training like this empowers our students to be prepared, confident, and ready to help in an emergency.

Visit the middle school Facebook page to view photos.

Seventh grade Tech 7 students at El Dorado Middle School dove into Project Lead the Way (PLTW) with a focus on multi-view drawings on Sept. 7, 2024. They learned to create top view, front view, side view, and isometric views, which are essential engineering and design skills.

Visit the middle school Facebook page to view photos.

El Dorado Middle School hosted a Family Night on Sept. 17, 2024. Families participated in activities representing eight countries from around the world.

Visit the EMS Facebook page to view photos.

On Sept. 22, 2024, the El Dorado Middle School choir class invited Principal Simmons to listen to a preview of their upcoming vocal concert. The middle school orchestra and choir will have their first concert on Oct. 21, 2024, in the EHS auditorium at 7:00 p.m.

Visit the middle school Facebook page to listen to a snippet of the concert preview.

The Butler Community College boys basketball team visited Grandview on Aug. 30, 2024, to greet students as they headed to their classrooms.

Visit Grandview's Facebook page to see their Johnny Appleseed performance.

The Butler Community College football team visited Grandview Elementary on Sept. 27, 2024, to greet students as the headed to their classrooms to start the school day.

Skelly Kindergarten, first, and second grade students spent time learning about the Character Trait of the Month: Respect on Sept. 3, 2024. Each student designed a puzzle piece as they discussed how it is okay to like different things and still respect each other, that our differences make us unique, and the difference between big problems and little problems. They ended the lesson with mindful breathing and stretches they can use as calming techniques.

Visit the Skelly Facebook page to view photos.

USD 490 partners with GraceMed to provide dental screenings and cleanings for students. They visited Skelly on Sept. 4, 2024.

When they visit schools, they bring their dental chair and equipment and provide these free services for students whose parents have consented. If a concern is found, parents are notified so they can follow up with their family dentist. They also provide every student in the school with a free toothbrush and toothpaste, regardless of whether they receive a screening or cleaning.

The Butler Community College boys basketball team visited Skelly on Sept. 13, 2024, to greet students as they headed to their classrooms.

On Sept. 17, 2024, applicants for the Skelly Street Leaders (student leadership team) learned about interview skills for their upcoming interviews. They learned the importance of being on time, making a good first impression, dressing nicely, using a professional handshake, how to manage anxiety, and sending a "thank you" card.

Visit the Skelly Facebook page to see photos from their actual interviews.

USD 490's school resource office Jason Lowery provides Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) lessons to fifth grade students across the district.

This series of lessons teaches students about the risks and consequences of doing drugs and provides them with tools to resist any temptation they may have to try any mind-altering or illegal substances as they get older. The program culminates each year with an essay contest and ceremony to celebrate students completing the curriculum.

The Butler Community College football team visited Skelly on Sept. 20, 2024, to greet students as they arrived at school.

Elementary music lessons include a variety of topics to teach students the foundations of music. They learn to sing, identify music notes, how to play a variety of simple instruments, and so much more.

Skelly's music lesson on Sept. 24, 2024, focused on rhythm. Mrs. Bradley embedded literacy skills into her music lesson by using easy-to-read phrases to help students learn different rhythms. Students clapped out the beats as they sang the phrases.

On the Sept. 16, 2024, USD 490 professional development day, sixth through twelfth grade teachers discussed individual plans of study, family engagement, and what the next steps are for each of these goal items in #PartOfThePride.

On the first and third Wednesday of each month, #PartOfThePride members are encouraged to wear jeans and a shirt representing a college or career path to help students explore options for their future.

To help keep high school students safer and more focused online, USD 490 has adopted online services provided by GoGuardian.

To learn more, please visit our website: https://www.usd490.org/article/1783980

October's drill is an Evacuation Drill. An evacuation would be called for in an instance where something is unsafe within the school. All students and staff will evacuate to a pre-determined location, called a rally point, which is a safe distance from the building. It is important for students and staff to know where this rally point is so they are able to safely evacuate the school if the need ever arises.

Looking for some extra work or a way to support student athletes? We need extra duty workers as #PartOfThePride to help with home games for many sports! Visit our website to check out all of our openings and to apply today: https://www.usd490.org/page/employment

Looking for safe, quality, affordable after school childcare? The YMCA would like to offer Key Academy at Skelly Elementary for after school childcare. In order to make the program viable, they need at least 10 students to register. Learn more and register online: https://ymcawichita.org/.../child.../before-and-after-school

October 21 - 25 is School Bus Safety Week, but it is ALWAYS a good time to remind your children to use safe practices loading and unloading from school buses. Have them stand five giant steps (about 10 feet) away from the curb while waiting for the bus and teach them to look carefully for cars that may not stop like they are supposed to as the unload and/or cross the street.

For children unloading, teach them to look to the right as they exit to look for cars passing illegally on the right (unfortunately it happens). For teenagers on the road, make sure they know which road scenarios require a stop - violating stop-arm law can result in hefty fees of $420.

For more information about school bus and stop-arm safety, please visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website: www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety.

Congratulations to Kathy Robertson on her retirement! Her last day will be sometime in October 2024. Kathy has served USD 490 since July of 2019 as the Executive Director of Fiscal and Support Services. We thank her for her dedication and wish her well in her retirement!

October 2 Custodian Recognition Day

October 6 National Coaches Day

October 7-11 Fire Prevention Week

October 11 No School; Staff Professional Development

October 14-18 National School Lunch Week

October 14 No School; Indigenous Peoples Day

October 16 Boss' Day

October 21-25 National School Bus Safety Week

October 22 Parent-Teacher Conferences, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

October 24 School Bus Driver Appreciation Day; Parent-Teacher Conferences, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

October 24-25 No School

October 28 NHS Blood Drive at the Activity Center

October 28 - November 1 Red Ribbon Week

October 31 Halloween; Extend applications due

November 1 No School; Staff Professional Development
November 3 Daylight Saving Time Ends

Email: usd490@usd490.org
Website: www.usd490.org
Location: 124 West Central Avenue, El Dorado, KS, USA
Phone: (316) 322-4800
Facebook: facebook.com/eldorado.schools
X/Twitter: @eldoradousd490