March 7, 2025 ~ The Olathe Board of Education met March 6 for its regular meeting. A student from the Step Up adult diploma program led the Pledge of Allegiance prior to the meeting agenda being approved. The board voted to appoint Suzanne Hastert as deputy clerk of the board for 2025.
Recognitions
- Dr. Sean DeMaree, principal of Olathe South High School, received the Outstanding Real World Learning Leadership Award from the Kauffman Foundation.
- Championship teams from the district’s most recent Math Wings competition are Arbor Creek Elementary’s Addison Baker, Quentin Smith and Beniah Brown in fourth grade, and Regency Place Elementary’s Jeremy Chen, Liam Allinder and Aria Singer in fifth grade.
- The Olathe Northwest High School dance team was recognized as 6A state champions in the Gameday Dance Showcase. They also were crowned grand national champions after a three-day competition in Florida.
School Spotlight
Russ Munyan, adult education teacher in the Step Up program, told the board about 60 adults graduate from the program each year, with the youngest graduates in their late teens and the oldest (so far) being 74 years old. Step Up participants, who must be Kansas residents, take online classes to earn their diploma. Munyan’s statistics show that about 9% of Americans don’t have a diploma, which is about 200,000 working-age adults in Kansas. The Step Up program is funded by the Kansas State Department of Education and generates revenue for other district programs. A 2019 Step Up graduate, Trung Duy Huynh (Tom) shared his story of success in the program.
Mental Health and PBIS
Dr. Scott Fluke, assistant director of behavior and social emotional learning and mental health, shared information with the board about the district’s programs. Positive behavior interventions and supports, also known as PBIS, has been implemented with schoolwide supports in 11 schools, and with targeted interventions in another 34 buildings. The final 10 schools are developing PBIS now. Five PBIS coaches support work in the schools to create a safe environment and improve behavioral health.
Fluke quoted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as saying one in five children has a mental health or behavioral disorder, but only one in five of those children receives treatment. The school district offers individual and small group sessions with mental health professionals, contract therapists, direct referrals to Johnson County Mental Health, and the HELP Clinic. In all, more than 400 students have received services. Fluke mentioned the March 29 Taste of the Town fundraiser by the Olathe Public Schools Foundation to support mental health and wellness in the district.
Legislative Update
Dr. Stuart Little of Little Government Relations provided an update on the 2025 Kansas legislative session.
In other business, the board:
- Approved a consent agenda including meeting minutes, financial and accounts payable reports, and human resources report; 11 student trips; updated standards for middle school health, high school Student Naturalist course, Horticulture course, Anatomy and Physiology course; and the Head Start eligibility priority criteria and recruitment selection and attendance policies and procedures.
- Approved replacement welding equipment for the Olathe Advanced Technical Center’s course. (Bond 2022)
- Approved the purchase of replacement absorbent floor mats for various schools across the district. (Bond 2022)
- Approved bids and proposals for plumbing materials and services related to the upcoming aging facilities projects. (Bond 2022)
- Approved the proposal for tennis court and track repairs this summer. (Bond 2022)
- Approved the purchase of iPads, iMac and related accessories and services, and the sale of old iPads. (Bond 2022)
- Received information on future action items including textbooks or instructional online materials for multiple high school science courses; updated standards for high school writing courses; secondary core literature curriculum and resources; revised curriculum document for seventh grade social studies; print and e-license for a United States history atlas; revised competencies for high school Media Design and Communications pathway courses, high school Energy Pathway and Diversified Agriculture Pathway courses, high school Teaching and Training Pathway courses, high school Health Science Pathway courses; purchase of new algebra and trigonometry textbook and online materials; middle school math resources; replacement scissor lift for the Operations Service Center; student trip; bids for on-call construction trade services; renewal of DebtBook software; copy paper for the upcoming school year; student fees and miscellaneous charges for 2025-26; replacement audiological equipment; elevator inspections, maintenance and repair services; replacement furniture for science classrooms at Olathe North High School; middle school auditorium visual equipment upgrades; and staff recommendation of school capacity for open enrollment for the 2025-26 school year.
- Received the Head Start director’s monthly written report.
- Received the monthly Bond 2022 written report.
- Received the Learning Services monthly written report.
- Held an executive session to discuss employer-employee negotiations.
The complete agenda is available on the BoardDocs website.
