USD 490 eNews

Kindergarten students will have a staggered start August 13 and 14. Those whose last name begins with the letter A-J will attend August 13. Those whose last name begins with the letter K-Z will attend August 14. All Kindergarten and PreK students will attend Friday, August 15.

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 14.

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 as they have in the past. 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 20, 2025. 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 new 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 2024-2025 school year: https://www.usd490.org/page/food-service

• Jessica Denner, District Early Literacy Coach (formerly Kindergarten Teacher)

• Ethan Garrett Gerringer, Bus Driver
• Joanny Gonzalez Vallecillos, ESL Aide
• Quint Harn, Maintenance II
• Jeffery Howell, Bus Driver
• Mariela LaForge, ESL Aide
• Ethanie Riddle, Transportation Clerk (formerly a USD 490 Bus Driver)
• Chelsea Stebbins, Bus Driver
• Nicky Throckmorton, Bus Driver

• Richard Gilson, Principal
• Lance Barkley, Dean of Students/Athletic Director
• Jessica Barr-Mallon, Counselor
• Autumn Cress, Art Teacher
• Jessica Knight, Kitchen Manager
• Jennifer Koci, English Teacher
• Charles Pearson, English Teacher
• Matthew Peters, Custodian
• Chance Whitehead, History Teacher/Head Girls Basketball Coach

• Christian Barlow, Custodian
• Miranda Brock, School Psychologist

• Lynn Clark, Art Teacher
• Dominic Jackson, PE/Weights Teacher
• Cora Johnston, ELA Teacher
• Brittan Jost, History Teacher
• Matthew Smith, Sixth Grade Science Teacher
• Jaden Wendel, Science Teacher

• Bob Isenhour, SPED Teacher (formerly at EHS/EMS)

• Derek Sarkett, Math Teacher

• Bailey Way, Registrar/Student Support Secretary

• Rebecka Cauley, Fifth Grade Teacher
• Jennifer Dillner, SPED Teacher (also still at at Skelly)
• Sierra Eustice, Kitchen Manager (formerly Grandview kitchen staff)

• Jenna Gochenauer, Speech Language Pathologist
• Alyssa Hughes, Third Grade Teacher
• Sarah Jones, First Grade Teacher
• Angela Montenegro, School Psychologist
• Doreen Morrissey, Food Service
• Taylor Peak, Counselor
• Elizabeth Raine, SPED Teacher
• Sarah VandeZande, First Grade Teacher
• Cheryl Yoder, SPED Teacher

• Sharee Aupperle, School Psychologist
• Kaitlyn Flinn, Paraeducator

• Cristin Hubbard, Early Childhood Teacher (formerly Early Childhood at Blackmore)
• Addison Johnson, Building Aide
• Elizabeth Raine, SPED Teacher
• Madeline Rondeau, SLP
• Shelsea Terrones, Fourth Grade Teacher (formerly Building Aide)
• Trinity Thomas, SPED Teacher

• Andrea Beasley, Fourth Grade Teacher
• Kylie Coffelt, Kindergarten Teacher
• Amber McCarthy, Kindergarten Teacher (formerly STEM Lab Aide)
• Teri Warren, Building Aide

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

El Dorado Middle School
• Head 7th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
• Head Girls Wrestling Coach
• Assistant 7th Grade Boys Basketball Coach
• Assistant 7th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
• Assistant 8th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
• Assistant Cheer Coach

El Dorado High School
• eSports Sponsor
• Science Olympiad Sponsor
• Head Baseball Coach
• Assistant Baseball Coach
• Assistant Cheer Coach
• Assistant Scholar's Bowl Coach
• Assistant Skills USA Sponsor
• Assistant Soccer Coach
• Assistant Track Coach

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

August 6 Physical Night at EHS, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

August 11 EHS/EXT Open House, 5:00 p.m.; Elementary Meet the Teacher Night, 5:00 p.m.; EHS Fall Sports Parent Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

August 12 EMS Open House, 5:00 p.m.; EMS Drama Parent Meeting, 6:00 p.m.

August 13 First Day of Classes for grades PreK, 1-6, 9 and kindergarten with last name starting with A-J

August 14 First Day of Classes for grades 7, 8,10-12, and kindergarten with last name starting with K-Z; EMS Fall Sports Parent Meeting at EMS, 5:30 p.m.

August 15 All kindergarten and PreK students attend

August 18 EHS/EMS Fall Sports Practices Begin

August 21 Musical Instrument Display at EHS, 3:30 p.m.

August 29 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