August Cardinal Connection 2025

August 2025

Cardinal Connection The Cardinal Connection is where Eudora Schools staff can find information relevant to all positions! Each month you will read about upcoming events, information from directors, staff spotlights, resources, and more!

District Calendar

2025-2026 Calendar

Upcoming Events August 11 Convocation from 7:30-9:30am

August 13 Benefits Fair - Open Enrollment from 7:00-5:00.

August 14 Board of Education Meeting

August 29 ELC,EMS, and EHS Picture Day

Educator Excellence Grants - Due by 5 p.m. on Sep. 20

Apply now: bit.ly/2025ESFGrantsApply

I Give to Team Cardinal - Employee Giving Campaign Campaign ends September 30, 2025 Every staff member at Eudora Schools is invited to join our annual employee giving campaign by making a personal contribution. Most importantly, your donation benefits more than 1,800 students and nearly 300 staff members in Eudora Schools.

To donate online, click here.

Dream Big 2025-2026 Ideas & Proposal Form

ESF is wanting to hear from you on suggested professional learning and ideas for presenters. They’re also seeking interested Eudora staff members to share how they can make an impact in their role and presenting at this year’s conference.

Fill out the form here.

Recognizing Our Business Sponsors

Human Resources Health Resources: Resources for Living All Eudora School District staff will have access to Resources for Living. This ​ program offers emotional well-being support along with assistance for everyday life challenges ​like legal and financial services, daily life help, online resources (including a discount center!), ​and even identity theft protection.

One of the great features is Chat Therapy, where you can securely send text messages to your ​counselor for support.

To learn more, check out the short animated video (below) We’re here to support you!

Resources for Living

Cardinal Wellness Activities In ​addition to partnering with Aetna to provide staff with an enhanced resource for wellness and ​employee assistance, the committee has continued in partnership with JK Fitness, offering ​fitness classes EVERY morning at the West Resource Center from 5:15 - 6:00 a.m. All district ​staff are welcome.

The committee is also interested in what the staff would like to see and have available in the ​coming year. Please take a quick survey to let us know the activities that are most important to ​your well-being. All who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing to win a fun prize.

2025 Wellness Activity Survey

HR UPDATES As we gear up for the new school year, I wanted to share some exciting updates and changes w ​ ithin our HR department.

Amanda Brunkow - Human Resources Director and Title IX Coordinator.

Shannon Fink has stepped into the role of Compensation Clerk. Her duties include: Process and maintain payroll records, ensuring accuracy and compliance with district policies and state/federal regulations.

Serve as a resource for employees regarding payroll, time tracking, and benefits inquiries.

Determine employee eligibility for benefits and manage enrollment processes.

Oversee benefit deduction maintenance, ensuring timely updates for new enrollments, terminations, and changes.

Reconcile monthly benefit invoices against payroll deductions and resolve discrepancies.

Assist with annual open enrollment activities.

Stefanie White joined us towards the end of the school year as Board Clerk/District Administrative Assistant. Her duties include: Provide care and custody of the Board of Education's records, books, and documents.

Facilitate all school board meetings, including recordkeeping, requests to appear, communication, coordination with board members, meeting guests, and other stakeholders.

Administer and maintain the district’s electronic meeting system, including School Board Policies, agendas, and minutes of all meetings.

Assist with recruitment activities, including coordination and collection of background checks.

Assist with employee recognition and celebration activities.

Coordinate and assist with schedules and communication for the Superintendent and various district teams and committees.

The district office is here to support you!

Skyward Employee Access Now is the time to make sure you can log into your Skyward employee access account. Your contracts will be sent through Skyward.

Please contact amandabrunkow@eudoraschools.org or shannonfink@eudoraschools.org, if you need help logging in.

Communication- Albania Andrade Picture Day’s are coming up - Every Staff needs to get their picture taken Attention Staff: Picture Days are scheduled for the end of this month for the Early Learning Center, Eudora Middle School, and Eudora High School. EES will have theirs in September.

We kindly ask that ALL staff members—regardless of role—ensure their photo is taken. These photos are important for internal records and for updates to our staff directory.

Transportation, Food and Nutrition Services, Health Services, IT, Facilities, and WRC: We will work on coordinating a time so that you all also get a picture taken. More information to come soon.

NEED SUPPORT WITH COMMUNICATION ?

I’ve created a Google Calendar where you can easily schedule 1-on-1 time with me.

Whether you have questions, ideas, or just need support, I’m here as a resource for you!

Here are just a few things we can chat about during our time together:

🤳 Need help using ParentSquare? 📣 Want to highlight a cool thing happening at your school on social media? 🖼 Questions about using Canva for flyers, graphics, or announcements? 📰 Have a story you’d love to see featured in our quarterly district newsletter, The Card? 💬 Any other communication-related topics—big or small.

👉 Please don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule time. I want to support the great work you're doing.

Book a 1:1 Meeting with me

NEW STAFF

Betsy Hermreck is joining EES as a Third Grade Teacher. She has been a teacher off and on for the past 21 years but has spent most of her time as an elementary teacher. She has five kids, three attend Eudora schools and two are in college.

Betsy loves to spend time with family, animals, and loves sewing. She is excited to be back in a third grade classroom!

Justin Peavey is joining EES as a Resource Teacher. Justin and his wife April have both worked for Eudora Schools in the past and have 2 children attending currently.

Kelli Marlow is joining EES as the Library Media Specialist. This is her 12th year in education with her prior experience teaching Middle School Language Arts.

In her free time Kelli likes to read and discuss books, discover new places and museums with her husband, walk her dogs, and spend time with friends and family.

Jean Patton is joining Eudora Schools as a Transitional Coordinator and will be rotating within all schools in the district.

Jean has been in education for 30 years and just finished her 20th year working with ECKCE as a resource and Life Skills teacher at Wellsville.

NEW STAFF

Kolton Scrivner is joining EMS as a Food and Nutrition Services employee.

He was born and raised in Lawrence and is married to Jazzmyne. He loves working with kids and also has a passion for computers and tech.

Kim Squire is the new physical therapist for ECKCE. She is a long time Eudora resident and Kansas native with her clinical doctorate in Physical therapy. She has almost 18 years of experience, mostly in a medical setting. Kim is excited for this new challenge and to support students in Eudora, Baldwin, and Wellsville schools!

Clayton Neas is joining EHS as a Virtual and Alternative Learning Teacher. He is also helping with Summer Conditioning and will be an EHS Assistant Football Coach. Clayton is from Tonganoxie and graduated from Emporia State. He was the Strength and Conditioning coach at Turner High for the last 3 years and is excited to be here in Eudora.

Kevin Reed is joining the Building and Grounds Maintenance Crew.

He is married to Elizabeth and has two children, Mark and Emma who are both in highschool. They have lived in Eudora for 20 years and he is looking forward to working for Eudora Schools.

NEW STAFF

Leslie Cundiff has joined the Early Learning Center as an Extended Day Aide. Leslie is also a student at EHS.

Khloe Crawshaw is joining EMS as an 8th Grade SPED Teacher. She is a recent KU Grad with a degree in History and Musicology. She loves to sing and listen to jazz music. Khloe also has 2 dogs and 2 birds, loves to read and is a big Chief’s fan!

Matthew Hundley is joining EHS as the ELA Teacher along with Forensics and Debate. He has been teaching English and coaching at the secondary level for 30 years, the last 23 of which have been in Holton, Kansas. Matt enjoys staying active, reading, and spending time with his wife and four children.

Miles Cleveland will be the new EHS Industrial Arts Teacher.

He has currently been with Eudora Schools as the EHS Wrestling Coach.

NEW ROLES

Jessica Robson will be moving from a para with the Interlocal to a WEBS Teacher with EES.

Rachel Butrum is transferring from her position as the ELC Extended Day Supervisor to an ELC Teacher.

Courtney Taulbert will be transferring from her position as the Elementary School Admin Assistant to the same position at EMS.

Addisen Lewis will be working in the Early Learning Center as an Extended Day Aide. She is a Junior at EHS and enjoys hanging out with her loved ones. Addisen also loves track and food.

NEW ROLES

Takarah Olberding will be staying with the Early Learning Center and transferring from Extended Day Aide to a Full Time Classroom Aide.

Dana Neis will be transferring from a Food and Nutrition Services Employee to EES as an Administrative Assistant.

Abigail Schomig will be joining EES as a First Grade Resource Teacher.

She grew up in Chicago and graduated from KU in May. Abigail did her student teaching at EES and loved the community of students and teachers so much!

She is excited to be joining EES for her first year of teaching.

Daren Pippert will be starting as the EES Evening Custodian.

Daren is happy to be serving the youth of Eudora. All four of Daren’s kids have graduated through USD 491 so the District is very close to his heart.

Birthdays 8/1-Marcus Childs

8/16-Tyler Cleveland

8/3-Pamela Coozennoy

8/16-Skyler Hoover

8/3-Paige Dudley

8/16-Ricki Sample

8/5-Zach Dale

8/16-Khloe Crawshaw

8/5-Jason Tharp

8/17-Sandra Campbell

8/5-Kagen Fell

8/19-Christopher Lounsbury

8/5-Jaelynn Harper

8/19-Nathan Gomez

8/6-Alejandro Cabero

8/20-Sandra Lobato

8/6-Molly Smith 8/7-Celia Contreras 8/7-Sarah Miller 8/8- Michele Cleveland 8/8-Perry Shepard 8/9-Larry Gulley 8/10-Angie Brown 8/10-Ginny Rapplean 8/10-Kolton Scrivner 8/11-Destiny Bradford 8/12-Dale Carnagie 8/12-Paityn Perez 8/12-Terri Mills 8/15-Jennifer Akers 8/15-Katherine Washburn

8/21-Brenda Cannon 8/22-Beth Swanson 8/25-John Farrell 8/26-Cara Kimberlin 8/26-Heather Moore 8/26-Megan Whitebread 8/26-Dakota Copeland 8/26-Alyssa Poteet 8/27-Abbey Vieux-Revell 8/29-Maryjo Swann 8/29-Judy Willis 8/30-Carolyn Brown 8/30-Emily Shrimplin 8/30-Mandy Shockley

Let us know!

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Eudora Schools Spotlight Submission Fill out the form below if you’d like a club, classroom activity, event, accomplishment, or achievement to be featured on our district-wide social media channels!

Anything that will tell our story and “Why Eudora!”

LINK.

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