Parentsquare Logo

  • Camden Scott wins Grandview Spelling Bee

    Grandview fourth grade student Camden Scott won the school Spelling Bee on Jan. 23, 2026. Fellow fourth grader Emery Williams was the runner-up. It was down to three spellers by round five and they had four more rounds where nobody missed any words. The third speller was knocked out in round 10. After Williams misspelled her word in round 11, Scott sealed his first-place spot by correctly spelling the championship word of mosque. Scott will represent Grandview at the Butler County Spelling Bee on Feb. 6, 2026, at Butler Community College. Williams will serve as his alternate. Congratulations to all of the Spelling Bee participants for their hard work!

    Friday, Jan 23 2026

  • Justus Browne and Addison Penner have been selected ...

    Two EHS musicians have been selected to Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) state-wide honor groups. Justus Browne (contra-bass clarinet) and Addison Benner (violin) will perform in the KMEA 1234A Band and KMEA String Orchestra, respectively, at Century II Convention Center in Wichita on Feb. 28, 2026. “For the students, our programs, EHS, and for USD 490, this is a prestigious distinction,” USD 490 Orchestra Director Kevin Monroe said. This is the first time in 10 years USD 490 has had a student be invited to a KMEA state honor band and the first time in 20 years the district has had a student invited to a KMEA state honor orchestra. Despite a little bit of nervousness about the number of people they will be performing with and for, both students are looking forward to being part of the state honor groups. “I’m excited to be with the others,” Penner said. “I think we will sound really good since we all worked so hard to get there.” Working with top student musicians from across the state is also a great way for these two to grown their skill own sets. “I’m excited about what I can learn from the other players and the director,” Browne said. More information about KMEA and the honor group performances is available on the KMEA website.

    Friday, Jan 23 2026

  • History Teacher Brittan Jost receives $500 scholarsh...

    Please help us congratulate EMS History Teacher Brittan Jost on receiving the Kansas Association of American Educators (KanAAE) 2025 Doug Barnett History Teacher Scholarship! KanAAE Executive Director Garry Sigle presented a $500 stipend, certificate of achievement, and small bag of goodies from the organization to Jost on Jan. 20, 2026.

    Wednesday, Jan 21 2026

  • EHS Encore/FCCLA Father-Daughter and Mother-Son danc...

    Save the date and sign up now for the EHS Encore and FCCLA 2026 Father-Daughter and Mother-Son dances! Location: El Dorado Rec Center Date: March 7, 2026 Mother-Son Dance: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Father-Daughter Dance: 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Preorder cost (Due 3/1): $30 per pair Each additional sibling: $10 It will cost an additional $10 if you wait to purchase tickets at the door. Come join us for fun party favors, crafts, games, snacks, and of course, music and dancing! Photo prints will be mailed to you. There is no age limit, but activities are geared more toward elementary age. Questions? Contact Larissa Wright (lmwright@usd490.org) or Katie Banks-Todd (ksbankstodd@usd490.org) Sign up and pay for the Mother-Son Dance here: https://forms.gle/gzx5zLsyQXi7k2qi6 Sign up and pay for the Father-Daughter Dance here: https://forms.gle/WEzZXSSqY472goRY7  

    Wednesday, Jan 21 2026

  • City Parks and Rec rep. visits Extend to discuss dep...

    City of El Dorado Parks and Recreation Facility Manager Jason Reiswig visited Extend on Jan. 21, 2026, to talk to students about what the department takes care of around the city and let them know about summer job opportunities with the city.   There are three divisions to the city’s Parks and Rec department: parks, cemeteries, and recreation. There are 15 parks in El Dorado, multiple cemeteries, 11 baseball/softball fields, and a soccer field that are all maintained by the city.   Reiswig’s department focuses on the maintenance of the ball fields and the city pool. They complete routine maintenance, repairs, mowing, fertilizing, cleaning, installing fences, and maintaining clean and clear water in the pool as part of the facility care.   “It’s a great job,” Reiswig said. “The city is a good place to work.” He shared a little bit about his educational and work background that led him to the management position he now holds. After completing an Associate’s Degree in Business, Reiswig earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Horticulture from K-State. He loved golf and spent 20 years maintaining golf facilities before moving into the Parks and Rec role.   Reiswig encouraged students to apply now for summer openings with the city. The pool alone usually has about 20 available positions. The minimum age for city jobs is 15 and the starting salary is $10/hour, depending on the role. In order to operate any city equipment such as mowers, weedwhackers, etc., employees must be at least 17 years old.   Some of the available summer positions in the recreation department are concession stand workers, lifeguards, ball field maintenance, and umpires. Applications for summer openings close Feb. 28, 2026, interviews will be conducted Mar. 18, and summer duties will begin in May.   To view summer job openings and apply, visit the city’s website ( www.eldoks. gov) and click on Summer Help.

    Wednesday, Jan 21 2026

  • Meet our USD 490 family!

    Meet our #490FamilyPride members Hannah Cluster and Rachel Schroff! Hannah Cluster is an EHS alumni and has worked for USD 490 for 9 years. She is currently a paraeducator at Blackmore. She says she has enjoyed the environment at the schools and that the people are helping kids be successful in adulthood. Rachel Schroff has worked for USD 490 for 1 year. She currently serves as the OPAA! Director of Nutrition Services and says she loves working for the kids.

    Tuesday, Jan 20 2026

  • No School Monday, Jan. 19, 2026

    Just a reminder, there is NO SCHOOL Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.

    Friday, Jan 16 2026

  • KSU student teacher works with EMS orchestra

    The El Dorado Middle School orchestra is being joined by Kansas State University Music Education Major Katelyn Valdez this quarter. Valdez is a student teaching intern working on the classroom experience portion of her degree. “They are lovely students and the staff is super nice,” Valdez said, noting that she was already familiar with some of the students from seeing them at K-State during music events. She looks forward to the days when she is teaching her own secondary orchestra and can take them to similar events and music festivals. “It’s really important to expose them to that stuff,” Valdez said. Music has been part of Valdez’s life from an early age. In kindergarten, she saw a woman playing the violin, decided that was something she wanted to do also, and began taking lessons. When she was twelve, she completed a job shadow with an orchestra teacher. This experience introduced an interest in teaching to her passion for music. While Valdez gains hands-on teaching experience, the students will benefit from her passion for music as she works with them. She shares the same hope for these students as she does for her future students. “I hope they learn that music is for everyone, and it’s a lot of fun!” Valdez said. After spending the first half of the semester with Mr. Monroe and the EMS orchestra, she will spend the second half with Music Teacher Taylor Bradley at Skelly.

    Wednesday, Jan 14 2026

  • EHS Skills USA to host Job Fair on Feb. 25, 2026

    SKILLS USA   JOB FAIR Looking for summer help? Attend this job fair to fill full or part-time summer positions! WEDNESDAY 02.25.26 REC CENTER GYM 401 McCollum Rd., El Dorado, KS EHS STUDENTS : 8:30 – 10:30 AM GENERAL PUBLIC : 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM RESERVE YOUR SPACE: pcisneros@usd490.org There is no cost for this event, but vendor RSVPs are requested for planning purposes. Lunch will be provided for vendors.

    Tuesday, Jan 13 2026

  • Two Grandview students win regional Hoop Shoot contest

    Emery Williams and Garrett Hadley were district winners in the 10-11 age group at the Elks Hoop Shoot competition on Jan. 10, 2026, in Parsons, Kan. They will advance to the state competition which will take place on Feb. 14, 2026, at Sunrise Christian Academy. The Elks Hoop Shoot is a basketball free-throw competition that is open to children ages 8-13. They are divided into three age groups: 8-9, 10-11, and 12-13. Two winners are selected from each age group, one boy and one girl, to advance to the next round of competition. The program has been operating for over 50 years and is focused on teaching grit.

    Tuesday, Jan 13 2026