December 2022

Olathe families,

I hope you had a wonderful break where you were able to rest and recharge as a family. I know I did. During the break, I reflected on just how truly grateful I am to be the superintendent of Olathe Public Schools. I am grateful for the family and community engagement I am seeing across our district. I am grateful for every single student that attends our schools. Finally, I am grateful for the 5,000+ staff members I work alongside daily to prepare students for their future.

In the days leading up to break, we celebrated American Education Week as a district. This was a time to come together and applaud our staff on the awesome things they do every day to educate students. October and November can be some of the toughest months of the school year, but at each building I have visited in the past few weeks I have left feeling inspired. During American Education Week, we focused on our Points of Pride, a list of 22 facts that make us proud to be Olathe Public Schools. You will read more about that initiative below.

As we finish up first semester, I invite you to partner in your students' education with their teachers and school staff. We are better together. Let's finish strong!

Sincerely,

Dr. Brent Yeager

Olathe Public Schools celebrated American Education Week, Nov. 13-19, by honoring the team of people who work in our district. This includes everyone from bus drivers and classroom teachers to support services workers and administrative staff. It takes all of our staff members to educate the whole child and prepare them for their future.

To find a full list of facts, please visit our district website: https://bit.ly/OPSPointsofPride. These facts are just a small snapshot of the work our staff does on a daily basis to educate our students.

On Nov. 17, members of the Olathe Board of Education, city leaders, former OPS superintendent Dr. Ron Wimmer, community partners, as well as Santa Fe Trail Middle School students and administrators gathered for the special groundbreaking ceremony. This project is part of the 2022 Bond to provide an updated facility that better meets the needs of students and provides equal educational opportunities for students through a high-quality learning space.

Originally constructed in 1968, the current Santa Fe Trail building has undergone renovations and additions to maintain the facility. However, in looking at the continued infrastructure challenges, as well as the outdated design, small classroom space and the cost to continue renovating the existing building, a fresh start was the best answer for the Santa Fe Trail community.

The new Santa Fe Trail will be constructed on the existing campus, allowing students and staff to remain in the current facility and continue teaching and learning uninterrupted until the new facility is ready. The estimated timeframe for construction is two years, with a projection of substantial completion around April 2024.

Speakers included Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager, Board of Education President Shannon Wickliffe, Santa Fe Trail Principal J.J. Libal, and two sixth-grade students who will have the opportunity to attend school in the new building once construction is complete.