Nov. 6, 2015 ~ Olathe West High School will be home of the owls when it opens in two years. That decision and the selection of blue and silver as school colors were made by the Olathe Board of Education during their regular meeting Nov. 5.
The board's decision was made following weeks of feedback from patrons, staff and students. This started with a week of suggestions for both mascot and colors. The top three suggestions in both categories were tallied and patrons, staff and students were given a week to share their thoughts in an online poll.
Kindergarten Options
Executive Director of General Administration / Elementary Programs Brent Yeager shared information about the district's full-day and half-day kindergarten programs. The district began offering both programs in 1994 and staff continue to analyze the increasing number of families choosing the full-day option instead of half-day kindergarten.
Yeager also told board members that 2016-17 options include continuing to offer full-day kindergarten at Title 1 schools and 25 non-Title I elementary schools, offering a.m. kindergarten at all 25 non-Title 1 schools and offering p.m. kindergarten at just five selected sites.
American Education Week
Three teachers presented information about American Education Week, celebrated Nov. 16-20, its origins and purpose. Angie Powers, Debora Kuhl and Tiffany Huitt, all members of the executive board of the Olathe-National Education Association (ONEA), said American Education Week was created in 1919 to support public education.
It is an opportunity to celebrate those who ensure that every child receives a quality education. That includes the teachers, students, families and businesses throughout Olathe who provide a strong public education for all children in the community, they said.
Recognitions:
- Texas Roadhouse restaurant was recognized for its support of the district as a business partner.
- Bentwood Elementary first-grade teacher Nancy Smith has been recognized with the Wendell G. Mohling Foundation Scholarship Award and will receive a scholarship to attend the National Science Teachers Association Conference.
- Megan Wendleton of California Trail Middle School is the Kansas Outstanding Middle School Art Educator of the Year as named by the Kansas Art Educators Association.
- Sherry Wann of California Trail is the Outstanding Middle School Orchestra Educator of the Year as named by the Northeast Kansas Music Educators Association (NEKMEA).
- Eric Griffin of Mission Trail Middle School is the Outstanding Middle School Band Educator of the Year as chosen by NEKMEA.
- Gretchen Harrison of Frontier Trail Middle School is the Outstanding Middle School Choral Educator of the Year, named by NEKMEA.
- Greg Ferguson of Olathe South High School is the Outstanding High School Orchestra Educator of the Year as chosen by NEKMEA.
In other business, the board:
- Approved a consent agenda including meeting minutes, reports, curriculum, a student trip, and Head Start official documents.
- Approved a bid for white copy paper.
- Approved construction change orders in excess of $20,000 for Olathe West.
- Appointed Brent McCune as delegate and Rick Schier as alternate delegate to represent the district at the Kansas Association of School Boards delegate assembly in December.
- Received information about future action items including legislative positions, Head Start policies and procedures, a schedule for 2016 aging facilities projects, audit reports for the fiscal year ended June 30, Public Safety and Green Tech curriculum approval.
- Received the written Head Start director's monthly report, Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments, and Computer Science Applications course information.
- Held an executive session to discuss personnel matters and employer-employee negotiations. Returned from executive session to accept the negotiated agreement with the Olathe National Education Association.
The complete agenda and supporting documents can be found online at http://www.boarddocs.com/ks/olathe/Board.nsf/Public.
