Board of Education
The school board meets regularly at 6:30 pm on the second Thursday of each month, with special meetings as needed. The board is responsible for the overall operation of the district, including the establishment of policies, fiscal responsibility, accountability for student and staff programs, and ensuring a safe and effective learning environment for all students and staff.
All active board policies are available for public viewing online. There is a navigation bar along the left side of the screen, where you can see the policies organized by topic. If you're looking for something specific, consider using the search bar at the top.
You may view any USD 491 Board of Education meetings and agendas through the following link on the Diligent platform.
- Requesting to speak at The Board of Education meetings
- Board of Education Values and Focus Areas
- Contact the Board
- Board Briefs
Requesting to speak at The Board of Education meetings
In order to speak at Board of Education meetings, you must fill out the digital form or return a physical copy to the District Office (1310 Winchester, Rd. Eudora, KS 66025). The formal and complete request form must be submitted to the board clerk (Stefanie White) or superintendent of schools at least seven days before the meeting at which you wish to speak.
Your request will be reviewed and one of three recommendations will be made:
- Appearance before the board at the next regular meeting.
- Appearance before the board in executive session.
- Referral of your request to the appropriate administrator.
Permission to appear before the board at a regular meeting is subject to the following:
- Presentations shall not exceed 5 minutes.
- Subject matter, other than policy issues, will be referred to district administrators.
- Comments shall be limited to issues and not refer to personalities.
- Presentations must be in good taste befitting the occasion and the dignity of the school board meeting.
- Typed copy or an outline of your presentation must be included with this request form.
Note: The Board of Education policy BCBI does not apply to special board meetings unless the special meeting is a public hearing.
Board of Education Values and Focus Areas
Board of Education Values
- Maintain community values while embracing growth, innovation, and diversity.
- Develop and implement an adaptive and transparent communication process that meets the needs of a variety of stakeholders.
- Improve student success through expanding opportunities for students both academically and through activities.
- Attract and retain high-quality staff through strong relationships and building trust.
- Aligning fiscal actions to meet current and future needs.
- Act with self-awareness and constantly reflect on actions taken to ensure alignment to the needs of students.
Focus Areas
- Develop and enhance staff and community relationships (internal and external).
- Analyze district facility improvements and needs.
- District and building program review- determine the best alignment of structures to support continued success.
- Promote and support diversity and equity for our students and staff.
Contact the Board
- If you would like to email the entire school board, please send an email to usd491boe@eudoraschools.org
- Mark Chrislip (Board President): markchrislip@eudoraschools.org
- Claire Harding: claireharding@eudoraschools.org
- Joe Hurla: joehurla@eudoraschools.org
- Heather Whalen: heatherwhalen@eudoraschools.org
- Kelley Woods: kelleywoods@eudoraschools.org
- Zach Brooks: zachbrooks@eudoraschools.org
- Tony Barron: tonybarron@eudoraschools.org
Board Members whose term expires in 2028: Mark Chrislip, Claire Harding, Kelley Woods, and Zach Brooks
Board Members whose term expires in 2030: Joe Hurla, Tony Barron, and Heather Whalen
Board Briefs
Board Briefs are informal reports from the regular meetings of the Eudora Board of Education and are intended as a communication service for district staff and patrons. They are not the official minutes, nor are they a complete record of board business.
To search or view official minutes and agendas, go to the Eudora Board of Education resource site, provided through Diligent.
Board Briefs
Albania Andrade
The following are highlights of the discussion and actions from the regular board meeting on October 08, 2026. For a more detailed account, please access the meeting agenda in Diligent. To download presentations, PDFs, and other documents, please visit the agenda in Diligent as well.
To view the live stream of the Board Meeting, please visit the "Live" page of our YouTube Channel.
Consent Items
All items on the consent agenda were approved without discussion.
Communications and Administrative Reports
- Eudora Elementary School Report
- Provided an update on walkthroughs (using LEBRA, which is the one-stop for walkthroughs). There have been 76 walkthroughs total; 99% of students were engaged in learning, and 85% participated in class discussions. It’s been so helpful.
- Spoke about attendance and the chronic absenteeism rate.
- First time they have gotten 100% of families to complete the ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaires).
- They talked about the EES schedule. Teachers have a 50-minute plan, 25-minute PLC daily, and the lunch block is condensed to allow for more core time.
- Continuous Improvement Report
- Heather Hundley provided an update on kindergarten readiness and ASQ participation. There was substantial growth this year compared to last year; last year, there was 82% completion, and this year, there was 100%. Chronic absenteeism is at an unofficial 10.6%, and our goal is 10%. Last year, chronic absenteeism was at 15.6%. Secretaries and staff are working hard on this. Under instructional excellence, she discussed the FastBridge results and compared fall to fall because scores dip after summer. She discussed the graduation rate, how many students are obtaining certificates or college credits, and how many students have attended the workshop led by the Postsecondary Success Coordinator.
- We want families working with us as partners and to have that welcoming environment to connect.
Superintendent Report
- Purposeful Technology and AI in the classroom
- Early draft of what the policy could look like. The State Board might put in place that every district should have a policy around that and an indication of what it should look like. Defining tech use in the classroom, like screen time and AI. The hope is that, at a Eudora Board level, you can say what we value, and guidelines from the state can/will encompass that.
- Enrollment Update
- Enrollment head count is not FTE. Provided a fall headcount summary and we are down approximately 50 students. There is a decline in free and reduced lunches which at-risk funding is based on.
- The open-enrollment lists show students assigned across Eudora schools and the ESVL designation. Counts varied by year, with the largest list in 2025-26.
- Free Breakfast Program
- Overview of the breakfast program. Mentioned that the total breakfasts served from August to September was 20,503. It has gone extremely well because of the buy-in of our families.
- USD 491 Facility discussion
- Provided a document for a capital improvement project at Eudora High School that includes a scoreboard and entry sign package, athletic field lighting, and track resurfacing.
- Discussion and a follow-up meeting will be held to discuss concerns they have in regard to initiatives and the question related to the engagement survey.
- Asking if they have enough time and if there are too many initiatives.
Board Reports
- Eudora Schools Foundation
- October 2 was Prize Patrol. Gave over $46,000 in grants for 29 projects. All grants are possible through donors, sponsors, and community partners.
- City of Eudora Commission
- Last month, the commission approved the 2027 budget. The TIF district passed 4–1.
New Business
- Approved the proposal from McConnell and Associates for District stadium track repairs and D-zone resurfacing in the amount of $82,478.
- Approved the Interlocal agreement as presented.
- Approved resolution 26-13 allowing the establishment of an account with Mid-America Bank Eudora, Kansas.
Albania Andrade
The following are highlights of the discussion and actions from the regular board meeting on September 10, 2026. For a more detailed account, please access the meeting agenda in Diligent. To download presentations, PDFs, and other documents, please visit the agenda in Diligent as well.
To view the live stream of the Board Meeting, please visit the "Live" page of our YouTube Channel.
Consent Items
All items on the consent agenda were approved without discussion.
USD 491 District Spotlight
- JAG-K- Summer IT internship
- Three students, Neo Allison, Adryck Correll, and Kash Coffin participated in a paid summer internship and work based learning where they worked with Cornerstone Integration. They learned about computers, coding, computer engineering, cybersecurity, and more.
- Staff Introductions- New staff
- ELC- Tasha Flaherty (SPED), Amy Mcallister (SPED), Ashley Harris (Pre-K Teacher)
- EES- Sheridan Christy (3rd grade teacher), Annie Hackworth (1st grade teacher), EJ Padgett (Music teacher), Makenna Longacre (Technology teacher)
- EMS- Kyla Garvin (Science teacher), Brandon Lawrence (WEBS teacher)
- EHS- Eliza Kastens (Science teacher), Shanda Hurla (Postsecondary success coordinator), Megan Cleveland (ELA teacher), Zechariah Heintzelman (Science teacher)
Communications and Administrative Reports
- Zack Daniel- City of Eudora Manager
- Provided an update specifically on the fiscal year 2027 city budget review and the public safety sales tax.
- Transportation
- Successfully passed all required inspections for the year.
- Introduced team-building and safety activities that make employee learning more engaging, including Candy Land, Minute to Win It, and other interactive games.
- Organized team-building activities such as a paint night and pumpkin decorating contest.
- Built two floats for the 2026 Eudora CPA parade: one featuring a school bus and another designed as a carnival float.
- Established a Bus Rider of the Month recognition program in partnership with the schools, including prizes for selected students.
- Attended the 2026 State Transportation Conference.
- Began recognizing employees for milestone work anniversaries.
Superintendent Report
- Engagement survey timeline
- Discussed potential changes to the questions and any additional questions that should be included. Also noted that the survey will be distributed in October.
- State Assessment Update
- USD 492 Facility discussion
- Capital improvement projects to be reviewed by the Board of Education. Includes estimated cost/vendors/options for athletic field lighting (baseball and softball), scoreboard and entry sign package, and track resurfacing.
Board Reports
- Eudora Schools Foundation
- Cardinal Promise Scholarship numbers for the fall were incredible. This semester there are 70 EHS students receiving $12,471 in scholarship support allowing them to complete 547 college credit hours.
- Reality U, financial literacy program, event is Sept. 16 for 8th/10th graders.
- Special Education Interlocal Board Meeting
- Discussed this year's interlocal agreement. Potential areas for review going forward include:
- WEBS program funding: Revisit how districts share the cost of the WEBS program, as it's currently underfunded by two-thirds of what it's costing, excluding other program expenses.
- Out-of-district placements: Review the costs associated with out-of-district placements and how those expenses are managed between the interlocal and individual districts.
- They are hiring an HR Business Manager.
- Noted that the state budget has been approved.
- City of Eudora Commission
- They’ve been busy with a lot of things but have continued discussions among the commission members about what certain projects might look like.
New Business
- Approved the resolution 26-12 authorizing USD 491 Eudora to make a local option budget percentage in an amount of 33% for the 26-27 school year.
- Adopted the USD 491 26-27 budget as presented.
Albania Andrade
The following are highlights of the discussion and actions from the regular board meeting on August 13, 2026. For a more detailed account, please access the meeting agenda in Diligent. To download presentations, PDFs, and other documents, please visit the agenda in Diligent as well.
To view the live stream of the Board Meeting, please visit the "Live" page of our YouTube Channel.
Consent Items
All items on the consent agenda were approved without discussion.
Communications and Administrative Reports
- State Assessment Update
- Heather Hundley provided an overview of state assessment results across the district and grade levels. She noted that this year there was a decrease in the percentage of students scoring at Level 4, with a greater percentage scoring at Level 3. The district is working to ensure staff have access to quality instructional resources and is continuing standards-alignment work in preparation for implementing ELA resources at the high school level. A comparison of 2025 and 2026 ELA scores was also reviewed. Math results showed an increase in the percentage of students scoring at Level 4, as well as an increase at Level 3. For more specific information and statistics related to the assessment results, refer to the Diligent agenda.
- The DLT(District Leadership Team) met to review the 24-month targets and identify additions or clarifications needed.
- An additional focus was added to improve consistency between the educator evaluation tool (McREL) and the walkthrough tool (LEBRA). The team worked to align the two systems and create a more cohesive approach to walkthroughs and evaluations.
- USD 491 Building Needs Assessment Report
- The 24-month strategic focus will be incorporated into the Building Needs Assessment to better align identified needs with the district's strategic priorities.
- CHAMPPS Program Partnership
- The CHAMPPS program is federally funded through the Jayhawk local agency for aging.
- The district is exploring this partnership. The first step would be determining the level of interest in the program.
Board Reports
- Eudora Schools Foundation
- The annual Back-to-School Shopping event was held Monday August 10 and served more than 200 students. Students received dinner, hygiene items, clothing, vaccines, after-school snacks, access to community resource navigators, haircuts, and other services at no cost.
- The Foundation will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a birthday celebration on Saturday August 15.
- Registration is open for the Foundation's annual golf tournament.
- Special Education Interlocal Board Meeting
- The group reviewed the discontinuation of the RTAP grant and discussed other potential funding options.
- The 2027 budget was reviewed.
- The Interlocal continues to seek a school psychologist for EMS/EHS, elementary resource teachers for fourth and fifth grade, and an Early Childhood Special Education teacher.
- There has been some turnover among front-office staff at the Interlocal.
- City of Eudora Commission
- The Commission voted to place a public safety sales tax on the November ballot.
- They’re holding a hearing regarding a tax increment financing (TIF) district for development on the northeast side of Eudora.
New Business
- Approved the Artificial Intelligence District Guidelines as presented.
- A family guide was added as part of the district's AI guidelines. Teacher training is a required prerequisite and will focus on AI literacy. The district will share information with families to provide greater clarity and confidence regarding how AI is being used in schools. A framework for teachers was provided to clarify appropriate AI use and the intended outcomes.
- Approved the 2026-2027 Preliminary Budget as presented.
Albania Andrade
The following are highlights of the discussion and actions from the regular board meeting on July 30, 2026. For a more detailed account, please access the meeting agenda in Diligent. To download presentations, PDFs, and other documents, please visit the agenda in Diligent as well.
To view the live stream of the Board Meeting, please visit the "Live" page of our YouTube Channel.
Consent Items
All items on the consent agenda and the two-day waiver were approved.
New Business
Approved the following carriers and products for the 2026-2027 employee benefits package. Benefits enrollment will take place on August 12.
Albania Andrade
The following are highlights of the discussion and actions from the regular board meeting on July 21, 2026. For a more detailed account, please access the meeting agenda in Diligent. To download presentations, PDFs, and other documents, please visit the agenda in Diligent as well.
To view the live stream of the Board Meeting, please visit the "Live" page of our YouTube Channel.
Consent Items
All items on the consent agenda were approved without discussion.
New Business
1. Approved to adopt the COLA resolution 26-10 as presented.
2. Approved the recommendation to award returning classified staff members a 25 cent annual increase for additional years of service in addition to a 2% raise effective July 1, 2026 and a 2% increase to returning administrators and directors staff salaries effective July 1, 2026.
3. Approved the ratified 2026-2027 negotiated agreement as presented.