Dec. 11, 2018

District Receives Grant for Vision Screening

Olathe Public Schools is the beneficiary of an $18,750 grant from the Baptist-Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation which modifies the way vision screenings are conducted.

In 2019, the sixth edition of Kansas Vision Guidelines is to be published and these guidelines change vision screening procedures. In anticipation of these guidelines, an inventory of current vision tools and equipment needs was identified.

In the fall of 2018, Director of Health Services Sharon Morris, was approached by representatives of the Baptist-Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation (BTLLF) with the opportunity to apply for grant funds for a health-related project. To assist the district with the funding for these vision tools and training, Morris submitted the application and $18,750 was awarded to Olathe Public Schools by BTLLF for the purpose of purchasing needed vision tools for Title 1 schools and other schools with students with economic disadvantage. The funds will assist Olathe district nurses in providing current, evidence-based vision screening in compliance with state guidelines.

“I greatly appreciate the support the Baptist-Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation has provided to health initiatives in local school districts including our own Olathe Public Schools,” Morris said. “A student without adequate vision experiences a barrier to learning and, therefore Olathe Public Schools has a robust program of vision screening by school nurses to support the academic progress of students. This financial support from the Baptist-Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation grant assists us in the purchase of updated tools to continue the tradition of Olathe Public Schools to provide our students with current, evidence-based vision screening.”

Impact Olathe Earns Community Award

The Community Development division of Olathe Public Schools was honored by the United Community Services (UCS) of Johnson County with the Excellence in Community Service award during the 2018 UCS Annual Meeting.The honor stems from the Impact Olathe initiative and the cooperation of community partners.

Impact Olathe was created in an effort to face community challenges head on. The initiative works with families in transition and registered as homeless and helps to connect resources to students and their families.

“The Impact Olathe program is a collaborative effort with 11 area agencies to connect McKinney-Vento families and students facing economic challenges to social service agencies,” Heather Schoonover, Olathe Public Schools community development liaison, said. “The one-stop resource allows families referred by the Olathe district to access food, housing, affordable child care, case management, employment, and health care resources as well as connection to school- based programs. We are proud to be the recipient of the UCS award as we break down barriers to positively impact the lives of our students and families.”

Green Tech Academy Receives Grant

The Green Tech Academy, located at Olathe West High School, was awarded a $5,000 grant by Heartland Utilities for Energy Efficiency for the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education to establish a network of green feeder schools that will establish green teams pushing forward environmental and energy efficiency iniatitives.

“I am thrilled for Mr. Cody Janosek (Green Tech Academy facilitator) and our Green Tech Academy,” Olathe West Principal Jay Novacek said. “The Heartland Utilities for Energy Efficiency is a wonderful group who are active in assisting schools in creating opportunities for students in the area of energy and green initiatives. With this grant, we have created a strong partnership which will hopefully create opportunities for both the students and the industry. Business and community support is key to the success of our Green Tech Academy and we are honored to receive the support.”

Olathe Students Named as 2019 Shooting Stars Program Finalists

The Arts Council of Johnson County (ACJC) announced 101 finalists have been nominated for the 2019 Shooting Stars Awards. Of the finalists, 21 are students of the Olathe Public Schools.

The Shooting Stars Program promotes the positive impact arts education has on students by honoring student achievement in the literary, performing and visual arts through recognition and college scholarships. Shooting Stars award recipients will be announced at the 22nd Annual Shooting Stars Gala at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art and Yardley Hall, Johnson County Community College on April 7, 2019.

• Literature – MJ Ferguson, Olathe North High School
• Photography – Esther Rose, Olathe East High School; Adam Peet, Olathe North High School; Megan Sauer, Olathe Northwest High School
• Production & Design – Emily Martin, Olathe North High School
• Strings – Caroline Shipley, Olathe South High School
• Theatre Performance – Zoey Johnson, Olathe East High School; Ashley Strella, Olathe North High School; Avery Williamson, Olathe Northwest High School; Grace Hawkins, Olathe West High School
• Three Dimension Art – Kysn Paepke, Olathe Northwest High School; Rylee Jorgensen, Olathe West High School
• Two Dimensional Art – Ryan Middleton, Olathe North High School; Mackenzie Klaus, Olathe Northwest High School; Bennett Junkins, Olathe South High School
• Voice Classical – Ryan Henn, Olathe Northwest High School; Sarah Slightom, Olathe North High School
• Winds & Percussion – Maddie Cain, Olathe North High School; Maxwell Sahhar, Olathe Northwest High School; Jenna Stokes, Olathe South High School; Evan Kappelman, Olathe East High School