Ellis school officials happy with district accomplishments

By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN

Hays Daily News

Ellis has an abundance of historical two-story homes, a new housing development on the south side of town and is known as the antique mecca of western Kansas.

All those are elements that help draw people to the small community just 15 minutes west of Hays, the largest city in northwest Kansas.

In addition, Lyndell Barton thinks the education system in Ellis also belongs near the top of the list of attractions.

“Ellis has a good school system, a good little community, and we've got a really good (school) board that is interested in kids and technology and want to keep moving forward,” said Barton, in his fourth year as superintendent of USD 388.

Barton said that the district has a good combination of up-to-date facilities and a strong, progressive curriculum.

In fact, the fourth- and fifth-graders at Washington Elementary School all have the use of laptop computers that they regularly use in their classrooms, a program that Barton said has been accepted quite well.

“The teachers all talk about it, how the kids are more in tune to things, more excited about learning,” Barton said of the computer initiative brought to Ellis through a state grant. “They are able to do more project-based learning.”

Barton, who has two children in the school system, said he is excited about a project to put all the curriculum on computers.

“Our teachers are all getting that aligned now,” he said. “We've been pretty progressive in technology; that's a real plus.”

Ellis took part in a pilot summer school program last year, and Barton said the district is looking at expanding that this year.

“We put in some after-school help this year,” he said. “... we're trying to expand our extended learning.”

Ellis participates in extracurricular activities in Class 2A and enrollment-wise ranks about in the middle of that list.

Ellis offers a variety of sports, clubs and organizations and is a member of the Mid-Continent League, made up of 10 schools in the area.

A new high school was built in Ellis in the mid-1970s, and the old school was torn down. However, a portion of that building was salvaged, including the gymnasium that still is used today for practices, junior varsity games and recreation activities.

Enrollment in the Ellis school district was up this year, nearly 20 on the full-time equivalent list, to 372.4 from 352.9.

Head count in the elementary school, kindergarten through eighth grade, this year was 236.

There are 130 students enrolled in high school.

“That was a nice surprise,” Barton said of the increase in the district's enrollment, which he thinks should remain steady the next several years.

“We're right on interstate,” he said of Interstate 70. “Anywhere you go, you can get there pretty quick.

“It's a nice community, anyway, but that adds to the attraction.”

Reporter Diane Gasper-O'Brien can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 126, or by e-mail at

dobrien@dailynews.net.