USD 490 eNews

Kindergarten students will have a staggered start August 11 and 12. Those whose last name begins with the letter A-J will attend August 11. Those whose last name begins with the letter K-Z will attend August 12. All kindergarten students will attend August 13 and 14. PreK students will attend Friday, August 14.

The schools will not be doing the traditional back to school mailing to announce classroom teachers and schedules.

At the elementary level, classroom teachers will send a message to parents via ParentSquare. Please be sure to check your text messages and emails to see who your child's teacher will be. Kindergarten students will have a staggered start and will not be assigned a classroom teacher until after school on August 12.

At the middle and high school level, student schedules are available via PowerSchool. Parents and students can log in to view those schedules.

Student devices will not be distributed until the second week of school, which means that they will not be available for high school students to pick up at the Open House event. This decision was made in collaboration with district administration, principals, and other staff to ensure a smoother start to the year.

This is due to several factors: the high volume of student schedule changes and new student arrivals during the initial days, the significant workload on our technology team at the start of the year, and alignment with the district’s curriculum pacing guide. By postponing device distribution, we aim to streamline processes and minimize disruptions for everyone.

We have designed a back to school website page that includes a checklist with links to forms and information to help make sure you are ready for the first day of school!

• Complete Online Enrollment
• Apply for Free or Reduced Meals
• Pay Fees
• Prepay for School Breakfast and Lunch
• Verify Transportation
• Read Handbooks
• Check Immunization Requirements and Turn In Health Forms
  
• Purchase School Supplies
• Connect with the District and School on social media
• Subscribe to the Online Activities Calendar
• Attend Back to School Events
• Turn In Athletic Physical and Any Remaining Forms
• Arrive to School On Time
  

To find teacher landing pages, navigate to the district website (www.usd490.org) and select your child's school. Next, click on Menu. There is an icon at the top of the menu titled Staff Directory. Staff is listed in alphabetical order by last name and the teacher Landing Pages are included with their contact information.

There are also useful resources for parents located on the Parent Resources page (https://www.usd490.org/page/parent-resources)

There's still time to nominate someone as the USD 490 Teacher of the Year!

Nominations are due by August 19, 2026. Please consider nominating a great educator for this honor. To learn more or make a nomination, please visit our website: https://www.usd490.org/page/district-teacher-of-the-year

El Dorado Public Schools believes that planning is a key element to emergency preparedness. We have a carefully developed crisis plan for many potential emergency situations and these are practiced with staff and students on a regular basis.

We will be utilizing ParentSquare to communicate with families, staff, and students this year. Parents and staff are no longer required to opt-in to receive emergency text messages but must register their Parent Square account to use the information hub. The information on file in your school office will be what is used to contact you in case of an emergency, so please be sure it is kept up-to-date throughout the school year and check your email or phone and click the activation link for ParentSquare.

ParentSquare has an app available for download. This will be parents' one-stop shop for all school communication. There are group feeds for classes, schools, and athletics/activities as well as the ability to individually message, email or text teachers and coaches.

During an emergency, student and staff safety is our primary concern. Please be patient as we work with emergency personnel and keep roads leading to the school clear to allow emergency personnel to access the building.

Encourage students to follow the directions of school personnel. This is important all of the time, but is even more critical during an emergency.

Meal accounts should maintain a positive balance. If a student’s account reaches a zero dollar balance, they will only be allowed to charge up to $10 worth of meals and will not be able to purchase a la carte or extra items until the account is brought back into a positive balance.

Once a student’s account reaches negative $10, no further charges will be authorized. Students will be allowed to pay for a meal as it is received regardless of the negative meal account balance, or will be provided with an alternate meal until the account balance is paid. Parents will receive at least one written warning prior to denying further meal charges for exceeding the district’s charge limit.

For the full Unpaid Meal Charges Policy, please view the Board Policy handbook.

You can check the balance carried over from last year by logging in to your PowerSchool parent portal or in the eFunds online payment portal under Student Food and Fee Payments. This online payment system does not charge parents any additional fees for using the online service and has the ability to allow parents to schedule recurring payments to keep their child's lunch balance refilled throughout the year.

If you haven't already, don't forget to fill out a Free & Reduced Meal Application for the 2026-2027 school year: https://www.usd490.org/page/food-service

2026-2027 Meal Prices

Elementary
Breakfast: $2.35
Lunch: $3.10

Middle and High School
Breakfast: $2.50
Lunch: $3.50

Adults and second meals for students
Breakfast: $3.00
Lunch: $4.20

Reduced Price
Breakfast: $.30
Lunch: $.40

Extra Milk: $.60

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

If you are applying for free/reduced meals, please wait to pay instructional resource rental and device insurance fees until you receive notification of your lunch status.

For students with an approved FREE lunch application on file, textbook/online resource rental and device insurance fees are waived.

For students with an approved REDUCED lunch application on file textbook/online resource rental and device insurance fees are reduced by 50%.

A signed Consent for Disclosure form is required to waive or reduce fees.

Program fees are not eligible for price reduction based on free or reduced lunch status.

The Program Fee covers most event gate costs; students can enter all EMS and EHS regular-season home sporting events by showing their Student ID.

For instructions on making online payments, click here.

Grades 9-12
Instructional Materials Rental Fee: $45
Device Insurance: $30
Program Fee: $25

Grades 6-8
Instructional Materials Rental Fee: $45
Program Fee: $25

Grades K-5
Instructional Materials Rental Fee: $40

Jenifer Davis, Superintendent

Carter Kruger, Assistant Superintendent

Ian Hett, Executive Director of Technology

Jamie Sundgren, Virtual School/Extend Administrator

Richard Gilson, EHS Principal

Thomas Simmons, EMS Principal

Anita Arnold, Blackmore Principal

Midge Simmons, Grandview Principal

Heath Henderson, Skelly Principal

Summer Ford, EHS Assistant Principal/Activities Director

Lance Barkley, Dean of Students/Athletics Director

Nathan Sherwood, EMS Assistant Principal/Athletics and Activities Director

Jenifer Davis, Superintendent

Carter Kruger, Assistant Superintendent

Ian Hett, Executive Director of Technology

Russell Baker, Technology Systems Administrator

Ciera Bird, Treasurer

Rod Blackburn, PIE Development Director

Sheila Hogoboom, Personnel Clerk

Sherry Johnson, Personnel Clerk

Linda Larson, Student Information Systems Officer

Kimberly Koop, Director of Community Engagement and Recruitment

Rachael Shipley, Director of Instructional Support

Melissa Smith, Administrative Assistant/Board Clerk

• Alisha Cubbage, Director of Transportation (formerly Transportation Clerk)
• Quint Harn, Director of Maintenance (formerly Maintenance)
• Sarah Queen, OPAA! Nutrition Services Director
• Jamie Sundgren, Virtual School/Extend Administrator

• Summer Ford, Assistant Principal/Activities Director
• Elisa DeLong, Math Teacher
• Aron Fenton, Science Teacher
• Ryan Hull, Business Teacher/DECA Sponsor/Asst. Football Coach
• Leeann Morris, Instructional Coach (previously a GE Fifth Grade Teacher)
• Sarah Queen, OPAA Food Services Director
• Tayler Stull, Social Studies Teacher/Assistant Football Coach
• Katelyn Valdez, Orchestra Director
• Jessica Vogt, Math Teacher
• Emerald Veatch, Head Cheerleading Coach

• Kayln Beel, PE Teacher (previously GE PE Teacher)
• Bryna Boldra, Counselor
• Jenny Oliver, ELA Teacher
• Brettany Parks, Psychologist
• Shelley Reiswig, Library Aide (previously FACS Long Term Sub at EHS)
• Katelyn Valdez, Orchestra Director

• Jamie Sundgren, Virtual School/Extend Administrator
• Samantha Alvord, Student Support Registrar

• Deanna Korkki, Math Teacher (previously an EMS Teacher)
• Kody Melugin, PE/Electives Teacher (previously JAG-K Specialist)

• Jessica Denner, Instructional Coach (previously District Early Literacy Coach)
• Gracyn Fuller, Speech-Language Pathologist
• Faith Rasico, SPED Teacher
• Cindy Schwartz, SPED Teacher
• Laramie Walford, Fifth Grade Teacher
• Candice Sullivan, Counselor
• Annabelle Wise, Library Aide (previously a Skelly PreK Aide)

• Tiara Barnett, Fifth Grade Teacher (previously a Library/STEM Aide)
• Jessica Elliott, Fifth Grade Teacher
• Brooke Irwin, SPED Teacher
• Lachelle King, Instructional Coach
• Hannah Meyer, Speech-Language Pathologist
• Kelly Middleton, Music Teacher
• Latisha Newman, Third Grade Teacher
• Lauren Roberts, PE Teacher
• Kayci Scott, First Grade Teacher
• Trinity Thomas, Second Grade Teacher (previously a SPED Teacher)

• Lindsay Cooper, PE Teacher (previously EMS PE Teacher)
• Daisy Gonzalez, Title I Aide
• Derek Sarkett, Building Aide (previously an Extend Math Teacher)
• Bridget Strickland, Language Facilitator

We are still looking to fill a few positions for the upcoming school year! Visit our website to view all of our openings and apply now to become #PartOfThePride!

Certified Teaching Positions

• Elementary Teacher with ESL Endorsement at Skelly

Support Services Positions

• Title I Aide at Blackmore
• Building Aide at Grandview
• ESL Aide

El Dorado Middle School

• Head 7th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
  
• Head Cheerleading Coach
• Head Girls Wrestling Coach
• Assistant 8th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
• Assistant 7th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
• Assistant Cheerleading Coach
• Assistant 7th Grade Volleyball Coach
• Assistant Boys Wrestling Coach

El Dorado High School

• Head Boys Wrestling Coach
• Head Bowling Coach
• Head Cross Country Coach
• Assistant Cheer Coach
• Assistant Soccer Coach
• Assistant Softball Coach
• Assistant Track Coach
• LINK Crew Sponsor

This is the district's unified communication platform. Please download the app to keep connected with what is going on in your child's school. An activation link will be sent out on the first day of school for parents who have not already activated their ParentSquare account.

Apple:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parentsquare/id908126679

Android:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/detailsid=com.parentsquare.psapp&pcampaignid=web_share

July 30 Back to School Bash at PAC, 4:00 p.m.

August 4 Athletic/Activities Physical Night at EHS, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

August 6 Elementary Meet the Teacher Night, 5:00 p.m.; Virtual School Parent Meeting @ Extend, 6:00 p.m.

August 10 EMS Open House, 5:00 p.m.; EHS/EXT Open House, 6:00 p.m.; EHS Fall Sports Parent Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

August 11 First Day of Classes for grades PreK, 1-6, 9 and kindergarten with last name starting with A-J

August 12 First Day of Classes for grades 7, 8,10-12, and kindergarten with last name starting with K-Z

August 13 EMS Fall Sports Parent Meeting at EMS, 5:30 p.m.

August 14 All kindergarten and PreK students attend

August 17 EHS/EMS Fall Sports Practices Begin

August 20 Musical Instrument Display at EHS, 3:30 p.m.

August 28 Back to School Jamboree at BG Stadium, 5:30 p.m.

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